The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KRHC) announced Feb. 18 that the Kentucky Breeders’ Incentive Fund (KBIF) will distribute $10 million in awards to 1,398 breeders of winning horses in eligible races around the world in 2010. There were a total of 3,159 races eligible for awards in 2010, with 514 of them run at Kentucky tracks with an average award of $8,693. That means nearly $4.5 million in

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would lose $2 million in funding if an amendment introduced and sponsored by U.S. Representative Dan Burton (Ind.) earlier this week is approved. Burton presented the funding cut as an amendment to an omnibus spending bill, and House members approved the amendment by voice vote Feb. 16. According to BLM estimates, more than 38,000 wild horses and burros reside

A Montana couple faces multiple animal cruelty charges in connection with the alleged maltreatment of horses on their Carbon County property. Carbon County Deputy County Attorney Rennie Wittman said that earlier this month, authorities from the county sheriff’s department and the Montana Department of Livestock discovered more than 60 animals residing on a ranch owned by Jack and Terry Martin.

The phrase “nature vs. nurture” is usually used to refer to the debate over which has a greater impact on a person’s personality and preferences–genetics or environment/rearing. But for this article, we’ll use it in the context of fetal programming, or what makes a foal develop into a physically healthy (or not so healthy) horse. Hint: Nature and nurture in this case are scientifically proven to

What would be your pick for the most groundbreaking news in equine lameness, surgery, or racing for 2010? Not sure? Read on to find out what Scott E. Palmer, VMD, Dipl. ABVP (Equine Practice), hospital director and a staff surgeon of the New Jersey Equine Clinic in Clarksburg, N.J., and past president of the AAEP and American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, deemed the most important news in

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has named Mary Beth Hamorski, VMD, and Christina Wilson, DVM, of Califon Animal Hospital in Lebanon, N.J., as the January honorees of its Good Works Campaign. Hamorski and Wilson provide low-cost veterinary care to Mylestone Equine Rescue, a sanctuary for 34 abused, neglected, and relinquished horses in Warren County, N.J. For the past 17

A measure intended to facilitate private sector horse processing plant development in Nebraska was approved by that state Senate’s Agriculture Committee on Feb. 15. The bill, LB 305, would establish a state inspection program for plants that process meat and poultry for human consumption. The program would operate under USDA State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) Program requirements.

Accidental electrocution has been confirmed as the cause of death of two racehorses that collapsed Feb. 12 in the paddock at Newbury Racecourse in England, according to a report from Horse and Hound.

What would be your pick for the most groundbreaking news in equine veterinary internal medicine for 2010? Not sure? Read on to find out what Steve Reed, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., deemed the most important news in equine internal medicine in 2010. He presented this discussion during the Kester News Hour session to help kick off the 2010 American

Florida law enforcement authorities have charged a Walton County man with two felony animal cruelty counts for allegedly killing a Miniature Horse and a dog after a family dispute. Walton County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Michael Morrison said deputies discovered the animals’ remains last week when their owner reported that the animals had disappeared, and that her brother-in-law had allegedly

The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) has announced the 2012 Olympic equestrian timetable. London 2012 will mark the 100th anniversary of equestrian sport in the Olympic movement. The Olympic opening ceremony on July 27, 2012, will be followed by 12 days of equestrian competition, with the world’s best athletes competing for six gold medals in the Olympic disciplines of

New York racing stewards have suspended trainer Richard Dutrow Jr.–famous for training 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Big Brown–for 90 days for a positive drug test result from a horse in his barn at Aqueduct last fall and for possession of hypodermic needles in his barn, racing regulators said Feb. 16.

“Stallions do not become sires because of reproductive capability,” began Dickson Varner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACT, professor of large animal medicine and surgery at Texas A&M University. “They’re selected based on performance, pedigree, and conformation–reproductive ability is last. The equine breeding industry abounds with stallions whose level of fertility is less than optimal.” Varner discussed

More than 520 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, “Do you quarantine horses upon return from being off the farm (e.g., vet clinic, horse shows, etc.) and in contact with other horses?”

The North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Association (NAVRMA) announced Feb. 7 that online registration is open for the 2nd annual North American Veterinary Regenerative Medicine Conference (NAVRMC) to be held June 2-4, 2011, in Lexington, Ky. Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital will act as the conference organizing host in collaboration with the University of California, Davis (UC Davis)

Law enforcement authorities in Oregon are seeking the owner of a horse found wandering in the Tumalo Reservoir area between the towns of Bend and Sisters last week. Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies discovered the approximately 8- to 10-year-old gray Arabian gelding on Feb. 11 after a caller reported seeing it unattended in the area.