Cross-sectional survey of owner knowledge and husbandry practices, tack and health issues affecting working horses in Lesotho.

To establish baseline parameters of equine health, owner knowledge and husbandry practices and tack against which benefits to local horses arising from an equine charity's training programme in Lesotho could be measured. To describe and investigate associations between owner knowledge and equine husbandry practices, horse health and tack-related parameters prior to the start of the training programme. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in the catchment area of students attending the first training course. Owners from randomly selected villages were interviewed about horse care using a standardised, structured questionnaire, administered face to face in local language. Horses were clinically examined and tack assessed according to standardised protocols. Clinical examinations were performed on 312 horses and 287 owners were interviewed. Owners had variable knowledge of equine husbandry and limited understanding of appropriate primary and preventive healthcare. Equine health problems identified included ecto- and endoparasite infestation, mouth lesions, overgrown and unbalanced feet and tack-associated wounds. The majority of tack was in poor condition, dirty and ill-fitting. With the exception of below-average body condition score, no associations were found between key adverse horse-related clinical findings and owners reporting their horse as being 'unhealthy'. Working horses in Lesotho have a range of physical problems, many of which could be ameliorated through targeted owner education. With limited access to veterinary advice and scarce resources, improved availability of affordable local equine trade skills is key to improving equine health. Findings could be used to inform and direct training programmes to maximise benefits to equine health and to serve as a baseline against which to monitor effects of educational and other interventions.

Upjohn MM ，Shipton K ，Pfeiffer DU ，Lerotholi T ，Attwood G ，Verheyen KL ... -  《-》

Quantitative versus qualitative approaches: a comparison of two research methods applied to identification of key health issues for working horses in Lesotho.

The relative merits and potential complementarity of participatory methods and classical epidemiological techniques in veterinary-related research is a current topic of discussion. Few reported studies have applied both methodologies within the same research framework to enable direct comparison. The aim of this study was to compare issues identified by a classical epidemiological study of horses and their owners with those identified by owner communities using participatory approaches. In 2009, a cross-sectional survey was undertaken as part of an impact assessment study of farrier and saddler training programmes, and a small-scale nutrition trial, implemented in Lesotho by a UK-based equine charity. In total, 245 horses and their 237 owners participated in the survey which comprised a face-to-face structured questionnaire covering knowledge and practices relating to equine husbandry and primary healthcare, clinical examination and sampling of horses, and examination of tack used on those horses. In early 2010, 56 owners in three survey regions, some of whom participated in the survey, attended a participatory workshop. Each workshop group created a local resource map whilst discussing and identifying key issues associated with horse ownership and what might have an adverse impact on horse health and work. Following map completion, each group began by prioritising the identified issues, and then ranked them using a pairwise/ranking matrix to reflect how important issues were in relation to each other. Overall priority issues were: mouth problems, hunger and nutrition, diseases (including infectious diseases, parasites and colic), husbandry (including wound management), and feet and limb problems. Major health issues identified by cross-sectional study included sharp enamel points on teeth, endo- and ectoparasite infestation, suboptimal nutrition, tack-associated wounds, overgrown and poorly balanced feet and poor owner husbandry knowledge and practices. Whilst common issues were identified through the two research approaches, key differences also emerged. The classical, more quantitative approach provided objective measurement of problem frequency, which was compared with owners' perceptions of importance. The qualitative participatory approach provided greater opportunity for researchers to gain detailed understanding of local issues and appreciate how owners defined and prioritised problems affecting them and their animals. Both approaches provided valuable and complementary information that can be used to inform interventions aimed at providing sustainable improvements in the health and wellbeing of working animals and their owners. It is recommended that both quantitative and qualitative approaches are employed as part of detailed needs assessment work prior to defining and prioritising the charity's future interventions.

Upjohn MM ，Attwood GA ，Lerotholi T ，Pfeiffer DU ，Verheyen KL ... -  《-》

Horse owners' biosecurity practices following the first equine influenza outbreak in Australia.

