Latest News – The Horse

One of the most traumatic times in a young horse’s life is when he is separated from his mother at weaning time. From birth, he has been dependent on the mare for sustenance and protection. At weaning time that changes, and the youngster must cope with the world, minus his mother’s protective presence.

True, the youngster has become less and less dependent on the mare’s milk for a food

Nutritional strategies for raising and competing sounder Thoroughbreds, many of which can be applied to horses of all breeds, was presented by Laurie Lawrence, PhD, at the Thoroughbred International Exposition and Conference (TIEC). Lawrence, who has done extensive research on equine nutrition at the University of Kentucky, covered nutrition of foals, weanlings, and

Artificial insemination (AI) and stallion book size were among the more controversial topics discussed as university professors from across the United States, Great Britain, Australia, and Israel gathered in Louisville, Ky., June 25-28 for the third International Equine Industry Program Academic Conference.

About 35 participants presented papers on a variety of topics ranging from

Alfred M. Merritt II, AB, DVM, MS, will present the Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture at the AAEP’s 49th Annual Convention in New Orleans, La., November 21-25, 2003. Merritt’s presentation will highlight advances made over the last 40 years in our understanding of the function and diseases of the equine stomach, with particular emphasis on Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) will sponsor two continuing education meetings this summer in Fort Collins, Colo. Scheduled for July 28-30, the first-ever Focus meeting and the 11th annual Practice Management Seminar offer practitioners two separate paths of study for one registration fee.

Focus is a new meeting that spotlights one specific modality or conditio

There was some apprehension in Central Kentucky as to whether the elimination of cherry trees and spraying for caterpillars would be enough to decrease the numbers of mare reproductive loss (MRLS) abortions that occurred in 2001, and to a lesser degree in 2002. The removal of the cherry trees to eliminate the most suitable habitat for the Eastern tent caterpillar (ETC) moth to lay her eggs,

Veterinarians are scrambling to keep up with the number of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) cases that continue to emerge in the southeastern United States. South Carolina in the last three weeks had 17 equine cases confirmed, and about 25 pending. Florida’s EEE case count has risen to 113 horses this year, and Georgia has logged 30 cases.

In 2002, South Carolina had five equine case

If the job trend for veterinary school graduates continues as it has for the past few years, then the answer might be “no.” Concern was raised at the 2002 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention due to the declining number of students entering equine practice when finishing veterinary school. “There is an acute shortage of new graduates entering equine practice,” noted

From the USDA:

“Some recent stories have suggested that the Fort Dodge Animal Health West Nile Virus Vaccine approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) may cause pregnant mares to abort or give birth to deformed foals. The misleading information in those articles has sparked many anxious phone calls from horse owners, veterinarians, and others involved with horses.

A research project has determined that it probably isn’t a virus or bacteria (a biological agent) that links the Eastern tent caterpillar (ETC) to mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). Bill Bernard, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, an internal medicine specialist at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., and Manu Sebastian, DVM, MS, a pathologist with the University of Kentucky’s Livestock

Researchers have discovered that supplementing enzymes could help digestion of starch in the equine small intestine. “With dietary enzyme supplementation and enhanced small intestinal starch digestion, the feeding of cereal grains to horses will become a more efficient and safer practice than it has been in the past,” said Nerida Richards, PhD, of the School of Rural Science and Agriculture a

There can be a number of reasons why a horse might have performance problems. A diagnosis can be frustrating, but one reason that might be overlooked is mycotoxicosis. It wasn’t until recently that the significance of mycotoxins was realized, said Thomas Buckley, MS, head of microbiology at the Irish Equine Centre. Buckley presented “Coping With Mycotoxin Contamination: Protecting Equine

Attendees of the Thoroughbred International Exposition and Conference (TIEC) in Lexington, Ky., June 20-22, learned about the past and future of equine research. Edward Bowen, president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, spoke about past and current research of the Grayson-Jockey Club and other foundations raising funds for equine research.

The Grayson-Jockey Club

Blood-Horse Publications, the parent company of The Horse: Your Guide To Equine Health Care, earned 16 awards at the American Horse Publications annual awards program Saturday night in Hunt Valley, Md.

Students at Anderson College in Anderson, S.C., are compiling information on stock trailer accidents in order to better understand trailer safety concerns. The following questionnaire is being distributed to acquire this data, and horse owners submitting information are encouraged to send in any photographs or news clippings on the accident.

All information will be kept confidential,