Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director

Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director, grew up riding and caring for her family’s horses in Central Virginia and received a B.A. in journalism and equestrian studies from Averett University. She joined The Horse in 1999 and has led the editorial team since 2010. A 4-H and Pony Club graduate, she enjoys dressage, eventing, and trail riding. Her heart horse, It Happened Again (“Happy,” pictured), a former graded-stakes-winning Thoroughbred gelding, was her longtime partner in the saddle and remains a lasting inspiration. Stephanie is based in Lexington, Kentucky.

Articles by: Stephanie L. Church, Editorial Director

Cicadas are Coming–But Shouldn’t Affect Horses

After a 17-year absence from Kentucky, one of the largest known broods of periodical cicadas will emerge this spring, and Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer is warning vineyard and fruit tree growers to be aware of the coming of

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Equitrol Lawsuit

A jury has returned a verdict of $1,007,500 to plaintiffs alleging in a lawsuit that Farnam’s product Equitrol, a feed-through fly control product, was defectively designed and caused harm to their horses; Farnam has countered with a press

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Cushing’s Disease and Laminitis–Not Just Old Horses

Researchers recently revealed that Cushing’s disease is a major contributing factor to laminitis among horses in a primary care veterinary practice, and that the median age of laminitic Cushing’s horses was 15 1/2 years–disproving tha

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Texas Horse Owners Aware of WNV Threat

Reports have surfaced that horse owners in Texas are becoming complacent and have backed off vaccinating their animals for West Nile virus (WNV), which has infected nearly 2,400 horses in the state since late 2002. Angela Pelzel, DVM, an epidemiologist with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), reported that she doesn’t believe that is the case–Texas horse owners have not grown

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Animal Identification Plan Largely Misunderstood

Comments collected on the draft U.S. Animal Identification Plan (USAIP) have been largely characterized by misunderstanding and frustration, according to one government official. The plan, which at this time is not an official program of the USDA, was designed to establish a timely traceback system to minimize the spread of foreign animal diseases, such as foot and mouth disease, and to

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More on the Recent Grass Sickness Link to Clostridium botulinum

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently advanced scientific knowledge of equine grass sickness with a three-year study that found the disease to be strongly associated with low antibody levels to the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Findings from the study, which was completed at the University of Liverpool, funded by The Home of Rest For Horses, and published in the Equine

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More on the Recent Grass Sickness Link to

Researchers in the United Kingdom recently advanced scientific knowledge of equine grass sickness with a three-year study that found the disease to be strongly associated with low antibody levels to the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

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Senate Passes Bill Prompted by Saddlebred Attacks

Legislation prompted by the attack on five Saddlebreds in Central Kentucky last summer was passed by the Kentucky Senate on Thursday, March 25, according to an Associated Press story.

The article said, The bill was sent back to the”P>Legislation prompted by the

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Illinois Slaughter Legislation Update

Rep. Robert S. Molaro yesterday postponed consideration of Illinois Senate Bill 1921, which would ban equine slaughter for human consumption in the state of Illinois. Dekalb, Ill., is the home of Cavel International, one of the remaining equine

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Help Needed for Stallion Infertility Research

Bhanu P. Chowdhary, BVSc, AH, MVSc, PhD, associate professor in Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine, is trying to find molecular causes of stallion infertility and reduced fertility.

Chowdhary said, “Our research focuses specifically on genes located on the Y chromosome of the horse. In humans it has been clearly shown that of the around 7% infertile males, at least a

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Belgian Hit, Killed by Car in Massachusetts

A driver sustained serious injuries when his car struck a 2,000-pound Belgian horse in Westport, Mass., on March 6, according to an article in the online edition of The Herald News, which is based in Fall River, Mass.

“The (32-year-old) operator was identified by police as David Costa,” said the article. “Police said the horse had escaped from its corral. After Costa’s gray Ford Escor

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Neurologic Conditions, In-Depth

Assessing neurologic conditions might seem difficult, but with practice and attention to the subtle differences between different conditions’ deficits, the process can become easier. Additionally, practitioners discussed vaccination and treatment options for the different diseases.

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Lyme Disease Treatment and Vaccine

Nearly 50% of adult horses in areas of the northeastern United States are or have been infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Thomas Divers, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVECC, and others at Cornell Universit

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Legislation Introduced for Expediting Horse ID Plan Use

Four bills that would accelerate implementation of a national animal identification system have been introduced in Congress–two in the Senate and two in the House of Representatives. Horses are not specifically mentioned in any of these bills, but will be included in a national animal ID program at some point in the future. According to an official in one bill sponsor’s office, specifics of

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Residual Effects of WNV

Horse owners should have equine survivors of West Nile virus (WNV) re-examined by their veterinarians before putting the animals back into work. In a study of Minnesota horses which survived clinical WNV infection, 40% showed WNV residual effects at six months after diagnosis; these neurologic effects can make the horse more dangerous to ride or drive. Julia Wilson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, is an

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