Kate Acton (from Ireland) and Nancy McLean (from the USA) discuss equine research projects and studies to help bridge the gap between the scientific community and the general community of horse owners, trainers and enthusiasts.
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Steroids and Insulin: The Hidden Trigger of Catastrophic Laminitis (00:15:04)
In this episode Nancy McLean checks into recent equine herpes cases and focuses on new research linking corticosteroid (triamcinolone) joint injections to insulin spikes and severe laminitis. They review the case of Fiona, a competitive mare who developed fatal laminitis after sacroiliac injections, and summarize ongoing studies at NC State funded by the Chromatic Fund.
The researchers are comparing single high-dose versus repeated low-dose steroid protocols, finding undiagnosed insulin dysregulation in many sport horses and recommending insulin testing before steroid treatments. The clinical study is expected to conclude by spring 2026.
EHV-1 Outbreak Explained: Symptoms, Risks, and What Horse Owners Should Do (00:16:25)
This episode breaks down the current EHV-1 (EHM) outbreak in the U.S., covering clinical signs, transmission, and incubation periods.
Listeners will learn about vaccine limitations, why quarantine and low-stress management matter, and practical biosecurity measures—cleaning, disinfectants (70% alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine), and when to avoid bleach on dirty surfaces.
Advice emphasizes keeping horses home when possible, monitoring for fever and limb swelling, and consulting your veterinarian for case-specific guidance.
Knowing When to Let Go: Owners, Vets, and Pain in Aging Horses (00:31:51)
Hosts Nancy McLean and Kate Acton discuss a 2025 study on how owner–veterinarian interactions affect recognition and management of pain in horses, using owners’ stories and vets’ perspectives to highlight subtle behavioral signs and practical decisions.
The episode emphasizes the importance of knowing each horse’s normal behavior, keeping compassionate communication open with veterinary teams, planning for aging horses, and making welfare-focused choices.
Research Link:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/animal-welfare/article/owners-everyday-interactions-with-their-horse-painrelated-issues-and-those-of-veterinary-concern/8709217EEB13EFA934E783A03204E973?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email
Episode 201 Part 2 of Identifying Effective States of Horses (00:23:51)
Nancy and Kate conclude their discussion on the current research and the Flying Lead Change book by Kelly Wendorf.
Sign up for the Kelly Wendorf clinic at the InStride episode page link.
Identifying affective states of horses. (00:22:17)
Nancy and Kate discuss identifying and measuring the emotional states of horses.
Link to research: https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf033
Book by Kelly Wendorf: Flying Lead Change.
Instride Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-stride/id1602148957
Unlocking the Secrets of Sarcopenia in Senior Horses (00:30:44)
In this episode of Conversations in Equine Science, Kate and Nancy explore a compelling research paper titled "Retirement Risk Factors, Exercise Management, and Muscle Mass in U.S. Senior Horses" by Elisa Herbst. Published in May 2023, this paper dives into the intricacies of managing the health and exercise of senior horses in the U.S., examining factors such as retirement risk, exercise routines, and muscle mass preservation.
The hosts discuss key insights from an extensive survey involving over 2,700 respondents, highlighting the distinctions between equine professionals and hobby horse owners. They delve into the challenges faced by senior horses, such as sarcopenia and exercise management, drawing parallels with aging in humans while emphasizing the importance of physical activity and proper nutrition for maintaining muscle mass and overall health.
The episode sheds light on the significance of continued care and management as horses age, underscoring the role of dynamic mobilization exercises and hoof health in prolonging the vitality and quality of life of senior equines. Listeners are encouraged to consult with equine veterinarians and professionals before implementing changes based on this research.
Equine research on icing the laminitic hoof. (00:07:57)
Horseshoe effects on equine gait. (00:35:14)
This episode Kate and Nancy discuss a scoping review of 46 research papers on the effects of horseshoe type on equine gait.
