Christa Lesté-Lasserre
Christa Lesté-Lasserre is a freelance writer based in Paris, France.
Articles by Christa Lesté-Lasserre
FEI Proposes Prohibited Substances List Modification
September 07, 2010
Some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at low therapeutic levels might be helpful for horses with inflammation between competitions, so clearer and more current information is needed about detection times for anti-doping testing, accordi Read More
"Conflict Behavior" Evaluation Varies Among Horse Professionals
September 06, 2010
There's a new term that describes the actions of our horses in response to our unclear cues or handling: "conflict behavior." Horses showing conflict behavior might buck, rear, toss their heads, gape their mouths, or try to escape their handlers, to Read More
Piroplasmosis: Searching for Answers in Europe
September 02, 2010
The number of piroplasmosis-positive horses imported from Europe varies considerably from one country to another, according to new findings by Swiss researchers. With piroplasmosis steadily creeping across the globe in the 21st centu Read More
Training: Food Rewards Are More Effective Than Physical Contact
August 30, 2010
Everybody loves a good back scratch, including your horse, right? Scratching of the withers has been scientifically proven to reduce a horse's heart rate, but a good scratch might not be enough to communicate to your horse that you're h Read More
Seeking Solutions to Separation Anxiety
August 26, 2010
When teaching young horses to accept separation from their pasturemates, it might seem like a good idea to train them in pairs first for a while before training them alone. However, new equitation science research suggests that pairing them up might Read More
NSAIDs Congress Exposes Benefits and Risks, Focuses on Horse Welfare
August 19, 2010
Scientific, legal, and ethical points of view on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use in competition horses continued to stream Switzerland's air even at the close of the two-day NSAIDs congress Read More
Bilateral Training Improves Performance, Welfare, Researchers Say
August 17, 2010
Congratulations, your horse has learned a new trick! Now, start all over again--this time on the other side. That's right; it turns out if you want your horse to learn a trick or skill correctly, you're probably going to have Read More
FEI NSAID Congress Convenes in Switzerland
August 16, 2010
The future of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) use in international equestrian competitions is currently under open debate in an unprecedented two-day congress hosted by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) in Lausa Read More
Smaller Endoscopes Lead to Less Invasive Navicular Treatment
August 15, 2010
A novel twist to an existing surgical procedure creates new opportunities for healing navicular horses. Read More
Study: Rein Tension Varies Between Riders, Affects Horses' Gaits
August 13, 2010
You know what it means to apply light contact with the bit, but have you ever wondered if your interpretation is the same as other riders’? And how strong is "strong contact," exactly? What kinds of effects do these different ha Read More
Spatial Reasoning and Laterality Affect Riding Horses' Behavior
August 12, 2010
"Can't go over it, can't go under it, have to go around it." No, your horse isn't on a bear hunt; he's on a bucket hunt, trying to reach his food around an experimental barrier. Italian equitation science researchers s Read More
New Foal Immunity Research Brings Hope for Improved Prevention Methods
August 06, 2010
A foal's immune system is known to be weak and immature, but new cell-based research suggests that "immunodeficiency" might be too broad a term to define the disease-fighting capacity of the youngest horses. Read More
Once-Paralyzed Foal Now Walking Freely
August 03, 2010
Vitelle, the once-paralyzed filly, is finally walking, trotting, and cantering without a walker at the farm in Belgium she left more than a year ago. In June 2009, at 3 weeks old, the Boulonnais Draft horse foal developed sudden paralysis and urinary Read More
Equitation Science Symposium Emphasizes Horse Welfare and Human Safety
August 03, 2010
Rein tension, saddle and seat pressure, training rewards and reinforcement, and the evaluation of stress and emotions in riding horses were some of the main topics at this year's International Equitation Science Symposium held July 31&ndash Read More
White Line Disease in Horses
August 01, 2010
Despite its name, white line disease does not actually affect the true "white line" of the hoof. White line disease occurs when bacterial or fungal infections creep into the inner nonpigmented space within the inner hoof wall's stratum medium layer. Read More
FEI Athletes Receive Anti-Doping Regulation Training
July 16, 2010
With the adoption of the new Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMR), effective since April 2010, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has reinforced the concept of the Person Responsible in dopin Read More
Morrissey Disqualified, Ground Jury Reprimanded in Excessive Whipping Incident
July 12, 2010
Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) show jumping horse candidate Crelido, ridden by Michael Morrissey (USA), was abused during a WEG-qualifying event when he was "excessively whipped," and Morrissey has hence been disqualified, a Read More
FEI Hypersensitivity Protocol Refined Following Sapphire Decisions
July 10, 2010
Less than a week after the resolution of the legal dispute concerning World Cup mount Sapphire, ridden by McLain Ward (USA), new international guidelines for the evaluation of hypersensitivity have been issued, according to the Féd&eacut Read More
Equitarianism Brings Veterinary and Farrier Care to Dominican Republic Equids
July 06, 2010
Through literally hundreds of vaccinations and dewormings, 60 surgeries, nutrition training, and a nationwide farrier clinic, all from June 6-13, the Dominican Republic's horses, donkeys, and mules are once again benefiting from a new conce Read More
FEI: Kutscher 'Person Responsible' for Doping at 2008 Olympics
July 01, 2010
Two-time Olympian Marco Kutscher might not have known his horse Cornet Obolensky received injections of a prohibited substance during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but the German equestrian was still named the "primary person responsi Read More
Transmission Electron Microscope Aids in Understanding Developing Horse
June 25, 2010
At 14 days, it's shaped like a pear and has a clear line dividing its left side from its right. At 16 days, it resembles a shoe sole, and tiny beginnings of the very complex nervous system are popping up everywhere. For the first time in history, sci Read More
Anky: Salinero Won't Compete in WEG Dressage, Still Mending
June 23, 2010
Two-time Olympic gold medalist dressage mount Salinero will not be competing at the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games due to ongoing complications from having injured his withers, according to his owner, trainer, and rider Anky van Grunsven o Read More
Studies Track Horses' Movement Patterns
June 15, 2010
Where the wild horses roam free, daily hoof tracks can be followed for miles. Now thanks to new, lightweight GPS technology, Australian researchers are no longer following tracks but recording satellite signals from various wild horse herds as well Read More
Posture of Rider and Rider Linked, Study Shows
June 10, 2010
By comparing certain riding positions of amateur equestrians and the neck positions of their mounts to the kind of back pain those horses experienced while in the stall, the researchers concluded that how you ride makes a big difference in equine Read More
Pasturing Stallions Together Can Work, Says Study
June 08, 2010
Behavior Quiz: If you put five breeding stallions together in an open pasture, what do you get? A) the Kentucky Derby, minus the jockeys, B) a new pro basketball team, or C) dramatic chaos?
Believe it or not, according to a new study Read More
