We might associate donkeys with Christmas, but new research from the University of Portsmouth shows the animals prefer hotter periods of the year. Donkeys, it seems, love sun and warmth. That’s the finding of the first study to examine the conditions under which healthy (non-working) donkeys and mules seek shelter in hot, dry climates.

Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) is estimated to affect between 44 – 85 percent of Thoroughbreds and up to 87 percent of Standardbreds worldwide. There is concern in racing circles that EIPH can shorten a racehorse’s career and in rare worst-case scenarios, cause sudden death from massive hemorrhage. Dr. Janet Beeler-Marfisi (Ontario Veterinary College, Department of Pathobiology) and her collaborators plan to use data from air quality monitoring stations and weather stations near Woodbine and Woodbine Mohawk Park racetracks in Ontario, cross referenced with endoscopic exams, to determine if there are patterns between EIPH and horses exercising in areas of increased air pollution or in cooler temperatures.

In November 2019, the International Society for Equitation Science (ISES) released their position statement on restrictive nosebands. For the purpose of the position statement, a restrictive noseband is defined as one that is tight enough to prevent the placement of two adult fingers between the noseband and the frontal nasal plane.

How can you tell when a horse is feeling stressed? It’s all in the eyes and the way their eyelids twitch, University of Guelph researchers have discovered. A horse will blink less and twitch its eyelids more when it’s under mild stress, the research team found – a new finding that could offer handlers a simple, easy-to-spot sign their animal is becoming agitated.