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AGR3RP1 - Assessment 2. By Daniel Moffatt. My project title is Analysis of interactions between equine veterinary conditions and individual horse variables across equine participants of therapeutic horse-riding programs in Victoria. Hippotherapy, also known as therapeutic riding, is practiced around the world with the aim to improve the lives of individuals with neuromusculoskeletal disabilities. Horses are known to suffer from many veterinary conditions, which can be grouped into 10 systematic groups. Equine veterinary conditions can be compared against the type of work the horse is undertaking, alongside individual horse factors such as sex, age, height, and breed. The aim of this research project is to identify any interactions between equine veterinary conditions and individual horse variables (sex, age, height, and breed) within equine participants of therapeutic horse-riding programs in Victoria. The main benefits of this project are identifying horse suitability requirements and maintaining high horse welfare standards through preventative health. By increasing awareness of commonly seen veterinary conditions within therapeutic riding programs and identifying potential predispositions in certain horse variables, we can choose the most suitable horses to be used for therapeutic riding and develop preventative care strategies for at risk horses of commonly seen conditions. My literature review will cover a brief review of the four important topics needed to answer my research question. Hippotherapy, translating to 'horse therapy' in ancient Greek, was first mentioned in the work of Hippocrates around 460 to 370BC where he discussed the physical benefits of horse riding in his book ‘Natural Exercise’. This idea started gaining traction in the late 1500 hundreds to early 1800 hundreds, with many European physicians and therapists writing of the therapeutic benefits of riding horses. The first official program use of horses as a therapeutic tool began in the early 1900 hundreds, when Oxford Hospital in England used cavalry horses to help with the physical rehabilitation of wounded soldiers returning from World War 1. At the 1952 Olympic Games, a woman named Liz Hartel won the silver medal for dressage despite suffering from partial paralysis in both legs as a result of polio, prompting British physiotherapists to explore the prospect of therapeutic horse riding for various disabilities throughout the 1950’s. The British Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) were subsequently formed in 1969. Presently Hippotherapy is used to aid individuals with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction, with studies showing benefits in balance, posture, gait, coordination, motor function, muscle symmetry, stiffness/flexibility, endurance, strength, and psychosocial parameters. Commonly seen equine veterinary conditions can be split into systematic groups of skeletal, muscular, integumentary, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, urinary, reproductive, nervous, endocrine, and miscellaneous. Common musculoskeletal conditions include Osteoarthritis, Osteomyelitis, Bone Fractures, Tendon or Ligament Injury, Laminitis, Hoof Abscess, and Muscle Strain. Common integumentary conditions include Lacerations, Abrasions, Dermatitis, Dermatophilus, Insect Bite Hypersensitivity, Papillomavirus, and Melonomas. Common respiratory conditions include Recurrent Airway Obstruction, Sinusitis, and Upper & Lower Respiratory Infections. Common gastrointestinal conditions include Colic, Colitis, Peritonitis, Diarrhoea and Inappetence. Other common conditions include Conjunctivitis, Corneal Ulcers, Cataracts, Cardiac Arrhythmia or Murmurs, Cystitis, Urinary Tract Infections, and Pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction. It can be difficult to determine whether equine veterinary conditions are influenced by the rider. Stress related behaviours in horses such as ear pinning, tail swishing and head tossing appear consistent in frequency among recreational, physically handicapped, or psychosocially handicapped riders, however were noted to occur significantly more when ridden by advanced riders. This suggests that higher intensity exercise is more stressful on the horse despite a more experienced rider, when compared to lower intensity rides with less experienced riders. A study of 2554 dressage horses reported an incidence of 33% lameness, 25% spinal, 4.6% respiratory, 3.3% gastrointestinal, 0.4% cardiac, 0.4% reproductive, and 0.2% urinary conditions throughout their ridden careers. This study also found 24% of these horses had suffered from lameness within the last 2 years, with 55% in the front limbs, 29% in the hind limbs, and 4% with 3 or more limbs affected. There was minimal difference between lameness percentage in elite ridden horses with 25% versus amateur ridden horses with 23.9%. A study of 1571 racing thoroughbreds reported an incidence of 53% musculoskeletal, 10.5% respiratory, and 3.7% miscellaneous conditions over 3 years. Common musculoskeletal conditions included lameness with 48%, shin soreness with 24.8%, tendon or ligament injury with 11.8%, lacerations or abrasions with 6.7%, fractures with 6.6% and spinal injuries with 2.2%. Finally, a study of 84 riding school horses reported an incidence of 77.4% spinal, 77.4% integument, 73.8% lameness, 23.8% laminitis, 23.8% digestive, 19% ocular, 13.1% respiratory and 4.8% genitourinary conditions over 1 year. No significant correlation has been shown between horse age and frequency of displayed stress behaviours such as ear pinning, tail swishing and head tossing. A study of 2554 dressage horses found that the likelihood of lameness increased by 1.06 times for every year of age, equating to a 33% risk increase in a 12-year-old horse compared to a 7-year-old. Taller horses were also more likely to suffer from lameness, with horses over 170cm having a 15% risk increase compared to shorter horses under 163cm. A study of 1571 racing thoroughbreds found that overall incident rates were highest in 2-year old's, decreasing in 3 and 4 year old's, then slightly increasing in 5 plus year old's. However, the overall incident rates were influenced by certain injuries. Shin soreness was 25.9 times more likely to occur in 2-year-old horses when compared to 5 year old's, while tendon/ligament injuries were 6.3 times more likely to occur in 5 year old horses when compared to 2 year old's. In addition, male thoroughbreds were 2.5 times more likely to suffer from tendon and ligament injuries compared to females. A study of 84 riding school horses found that larger horses showed an increased lameness frequency: by 1.32 times for every additional 10 centre meters of height, and by 1.09 times for every additional 20 kilograms of weight. Horses over 155cm had a lameness frequency of 43.1%, compared to only 22.4% of horses under 135cm. Additionally, horses over 498kg had a lameness frequency of 38.9%, compared to only 23.4% of horses under 348kg. Horses under 8 years old had the lowest lameness incidence at 26.7%, compared to 34% of horses over 13 years old. Geldings had a slightly increased lameness incidence of 31.5%, compared to Mares at 27.9%.