Open Access Research Reference/Link:
Aoun, R., Takawira, C., & Lopez, M. J. (2025). Horseshoe effects on equine gait-A systematic scoping review. Veterinary surgery : VS, 54(1), 31–51.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.14162
Equestrian Back pain and Stirrup Length Associations (00:31:48)
This week Kate and Nancy discuss rider back pain and it's association with 3 different stirrup lengths and 2 rider positions.
Research Reference:
Keener, Michaela M.1; Critchley, Meghan L.1; Layer, Jacob S.1; Johnson, Evan C.1; Barrett, Steven F.2; Dai, Boyi1. The Effect of Stirrup Length on Impact Attenuation and Its Association With Muscle Strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 35(11):p 3056-3062, November 2021. | https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2021/11000/the_effect_of_stirrup_length_on_impact_attenuation.12.aspx
Horses and the science of harmony. (00:26:46)
This week Nancy and Kate discuss the new movie produced by Sue Dyson. Watch the movie at the link below.
https://youtu.be/3ulkLHqHZ3g?si=Xla9VAal6ilL85sm
Craniosacral Therapy for Horses (00:32:47)
Nancy and Kate discuss a research paper on adjusting human craniosacral therapy to horses.
Reference: Kanik, W.; Augustyn, J.; Tombarkiewicz, B. Adapting Craniosacral Therapy to Treat Horses. Acta Vet. Brno 2017, 86, 75–84.
https://actavet.vfu.cz/media/pdf/actavet_2017086010075.pdf
Article Link: https://www.equinecraniosacral.com/articles/hands-on-light-touch.pdf
The Benefits of Human Habits on Equine Welfare (00:21:46)
This week Kate and Nancy discuss the habit loop of cue-routine-reward and the benefits that horses derive from its formation.
Research Reference/Link:
White, J.; Sims, R. Improving Equine Welfare through Human Habit Formation. Animals 2021, 11, 2156. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11082156
Can horses think ahead and plan strategically? (00:21:10)
This week Nancy and Kate discuss a just published research paper on the complex cognitive abilities of horses.
Research Reference:
Louise Evans, Heather Cameron-Whytock, Carrie Ijichi,
Whoa, No-Go: Evidence consistent with model-based strategy use in horses during an inhibitory task,
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 277,
106339, SSN 0168-1591,
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159124001874?via%3Dihub
Press Releases:
https://phys.org/news/2024-08-horses-intelligent-previously-thought.html
https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/12/horses-can-plan-ahead-and-think-strategically-scientists-find
Can ponies distinguish human facial expressions? (00:25:11)
This week Nancy and Kate discuss this 2022 paper that demonstrates ponies are able to distinguish between facial expressions presented by a live human.
Research Reference/Link:
Merkies, Katrina, Yuliia Sudarenko, and Abigail J. Hodder. 2022. "Can Ponies (Equus Caballus) Distinguish Human Facial Expressions?" Animals 12, no. 18: 2331.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/18/2331
The effects of cortisol on equine bone health. (00:27:45)
In this episode Kater and Nancy discuss a recently published paper correlating consistent high cortisol levels in horses with lower osteocalcinin levels.
Research Reference/Link:
Ayodele BA, Pagel CN, Mackie EJ, Armour F, Yamada S, Zahra P, et al. Differences in bone turnover markers and injury risks between local and international horses: A Victorian Spring Racing Carnival study. Equine Vet J. 2024.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14098
A review of 30 years of equine bone research and what we now know about making bones stronger.. (00:28:40)
This week Kate and Nancy review past research on Equine bone management.
Research Reference/Link:
Nielsen, Brian D. 2023. "A Review of Three Decades of Research Dedicated to Making Equine Bones Stronger: Implications for Horses and Humans" Animals 13, no. 5: 789.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/5/789
The science and benefits of training young horses. (00:29:33)
This episode we are joined by Nikki, a listener with a research request. Nikki owns a 2 year old filly that she wants to work with now, in lieu, of waiting until her 4th/5th year. Nancy and Kate found some evidence based research that hopefully will help Nikki in her training decisions.
