September 29 2019
Legislation Would Keep Horse Slaughter Plants Closed in the U.S.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee included a provision in the FY2020 Agriculture Appropriations bill to maintain the ban on slaughtering horses in the U.S, thanks to Senators Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Tom Udall (D-NM), and Susan Collins (R-ME), all longtime leaders on the issue. The language bars the use of taxpayer dollars for horse slaughter inspections, which effectively prevents the plants from operating. Similar language was included in the House FY20 Agriculture Appropriations bill in June and is expected to be included in any final spending bill passed by Congress.
“Horses are our dutiful companions and partners in work and sport – not a meal. They have loyally stood by us as we built this country together, and they deserve better than to be brutally slaughtered,” said Holly Gann, director of federal affairs at Animal Wellness Action. “Horse slaughter is animal cruelty, and taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to foot the bill for it.”
Horse slaughter plants previously operated in the U.S. until 2007 and shipped the meat overseas to foreign countries for human consumption. It is a cruel and torturous process for the horses who become victims of this predatory industry; many are severely injured during transport to horse slaughter plants and some horses are even slaughtered while conscious.
Because the horsemeat is utilized for human consumption, horse slaughter plants cannot operate in the U.S. if inspections are defunded. The language to defund horse slaughter has been maintained in most yearly spending bills to keep plants shuttered, thanks to the tireless work of advocates to elevate this issue in Congress; however, it is not a permanent solution – Congress must reconsider the issue yearly.
Animal Wellness Action (Action) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization with a mission of helping animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty. We champion causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. We advocate for policies to stop dogfighting and cockfighting and other forms of malicious cruelty and to confront factory farming and other systemic forms of animal exploitation. To prevent cruelty, we promote enacting good public policies and we work to enforce those policies. To enact good laws, we must elect good lawmakers, and that’s why we remind voters which candidates care about our issues and which ones don’t. We believe helping animals helps us all.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Friday, September 27, 2019
15 is the New 10: Keeping the Middle-Aged Horse Healthy
TheHorse.com - Full Article
Find out how to keep your middle-aged horse’s teeth, feet, joints, and more healthy.
Posted by Nancy S. Loving, DVM | Sep 15, 2019
Tornado Alley was Emily Brogna’s first horse. The near-black American Saddlebred mare took her young owner from beginner rider to show ring champion and secured a forever spot in Emily’s heart and family. At 13, her saddleseat park pleasure days are now behind her, but she continues to live an active lifestyle as Emily’s trail horse.
Like many middle-aged horses, Tornado Alley falls neither in the young nor the senior horse health care category. She’s no spring chicken, but she also doesn’t deserve to be labeled old quite yet. That would seem downright insulting!
What so many teenage horses like her need are management and health care strategies that will help them remain active and healthy well into their golden years.
Jay Altman, DVM, of Equine Medical Service, in Ft. Collins, Colorado, believes dental care, nutrition, and parasite control are the areas where owners and veterinarians can have the biggest impact on middle-aged horses. In this article we’ll take a closer look at these horse health aspects and more...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/18182/15-is-the-new-10-keeping-the-middle-aged-horse-healthy/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Lameness+enews
Find out how to keep your middle-aged horse’s teeth, feet, joints, and more healthy.
Posted by Nancy S. Loving, DVM | Sep 15, 2019
Tornado Alley was Emily Brogna’s first horse. The near-black American Saddlebred mare took her young owner from beginner rider to show ring champion and secured a forever spot in Emily’s heart and family. At 13, her saddleseat park pleasure days are now behind her, but she continues to live an active lifestyle as Emily’s trail horse.
Like many middle-aged horses, Tornado Alley falls neither in the young nor the senior horse health care category. She’s no spring chicken, but she also doesn’t deserve to be labeled old quite yet. That would seem downright insulting!
What so many teenage horses like her need are management and health care strategies that will help them remain active and healthy well into their golden years.
Jay Altman, DVM, of Equine Medical Service, in Ft. Collins, Colorado, believes dental care, nutrition, and parasite control are the areas where owners and veterinarians can have the biggest impact on middle-aged horses. In this article we’ll take a closer look at these horse health aspects and more...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/18182/15-is-the-new-10-keeping-the-middle-aged-horse-healthy/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Lameness+enews
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Convention Hall once hosted dog and Pony Express races — A look back at Atlantic County history
Pressofatlanticcity.com - Full ArticleBy JERRY GORDON For The Current
September 26 2019
(Look Back is an occasional series with content and images from the Atlantic County Historical Society.)
Until recently, if you wanted to watch and gamble on the greyhound races, it meant being in Florida where you had your choice of the horse races, jai-alai, or the magnificent greyhounds. But back in the 1930s and '40s, all you had to do was go to Convention Hall and pay a general admission fee of 40¢ or go big time in the clubhouse for the grand rate of $1.50 and you could enjoy yourself while watching the greyhounds chase a rabbit around the track.
The Atlantic Kennel Club signed a three month lease with Convention Hall for $165,000 rental with $50,000 paid in advance. It was announced that 600 dogs would be arriving from Florida for the local meets whose season began on June 28 and lasted until Sept. 9.
The ads for the races touted the "Peer of amusements in Atlantic City is at the auditorium where you can see the World's Fastest Greyhounds on a regulation course." Some of the weekly specials included Monkey Races, Hurdle Races, and the Margate Cup Races. Ten races were scheduled each evening with an 8:15 p.m. post time.
In addition to the dog races, more than 100 horses were brought here for the American Pony Express endurance races held each year...
