Latest News – The Horse

Pirfenidone, a unique experimental drug with anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties, afforded no apparent therapeutic benefit in horses with experimentally-induced endotoxemia, leaving Cal Davis researchers rather disappointed.

“Previous studies led us to believe that pirfenidone would minimize the effects o

New York Racing Association-operated Saratoga has been fully accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance, officials announced Aug. 21.

Saratoga, host of the grade I Travers Stakes Aug. 29, was inspected by alliance officials Aug. 5-7 during live racing programs. It is the eighth racetrack to receive full alliance

Windfields Farm, the historic Canadian nursery that had a major impact on North American breeding, has announced it will close following the dispersal of its remaining bloodstock at this year’s Keeneland November sale.

Founded in Ontario by the late E.P. Taylor in 1936, Windfields has produced 48 champions and 361 stakes winners. The farm is credited as breeder of the winners of more

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health and Industry Division announced last week that a 4-year-old Quarter Horse gelding euthanized in the town of Troy (Waldo County) tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).

Eastern equine encephalitis is a virus tha

The semen of some stallions tolerates freezing well, while the semen of others does not. Researchers are trying to discover the reasons for this in order to develop freezing protocols that decrease the variability of sperm, thereby increasing the number of sperm able to withstand freezing.

“In our lab we are trying to understand why some stallions are good freezers (their sperm survives

A former lab technician is suing the Florida company that produced a vitamin and mineral compound blamed for killing 21 polo horses in April on grounds that she lost her job after cooperating with authorities investigating the deaths.

The horses died after receiving a selenium, vitamin B, and potassium compound prepared by Franck’s Lab, Inc. State animal health authorities determined the

More than 460 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, “How often do you deworm your young horses?”

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Safety and Integrity Alliance has received a contribution of $15,000 from the American Association of Equine Practitioners.

“The American Association of Equine Practitioners and its foundation are proud to support the work of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance in its efforts on behalf of Thoroughbred athletes,” said David Foley, executiv

The horse community is being encouraged to continue with planned events as authorities continue to respond to the Hendra virus incident at Cawarral, near Rockhampton. Three horses on a Cawarral, Queensland, property died in late July and early August. Two of the dead horses were confirmed positive for Hendra, a potentially zoonotic virus that has only occurred in Australia.

A veterinaria

Horse owners and ranchers can take precautions to reduce the risk and spread of wildfire and protect their animals from injury or death by fire.

A televised re-enactment of wild horse shootings in Alberta has prompted tips from the public on the crimes, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

“We’re following up on some tips we’ve received,” said Cpl. Tina Millard of the Sundre RCMP.

Crime Stoppers produced the film in response to the shooting of three more horses, including a pregnant mare, whose bodies were

The carriage horse seizure case involving J.C. Cutters Ltd. has been continued once more. This time it was due to a City of Chicago budget-related mandatory work furlough day for all non-essential city employees on Aug. 17.

“The new trial date is Sept. 23; the officers with Animal Control were on mandatory furlough yesterday,” said John Robeznieks, defense attorney for J.C. Cutters Ltd.

For Christian Ahlmann, the four-month forbidden substance suspension that morphed into an eight-month suspension has its own “long tail”–in Ahlmann’s case, a ban against competing in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Ahlmann was suspended prior to the individual jumping final at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong after his horse, Cöster, tested positive for the forbidden substance

American Quarter Horse runner Silent Cash Dasher on Sunday won at Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Okla. Owned and trained by Gary Earp of Jay, Okla., the gelding by Dash Easy is 16 years old.

In a sport with the majority of its participants competing in futurities for 2-year-olds and derbies for 3-year-olds, Silent Cash Dasher has captured the hearts of many racing fans because of his