Hartpury University Repository

Greening, Linda

Bye, Tracey

Palmer, Leah

Abstract: A preliminary investigation which indicates the use of the forelimb data has limitations in accurately determining laterality in hoses

Dumbell, Lucy

Peszynska, Francesca

Douglas, Jenni

Lewis, Victoria

The effect of stirrup length on the light seat position of horse riders'

Lesniak, Kirsty

Williams, Jane

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CB1 CB2 CB3 HB1 HB2 HB3 CB1 CB2 CB3 HB1 HB2 HB3
FL HL
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Leśniak, K. & Williams, J. 
A preliminary investigation of hoof circumferential changes of riding school horses 
with an increase in workload
RESULTS: CB measurements of the forelimb were significantly larger for the right than the left foot at DC3 (p≤0.05). Right side measurements were also larger in the
hindlimb for both HB and CB at all data collection points (DC1 p≤0.05; DC2 p≤0.05; DC3 p≤0.001). CB differed significantly between DC1 (389.8mm) and DC2
(392.1mm) (p≤0.02) (Fig. 2).
All variables, except asymmetry, differed between forelimb subgroups; asymmetry only differed at DC1 where CB was significantly lower (p≤0.02) for horses with toe-
clips compared to side-clips (Fig 3.). Mean hind CB in shod feet increased significantly (p≤0.02) between DC1-DC2.
Routine management meant some horses had hind shoes removed between DC2-DC3; these individuals demonstrated an increase in right CB at DC3; reflecting by a
significant increase (p≤0.02) in mean CB between DC1-DC3.
CONCLUSIONS: Riding school horses demonstrated significant changes in hoof conformation related to an increase in the coronet band circumference, in contrast to
findings reported in racehorses. The difference found is likely to be due to discipline related exogenous stressors. Concussive forces on the limbs of the riding school
horses would be considered of a lesser magnitude, but longer duration, than those of racehorses. Moreover, the orientation of the loading on the limbs would result in
variations in concussive forces impacting the coronet band. Racehorses predominantly load the bulbs of the heels due to the landing position of the foot in gallop, such
concentration of force could potentially result in retardation of growth. Riding school horses’ work in a combination of walk, trot and canter including changes in
orientation, and therefore experience greater variation in loading across the foot and consequentially through the coronet band potentially having a stimulatory rather
retardation effect.
Little change between DC points was reported within forelimb subgroups between shod and unshod horses. However, significant differences were observed between
subgroups for all reported variables except mean asymmetry. Hindlimb the CB significantly increased between the first two DC points but not at the third; this lack of
continuation is likely due to a small number of horses having their hind shoes removed following DC2; thus the hooves would have altered in their response to loading.
As such, significant differences between values for shod and unshod hooves indicate variation in foot conformation associated not only with the use of shoes, but also
with the type of clip used when considering the front feet.
REFERENCES:
Decurnex, V., Anderson, G.A. and Davies, H.M.S. (2009) Influence of different exercise 
regimes on the proximal hoof circumference in young thoroughbred horses. Equine 
Veterinary Journal. 41, pp. 233-236.
Kroekenstoel, A.M., An Heel, M.C.V., Van Weeren, P.R. and Back, W. (2006) Developmental 
aspects of distal limb conformation in the horse: the potential consequences of uneven 
feet in foals. Equine Veterinary Journal. 38, pp. 652-656.
O'Grady, S.E. and Poupard, D.A. (2003) Proper physiologic horseshoeing. Veterinary 
Clinics of North America: Equine Practice, 19(2), pp.333-351.
Pollitt, C.C. (2004) Equine laminitis. Clinical Techniques in Equine Practice, 3(1), pp.34-44.
INTRODUCTION: The equine hoof is a resilient and pliable smart structure that over time has adapted to withstand the demands of evolution and domestication. The hoof is one of the main structures involved in the absorption
of forces whilst the horse is working. If the hoof becomes compromised, further limb structures will be required to compensate, increasing their vulnerability and potentially resulting in lameness (O’Grady, 2003). The dynamic
structure of the horse’s hoof is put under extensive strains through loading during locomotion (Pollitt, 2004) and adjusts to the loading forces through a change in its conformation (Kroekenstoel, et al. 2006). Changes to the
circumference of the coronet band have been documented in racehorses between period of rest and training with the circumference decreasing as workload increased and reverting during a decrease in workload (Decurnex,
Anderson and Davies 2009). The aim of the this study was to determine whether a change in circumferential hoof parameters would be observed within a population of non-racing horses with an increase in workload.
Performance in Equestrian Sport Group,
Contact author:  kirsty.lesniak@hartpury.ac.uk Hartpury University Centre, Gloucester, UK
METHOD: Using an observational, cohort study design, hoof base circumference (HB) and coronet band circumference (CB)
measures were collected via tape measure from 32 shod (all, n=17; shod front only, n=12) and unshod (n=3) riding school
horses (Fig. 1).
Measurements were collected at three 5 week intervals (DC1-3) between September and December 2015. Shod forefeet
were further sub-grouped into those with toe-clips (n=16) and those with side-clips (n=9).
Workload intensity increased from low in September to medium-high by December. Wilcoxon’s matched-pairs determined
circumferential differences between left-right hooves for each DC (p<0.05); Kruskal-wallis analyses with post-hoc and
Bonferroni adjustment (P≤0.02) examined differences between DC.
Figure 1: Tape measure positioning (Decurnex et al., 2009)
Figure 2: CB and HB measurements changes across all three data points
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CB1 CB2 CB3 HB1 HB2 HB3 CB1 CB2 CB3 HB1 HB2 HB3
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Figure 3: CB and HB asymmetry changes across all three data points


