Latest News – The Horse

In conjunction with its focus on the plight of the retired and unwanted Thoroughbred in the Feb. 28 issue of Blood-Horse magazine, Blood-Horse Publications announces the establishment of what is believed to be the first-ever online directory of Thoroughbred welfare and rescue organizations. Located on the web at

Lunn presented studies that he and six other scientists completed comparing immune responses between commonly used, commercially available vaccines.

Genetics, racing surface, number of starts, age of the horse, pre-existing disease, conformation, and trauma have all been implicated as potential factors in the cause of racing and training injuries.

Twenty-five Quarter Horses were killed yesterday (Feb. 22) in a barn fire in Damascus, Md., according to an article in the online edition of The Baltimore Sun.

The fire was reported around 6 a.m. at Summerwind Farm, a breeding and training farm in Montgomery County. “Firefighters found a 100-foot by 100-foot barn

Glaucoma (increased fluid pressure within the eye to a level incompatible with eye health) in horses is not well recognized, but look for it in cases of cloudy cornea, corneal edema, or severe unrelenting ocular inflammation.

The Kentucky Association of Equine Practitioners (KAEP) held its annual membership meeting Feb. 18 in Lexington, Ky. The organization was established in 1979 as a constituency of the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association. It has grown from a handful of equine veterinarians to over 160 members and has been active all aspects of equine health and welfare in the commonwealth.

Outgoing

J. Harold Drudge, DVM, Professor Emeritus in the University of Kentucky’s Department of Veterinary Science, died Jan. 28. Widely acknowledged for his numerous contributions to the field of parasitology, Drudge is especially known for the significance of his work in equine helminthology (the study of parasitic worms). He received various national and international awards, and wa

According to a Feb. 23 ProMED-mail post, Kashmir, India, could be experiencing an equine anthrax outbreak.

In late December 2003, an India Times article reported that, “Veterinarians here have raised alarm over the spread of anthrax amongst livestock. Over 135 horses from a state-run stable have died due to the deadly disease. The numbers are rising.” According to the

Feb. 21-28, 2004 has been designated by the North Carolina Horse Council (NCHC) as “Horse Health Awareness Week.” Equine veterinary practitioners and horse organizations across the state were encouraged to hold special clinics and other events this week to call attention to horse health.

The NCHC recommended that veterinarians emphasize four especially important diseases and made

A Pike County, Ohio, resident reported in mid-December 2003 what she thought was abuse in a herd of approximately 52 horses to Kristen Rohde, DVM. Rohde asked local law enforcement officials to have the horses examined by a veterinarian. By Jan. 9, the horses in question had been examined by three veterinarians (each of whom reported that some of the horses were in need of care), were

New legislation to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the state of Illinois was introduced Feb. 6, 2004, in the Illinois House of Representatives in the form of HB 6570. On Feb. 18, 2004, the bill was referred to the House Executive Committee. The legislation would also make it illegal to transport horses into or out of the state for slaughter.

The wording of the

The shipment of PMU (pregnant mare urine) mares from farms in the United States and Canada has been put on hold until after the foaling season, unless the shipping distance is very short.

The reason, says Nat Messer IV, DVM, University of Missouri, and a member of an advisory board created by Wyeth Industries in Brandon, Manitoba, is because the mares are in late-term pregnancy and

With researchers worldwide working on solutions to various horse health problems, there is a veritable mountain of information being published continuously. Much of this information is included in AAEP convention presentations, but some of this valuable research was either too new or brief to be included in the program. Thus, the Kester News Hour has new studies and information discussed by

Pat Parelli’s all new “Love – Language – Leadership” seminar launched Feb. 7-8 in Kissimmee, Fla. The tour includes approximately 24 stops in 2004. Each seminar includes two jam-packed days of natural horsemanship, savvy secrets, and practical training tips that hold the keys to a more powerful and rewarding partnership with horses than you ever thought possible. Pat and Linda Parelli and the