The American Association of Equine Practitioners Foundation has awarded $262,000 in grants to 15 nonprofit organizations and universities working for the health and welfare of horses. These 2010 grant recipients share the foundation's mission to support equine research, benevolence, education, and the equine community.

From funding laminitis research to sponsoring an "equitarian" mission in Mexico, the foundation supports a wide range of initiatives in 2010 and 2011 that are improving equine welfare. The foundation has teamed with the Unwanted Horse Coalition to launch Operation Gelding, a program that assists clinics in providing free castration services for stallions. Meeting the research priorities of equine veterinarians, the foundation has committed funding for the 10th Annual International Colic Symposium, a veterinary meeting focused on colic research scheduled for July 2011.

In addition, the foundation supports an equitarian workshop, designed for practitioners interested in volunteering veterinary services in struggling communities with working equids, being held near Vera Cruz, Mexico. Investing in future industry technologies, the foundation also is assisting Colorado State University and Equine Guelph with the development of International Equine Biosecurity Risk Calculator, an interactive online assessment tool designed to provide equine operation owners or managers with a way to objectively evaluate their biosecurity programs.

Groups including the American Quarter Horse Foundation, Morris Animal Foundation, American Youth Horse Council, World Equine Veterinary Association, National FFA, The Race For Education and the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation are among others that are receiving funding from the foundation. In a continued effort to promote the veterinary profession, the foundation is allocating funding for a number of student programs, including dentistry and farriery short courses, scholarships, and activities stipends for AAEP student chapters