Latest News – The Horse

Study: Horses can Communicate Blanketing Preferences
Researchers taught horses to request a blanket be put on, a rug be taken off, or no change using different symbols.

Equine Life Stages: Senior Horses
Old horses spend their lifetimes earning our love and respect. They teach us how to ride, pack our kids, and hold onto our memories. Learn how to keep them healthy and comfortable during our live event.
Ohio Authorities Probe Horse Hair Thefts
The Oct. 12 incident is the latest in a series of horse hair thefts in central Ohio.

Don’t Ignore Exotic Diseases
One veterinarian shares her thoughts on what West Nile virus can teach us about exotic equine diseases.

Racehorse Owners Schooled on Horse Health, Care Issues
Owners heard lectures on topics such as the musculoskeletal system, nutrition, and second careers.

Do Professionals Judge Horse Behavior Like Scientists?
Recent study results yielded mixed results: Equestrian professionals, on the whole, appear to have an appreciation for welfare-friendly behavior in the show ring, but they disagree with scientists when it comes to head and neck positions.

Kentucky Horse Park Commission Names New Executive Director
The Kentucky Horse Park Commission has selected Jamie Link as the new executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park.

Survey: Racehorse Drug Testing System has Serious Flaws
Research commissioned by The Jockey Club shows that, though the Thoroughbred industry has made progress in the area of uniform medication and testing standards, a state-by-state approach is at best problematic.
Racehorse Drug Testing Delays Mount, States Eye Options
A backlog of samples at a respected laboratory has prompted Indiana and Kentucky racing officials to seek other options.

Infographic: Protecting Your Horse From Disease
An equine disease outbreak can be dangerous for your horse and expensive for you. Protect your horse from infectious disease exposure by using tips from our step-by-step visual guide.

Factors Influencing Jumping Horses’ Performance Reviewed
Researchers believe that aerobic capacity is likely associated with improved performance and reduced fatigue over the course of longer competitions.

Genetic Conditions by Body System
Testing for and identifying which horses could potentially be affected by genetic conditions is important not only for buyers and breeders but also for the overall health of the breed itself.

Equine Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Reviewed
In horses, leishmaniasis presents as nodules on the head, pinnae, scrotum, legs, and neck–the areas where sand flies commonly feed. These nodules can occur in groups or be solitary, and they often ulcerate.

Poll Recap: Selling Rescue Horses
Of the 1,183 respondents, 889 (75%) said yes, it is appropriate to sell or charge a rehoming fee for a rescued horse.

EPM’s Lesser-Known Cause: N. hughesi
Researchers are studying the epidemiology of Neospora hughesi in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM).

Study: Cortisol and Noncribbing Cribbers
When cribbers did not crib, their salivary cortisol levels were up to 38% higher than those of horses that don’t crib.