A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 759 Australian horse owners to determine their biosecurity practices and perceptions one year after the 2007 equine influenza outbreak and to investigate the factors influencing these perceptions and practices. A web link to an online questionnaire was sent to 1224 horse owners as a follow-up to a previous study to obtain information about biosecurity perceptions and practices, impacts of the 2007 EI outbreak, demographic information and information about horse industry involvement. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with poor biosecurity practices. Biosecurity compliance (low, medium, high), as determined by horse owners' responses to a 16-item question on the frequency of various biosecurity measures, was used as the outcome variable in ordinal logistic regression analyses. Variables with a univariable p-value ≤0.2 were eligible for inclusion in multivariable models built using a manual stepwise approach. Variables with a p-value <0.05 in multivariable models were retained in the final model. Two potential confounders - age and gender of participants - were included in the final model irrespective of their p-values. Thirty percent of the respondents had low biosecurity compliance and were performing biosecurity practices 'not very often' or 'never'. Younger people, people with two or more children, those who were not involved with horses commercially and those who had no long-term business impacts resulting from the 2007 EI outbreak were more likely to have lower biosecurity compliance. People who were not fearful of a future outbreak of equine influenza in Australia and those who thought their current hygiene and access control practices were not very effective in protecting their horses also had poor biosecurity practices. In this observational study we identified factors associated with a group of horse owners with low levels of biosecurity compliance. As this cross-sectional study only assesses associations, the identified factors should be further investigated in order to be considered in the design of extension activities to increase horse owners' biosecurity compliance.

Schemann K ，Taylor MR ，Toribio JA ，Dhand NK ... -  《-》

A cross-sectional study of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom. Part 2: Health care and disease.

Geriatric horses (aged≥15 years) represent a substantial proportion of the equine population, yet very few studies have investigated the prevalence of diseases within the UK equine geriatric population. To describe the provision of routine preventive health care measures, prevalence of clinical signs of disease and the prevalence of owner reported diseases. Additionally, the effect of increasing age on the provision of preventive health care and the presence or absence of clinical signs and disease was assessed. A cross-sectional study was conducted, surveying a randomly selected sample of veterinary registered owners with horses aged≥15 years, using a self-administered postal questionnaire. As geriatric horses increased in age, there was a reduction in the provision of preventive health care measures, such as vaccination, farrier care and routine veterinary checks. Only 68.7% of horses had received a routine veterinary visit within the previous 12 months. Owners frequently observed clinical signs in their animals, with 77% reporting at least one clinical sign of disease. Increasing age was associated with increased reporting of many clinical signs of disease. Over half (58%) of horses had at least one episode of disease within the previous 12 months, yet only 31% of owners reported that their animal currently suffered from a known disease or disorder. Although owners frequently observed clinical signs in their aged horse, there may be incorrect or under recognition of many diseases and health problems. Reduced frequency of routine preventive health care measures, along with suboptimal owner recognition of health and welfare problems may lead to compromised welfare in the geriatric population.

Ireland JL ，Clegg PD ，McGowan CM ，McKane SA ，Pinchbeck GL ... -  《EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL》

Assessment of horse owners' ability to recognise equine laminitis: A cross-sectional study of 93 veterinary diagnosed cases in Great Britain.

Use of owner-reported data could further epidemiological knowledge of equine laminitis. However, owner recognition of laminitis has not previously been assessed. The primary objective was to establish whether cases of owner-suspected laminitis would be confirmed as laminitis by the attending veterinary surgeon. Secondary objectives were to compare owner- and veterinary-reported information from veterinary-confirmed cases of equine laminitis. Cross-sectional study. Twenty-five British veterinary practices were invited to submit laminitis reporting forms (LRFs) for active laminitis cases attended between January 2014 and October 2015; detailing 27 clinical signs, 5 underlying conditions and 7 risk factors associated with laminitis. Owners were invited to independently complete a modified LRF if reason for the veterinary visit was suspicion of laminitis. Differences between paired veterinary and owner LRFs, and between cases where owners did and did not recognise laminitis, were assessed using McNemar's and Fisher's Exact tests, respectively. Veterinary LRFs were received for 93 veterinary-diagnosed laminitis cases. All 51 owner-suspected cases were confirmed by veterinary diagnosis, with the remaining 42 (45.2%) not recognised as laminitis by owners. Undefined lameness, foot abscesses, colic and stiffness were common reasons for owner-requested veterinary visits in owner-unrecognised cases. 'Divergent growth rings' (prevalence difference: +27.3%, P = 0.01) and 'breed type' (prevalence difference: +21.2%, P = 0.04) were more commonly reported by veterinary surgeons in owner-recognised compared to owner-unrecognised cases. 'Difficulty turning', 'shifting weight' and risk factor 'body condition' were more frequently reported by veterinary surgeons whilst 'increased hoof temperature' was reported more frequently by owners. The limited clinical data restricted statistical inferences regarding the secondary objectives. All owner-suspected laminitis cases were confirmed upon veterinary examination, showing validity for the inclusion of owner-reported cases in future epidemiological studies. However, failure of laminitis recognition by owners highlights further need for evidence-based education to ensure early disease detection.

Pollard D ，Wylie CE ，Verheyen KLP ，Newton JR ... -  《-》