Latest News – The Horse

A South Dakota man has been sentenced to spend the next three consecutive Fourth of July holidays behind bars after pleading guilty to charges connected to the theft and injury of a champion barrel horse last year.

Owner Wendy Halweg and her horse Dually were competing at the Fort Pierre Rodeo, and the horse was taken from the Stanley County fairgrounds on July 5, 2009. She

Law enforcement and authorities in Monongalia County, W.V., are investigating the death of a horse that could be linked to high school bullying.

In a written statement, Monongalia County Sheriff Kenneth "Al" Kisner said the horse's owner, Allen Hixenbaugh, found the horse injured in its pasture on May 24. The animal later died. A necropsy later revealed that th

Graded stakes victories by First Dude, who finished second in the Preakness Stakes and is scheduled to make his next start in the $1 million Belmont Stakes June 5, will create support for equine research, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation President Edward L. Bowen announced May 26. Donald Dizney, breeder and owner of First Dude, has pledged 1% of earnings from graded stakes

A new, simple muscular microbiopsy technique can reveal important information about a horse’s athletic potential as well as possible pathologies that can affect performance, according to a new study by Belgian researchers.

By analyzing mitochondrial respiration via high resolution respirometry (HRR), researchers can attribute values to the functional capacity of muscle cells t

Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) with a passive optical tracking system is the new future for repairing internal hoof fractures, providing highly accurate placement of screws and the chance for “perfect” results, according to a new study by Swiss researchers.

The first 2010 case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Florida’s Marion county was confirmed May 24. A horse in the northwestern part of the county contracted EEE and was euthanized, according to a spokesperson for the Marion County Health Department. EEE is a mosquito-borne disease that can affect horses, humans, and some birds. According to the American Association of E

The contents of a van discovered parked in a Miami-Dade, Fla., neighborhood earlier this week included horse remains, according to Miami-Dade Police. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. The probe is the latest investigation into a series of incidents involving the slaughter of horses for their meat. Since January 2009, the butchered remains of at least 22 horses have b

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will conduct a New Thoroughbred Owner Seminar on Friday, June 11, at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill. The seminar, sponsored by Blood-Horse Publications, will feature discussions on industry business issues and options for acquiring horses, including partnerships, auctions, and claiming, as well as a discussion about veterinary topics

Traditionally considered a West Coast disease, pigeon fever was recently diagnosed in several Florida horses. Pigeon fever is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, which tends to live in the soil in hot, dry environments. It is primarily spread by flies and causes abscesses on the pectoral region that give a horse a “ Read More

When it comes to forming couples, do opposites really attract? Or does it boil down to chemistry? New research in Switzerland suggests that, at least for horses, both of these phenomena play into the process of selecting mates. The reactions of mares at different stages of their estrus cycles to various stallions were investigated and compared to the “chemistry”–or more specifical

This Memorial Day, Old Friends will pay tribute to some special Thoroughbred champions.
On May 31, Old Friends, the Thoroughbred retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., will have a commemorative service for eight retirees that have passed away in the last year.

Honored will be Calder Race Course Hall of Famer Flying Pigeon, multiple grade I winner Ruhlmann, Argentine-bred Go

Police in Miami-Dade Florida are examining a vehicle to determine whether the meat found inside was derived from a horse. The probe is the latest into a series of incidents involving the slaughter of horses for their meat. Since January 2009, the butchered remains of at least 22 horses have been found in Miami-Dade County. Two horses were also discovered dead and mutilated in a fi

Kentucky State Police report that the Alabama truck driver who crossed the median and caused a crash in March that killed him and 10 other people had been using his cell phone to send and receive calls leading up to the crash. This tragedy is just one example of the dangerous consequences of distracted driving.

Statistics show that driving while distracted is a factor in 25% of po