English

A preliminary investigation of hoof circumferential changes of riding school horses with an increase in workload

Grant, Rachel

Montrose, V. Tamara

It’s a Man’s World: Mate Guarding and the Evolutionary Origins of Patriarchy

Grimwood, Katie

Penaluna, Lee Ann

Brown, Hieke

A Preliminary Investigation Into the Mineral Intake of Horses in the UK

Baldwin, Katie

A preliminary study into elite event riders who complete with pain

Seager, Ciara

Wroe, Yasmin

Baron, Marianne

Farrell, Mary

Hadwin, Celia

Methodologies used to test the palatability of nutraceuticals

Rider Fitness, rider psychology and rider nutrition questions

Hermiston, Christopher

Taylor, Sienna

The effect of dog appeasing pheromones in regard to intensity of vocalisations and frequency of stress related behaviours in a rescue shelter. Poster Presentation at: ASAB Easter Conference 2016, 30th March - 1st April 2016.

Kirk, Callum

Mullaney, Hayley

Montrose, Tamara

Browse Preference of Colobus Monkeys (Colobus guereza) 
at Cotswold Wildlife Park
Callum Kirk1, Mary Farrell1, Hayley Mullaney2 and V. Tamara Montrose1
1 Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Group, Department of Animal and Land Sciences, Hartpury University Centre, Hartpury, Gloucestershire, GL19 3BE
2 Cotswold Wildlife Park, Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4JP
Methods
Introduction Results
• Study Site: Cotswold Wildlife Park, Burford, Oxfordshire.
• Sample: 8 Colobus monkeys (4 females; 4 males; aged
from 9 months - 8 years).
• Four commonly available browse species were used:
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Birch (Betula
pubescens), Lime (Tilia platyphyllos) and Bramble
(Rubus fruticosus).
• Browse was collected from nearby woodlands and
presented with the morning feed.
• 250g of each browse was presented at two spatially
distinct sites in the enclosure in the form of leaves
(Figure 1).
• The browse was presented in paired comparisons, and
the Bradley-Terry method was used to analyse and rank
this selection.
• Samples of browse were sent for nutritional analysis to
identify the protein, fibre and carbohydrate content of
each browse (Staffordshire Scientific Services,
Stafford).
• In the wild Black and White Colobus monkeys (Colobus
guereza) have a wide and varied diet (Harris and
Chapman, 2007).
• They display specific food preferences and select young
leaves and foodstuffs with a high protein to fibre content.
They will also travel long distances to access browse
with specific nutrients (Chapman et al, 2004; Felton et
al, 2009).
• Captive diet usually consists of vegetables along with
leaf eater pellets which does not match the structure of
their diet in the wild. Browse is also used to enrich the
diet and stimulate natural foraging behaviours (Plowman
and Turner, 2001).
• The aim of this study was to identify the browse
preference of the Colobus troop held at Cotswold
Wildlife Park.
• The preference order of the browse for the majority of the
study cohort (n=7) was Hawthorn>Birch>Lime>Bramble.
• Colobus monkeys’ frequency of visits and duration of 
feeding was greater for the browse they preferred than the 
non-preferred browse in the paired comparison tests.
• The nutritional content for all browse species was identified
(Figure 2).
• Results were not consistent with wild studies which
