A new program called VITALS, introduced by the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC), will assist horse owners in communicating basic health indicators to their veterinarians when illness, injury or disease is suspected. The KHC Health and Welfare Committee, whose members include veterinarians and professionals in the animal health and welfare field, developed VITALS under the direction of

Saddle Up SAFELY, a program began by University of Kentucky HealthCare and UK College of Agriculture Equine Initiative and now including more than 30 medical and equine-related organizations, is giving away prizes in exchange for horse riding safety tips. Such prizes include four tickets to the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in September as well as many other horse-related items, and every per

According to a recent report, one out of every 10 work-eligible Kentuckians is unemployed. In response to the significant increase in jobless horse owners, the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) has modified eligibility requirements for its Equine Safety Net program.

Started in April 2007, Equine Safety Net provides feed for horses owned by individuals who have recently lost a job or su

Dr. Kristina Hiney, PhD, Omega Fields equine nutrition advisor, has prepared a series of seasonal tips to help horse owners transition their horses from one season to another. The following are the things you can do during this transition to summer:

Go for a trail ride or try a new discipline with your horse. Horses get bored if they are asked to perform the same tasks over and ov

While driving safely is important for everyone’s safety and welfare, it is particularly important for vehicles that are towing trailers. While it is best for a merging vehicle to accelerate to the speed of the other vehicles on the interstate, factors such as terrain, available space and design hamper the ability of a truck and trailer to get up to speed in time.

Alltech, a global leader in animal health and nutrition and the title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010, has named Stephen Duren, MS, PhD, the company’s official nutritionist. Duren, owner of Performance Horse Nutrition, LLC, is recognized as an expert on equine health and nutrition by feed manufacturers and horses owners throughout the world.

This year marks the 40th anniversary for Lynn Palm as a horse trainer and clinician.

Palm offers 40 tips to trail riders as they hit the lush green trails or sandy beaches with their horses.

Trail riding is an excellent way for riders and horses to bond and work on communication aids in a new environment. Training outside the box is something Palm does with all her hors

Cargill’s Nutrena brand recently launched a new blog site called The Feed Room that is designed to be a central source for horse enthusiasts to get the latest information on the care and feeding of their horses.

The site will cover a wide range of topics including horse feed, feeding tip

Following an accident in which Courtney King-Dye (USA) suffered serious head injuries in a schooling fall in Florida earlier this year, the FEI Dressage Committee strongly recommends that all riders wear properly fastened safety helmets when training and in pre-competition warm-ups at all international dressage shows.

Riders still have the choice of wearing protective headgear in

“As an industry and as an organization, we completely support the EU requirement for the now compulsory passports of all equines within the community and the introduction of mandatory microchipping,” Princess Haya said.

The American Competitive Trail Horse Association (ACTHA) made horse riding history on June 13 with the first-ever Guinness World Records achievement for the Largest Trail Riding Competition. A total of 984 riders participated in the record-breaking achievement that successfully raised more than $69,000 for horse rescue programs across the nation.

The Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian reports that during the second week in June, government officials in Panama reported two confirmed equine cases of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE).

The report cited two deceased horses to be part of a group of 21 “village horses.”

Control measures include vaccination and movement restrictions.

This

Beating the heat is the goal for Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program (FLTAP), and with a recent $2,000 grant from the American Humane Association’s Meacham Foundation Memorial, the Purple Haze Center will accomplish just that.

Sixteen individual hard-wired fans will be installed above each of the horse stalls in the Purple Haze Center, the state-of-the-art horse adoptio

Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director John Nicholson is the recipient of the ninth annual Equine Industry Vision Award.

Pfizer Animal Health, a world leader in discovering and developing innovative animal prescription medicines and vaccines, and American Horse Publications (AHP) presented Nicholson with the award at a ceremonial breakfast held June 18 during the AHP 2010 40th Ann

Bob Ellis (GBR) has been appointed as the Jumping course designer for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The appointment of the British designer, who produced the courses for last year’s Alltech FEI European Jumping Championships, was announced by London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG).

Ellis will be responsible for the courses for all the Jumping competitions and als

The field of animal rehabilitation is rapidly growing and a number of veterinary practices and teaching hospitals now include rehabilitation services. Nationwide and beyond, veterinarians and physical therapists are collaborating to provide rehabilitation programs for companion animals and horses. The 6th International Association of Veterinary Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy