The U.S. Trotting Association (USTA) introduced its Support Our Standardbreds program earlier this month, and the organization is hard at work doing just that. USTA has already helped two horses in the three weeks since the program was introduced and has at least three more horses lined up for financial assistance, according to Ellen Harvey, executive director of harness racing communications.

With reining being a part of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games this fall in Lexington, Ky., the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) will give equestrians the opportunity to “Ride a Reiner.” “Ride a Reiner” will be held throughout the games, Sept. 25-Oct. 10, in the John Deere Reining Arena. In an area just inside the main entry, NRHA will offer “

A Maryland horse rescue is seeking volunteers and materials to assist in the care of 26 allegedly malnourished horses removed from a Garrett county farm on May 13.

Animal welfare authorities removed the horses along with other livestock after receiving a tip about their condition, said Denise Clatterbuck Lohr, animal control officer for the Garrett County Humane Society. The horses are curre

Horses with a more severe exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) show increased amounts of certain immunoregulatory proteins, called cytokines, when they race at sea level rather than higher altitudes, researchers on a South African study concluded. Although the reason for the increase is not known, the study may help researchers understand the molecular relationship between

The 2010 Annual Horse Owner Seminar at the University of Georgia is scheduled for Aug. 14 at the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine in Athens, Ga. It provides a full day of programs for horse owners to learn from clinicians and residents at the school. The UGA student chapter of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (scAAEP) is presenting the day.

“It will be a gre

Breyer Animal Creations has released two Pink Ribbon model horses to launch its 2010 Canter against Cancer program. Breyer has melded the horse with the pink ribbon, the universal symbol of breast cancer, into a decorative model horse to symbolize the fight against this disease. Breyer will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every model to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and t

When trainer Doug O’Neill’s charges head to the racetrack during training hours at Hollywood Park, a familiar dark bay gelding often accompanies them. Lava Man, who won three Hollywood Gold Cups during a long racing career in which he earned $5,268,706, has settled into his new job as a stable pony.

“Sabas Rivera, one of my foremen, spent probably two or three hours a

Graded stakes victories by First Dude, who finished second in the Preakness Stakes and is scheduled to make his next start in the $1 million Belmont Stakes June 5, will create support for equine research, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation President Edward L. Bowen announced May 26. Donald Dizney, breeder and owner of First Dude, has pledged 1% of earnings from graded stakes

A new, simple muscular microbiopsy technique can reveal important information about a horse’s athletic potential as well as possible pathologies that can affect performance, according to a new study by Belgian researchers.

By analyzing mitochondrial respiration via high resolution respirometry (HRR), researchers can attribute values to the functional capacity of muscle cells t

A South Dakota man has been sentenced to spend the next three consecutive Fourth of July holidays behind bars after pleading guilty to charges connected to the theft and injury of a champion barrel horse last year.

Owner Wendy Halweg and her horse Dually were competing at the Fort Pierre Rodeo, and the horse was taken from the Stanley County fairgrounds on July 5, 2009. She

Law enforcement and authorities in Monongalia County, W.V., are investigating the death of a horse that could be linked to high school bullying.

In a written statement, Monongalia County Sheriff Kenneth "Al" Kisner said the horse's owner, Allen Hixenbaugh, found the horse injured in its pasture on May 24. The animal later died. A necropsy later revealed that th

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association will conduct a New Thoroughbred Owner Seminar on Friday, June 11, at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill. The seminar, sponsored by Blood-Horse Publications, will feature discussions on industry business issues and options for acquiring horses, including partnerships, auctions, and claiming, as well as a discussion about veterinary topics

Traditionally considered a West Coast disease, pigeon fever was recently diagnosed in several Florida horses. Pigeon fever is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, which tends to live in the soil in hot, dry environments. It is primarily spread by flies and causes abscesses on the pectoral region that give a horse a “ Read More

Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) with a passive optical tracking system is the new future for repairing internal hoof fractures, providing highly accurate placement of screws and the chance for “perfect” results, according to a new study by Swiss researchers.

The first 2010 case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Florida’s Marion county was confirmed May 24. A horse in the northwestern part of the county contracted EEE and was euthanized, according to a spokesperson for the Marion County Health Department. EEE is a mosquito-borne disease that can affect horses, humans, and some birds. According to the American Association of E