Picaro, the Paso Fino stallion shot in the head when his despondent owner apparently killed himself and his wife, is off to his new home in Virginia. After four months of care through Tufts University in North Grafton, Mass., the horse is en route to Anni Howell of Riverview Paso Farms in Mount Jackson, Va., who has adopted him.

Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands winner Super Saver drew post 8 and was installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the May 15 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. A field of 12 was drawn for the second leg of the Triple Crown.

WinStar Farm’s homebred Super Saver will attempt to become the fifth horse in the last 11 years to win both the Derby and the Preakness. Big Brown wa

Any foal with an abnormally high respiration rate, heart rate, blue gums, or exercise intolerance should be evaluated for heart defects. If one is found, it’s a good idea to look for other congenital problems.

K. Gary Magdesian, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ACVECC, Dipl. ACVCP, and his colleagues at the University of California, Davis reviewed the medical records of 18 foals that w

The James M. Moran Jr. Critical Care Center, the newest facility at the New Bolton Center, has been built to emphasize biosecurity in large animal veterinary care. The center, located on the Kennett Square, Pa., campus of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, will be celebrated at an open house for the public on June 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Commo

Sprinklers in a barn at Plainridge Racecourse, a harness racetrack near Boston, saved some 35 horses when a fire broke out May 9. High winds could have sent flames to other barns when the blaze began about 3 a.m.

The racetrack, located in Plainville, about 35 miles southwest of the Boston area, had a sprinkler system installed in the barns in 1999. Plainville Fire Chief Ted Jouber

Antioxidants like vitamins E and C are beneficial to exercising horses, but only at recommended levels, reported Carey Williams, PhD, equine extension specialist and associate director of the Rutgers University Equine Science Center. Williams presented this information in her talk titled “Antioxidant Research and Its Application to Feeding Horses” at the 2010 Kentucky Equine Resear

The United States Trotting Association (USTA) has announced its intention to offer support to Standardbred horses in the care and custody of animal control authorities because of neglect, abuse, or abandonment.

The program, Support Our Standardbreds (SOS), will extend assistance in providing feed, veterinary, and other care to Standardbreds in the legal custody of animal control o

A controversial Missouri bill that would allow horse processing plant development in that state was sent to the Senate Conference Committee May 11 for refinement. The committee has the power to strip slaughter language from the bill.

SB 795 establishes plant operation and meat inspection regulations for horse processing plants. It also requires plant operators to pay registration

This week TheHorse.com has launched 12 free, handy Fact Sheets on topics of interest to hands-on horse owners. These are invaluable additions to the more than 30 widely acclaimed Fact Sheets that TheHorse.com launched in 2009, each of which provides a quick reference and overview of a specific disease, condition, and/or horse management practice.

Law enforcement authorities and fire officials in Colorado are working together to determine who is responsible for a fire that killed 12 horses and several other animals on May 9.

The horses, a goat, and several chickens and roosters were residing in a corral on private property in Commerce City, Colo., when the fire broke out.

Tests conducted by the Colorado Bureau of

A former Thoroughbred horse trainer who pleaded guilty to multiple animal cruelty counts earlier this year was released from jail on May 12 after serving 126 days of his 180-day sentence.

Chad Moore was charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty and abandonment after animal welfare authorities removed six malnourished Thoroughbred horses, one pony, and one donkey from his Bethel, Oh

A fungus making its way down the western US from Canada may not pose a serious threat to horses, according to researchers familiar with the situation.

A 3-year-old Paint horse is safe at home with his owner after traveling more than 10 miles down the Cumberland River when heavy rains caused flooding in Nashville, Tenn., and surrounding areas earlier this month.

The horse was in a pasture when floodwaters swept him away, said owner Cathy Morehead.

A helicopter pilot spotted the stranded horse on a hill 14 miles from Mo

More than 910 readers of TheHorse.com> responded to a poll asking, “What type of hoof lameness have you experienced with your horse?”

All three Triple Crown host racetracks are now fully accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance.

The NTRA announced May 10 Pimlico Race Course, which received provisional accreditation a year ago, is now fully accredited. Pimlico will host the Preakness Stakes, second leg of the Triple Crown, May 15.

Pimlico is the 17th trac

If you see spots before your eyes when you look at your Appaloosa, chances are your horse’s night vision is as strong as any other horse. But if your Appaloosa is lacking spots on his blanket area, he might not be seeing much at all in the dark.