What Happens With the Horse’s Gut in the Heat?

Thehorse.com - Full Article

January 6, 2025
Posted by Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc

An equine nutritionist describes the connections between heat stroke and leaky gut in horses and what you can do to prevent these problems.

If your horse sweats and appears outwardly comfortable, he must be managing the high temperatures just fine, right? Not according to Clair Thunes, MS, PhD, equine nutrition consultant and owner of Clarity Equine Nutrition. During her presentation at the 2024 EquiSummit virtual conference, held Dec. 3-4, Thunes said horses suffering heat stress might appear outwardly unaffected. However, their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts struggle, which affects their health and performance. How Horses Manage Heat

Horses heat up not only from the sun shining on them but also the heat generated during their metabolic processes. For example, the chemical reactions muscle cells use to contract large muscle groups during exercise all produce heat. Horses’ bodies need to manage heat to stay in a thermoneutral zone.

The key way horses lose heat is through evaporation of sweat, said Thunes, “and when that doesn’t work, they rely on respiratory losses through heavy breathing...”

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/1133363/what-happens-with-the-horses-gut-in-the-heat/?lid=y40rmdteuap1

British veterans retrace epic Lawrence trek in ‘living tribute to history’

ArabNews.com - Full Story

Nada Hameed
15 February 2025

Team of 5 covered more than 1,000 km across ‘stunning’ Saudi Arabia, Jordan

JEDDAH: In a journey that followed the path of one of history’s most legendary desert crossings, a British team of four endurance riders has retraced the famous route of T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, across Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Their remarkable expedition, inspired by the historic trek that helped change the course of the First World War, was a feat of endurance, history and adventure.

“A few of us last year were sitting around a table and mulling what was probably the most historic camel ride in recent history, and we came up with the one from Lawrence of Arabia,” Howard Leedham, one of the riders, told Arab News. “Nobody has ever done it since Lawrence, Auda Abu Tayi, Nasib Al-Bakri and Sherif Nasir did this ride.”

Their journey mirrored the original path taken by Lawrence and his Arab allies in 1917, beginning in Al-Wajh, Saudi Arabia, and traversing the vast desert landscapes toward Aqaba, Jordan. Along the way, the riders passed through key historical sites mentioned in Lawrence’s book, “Seven Pillars of Wisdom.”

Leedham said: “We stayed as faithful to the route as possible..."

Read more here:
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2590353/amp

Meet 'Polo Super Ponies': World’s first genetically modified horses bred for 'explosive speed' in Argentina

MoneyControl.com - Full Article

Scientists in Argentina have made history by creating the world's first genetically modified horses, designed to be faster and more agile.

Curated by : Sheetal Kumari February 12, 2025

Scientists in Argentina have made history with a new achievement. They have produced the world's first genetically modified horses. These animals were designed to be faster than Polo Pureza, an award-winning polo mare.

Using Genetics to Boost Speed

The horses were born in October and November last year. Experts at the Argentine biotech firm Kheiron used CRISPR-Cas9 technology. This tool allows precise changes in the genes of living organisms.

Gabriel Vichera, Kheiron’s co-founder and scientific director, explained the process. "We design their genome before birth using genetic scissors," he said. This method enables scientists to cut and modify specific DNA regions...

Read more here:
https://www.moneycontrol.com/science/meet-polo-super-ponies-world-s-first-genetically-modified-horses-bred-for-explosive-speed-in-argentina-article-12938022.html

Gastric Ulcers as a Cause of Poor Performance in Horses

Thehorse.com - Full Article

March 4, 2022
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett

Learn how gastric ulcers affect equine performance and the best ways for treating them in actively competing horses.

Poor performance in horses can result from a single cause or a combination of factors, ranging from injury to illness. When trying to diagnose a medical reason for poor performance, veterinarians should always consider gastric ulcers as a potential problem. This is because these painful lesions are incredibly common in athletic horses. Fortunately, treatment and management methods are quite effective.

Frank M. Andrews, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM (LAIM), LVMA department head, equine committee professor, and director of the Equine Health Studies Program at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, in Baton Rouge, described the association between gastric ulcers and equine performance and how to treat the condition during the 2021 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention, held Dec. 4-8 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Why Equine Athletes Develop Ulcers

How we manage performance horses, which is contrary to their physiological needs, sets them up to get gastric ulcers...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/1109363/gastric-ulcers-as-a-cause-of-poor-performance-in-horses/?lid=h29yvl06a6dw&uuid=019221faf031005d65535fac4bd40006f009a06700bd0