Latest News – The Horse

WinStar Farm’s Drosselmeyer gave Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott his first win in a Triple Crown race, as he wore down pacesetter First Dude and held off a late charge from Fly Down to win the $1 million Belmont Stakes under Mike Smith June 5.

Two horses at Lone Star Park have tested positive for Equine Piroplasmosis, a tick-borne disease caused by parasites that affects horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras. In addition, a third horse that left Lone Star and had been shipped to New Mexico also tested positive for the disease.

The first cases of vesicular stomatitis this year were reported in three horses in Cochise County, Ariz. Vesicular stomatitis is sporadically occurring virus that causes blister-like lesions in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves, prepuce, and teats of livestock. The disease most frequently occurs during warmer months in the southwestern United States.

Horses have evolved over millions of years as grazers, with specialized digestive tracts adapted to digest and utilize diets containing high levels of plant fiber. They are capable of processing large quantities of forage to meet their nutrient demands. In an attempt to maximize growth or productivity, horses are often fed diets that also contain high levels of grains and supplements. Unfort

Confusion about medication rules still exist however, because the FEI and USEF differ in their selection and testing of horses, in who is held responsible for drug violations, and in their lists of permitted substances. Therefore, said Allen, it is very important for owners, trainers, and veterinarians to understand not only what is prohibited, but also what might potentially cause an inadvertent

Leading experts on Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) research in equestrian sport will address the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) Congress on NSAID Usage and Medication in the Equine Athlete in Lausanne, Switzerland this summer. C. Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc, PhD, DSc, FRCVS, Dipl. ACVS, (USA); Pierre-Louis Toutain, professor at the Ecole Nationale Vét&

Equine digestive health product SUCCEED has teamed up with helmet advocate Jeri Bryant to launch the online helmet awareness campaign www.riders4helmets.com. The campaign is designed to educate equestrians on the benefits of wearing helmets. The Equestrian Medical Safety Association (EMSA) states that head injuries accoun

Famed horseman John Lyons will be a featured clinician in the Equine Village during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Sept. 25 – Oct. 10, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. Widely considered to be responsible for many changes in the horse industry in the past 30 years, John Lyons has promoted both kind treatment of horses and the safety of horse and ride

The best way to give cloned foals a leg up is to make sure that an experienced veterinary team is present when the mare gives birth, according to a recent study.

Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, and her colleagues recently reviewed the medical records of cloned foals born between 2005 and 2008. They found that most foals did pretty well: Of 14 foals, 12 developed normally.

Portable, hand-held blood analyzers that measure various blood values such as electrolytes and pH are a valuable tool and provide improved patient care, reports a Brazilian research team led by Juliana Peiró, DVM, PhD, from the Department of Clinics, Surgery, and Animal Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, Unviersidade Estadual Paulista. “When diagnosed early,

Horse owners in Ohio whose animals unintentionally roam from their enclosures could be spared criminal prosecution under a new bill designed to refine the state’s so-called running-at-large law. Under current law, owners can be held criminally liable if their horses and other livestock are found running at large under any circumstances. HB 503 refines that state’

Champion Summer Bird, who catapulted to stardom in the 2009 Belmont Stakes, has been retired due to complications of a fracture suffered last fall prior to the Japan Cup Dirt. The son of Birdstone–Hong Kong Squall, by Summer Squall, burst on the scene when he scored an impressive 2 1/4-length victory in the Belmont Stakes at odds of 11-1 for trainer Tim Ice. Follo

Strebors Black Magic On Demand, a Miniature Horse registered with the American Miniature Horse Registry, is spreading her own magic as a therapy horse. Known to her many fans as Magic, the black mini with blue eyes was recently named the Most Heroic Pet in America by the AARP. Magic, owned by Debbie and Jorge Garcia-Bengochea of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses in High Spr

Nearly 5,000 horses from 500 different farms helped identify anhidrosis factors for University of Florida researchers. Geography, breed, and use of horse were examined to determine factors for anhidrosis–the lack or decreased production of sweat. While it is widely known that some horses lose the ability to sweat properly in hot, humid climates like Florida, accurate information