Latest News – The Horse
How Many Jumps Does a Horse Have?
When USA Equestrian Team member Lisa Jacquin and her star jumper For The Moment earned their share of the team silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the gutsy Thoroughbred gelding was at the top of his game. He was fast, powerful, and precise
Selenium: A Balancing Act
Selenium in a horse’s diet is a balancing act–the horse has to have a small amount, and too much is fatal.
Housing the Horse
The health and safety of the horses that will live in a barn are of primary importance no matter the style. But barns come in many sizes, shapes, and styles to meet the needs of intended use, climate, site, and the owner’s budget. Personal taste
Musculoskeletal Disease Biomarkers
Colorado State University (CSU) researchers have found significant patterns of six different signals of damage or “biomarkers” in the serum of racehorses with certain musculoskeletal diseases.
Biomarkers are indicators of abnormal
Three Years of Racing Deaths in Australia
An Australian survey found that euthanasia for catastrophic forelimb injury was the most common Thoroughbred racehorse fatality. Also, sudden death (not as the result of euthanasia) contributed more to racing fatalities than previously thought.
Forelimb Conformation of the Growing Thoroughbred
University of Wisconsin researchers found certain forelimb characteristics in growing Thoroughbreds are associated with higher birth weights, and their carpal (knee) conformation is associated with the parents’. Both genetics and environment
Feel the Beat
It’s a thrilling moment for spectator and exhibitor alike on a steamy August night in Freedom Hall, Louisville, Ky. The place is filled wall-to-wall with spectators. Some are in elevated private suites surrounding the arena floor. Many are
Sun Protection: Does Your Horse Need Sunglasses?
While sunglasses and sun screen might be the obvious solutions for fair-skinned humans, they’re impractical for horses. Protection from sun glare, however, is as important for horses as it is for humans, because horses with little or no pigment in th
The Therapy Horse: An Integral Player
Therapeutic riding is for people of all ages with various disabilities, and it has become very popular. For horses, however, the invitation is much more re-stricted. There are specialized expectations of a horse used in therapeutic riding. If
New Treatment for Tracheal Collapse
Two years later, Magnificent, a miniature horse, continues to do well with his intratracheal stent–the first ever implanted in a horse.
Magnificent suffered from tracheal collapse, an uncommon–and probably underreported–condition in
Paralyzed With Fear
There have been numerous outbreaks of the deadly neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) recently
Horses and Wild Animals
Throughout their existence, horses have been prey animals. Predators have been pursuing and feasting on them for eons, and they continue doing so today, despite the fact that domestication of the horse and the spread of civilization in general
Herpesvirus in Five States
T he neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) has been diagnosed in at least five different states in January and February (The Horse learned of a fifth state with herpes after the cover went to press). While many of the
USDA Considers Inspection Alternative
Horsemeat processing plants in Texas and Illinois have petitioned the USDA to allow plants to pay inspectors’ salaries on a per-service basis, according to Steven Cohen, a USDA spokesperson. The Nov. 23, 2005, petition was in response to the
Breaking News – Voluntary Fee-For-Service
On Feb. 7, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service announced an interim rule establishing a voluntary fee-for-service program, which allows horsemeat processing plants to continue to receive federal antemortem inspections.
The
Horse Owners’ Needs Still Urgent After Hurricanes
Salty water drowned pastures in Louisiana and Mississippi months ago, but the needs of horses in areas left incapacitated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita remain critical, say area veterinarians and residents. Most Gulf Coast horse owners need
