Latest News – The Horse

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This diary will be a new undertaking for TheHorse.com, and we hope you’ll share your comments and questions as we guide the educational process of these weanlings. The goal is to work with a curriculum developed by Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Sue McDonnell, PhD, of the University

The American Horse Council will hold a meeting of the Equine ID Task Force during the U.S. Equestrian Annual Meeting, which will be held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, Calif., Jan. 14-18.

The Task Force will be discussing the concept and implications of a national identification program for horses as a continuation of the National Institute of Animal

While you probably wouldn’t think of treating a foundered horse as a situation in which tough ethical decisions could crop up, the Second International Equine Conference on Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot held Nov. 10-11 featured a morning on just that topic.

Septic arthritis in a Thoroughbred foal significantly reduces the likelihood the animal will race, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and veterinarians with Rossdale and Partners in England. The scientists evaluated the medical records of 69 foals treated for septic arthritis and compared each foal’s racing record to at least one of its

If your broodmare or stallion is having reproductive problems, you might need a specialist to figure out what’s wrong. And that specialist might use knowledge gained from the annual conference of the Society for Theriogenology held in Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 16-20. Theriogenology is described as that branch of veterinary medicine dealing with reproduction, including the physiology and pathology

Throughout history, different forms of massage have been used in cultures to relieve pain and tension in soft tissues. We humans know that massage usually feels good and provides relaxation to us, so we assume that the same will be true for our horses. Although it might seem improbable given the many forms of manual therapies, the wide-ranging term “massage” can be defined as simply the

The horse show scene often is one of pageantry, color, and excitement. There are handsome horses groomed until they shine, riders dressed in colorful or formal garments who ride with skill and aplomb, and judges who observe every movement and mark their scorecards with placings that can increase a horse’s worth and elevate the rider’s standing in the equine community.

Frequently, the

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) board of directors recently approved a new position statement regarding tail docking. The statement written by the Equine Welfare Committee reads:

“Tail docking in horses should only be performed when it is a medical necessity or when it is vital to ensuring the horse’s safety in a work environment. Tail docking should not be

Research published in Nature shows that climate changes and the highly specialized digestive system of the wild horse Equus ferus might have contributed to its extinction in North America.

The American Quarter Horse Association’s (AQHA) Stud Book and Registration Committee will discuss various matters relating to the breed and AQHA’s registration process, namely eligibility of horses with white beyond certain prescribed limits on their bodies and those of a particular lineage, during the 2004 convention in Reno, Nev., March 5-9.

During their Oct. 7 meeting, the stud book

Equine evacuation plans were put to the test in Colorado when the Overland Fire in canyons northwest of Boulder grew so quickly that within just a few hours, 3,500 acres were engulfed and indefensible. The fire started early on Oct. 29 near Jamestown, Colo., and spread east. By Oct. 30, wet weather and crews had extinguished the fire.

Officials from the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office

Two Arkansas Quarter Horses, a 3-year-old filly named Puddin’ and a 5-year-old mare called Fat Girl, were seriously injured when they were attacked Aug. 6 while owner Patrice Swan was away. The two were brutally beaten with unknown blunt objects wielded with tremendous force, probably baseball bats or ax handles, by unidentified attackers who have not been captured. The injuries to both horse

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) wants horse owners to share why his or her veterinarian is the best by participating in the My Vet Matters Contest.

From Jan. 1-Oct. 31, submit an entry explaining why your vet is exceptional. One winning entry will be chosen each month, and the winning horse owner and vet will each receive prizes. The 10 monthly winners will be

By the 2003 West Nile virus (WNV) season, a majority of state laboratories had obtained (or were establishing) the capacity to run the IgM Capture ELISA, the most common quick test for the disease. The test measures a class of antibody produced early after infection, can be performed on serum samples drawn from suspect cases, and takes two to three days to process. Other tests take four days

A new West Nile virus (WNV) equine recombinant canarypox vaccine awaits USDA approval, and once available, could pave the way for a new generation of equine vaccines in the United States. Merial developed this Recombitek equine WNV technology, and assembled a group of researchers, clinicians, and private practitioners in New Orleans, La., on Nov. 19, 2003, to review WNV and the research behin