Research Reference/Link:
Logan, Alyssa A., and Brian D. Nielsen. 2021. "Training Young Horses: The Science behind the Benefits" Animals 11, no. 2: 463.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/463
Women and Horses (00:13:25)
This week Nancy talks about Lis Hartel's equestrian challenges and accomplishments. Lis was the first woman to earn a medal in the Equestrian Olympics.
Link to the schedule for the 2024 Equestrian Olympic events:
https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/equestrian
Sleep and it’s role in peak performance. (00:26:06)
This week Kate and Nancy discuss how important sleep is in equestrian performance and safety.
References:
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, MD (2024). Sleep can give athletes an edge over competitors − but few recognize how fundamental sleep is to performance. The Conversation, University of Pittsburgh.
Link: https://theconversation.com/sleep-can-give-athletes-an-edge-over-competitors-but-few-recognize-how-fundamental-sleep-is-to-performance-221403
Dr. David Marlin Stable Science Podcast Link:
https://drdavidmarlin.com/podcast-dr-david-marlin-interviews-emma-davies-on-rider-sleeppodcast/
Fitness and Nutrition for Equestrians. (00:37:15)
This week Nancy and Kate respond to a listener's email about limiting rider injuries and accidents by staying physically fit through diet and exercise protocols.
Research References:
Best, Russ, Jane M. Williams, and Jeni Pearce. (2023). "The Physiological Requirements of and Nutritional Recommendations for Equestrian Riders" Nutrients 15, no. 23: 4977.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234977
Is Kinesiology Tape Effective? (00:28:14)
This week Nancy and Kate discuss the results of a 2024 study on the effectiveness of Kinesiology tape on horses to reduce pain.
Research reference:
Melissa R. King, Hope Pavsek, Katherine L. Ellis, Jodie Daglish (2024). Effects of elastic therapeutic tape on thoracolumbar epaxial muscle pain in horses, Journal of Equine Rehabilitation,, Volume 2, 100007, ISSN 2949-9054.
Here is the link to "Effects of elastic therapeutic tape on thoracolumbar epaxial muscle pain in horses": https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949905424000021
Lexington; Sire of Sires (Part 2) (00:25:04)
This week Nancy continues with the story of Lexington and his stallion career, the effects of the civil war and how his skeleton made the journey back to his birthplace of Kentucky 160 years after his birth.
Reference:
Wickens, Kim (2023). Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America's Legendary Racehorse. Ballantine Books, New York, USA. (416 pages.)
Lexington...Sires of Sires (00:25:03)
This week Nancy goes back in history to talk about the antebellum era of racing and the impact the horse Lexington had on the nation during the turbulent pre-civil war days.
Research References/Links:
Wickens, Kim (2023). Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America's Legendary Racehorse. Ballantine Books, New York, USA. (416 pages.)
Highlighting relevant genes for equine behavior. (00:26:41)
In this episode Nancy and Kate discuss a 2023 paper on equine genomics and behavior traits.
Research reference/link:
Holtby, A.R., Hall, T.J., McGivney, B.A., Han, H., Murphy, K.J., MacHugh, D.E. et al. (2023) Integrative genomics analysis highlights functionally relevant genes for equine behaviour. Animal Genetics, 54, 457–469.
Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/age.13320#:~:text=t%20p%20s%3A%20//d%20o%20i.or%20g%20/10.1111/a%20g%20e.1332%200
Interview with Christine Sanchez on the Equine Gut Biome (00:34:47)
Today's episode is about the variability of the Equine Gut Biome. Christine Sanchez has been researching the importance of biome health in all horses.
For more information contact Christine at chrisiesanchez@gmail.com
or
Dr. Tom Schell @ secondvet.com
