One of the Table Topic discussions at the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners annual meeting, held Dec. 4-8 in Baltimore, Md., addressed equine endocrine disorders. Moderators and attendees discussed diagnostic testing for equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). Horses with the EMS phenotype (easy keeper, regional adiposity, obesity,

A committee that advises the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KRHC) on its breeders’ incentive program met again Jan. 25 and approved three additional recommendations for ways in which the program should be changed.

The horse industry in the United States is not the only one dealing with an equine welfare problem. Some European countries are also facing challenges in assuring all horses have a good quality of life, according to Joe Collins, MVB, PhD, MRCVS, CertEP, CertVR, who recently conducted his PhD study at University College Dublin’s Veterinary Sciences Center. Collins discussed equine welfare in Europe

According to Alex Dugdale, MA, VetMB, DVA, Dipl. ECVA, MRCVS, a senior lecturer in the school of veterinary science at the University of Liverpool in England, “obesity (in horses) creeps up on us.” When it comes to battling obesity, keeping the horse healthy and happy while still helping him drop weight is of paramount importance.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health confirmed positive test results for equine infectious anemia (EIA) in two horses earlier this month in northeastern Missouri. Department officials have tested 696 other horses, including those located nearby and any that might have been in contact with the infected animals. No further positive cases have been identified.

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Board of Directors during this year’s annual meeting approved new helmet rules for riders in both eventing and dressage–just two weeks after dozens of stakeholders in equestrian sport met with the goal of improving rider safety across disciplines.

Owners Jerry and Ann Moss will send their Horse of the Year Zenyatta to be bred to young stallion Bernardini, who stands at Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley near Lexington, in 2011.

On Jan. 24 the (American Association of Equine Practitioners) AAEP Foundation released the findings of its 2010 Equine Respiratory Research Workshop, held July 20-21, 2010, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The report sums up future objectives identified by leading researchers of upper and lower respiratory diseases, immune responses, genetics, diagnostic priorities, and treatments.

Claudia Klein, DrMedVet, PhD, Dipl. ACT, ECAR, started her PhD at the University of Florida in Gainesville under the guidance of Mats Troedsson, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, ECAR.

More than 810 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, “Do you live in a horse-friendly community?”

When it comes to lame horses, things aren’t always simple–the injuries/problems don’t always come one at a time. Take sidebone, for example–in a recent study presented at the 2010 the American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention (held Dec. 4-8 in Baltimore, Md.) researchers described a series of cases with sidebone, coffin bone fractures, and associated soft tissue problems.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has rejected Madeleine Pickens’ plan to create a Wild Horse sanctuary in Nevada according to a written statement from BLM Director Bob Abbey. The wife of Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens first offered to establish the sanctuary for horses in BLM long-term holding facilities in 2008. Under the plan, 10,000 animals currently residing in BLM long-term holding pastures

A Montana rancher faces multiple animal cruelty charges in connection with the alleged neglect of 450 horses. Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito said the horses are residing on 9,400 acres of deeded land and 30,000 acres of leased Crow tribal land southeast of Billings, Mont., with scant forage and no water source.

Horse owners, managers, trainers, and other industry professionals are always looking for accurate, dependable horse care information, especially if that information is focused on science-based nutrition. Kentucky Equine Research (KER) is proud to announce the launch of Equinews.com.

Jade Hunter, multiple stakes winner and sire of Horse of the Year Azeri, was humanely euthanized Jan. 23 at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., due to complications from colic. The 27-year-old Thoroughbred stallion had been pensioned at Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Facility in Georgetown, Ky., since 2009.