Maneuvers to activate the equine's core can make a difference in their physical and psychic health. Although these activities are recommended and practiced, there is little research proving their effectiveness. This article aims to describe, through surface electromyography, the occurrences, durations and sequences activity of longissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis and gluteus medius during thoracolumbar flexion (TLF), lumbar and lumbosacral flexion (LLSF), global flexion (GF), which is the combination of TLF and LLSF, and tail traction (TT). Seven healthy adult horses of three different breeds performed five repetitions of these movements for five seconds (sec). Electromyographic activity was captured with non-invasive superficial sensors positioned in the skin regions covering these muscles. The sequence was performed once per animal, muscle activity captured by surface electromyography, data from two replicates of each animal were selected, analyzed on matLab software and data tabulation were described during each maneuver. These maneuvers provoked punctual and transient activation of muscles mentioned above, confirming the ability to activate equine core muscles. However, responses were not standardized, which means there were variations of occurrence, duration and sequence, suggesting that for practical application of those maneuvers it is necessary to perform more repetitions with longer durations to activate more muscles.

The Mangalarga Marchador (MM) breed naturally performs four-beat gaits known as “Marcha”. Kinematic analysis can provide insights for optimizing training and competition performance in this breed while potentially mitigating welfare concerns associated with extreme head and neck positions (HNPs) applied without an adequate understanding of their impacts. We examined how different HNPs affect the MM horse’s Marcha Batida gait. Four HNPs were evaluated: HPN1—loose reins, HPN2—the competition standard for MM, HPN3—an extremely elevated head and neck, and HPN4—a slightly behind-the-vertical position. Kinematic data were collected using an optoelectronic system, and diagonal dissociation, stride length, and step height were analyzed. HNP3 had the highest dissociation, shortest stride length, and higher step height compared to the other HNPs. HNP1 resulted in the longest stride length. HNP2 and HNP4 differed in diagonal dissociation. HNPs significantly impact the kinematics of the Marcha Batida gait in this cohort of Mangalarga Marchador horses. Our results confirm the benefits of HNP2, the recommended position for shows and competitions. Additionally, it discourages the use of HNP3 and reiterates the need for further research into HNPs in four-beat gaits, highlighting the importance of rider training and the careful selection of HNPs to optimize Marcha Batida performance.

One of the main obstacles of equine breeding is the presence of subfertile mares in the herd as they reduce pregnancy rates during the breeding season. Bacteriological exams made by collection of endometrial swabs is a reliable method of detecting the subfertility’s origin and diagnosing uterine infections. In this retrospective study, 42 uterine swabs obtained from problem-breeding mares at the northwest and central region of Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil, were analyzed from 2016 to 2019. After microbiological culture, 30 swabs were positive for the presence of 37 microorganisms that cause endometritis. Escherichia coli (45.94%), followed by coagulase-negative (CNS) Staphylococcus sp. (18.92%), Klebsiella aerogenes (10.81%), Corynebacterium sp. (5.41%) and Streptococcus sp. (5.41%) were the most prevalent isolated microorganisms. The antimicrobials susceptibility tests revealed that ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin and norfloxacin were the antibiotics with the greatest action in vitro against isolated microorganisms. In addition, neither Gram positive nor negative bacteria showed more resistance when compared to each other (p=0.239).

Kinematic analysis offers key insights into equine locomotion by linking body conformation, training, and performance. Despite their socio-economic importance in South America, detailed kinematic data on Criollo horses is scarce. This pilot study examined how head and neck position (HNP) and ground surface influenced limb angular amplitudes during trot in Criollo horses. Videos of 11 adult horses (8.2 ± 2.4 years) were recorded at 120 Hz under two HNP: free rein (HNP1) and flexed at the poll (HNP2), ridden on hard (compacted soil, n = 6) or soft (sand, n = 5) surfaces. Joint angles were measured from anatomical landmarks using Kinovea software, and angle amplitudes analyzed by a Linear Mixed Model (LMM) with Bonferroni correction (P < 0.0027). HNP significantly affected the coxofemoral joint amplitude (mean difference = 3.98º, S.D. ±1.11 P < 0.001), indicating enhanced hindlimb engagement, therefore less amplitude movement, when the poll was flexed. Surface type influenced multiple joints: the radiocarpal and carpometacarpal joints in the thoracic limb showed greater flexion on soft ground (P < 0.001), suggesting impact attenuation. In the pelvic limb, coxofemoral and tarsocrural joints exhibited larger amplitudes on soft surfaces, implying adaptation to instability to maintain propulsion. These findings contributed to optimize training, competition, and rehabilitation in Criollos and other breeds. Larger studies controlling for rider and equipment effects are necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

The Criollo horse is prized for its endurance, yet its specific biomechanical signatures remain under-researched. This study investigated diagonal dissociation and support patterns in eleven clinically sound Criollo horses to understand the influence of head and neck position (HNP), surface compliance, and morphometry. Using high-speed video (120 fps) and kinematic analysis, we found that diagonal dissociation occurred in 85.24% of hoof contacts, while HNP1 showed a higher frequency of positive (hindlimb-first) dissociation and HNP2 had a higher incidence of negative (forelimb-first) dissociation (p = 0.0398). On soft ground, both HNPs predominantly exhibited hindlimb-first dissociation (p = 0.0446). Soft ground is also associated with the appearance of tripedal support, whereas hard ground presented more synchronous (non-dissociated) diagonal limb support. Thoracic monopedal and tripedal supports are weakly correlated with forelimb measurements, whereas pelvic monopedal and tripedal supports correlate with global body dimensions. All associations were weak to moderate (R² ≤ 0.40). The prevalence of dissociated phases and the absence of a standard symmetrical trot suggest a distinct breed signature adapted for functional efficiency and stability required for its traditional working roles.