Outside the Classroom: An Evaluation of Equine Internships.

Equine internships provide real experiences for students but are lightly researched. This study explored student perceptions of equine internships. The hypothesis was, participants would report that equine internships were valuable and relate value with compensation, skill acquisition, networking, and job offers. An online survey examined respondents' perceived value of their internship. Of 228 respondents, 186 met the inclusion criteria. Data were examined using frequency counts, correlations, and chi-square measures of association. Breeding internships (29%) were most common, with western training and performance (18%) second highest. Fifty-three percent had an internship requirement for their undergraduate degree; this did not affect internship value. Internship value tended to be higher when housing (X2(4, N = 180) =9.2; P = .075) or compensation (X2(4, N = 180) =8.5; P = .057) were included and highest with both included X2(12, N = 180) = 25.5; P = .013). Most (90%) believed their internship added to their classroom experience; 71% felt academically prepared. Respondents gained equine-related skills (81%), soft skills (83%), customer relations (63%), business management (51%), and administrative skills (33%). Of respondents, 67% use skills gained during their internship in their current job, and 83% were able to network within the equine industry. Half of internships resulted in a job offer from that company or in their area of interest. Overall, 91% of the respondents felt their internship was valuable, and 87% would recommend their internship to others. Perceived internship value positively correlated with networking (R = 0.75; P < .0001), gaining equine skills (R = 0.49; P < .0001), and job offers (R = 0.24; P < .002). These results suggest that equine internships are positive experiences and valuable for students.

Plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentration in horses decreases after freezing for 60 days.

We investigated the stability of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in plasma after freezing for different lengths of time. The plasma ACTH concentrations of 12 horses were measured on day 0 (baseline) and over time, after stimulation with thyrotropin-releasing hormone. Samples were stored at -80°C for 3, 7, 30, 60, and 90 d, or at -20°C for 3, 7, 30, and 60 d, or between ice packs at -20°C for 3 and 7 d prior to determination of ACTH concentration. ACTH concentrations were compared to baseline (non-frozen day 0 plasma) for each storage method using a mixed model with repeated measures in which each horse served as its own control and day was the repeated effect. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05, and 0.05 < p < 0.10 was considered a trend. Plasma ACTH frozen at -20°C or at -80°C resulted in degradation of ACTH compared to baseline samples at 60 and 90 d respectively. There was no degradation of ACTH after 7 d when stored between ice packs, or before 30 d at -20°C, or before 60 d at -80°C.

Blood steroid concentrations in domestic Mongolian horses.

Traditionally, analysis of blood cortisol alone has been used to evaluate adrenal function. Currently, multisteroid analyses are considered more informative than analysis of a single hormone to assess adrenal function. The objective of the present research was to create a database for steroid reference values for domestic Mongolian horses. Seven adrenal steroid levels were determined in the blood of 18 colts, 34 stallions, 25 geldings, 17 fillies, and 29 mares. Results were as follows (lowest and highest group median, in nanograms per milliliter): progesterone: <0.030 (fillies), 4.30 (mares), and 0.070 (all horses); 17-OH-progesterone: 0.070 (colts), 0.520 (mares), and 0.110 (all horses); androstenedione: 0.101 (colts), 0.256 (stallions), and 0.181 (all horses); testosterone: <0.040 (mares, stallions, and fillies), 0.040 (geldings and colts), and <0.40 (all horses); estradiol: 0.066 (stallions), 0.093 (fillies), and 0.085 (all horses); cortisol: 23.040 (colts), 70.210 (geldings), and 50.770 (all horses); and aldosterone: 0.018 (colts), 0.297 (geldings), and 0.191 (all horses). Overall medians indicate that cortisol (98.70%) is the predominant steroid, followed by aldosterone (0.37%), androstenedione (0.35%), 17-OH-progesterone (0.21%), estradiol (0.17%), progesterone (0.14%), and testosterone (0.06%). This information provides adrenal and gonadal steroid reference concentrations to assist in physiological characterization and diagnosis of endocrine disorders in domestic Mongolian horses.

Lipoic acid as an antioxidant in mature thoroughbred geldings: a preliminary study.

alpha-Lipoic acid (LA) has demonstrated antioxidant effects in humans and laboratory animals. The objective of this study was to determine whether the effects of LA are similar in horses. Five Thoroughbred geldings were supplemented with 10 mg/kg/d DL-alpha-lipoic acid in a molasses and sweet feed carrier and five received only the carrier as a placebo (CON). Blood samples were obtained at baseline (0 d), after 7 and 14 d of supplementation, and 48 h postsupplementation (16 d). Blood fractions of red and white blood cells (RBC and WBC, respectively) and plasma were analyzed for glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and total plasma lipid hydroperoxides (LPO). An experienced veterinarian observed no adverse clinical effects. Plasma LPO baselines differed between groups (P = 0.002). When covariates were used, there was a decrease over time in the LA group (P = 0.015) and concentrations were lower in the LA group than in the CON group at 7 and 14 d (P = 0.022 and P = 0.0002, respectively). At baseline, GSH concentration was 69 +/- 7 in WBC and 115 +/- 13 mmol/mg protein in the RBC, with no differences resulting from either time or treatment. The GPx activity was 47 +/- 4 and 26 +/- 5 U/g protein at baseline WBC and RBC, respectively, with a lower concentration in the LA group's WBC at 7 (P = 0.019) and 14 d (P = 0.013). The results show that 10 mg/kg LA had no evident adverse effects, and moderately reduced the oxidative stress of horses allowed light activity. These findings encourage studying of LA in horses subjected to strenuous exercise.