Latest News – The Horse
Pimlico Quarantine Lifted
The Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) lifted its self-imposed quarantine on Pimlico Race Course this morning (Feb. 8), allowing horses from the Baltimore track to compete at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md., for the first time since Jan. 21. Twelve
Second Neurologic Horse Euthanatized on Maryland Farm
A competitive event horse that began showing neurologic signs of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) last Thursday (Feb. 2) was euthanatized on Sunday (Feb. 5) after a rapid decline in health. The mare is the second horse to be euthanatized on the
Maryland Officials Distribute Biosecurity Information for Stable Operators
The Maryland Department of Agriculture released the following tips on avoiding transmission of illness.
Keep your stable disease-free:
- Limit traffic of incoming people who could have been exposed to germs elsewhere.
Maryland Trainers Holding Their Breath
For more than a week, Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) chief operating officer Lou Raffetto said he could “see the light at the end of the tunnel” regarding the ongoing battle with equine herpesvirus.
There was some light Feb. 3, when Laurel
FSIS Establishes Fee-For-Service Program For Horsemeat
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced an interim final rule establishing a voluntary fee-for-service program under which establishments that slaughter horses can continue to receive
Kansas Barn Fire Kills 43 Horses
A Feb. 5 fire in a barn at Eureka Downs in Eureka, Kan., killed 43 horses and remained under investigation as of Feb. 6, officials said.
Both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, most of which were 2-year-olds in training, were killed.
Pregnant Mares
The mare from which you have always wanted to raise a foal has just been pronounced pregnant by your veterinarian. Now you just have to wait about 11 months and see what she produces, right? Not so fast! There is much more involved than just
Synovial Joints and How They Work
First we’ll look at how the horse’s synovial joints are constructed, then we’ll outline where they are located, the functions they serve, and some of the problems that can develop.
Genome Sequencing
In 1991, Eliane Marti, Dr. Med. Vet., published a study as a graduate student in Switzerland, showing that chronic hypersensitivity bronchitis (a.k.a. heaves) had a strong hereditary component among Swiss horses. She meticulously defined the
Will Eating Grass Seeds Hurt My Horse?
Could eating buckwheat, red clover, and twitch grass seeds be harmful to my horse?
Pony Girthing/Mounting Issues
My 11-year-old daughter is having trouble with her pony nipping at her when she is girthing him, and when she goes to mount without an assistant. He also smacks his tail and pins his ears, almost looking like he might cow-kick at her sometimes.
Semen Collecting from a Blind Stallion
We have a Standardbred stallion that had a minor neurologic episode a few months ago that was never really figured out. He has recovered slowly back to normal, except that he has gone completely blind. He does well at pasture and you would hardl
Dealing with Dummy Foals
At first, everything seems fine: Your foal was born without incident and started nursing as he should. But two days later, the baby quit suckling and began acting strangely–wandering around and pressing his head against the stall wall. Your
Skin Problems in Horses
There are many problems that can affect a horse’s skin–from insect allergies to fungal, viral, or bacterial infections. The skin is the body’s largest and most important organ; it protects the inner structures of the body from the outside
EPM Check-Up
Although progress has been made studying equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in the last 10 years, some aspects of the disease remain elusive. One researcher, half-jokingly, notes that EPM is considered the most diagnosed neurologic disorde
Bedding Shopping
There was a time when bedding for horse stalls received little attention or discussion, especially in the agricultural Midwest. When horses provided the power for planting and harvesting crops, almost every farm had a field of oats. The oat
