Circadian and Circannual Regulation in the Horse: Internal Timing in an Elite Athlete.

摘要: Biological rhythms evolved to provide temporal coordination across all tissues and organs allow synchronization of physiology with predictable environmental cycles. Most important these are circadian circannual rhythms, primarily regulated via photoperiod signals from the retina. Understanding nature physiological in horses is crucially for equine management. Predominantly, they have been removed exposure their natural stimuli; seasonally changing photoperiod, continuous foraging feeding activity, social herd interactions, low-intensity exercise a grassland dweller. These replaced many cases confined indoor housing, regimental times, isolation, lighting that often erratic does not come close mimicking spectral composition sunlight. Man has further altered seasonal timing cues through use artificial programs impact reproductive behavior, breeding efficiency, development youngstock. how new (some stronger some weaker) internal horse context endogenous over millennia key helping improve health, welfare, performance, now into future. This review provides an overview field, highlights recent discoveries related biological horses, discusses implications findings may production management elite athlete.