Latest News – The Horse

Trainer John Shirreffs said on a national teleconference that the first preference for Zenyatta is the $5-million Breeders’ Cup Classic as long as she works well Oct. 31 at Hollywood Park and appears to be peaking for the race.

“If she works well Saturday and continues to train well the following week, we’ll definitely lean toward the Classic,” Shirreffs

Blood glucose tests might provide useful information to veterinarians treating horses with severe, persistent colic, potentially helping them to predict the severity of the horse’s condition and its chance of survival.

Colicking horses with high blood glucose levels might be more likely to die than horses with lower blood glucose levels, said authors of a new study. The

A Texas equine rescue group is seeking donations of feed, hay, cash, and other necessities to care for 60 ponies and horses recently relinquished by their owner.

Law enforcement authorities in Lewisville, Texas, discovered the animals residing on overgrazed pastures at a 50-acre ranch last week. Their owner surrendered the animals to Hope For Horses Equine Rescue Inc. on Sunday. No

Helping horses live longer, healthier lives requires ongoing research to give veterinarians the tools they need to better diagnose and treat them. Morris Animal Foundation, a world leader in supporting research to prevent, treat, and cure disease in companion animals, horses, and wildlife, has committed to funding more than 200 animal health studies in 2010, with support for these studies

A man has been charged with blackmail over a threat to kill 4-year-old colt Conduit before his Group One victory at Ascot.

Ten days before Conduit tries to win his second Breeders Cup Turf in a row at Santa Anita, Calif., Manchester police said Wednesday the man would appear in court Dec. 1.

The police didn’t identify the man but the Guardian newspaper named him as 26-year-ol

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, on the advice of one of its committees, Oct. 27 approved 2010 racing dates for all three breeds, including a 25% cut in Thoroughbred racing.

Racetracks requested reductions because of economic conditions, a decrease in available purse money, and a smaller horse population as owners and trainers race elsewhere in states where purses are

Registration is now open for an annual large animal rescue training opportunity for first responders, emergency medical technicians, veterinarians, firefighters, and other emergency/rescue personnel. Technical Large-Animal Emergency Rescue Training is provided cooperatively by USRider and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU).

The health of the racehorse will be the featured topic in November as part of the American Association of Equine Practitioners' "Ask the Vet" online discussion on its horse health Web site. Each month an AAEP-member veterinarian answers questions submitted by horse owners pertaining to specific health issues. In

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has been tasked with examining how horse processing plant closures have affected equine welfare. The GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency that provides Congress with objective, fact-based information intended to improve performance and accountability of federal agencies.

Commercial horse processing has not taken place in the United

The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), an organization providing standards for identifying legitimate animal sanctuaries has accredited and now recognizes Habitat for Horses. This is the first equine rescue and sanctuary to earn this designation from the GFAS.

The accreditation signifies the official implementation of standards for the public, donors, and government agencies

From lacerations to cancer, issues commonly affecting the equine eyelid were among the topics tackled by Brian Gilger, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVO, chief of the Ophthalmology Service at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, during the first AAEP Focus on Ophthalmology meeting, held in Raleigh, N.C., earlier this month.

With the possible exception of entropion (inward

Chris Pollitt, BVSc, PhD, one of the world’s foremost authorities on laminitis, will headline the Second Annual Texas Equine Podiatry Conference, set for November 12-14, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Other speakers include Stephen O’Grady, BVSc, MRCS, equine podiatrist with Northern Virginia Equine; Mark Caldwell, FWCF, farrier with Myerscough College, England; and Blane Chapman, CJF, of th