ArticlePloS one2022
Single housing but not changes in group composition causes stress-related immunomodulations in horses.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Behaviour and Movement Activity of Stallions and Geldings in Group Housing.Veterinary sciences · 2026Article
- Beyond cortisol: evaluating serotonin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and oxytocin as indicators of equine welfare across three training regimens.BMC veterinary research · 2026Article
- Case Report: Physiological Stress Responses to Repeated, Standardized Short-Distance Transport in a Transport-Experienced Horse.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Sleep architecture and lying behavior in horses across age groups and two housing systems: an overnight non-invasive EEG study.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026Article
- Friends, forage, freedom: A cluster analysis investigating horse management styles and welfare in the UK and Ireland.Animal welfare (South Mimms, England) · 2026Article
- Opportunities for agency in domestic horses: Applying the behavioural domain to increase equine welfare.Animal welfare (South Mimms, England) · 2026Review
- Do stereotypies help or harm? Exploring the link between cortisol level and abnormal behaviours in animals: a review.Frontiers in zoology · 2025Review
- Prevalence and Risk Factors for the Presence of Gastric Ulcers in Pleasure and Breeding Horses in Italy.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- Video Ethogram of Equine Social Behaviour.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- Global distribution and gap analysis of equine housing research: The findings so far and where to go next.Animal welfare (South Mimms, England) · 2024Review
- Transcriptomic signature related to poor welfare of sport horses.Comprehensive psychoneuroendocrinology · 2023Article
- Equine Social Behaviour: Love, War and Tolerance.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2023Review
- Horse Housing on Prince Edward Island, Canada: Attitudes and Experiences Related to Keeping Horses Outdoors and in Groups.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Domestic horses are currently often subject to management practices that can entail social stressors, which in turn can negatively influence immunocompetence and disease susceptibility. The present study therefore aimed to characterize the number of various blood leukocyte subsets in horses, focusing on two potentially stressful housing environments: changes in group composition and relocation to individual stabling. Immune measurements were conducted before as well as one and eight days after changes were made. They were complemented by an assessment of plasma cortisol concentrations as well as behavioral observations. One and eight days after relocation to single housing, the mean numbers of eosinophils, T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells decreased by up to 31%, 20% and 22% respectively, whereas the mean numbers of neutrophils increased by 25%. In contrast, one and eight days after changes in group composition not only the mean number of neutrophils, but also of monocytes, T helper cells and cytotoxic T cells increased by up to 24%, 17%, 9%, and 15% respectively. In consequence, an increase in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio indicating stress-induced immune modulation was found after relocation to single housing, but not after changes in group composition. The changes in leukocyte numbers after relocation to single housing were accompanied by a transient increase in cortisol concentrations after one day and the occurrence of disturbed behavior patterns one week after change in housing condition. In contrast, changes in group composition did not result in an increase of cortisol concentrations or in an increase of aggressive interactions. The results strongly indicate that individual stabling is an intense stressor leading to acute and lasting alterations in blood counts of various leukocyte types. The study highlights a probable negative impact of single housing on welfare and health of horses and an advantage of group housing systems in view of immunocompetence.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.