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UK Gluck Equine Research Center Launches National Survey On Older Horses

While horses aged 15 years and over make up a significant portion of the U.S. equine population, surprisingly little is currently known about their management and health status. In response, the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center is launching a survey to better understand the special needs of this age group.

Eligible survey participants should own one or more horses that currently reside(s) in the U.S. While the survey focuses on horses, including ponies, aged 15 years and older, owners of younger horses are also invited to participate in the survey. The survey takes between three and 25 minutes to complete. The survey can be accessed at https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bxAeIRSVM6gAOvb, and will be available through Nov. 20. Participants will also have the option to enter a raffle to win two bags of BUCKEYE Nutrition feed (1st prize), or four pounds of Reasons Joint Support Treats (2nd and 3rd prizes).

The survey project is coordinated by Alisa Herbst, a doctoral candidate at the Gluck Center in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, who is concentrating on the aging process of horses. She is being supervised by assistant professor Amanda Adams, a specialist working with geriatric horses.

“The main goal of this survey is to create a management and health profile of U.S. horses aged 15-plus years,” she said. “By applying the insights that we gather from the survey, and other work in my PhD, I hope that we can provide improved support for those managing horses of this age group.”

Herbst is collaborating on this project with an international and national research team that includes Adams; Patricia Harris, professor, veterinarian and director of science at MARS Horsecare and head of the equine studies group at WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute; Michelle Coleman, veterinarian and assistant professor at Texas A & M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences; and Erica Macon, doctoral candidate at UK's Gluck Center. MARS Equestrian is providing sponsorship for this study.

“We're very excited about the information that this survey will provide. While much beloved by their owners, we still know very little about the specific needs of this population. I look forward to hearing more about the results from this survey, and I greatly appreciate the sponsorships provided by MARS Equestrian for this effort,” said David Horohov, chair of UK's Department of Veterinary Science and director of the Gluck Center.

The contribution of every horse owner, and especially those with any horse or pony over 15 years of age, will be vital for the success of this project and the continued improvement in the health of horses.

MARS Equestrian Fellow At UK’s Gluck Equine Research Center Continues To Assist Older Horses

Horses aged 15 and over make up between 20 to 30 percent of the United States equine population. An important milestone will be reached this year in the quest to learn more about this population. October marks the one-year anniversary of Amanda Adams, associate professor at the University of Kentucky Gluck Equine Research Center specializing in aged horse research, becoming the first MARS Equestrian Fellow. This fellowship supports her work to improve not only how the industry cares for senior horses but also how veterinarians can better diagnose the conditions and diseases that affect them.

According to Linda Mars, gaining a better understanding of how nutritional and management requirements change with age and activity will help the industry provide the best possible care to horses and ponies throughout their lives.

As horses age, they face an increased risk for some common conditions and diseases. One of those, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, develops in approximately 20 percent of senior horses. Another condition, equine metabolic syndrome, is associated with insulin dysregulation and often obesity. This can occur in all aged animals but may have additional adverse consequences in the older horse. Both are associated with the development of laminitis, a very painful and debilitating condition of the hoof that is often life ending.

These are just two of the key problems that Adams' team has been able to work on with MARS Equestrian support. Her team has established and maintains a unique herd of nearly 80 aged, obese and metabolic syndrome horses. The herd is the only one of its kind in the U.S., and it provides unique opportunities to study geriatric and endocrine diseases in horses.

According to Adams, most of what her team knows and what they are learning about aging and endocrine diseases in this population of special needs horses wouldn't be possible without access to this research herd.

“In a short period of time, we have made major breakthroughs in gaining a better understanding of how to nutritionally manage horses suffering from insulin dysregulation, specifically in equine metabolic syndrome horses. We are also learning that the season has a profound influence on the metabolic responses of these diseased horses, which will help shed light on why these horses may develop laminitis at certain times of the year,” said Adams, a faculty member of the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “Over the last year, we have also been working to define sarcopenia (an age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength) in aged horses and how specific diet and exercise routines may reverse or improve that muscle loss. Furthermore, we are studying what effect exercise has on the inflammation-aging response in aged horses.”

While the progress is promising, Adams said that more work is needed. In addition to learning how to better manage these horses, there is a need at the basic scientific level to understand how the aging process affects the horse's immunity, metabolic status and nutritional needs.

“The many problems we face with the aging horse are important given the growing senior horse population,” said Pat Harris, Director of Science, MARS Horsecare. “Thus, it is critical that we continue these efforts to advance the field and improve our knowledge in senior horse care,” “ultimately creating a better world for horses” added Bridgett McIntosh, Director of MARS Equestrian.

Tattersalls Cheltenham Autumn Fixtures Changed

Tattersalls Cheltenham will not be hosting the rest of its 2020 sales fixtures at Cheltenham Racecourse due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the Cheltenham November Sale will take place at Fairyhouse in Ireland on Nov. 12. Park Paddocks will host the Cheltenham December Sale on Dec. 3 and there will be an alternative Cheltenham December Sale back at Fairyhouse on Dec. 17. The Oct. 23 Tattersalls Cheltenham October Sale has been cancelled.

“Whilst we naturally look forward to returning to Cheltenham Racecourse as soon as restrictions allow, this solution offers vendors and purchasers the best available opportunities to trade in Ireland and the UK in what are difficult circumstances,” said Tattersalls Cheltenham Head Matthew Prior.

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2020 UK GSSS Award Noms Now Open

Nominations for the 2020 UK Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards are now open. The awards recognise and reward the outstanding skills, commitment and contribution of over 10,000 stud and stable staff in England, Scotland and Wales. In this challenging year, the 2021 awards will particularly look to recognise the challenges faced by stud and stable staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. The finalists will be judged, most likely remotely, on Feb. 22. After the winners are selected, there will be a virtual awards ceremony, and a celebratory event is slated for summer 2021, subject to relevant government guidance. Nominations will close on Nov. 10. They can be made by anyone on behalf of anyone working in a yard or stud via www.studandstablestaffwards.co.uk. For more information, go to www.britishhorseracing.com.

“In this extraordinary year it is more important than ever that we reward those dedicated, hardworking people who do so much behind the scenes of the racing and breeding industries,” said Godolphin UK & Dubai Managing Director Hugh Anderson. “The challenges that both industries have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic have been on a scale unlike anything we have felt before, and those who work with our horses day in, day out have shown outstanding commitment in keeping our industries going.

“Godolphin is delighted to be continuing its support of these awards and we look forward to celebrating the achievements of stud and stable staff up and down the land again in 2021.”

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