showed preference for a high protein to fibre ratio
(Chapman et al, 2004; Felton et al, 2009).
• Predominant preference was for Hawthorn, a browse
species with low fibre content, which agreed with other
studies in captivity (e.g. Tovar et al, 2005) but second
preference was for Birch, which had the highest fibre
content.
• However, the top two preferences have a high
carbohydrate and thus, a high energy content.
• Colobus monkeys encounter lower temperatures in the UK
than they would experience in the wild, which can alter
their calorific and nutritional needs due to increased
thermoregulatory costs (Stroebele and De Castro, 2004).
• Preference may alternatively be based on factors such as
selection of younger leaves which tend to be preferred by
Colobus monkeys (Chapman and Chapman, 2002;
Wasserman and Chapman, 2003), or preference for a
browse species that is provided less regularly.
• It is also important to consider that the diet of the troop
supplies all required dietary requirements so preference
may be related to palatability (Kirschner et al, 1999).
• Knowledge of preference for browse species can inform
dietary management so that a more palatable and
preferred nutritive supplement that will enhance normal
behaviour can be provided.
Discussion
• Chapman, C. A., & Chapman, L. J. (2002). Foraging challenges of red colobus monkeys: influence of nutrients and secondary 
compounds. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 133 (3), 861-875.
• Chapman, C. a., Chapman, L.J., Naughton-Treves, L., Lawes, M.J. & Mcdowell, L.R. (2004) Predicting folivorous primate abundance: 
Validation of a nutritional model. American Journal of Primatology. 62 (2), pp. 55–69.
• Felton, A.M., Felton, A., Lindenmayer, D.B. & Foley, W.J. (2009) Nutritional goals of wild primates. Functional Ecology. 23 (1), 70–78. 
• Harris, T.R. & Chapman, C. a (2007) Variation in diet and ranging of black and white colobus monkeys in Kibale National Park, 
Uganda. Primates; Journal of Primatology. 48 (3), 208–221. 
• Kirschner, A.C., Putnam, L.A., Calvin, A.A. & Irlbeck, N.A. (1999) Browse species preference and palatability of Colobus guereza
kikuyuenis at the Denver Zoological Gardens. In: Proceedings of the Third Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition,  3, 35-45.
• Plowman, A. & Turner, I. (2001) A survey and database of browse use for mammals in UK and Irish zoos. In Proceedings of the 3rd 
Annual Symposium on Zoo Research, Chester Zoo, Chester, UK, 9-10th July 2001 (pp. 50-55). The North of England Zoological 
Society. 
• Stroebele, N. & De Castro, J.M. (2004) Effect of ambience on food intake and food choice. Nutrition. 20 (9), 821–838.
• Tovar, T.C., Moore, D. & Dierenfeld, E. (2005) Preferences among four species of local browse offered to Colobus guereza
kikuyuensis at the Central Park Zoo. Zoo Biology. 24 (3),  267–274.
• Wasserman, M. D., & Chapman, C. A. (2003). Determinants of colobine monkey abundance: the importance of food energy, protein 
and fibre content. Journal of Animal Ecology, 72(4), 650-659.
Figure 1: Browse presentation 
Figure 2: Nutrient Content of Browse Species
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Browse Preference of Colobus Monkeys (Colobus guereza) at Cotswold Wildlife Park

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