Latest News – The Horse

In one of the most highly anticipated announcements in Thoroughbred racing history, Rachel Alexandra was named 2009 Horse of the Year at the Eclipse Awards Jan. 18 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The announcement was made just before 10:30 p.m. EST by Alex Waldrop, head of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association in front of a packed house at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel and on live te

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has joined the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti, a coalition created to address the needs of animals in Haiti following the country’s devastating earthquake, and has pledged an initial $25,000 to support ARCH’s relief efforts.

The Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) is headed by The International F

Animal health authorities have confirmed two cases of equine infectious anemia (EIA) in Wiltshire, England. The two horses were recently imported from Romania via Belgium, noted a statement from the Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The infected horses will be euthanized and other horses on the Wiltshire premises will be tested.

“This

Jason Meduna, the former Nebraska training ranch operator convicted on multiple felony animal cruelty counts involving the maltreatment of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs, will appear in Morrill County District Court on Feb. 23 for sentencing.

Meduna was charged with 149 counts of class 4 felony animal abandonment and cruel animal neglect resulting in injury or death last

The 2010 Universitiy of Kentucky’s Department of Veterinary Science Equine Diagnostic and Research Seminar series kicks off Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. with a presentation by the University of Pennsylvania’s Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist. Her presentation is titled: “How horses think and why it matters to equine scientists and veterinarians.”

The

The former operator of a Nebraska training ranch for Bureau of Land Management mustangs has been found guilty on 145 of the 149 felony animal cruelty charges against him.

Jason Meduna was charged with 149 counts of class 4 felony animal abandonment and cruel animal neglect resulting in injury or death last April after Morrill County law enforcement authorities and personnel from e

A new worldwide Eventing Risk Management Policy and Action Plan aimed at reducing cross-country horse falls was launched at the third annual FEI Safety meeting in Malmö, Sweden, Jan. 17. Based on a six-year statistical study of the sport, the plan will be used to monitor risk factors in eventing, and to streamline international data and ideas to further understand the root causes of fal

Studies at both the molecular and cellular level are needed to better determine how tendon injuries occur, said a group of researchers in the United Kingdom. Only then can appropriate treatment and preventative measures be developed.

“Some tendons are more prone to injury than others; the majority of tendon injuries (97-99%) occur to the forelimb tendons, with the superficial

More than 2,500 horses received vaccinations through the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign (UHVRC). Established in December 2008, the UHVRC is now accepting applications for 2010.

“It is wonderful to see larger organizations that haven’t forgotten the smaller efforts taking place throughout the country,” Michael Russell, DVM, director of veterinary services f

One of the most competitive races for Horse of the Year honors in recent memory will conclude tonight, Monday, Jan. 18, with announcement of whether it is Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta, two females who dominated American racing in 2009.

The Horse of the Year announcement will be made at the 39th annual Eclipse Awards dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. The

Theriogenologists typically recommend low centrifugation speeds for separating equine semen from seminal plasma in ejaculate, as it was unknown whether higher speeds would damage the cells. However, higher forces did not damage sperm in a new study.

“There are some stallions that have low sperm concentration in their ejaculates and need to be centrifuged to concentrate the ce