Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA

Passionate about horses and science from the time she was riding her first Shetland Pony in Texas, Christa Lesté-Lasserre writes about scientific research that contributes to a better understanding of all equids. After undergrad studies in science, journalism, and literature, she received a master’s degree in creative writing. Now based in France, she aims to present the most fascinating aspect of equine science: the story it creates. Follow Lesté-Lasserre on Twitter @christalestelas.

Articles by: Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA

Heparin Might Prevent Laminitis after Colic Surgery

Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is proving highly effective in preventing laminitis and reducing the severity of laminitis following colic surgery, according to Belgian researchers.

Prior to the study period, more than 10% of colic surgery patients at the Equine Clinic of the University of Liège developed laminitic pain and lameness following surgery. The majority of those horses had

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Paralyzed Foal Recovering after Surgery, Therapy

A once-paralyzed foal is now up and running about with the help of an equine “walker” following a groundbreaking surgery to remove a cyst from the spinal cord, according to the treating veterinarians in Belgium.

The Boulonnais draft horse filly, “Vittel,” underwent surgical laminectomy of the L2/L3 vertebrae at one month old on July 3, one week after being diagnosed with a fluid-filled

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Horses Read Human Body Cues, Researchers Say

Do you ever feel like your horse might be watching your every move? He very well might be, according to a new behavior study by British scientists. Their research indicates that horses are highly sensitive to the attention we attribute to them, including our gaze.

In a series of tests involving 36 horses and ponies aged 10 months to 38 years, two humans stood motionless in a paddock, eac

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Saddle Pad Research Shows Variable Changes in Rider Pressure

Saddle pads might help reduce painful pressure on a horse’s back caused by ill-fitting saddles, but the ideal pad will vary from horse to horse and from saddle to saddle, according to a new study by Austrian researchers.

Optimum pressure relief will also depend on the discipline and even the gait, said primary study author Anja Kotschwar, DVM, research scientist at the Movement Science

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Two Horses Killed by Honeybee Attack in France

Two horses in France died from complications following a rare, but ferocious, attack by domestic honeybees, which had been separated from their honey hives, according to treating veterinarians.

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Horse Dies in Decomposing Seaweed; Toxic Gas Blamed

A horse died and its owner fell unconscious within seconds of falling into decomposing green seaweed along the northern coast of Brittany, France, last week, according to several sources.

Vincent Petit, DVM, PhD, said he was hand-leading his 15-year-old English Thoroughbred gelding along a beachside road after riding a long stretch of gallop when both he and the horse slipped into an

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Deadly Neurologic Equine Herpesvirus-1 Outbreak in France

Four horses have been euthanized and a fifth horse is recumbent following an outbreak of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in a boarding stable in northern France, according to the treating veterinarian. Quarantine has been established and will continue for at least three more weeks.
 
Jeroen Lissens, DVM, said seven of the 63 horses at the stable have tested positive for the disease

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Grazing Horses in Moderately Polluted Areas

Horses might serve as good management tools for pastures moderately polluted by trace elements, according to Spanish researchers. And provided the animals receive adequate, systematic monitoring through biological sampling, they can be kept on

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Equine Jaw Fracture Repair Aided by New Technology

Advances in screw and plate technology are leading to improved clinical and aesthetic results in the treatment of even the most complicated jaw fractures, according to Swiss researchers.

By using the new locking compression plate (LCP)

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Surface Safety, Step By Step

What type of impact do various terrains actually have on the health of a horse’s hooves and legs? French researchers are using a highly sensitive 3-D dynamometric shoe and other instruments to give unprecedented insight into the biomechanical effects of diverse surfaces on not only a horse’s limbs, but his entire musculoskeletal system.

Researchers attached the shoe to the front right

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Ingested Wires Cause Colic, Adhesions

When ingested, small wires can wreak havoc in the equine digestive system. They might even cause different segments of the tract to fuse together, leading to painful and usually fatal consequences, according to South African and American researchers who recently published a study on the subject.

The four cases discussed in the medical review, which appeared in The Veterinary Record

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Australia Bushfires: Groups See to Horse Health, Care

As uncontrolled bushfires continue to sweep through the Australian state of Victoria, horse health and rescue aid associations are working round the clock to keep up with the expanding need for emergency equine care.

The fires have

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Research Sheds Light on Equine Long-Term Memory

Remember back when that umbrella popped open and spooked your horse? That might have been five or even 10 years ago, but new research into equine long-term memory (LTM) shows that your horse probably remembers those events just as well as you do

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