Latest News – The Horse

One down, but many more to go in a process designed to never hit the finish line.

The accreditation of Churchill Downs by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance is being called a major accomplishment by the officials involved, but they also acknowledge it’s just the beginning. Safety and integrity standards will change, and compliance will be reviewed

Bettina Wagner, DVM, PhD, assistant professor of immunology at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named the Harry M. Zweig Assistant Professor in Equine Health. The three-year term endowed position recognizes a junior faculty member who shows promise and productivity in the field of equine research.

Wagner’s research focuses on equine immunology. She studies the regulatio

Equestrian vaulters from around the world will descend upon the Bluegrass state in July in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The vaulters will perform dance and gymnastics on cantering horses in two events.

Athletes and horses from around the world will compete at the Kentucky Horse Park in the American Vaulting Association /United States Equestrian

The discussion on hormone therapy in the mare followed a systematic progression through three broad areas: 1) hastening the onset of (ovarian) follicular activity and ovulation in winter anestrus (noncycling) mares; 2) synchronizing ovulation in cycling mares; and 3) blocking estrous behavior (i.e., heat) in mares.

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has banned owner-breeder Ernie Paragallo from doing business at its tracks after authorities seized 177 horses at his Hudson Valley farm.

The 51-year-old Paragallo is the authorized agent for Paraneck Stable. NYRA officials say Paraneck won’t be allowed to race at Aqueduct, Belmont, or

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) significantly reduces lameness in horses with osteoarthritis, but it does not alter the course of disease, reported researchers from the Equine Orthopaedic Research Center at Colorado State University. They said ESWT could prove to be a valuable tool in the management of osteoarthritis, particularly if used in combination with another treatment modality cap

Although carriage company J.C. Cutters Ltd. has not yet had its day in court, the six carriage horses seized Feb. 6 due to alleged city code violations have been transferred to a northwest Illinois equine rescue facility and are up for adoption.

A spokesperson at the Hooved Animal Humane Society (HAHS) in Woodstock,

Elmer Bandit’s 38th birthday did not go unnoticed April 8, as dawn found the Independence, Mo., temperature matching the gray half-Arabian’s age.

“I brought him four apples and sang him Happy Birthday,” reported his lifelong owner, Mary Anna Wood.

The Montana House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected gubernatorial amendments to a bill that would facilitate the establishment of privately owned horse processing plants in that state.

In its original form, HB 418 prohibited state courts from granting injunctions to stop or delay construction of horse slaughter or processing facilities based on permit or licensing challenges

Investigators say they found serious violations of animal cruelty laws involving at least 40 Thoroughbred horses at the New York farm owned by Ernie Paragallo following a raid April 8 by State Police and animal protection agency officials.

“It’s the worst Thoroughbred farm I’ve ever seen like this,” said Ron Perez, president of the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA, which conducted th

At a press conference April 9 at Churchill Downs, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced that the Louisville racetrack has been fully accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance following a comprehensive review of racing operations at the facility. Churchill Downs is the first track to be so designated by the Alliance.

The accreditation of Churchill Downs

At the Compounding Table Topic at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., facilitators made handouts available, including the FDA’s Compliance Policy Guide (CPG); the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA), the AAEP Position Statement/Guidelines for Use of Compounded Products, and a couple of

Equine influenza is a common respiratory infection in horses caused by the equine influenza A type-2 virus. While influenza is not particularly harmful to affected horses (i.e., it has a very low mortality rate), it is associated with explosive outbreaks that have a large economic impact on the industry. Vaccination of at-risk horses and continually updating the flu vaccines play a crucial

The ruler of Dubai is being investigated by equestrian authorities after a horse he owns and rides failed drug tests after two races.

Sheik Mohammed said he was unaware of the drugs but accepts full responsibility. The drug use came to light following testing by his staff after endurance races this year in Bahrain and Dubai.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) said April 7