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Aug 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2575-1212.jvhc-18-2167
Buckley PetraCorresponding author
Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales 2650, Australia.
A cohort of Pony Club horses was observed for 13 months with data collected from owner-kept diaries and monthly property visits. All horses studied had access to pasture for all or part of the day. Whilst paddock size was seldom limiting, pasture degradation was evident and observed pasture mass and composition varied greatly. Horses’ body weight indices and body condition scores also varied greatly, closely matching seasonal variations in pasture mass. Increments in bodyweight varied in a non-linear fashion with body condition score. Most horses experienced additional year-round hand-fed supplementation and half of the study horses recorded body condition scores greater than 3.5 out of 5. This suggests that the owners of Pony Club horses did not rely on pasture as the sole source of nutrition, even though, based on estimated energy demands, well-managed pasture can meet the energy requirements of Pony Club horses. Furthermore, the fact that owners appeared not to make horse feeding decisions based on body condition score resulting in obesity, raises health and welfare concerns in this cohort of horses. The inappropriate feeding of supplements observed during times of high pasture growth was a concern. Whilst the ideal pasture for Pony Club horses has not been described, it is likely to differ to those considered ideal for broodmares and other livestock because of these unique health risks associated with high levels of non-structural carbohydrate content in improved pasture species. This study highlights the need to educate owners about recognising unhealthy body conditions of horses and better managing pastures and pasture access to reduce the risk of obesity related disorders, whilst at the same time reducing pasture degradation and supplemental feed costs
Nov 2025 DOI 10.14302/issn.2694-2283.jsem-25-5730
A. Heinrich EmilyCorresponding author
Objective The goal of this systematic review is to identify common themes amongst acute spinal cord injuries (SCI) in equestrian athletes. Design A systematic review was performed using PubMed, CINAHL Plus with Full Text (EBSCO), Cochrane Library, and Scopus with pre-determined MESH terms. The initial search returned 354 studies. Following PRISMA guidelines, 13 articles were included. Exclusion criteria included injuries to the horse only, non-English language, cauda equina, and case reports. Data extraction was completed, and common findings were evaluated narratively due to heterogeneity of data. Results Seven manuscripts listed specific horse-related activities that caused SCI, with fall from horse as the highest percentage of injury. Nine articles identified the injury region, with large variations and no clear dominant area of injury. Five articles identified the length of hospital stay with ranges from 1 to 82 days. Four articles looked at the association of professional vs non-professional riders. Only two articles evaluated helmet use at time of injury, with one article showing 81% of those with SCI used helmets, and the other showing only 35.6% utilized this safety measure. Conclusion SCI in equestrian athletes can have a wide presentation, with large variation on location of injury, length of stay, and other factors. However, non-professional riders are at greater risk of SCI and individuals are more likely to sustain injury from a fall from a horse rather than a kick or another modality of injury. Future study can elicit presenting symptoms, types of surgical intervention used, and long-term outcomes and recovery.
Feb 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2471-2175.jdrt-15-718
Gönül MüzeyyenCorresponding author
Ankara Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Education and Research Hospital, Dışkapı, Ankara, Turkey.
Pernio is an inflammatory disease that is usually characterized by the development of cold-induced erythrocyanotic skin lesions located in acral regions. Diagnosis is difficult if lesions are present in rare locations. A 21-year-old female suffering from fatigue presented with a 4-day history of painful, purple lesions on both thighs. She worked as a cashier, wore tight clothing, and was otherwise healthy except for mild obesity. Dermatological examination revealed tender and painful edematous papules and plaques on the outer aspects of her thighs. The patient was diagnosed with pernio based on her medical history, and clinical and histological findings. Laboratory tests were normal except for her cold agglutinin titer (1:4). Pernio rarely occurs on the thigh, except in people who ride horses. However, it sometimes occurs in non-riders depending on lifestyle and environmental conditions. Therefore, lesions in this region must be confirmed by a thorough medical history and evaluation of clinical and histopathological findings. Cold agglutinins may be associated with this disease.
Aug 2014 DOI 10.14302/issn.2473-1005.jdoi-14-413
A. Ibrahim DinaCorresponding author
Demonstrator in Dental Biomaterials, Faculty of Dentistry, Mansoura UniverAsity, Mansoura, Egypt.
Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sport and energy drinks on conventional and resin-modified glass ionomer restorative materials regarding fracture toughness, surface roughness and fluoride release. Methods: The restorative materials used were conventional and resin-modified glass ionomers. Sport drinks used were Gatorade Perform 02 and Pocari sweat, while the energy drinks were Red Bull and Power Horse. Specimens were prepared and divided into five groups according to the immersion media (distilled water, two sport drinks and two energy drinks) for 1 and 7 days. The fracture toughness was determined using three-point bending method. Surface roughness was measured using surface profilometer. Fluoride release was determined using a conventional ion chromatograph testing unit. The data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA and Least Significant Difference test. For comparison between the two materials under each condition, t-test was used. Results: There was no significant difference in fracture toughness between sport, energy drinks and distilled water at the different time intervals except for conventional glass ionomer after 7 days. Resin-modified glass-ionomer exhibited smoother surfaces more than conventional one in sport and energy drinks after 1 day. After 7 days, both conventional and resin-modified glass ionomers showed greater surface roughness. Both conventional and resin-modified glass ionomers release more fluoride in acidic beverages than distilled water. Conclusions: The effect of sport and energy drinks on the fracture toughness may depend on the composition and acidity of drink. Fluoride release increased with the consumption of sport and energy drinks.