Horses Flashcards
When should horses receive ultrasounds?
Day 14, day 20-29 and day 45
What is a stallion?
Entire male horse over 4 years old
What is a Mare?
Female horse over 4 years old
What is a Gelding?
Castrated male
What is a Colt?
Entire male horse younger than 4 years old
What is a Filly?
Female horse over 4 years old
When is the universal horses birthday in the southern hemisphere?
August 1st
What is a yearling?
Horse in its second year
Across what ages do horses race?
2 years to 11 years
What is involved in an Eventing competition?
Dressage, cross country and show jumping
What horses are most commonly used for eventing, dressage, show jumping and showing?
Warmbloods
What types of horses are used for harness racing?
Standardbreds
What is meant by the term Rig?
Cryptorchid (horse with one or two undescended testes)
What is a weanling?
A foal after it has been weaned but before it becomes a yearling
What breed of horse is commonly used for endurance riding?
Arabian
What is the regulatory body for horse racing in Victoria?
Racing Victoria
When is thoroughbred breeding season?
September 5th to the end of December
When are foals usually weaned?
Around 6-8 months
How do pacers legs move?
Laterally
How do trotters legs move?
Diagonally
What is the name of the cart that horses pull in harness racing?
Gig
What is the transmission of Hendra virus
Bats to horses to humans
Is there a vaccination available for Hendra?
Yes, the challenge is to get horse owners to use it
What are hobbles used for?
To ensure SB horses legs move in synch when harness racing. There are specifically designed hobbles for pacers and trotters
How long is a mares gestation?
340 days
What is the first oestrus period after foaling called?
Foal heat, typically 10 days after foaling
What are some characteristics of foal heat?
Normal conception rates, but increased embryonic death, consequently significantly reducing fertility of mares on foal heat
Lights are used to artificially lengthen mares photoperiod, when is light period implemented
From the 1st of July, for 10 weeks
What are some characteristics to look for in oestrus detection?
- Tail raised
- Winking
- Frequent urination
- Standing close to other mares
Describe the role of teaser stallions
Stallions used to help detect mares on oestrus
When should a stallion serve a mare to receive optimal conception rates?
Several hours prior to ovulation. This is detected by using ultrasound mares ever 2 days, when the follicle is 3.5cm breed the next day.
How can the stage of oestrus and proximity to ovulation be estimated?
Using an ultrasound to determine follicle length, most follicles will reach a diameter of 4.5cm before ovulation
What is the reason for ultra sounding at day 14 of pregnancy?
Embryos remain mobile until day 16, therefore, ultra-sounding at day 14 allows time for one embryo to be crushed in the even of dizygotic twins
What is the reason for ultra sounding at 20-29 of pregnancy?
Both twins can be aborted by manual crushing or prostaglandin injection before day 35, and the mare will still start cycling again
Why do we vaccinate pregnant mares with EHV 1 and 4 during months 5, 7 and 9 of pregnancy?
To assist in the prevention of abortion
What is the purpose of Caslick’s procedure?
To prevent ascending genital tract infections
What booster vaccinations are usually given to mares 1 month prior to foaling?
Strangles and tetanus, this is to ensure that circulating antibody levels are high when forming colostrum for the foal
Why is dietary roughage usually reduced 2 weeks prior to parturition?
To minimise the risk of caecal or colonic rupture
Is it normal to run milk prior to foaling?
No,
What are some characteristics of a mare in first stage labour?
- Patchy sweating
- Restlessness
- Abdominal discomfort
- Pawing ground
- Intermittent rolling
- Dilate her cervix
How long does first stage of labour usually last?
4 hours
What marks the end of first stage labour?
Rupture of the chorioallantoic membranes
How long should second stage of labour last?
Around 5-40 minutes. Over 1 hour and the foal is likely to die
What is the third stage of labour?
Expression of foetal membranes
How long should it take for foetal membranes to pass?
Should pass within 3 hours, RFM risks laminitis and toxicosis
How many mare can a stallion routinely serve per day?
Maximum of 3 without fertility loss
When is the stallion service fee most commonly due?
Day 45 of pregnancy with a single
How much should foals weigh at parturition?
10% of their mothers bodyweight
When should a foal be on its feet post parturition?
within 1 hour of birth
When should a foal be suckling post parturition?
within 2 hours of birth
What suckling frequency should you expect from a foal in its first and second weeks of life?
7 times per hour in its first week, 2-3 times per hour in its second and third weeks
When can a foal absorb antibodies from colostrum?
For the first 12-24 hours of life
If colostrum is not available, what can be used as an alternative?
Bovine colostrum
What is minimum milk intake for foal survival?
10% of bodyweight
Why is it so important to drench mares before they give birth?
Because foals are coprophagic, and ingest parasite eggs from their mothers faeces
What are foals vaccinated against and when are they vaccinated?
After 3-4 months of age, against strangles, tetanus and ideally hendra
When are foals typically weaned?
6-8 months
What is the underlying condition causing “roarers”?
Left laryngeal hemiplegia (paralysis of arytenoid cartilage)
What is the underlying condition causing “bleeders”?
Exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage
What is the underlying condition causing “strangles”?
Abcessation around the larynx
What is the scientific name for odd toed ungulates (inc. horses)?
Perissodactyla
What do the numbers on the freeze brand on horses right shoulder signify?
- Top number is the drop number
2. Bottom number is the year of birth
If abortions happen past day 35, why can’t horses get back into cycle that season?
Formation of the endometrial cups, which secrete equine chorionic gonadotrophin
What does Farriery involve?
Hoof cleaning and trimming
What are some known causes of laminitis (founder)?
- Systemic inflammation
- Excessive weight bearing on one limb (Barbaro)
- Excess of non-structural carbohydrates messing with glucose regulation and hyperinsulinaemia
Simply, what is laminitis?
Degeneration of the tissue between the foot and the hoof wall
What proportion of body weight should horses be fed forages?
1.5-2%, and less than 1% concentrates
What type of teeth do horses have?
Hypsodont, except for a brachydont wolf tooth