Read more here:
https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/currents_gazettes/brigantine/convention-hall-once-hosted-dog-and-pony-express-races-a/article_fc0c0a0c-9272-594c-bf89-7af34dc72960.html
The dangerous mosquito-borne virus EEE that has killed 5 people is present in Wisconsin, officials say
JSOnline.com - Full Article
Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Published 10:54 a.m. CT Sept. 18, 2019
A dangerous and often deadly version of mosquito-borne encephalitis that has flared across a number of states including Michigan this summer is already present in Wisconsin, according to state officials.
Known as Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, the virus has infected people in Michigan, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. At least five people have died after contracting the infection.
In an average year, there are only seven human cases of EEE in the entire country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But this year, Michigan and Massachusetts each have at least that many cases under investigation.
Three Michigan residents have died from the rare virus and four others have been sickened by the disease, state health officials there said Tuesday, amid that state's biggest outbreak of EEE in more than a decade. The three people who died were all adults...
Read more here:
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2019/09/18/eee-dangerous-form-mosquito-borne-encephalitis-found-wisconsin/2362247001/
Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Published 10:54 a.m. CT Sept. 18, 2019
A dangerous and often deadly version of mosquito-borne encephalitis that has flared across a number of states including Michigan this summer is already present in Wisconsin, according to state officials.
Known as Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, the virus has infected people in Michigan, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. At least five people have died after contracting the infection.
In an average year, there are only seven human cases of EEE in the entire country, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But this year, Michigan and Massachusetts each have at least that many cases under investigation.
Three Michigan residents have died from the rare virus and four others have been sickened by the disease, state health officials there said Tuesday, amid that state's biggest outbreak of EEE in more than a decade. The three people who died were all adults...
Read more here:
https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2019/09/18/eee-dangerous-form-mosquito-borne-encephalitis-found-wisconsin/2362247001/
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
How to Back a Trailer - Dr Mel Newton
MelNewton.com - Full ArticleMarch 28, 2017 Posted by Melinda Newton
Backing a trailer is an essential skill as I was reminded over and over and OVER this year. Whether you have to put your trailer into a back-in only angled parking spot at the barn, make a “U” turn at a T intersection, navigate a tight ride camp, or turn around in your best friends driveway – knowing how to back a trailer is something you can’t afford to put off any longer.
There is 1 simple trick and 2 skills you need to master NOW.
I’m not going to lie. Certain truck/trailer combinations are easier to back and maneuver than others. My standard-cab long bed pick up + trailer was an absolute dream and I could wiggle my three-horse ANYWHERE. The Dodge MEGA cab 4 door turns-like-a-cruise-liner truck paired with any size trailer is an exercise in patience and near misses as I constantly mis-judge the semi-truck like room it needs to maneuver. BUT, the concepts are exactly the same...
Read here for the trick:
https://melnewton.com/2017/how-to-back-a-trailer/
Monday, September 16, 2019
Fortified Concentrate Feed Found to Improve Horses’ Toplines
Thehorse.com - Full Article
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed, researchers find.
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Sep 7, 2019
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed.
Texas A&M University graduate student Mattea Much recently tested this theory and presented her findings at the 2019 Equine Science Society Symposium, held June 3-6 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Much fed 23 stock-type mares either a control diet, consisting of a custom pelleted concentrate (13 mares), or a treatment diet (10 mares), consisting of a pelleted feed fortified with amino acids and trace minerals (SafeChoice senior). The mares received two concentrate meals per day and free-choice Bermuda grass hay...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/178414/fortified-concentrate-feed-found-to-improve-horses-toplines/
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed, researchers find.
Posted by Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor | Sep 7, 2019
Owners who struggle to provide their horses with consistently good-quality forage might be able to improve feed digestibility and topline development by offering these horses a fortified feed.
Texas A&M University graduate student Mattea Much recently tested this theory and presented her findings at the 2019 Equine Science Society Symposium, held June 3-6 in Asheville, North Carolina.
Much fed 23 stock-type mares either a control diet, consisting of a custom pelleted concentrate (13 mares), or a treatment diet (10 mares), consisting of a pelleted feed fortified with amino acids and trace minerals (SafeChoice senior). The mares received two concentrate meals per day and free-choice Bermuda grass hay...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/178414/fortified-concentrate-feed-found-to-improve-horses-toplines/
Friday, September 13, 2019
Make-up of one gene points to racing success of Arabian horses, say reseachers
Horsetalk.co.nz - Full Article
September 13, 2019 Horsetalk.co.nz
Variations within a particular gene in Arabian horses show potential as an indicator of race performance, according to researchers.
Arabian horses are among the oldest and most popular horse breeds in the world, recognised for their athleticism and stamina.
The breed is commonly used in the discipline of Endurance. However, in some countries, 2 to 5-year-olds are introduced to flat race training and often compete in at least one racing season before achieving maturity and undergoing endurance training.
During intensive training, the rates of lactate production and use are critical to avoid muscle fatigue, resulting in a decrease in exercise performance...
Read more at:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2019/09/13/one-gene-racing-success-arabian-horses/
September 13, 2019 Horsetalk.co.nz
Variations within a particular gene in Arabian horses show potential as an indicator of race performance, according to researchers.
Arabian horses are among the oldest and most popular horse breeds in the world, recognised for their athleticism and stamina.
The breed is commonly used in the discipline of Endurance. However, in some countries, 2 to 5-year-olds are introduced to flat race training and often compete in at least one racing season before achieving maturity and undergoing endurance training.
During intensive training, the rates of lactate production and use are critical to avoid muscle fatigue, resulting in a decrease in exercise performance...
Read more at:
https://www.horsetalk.co.nz/2019/09/13/one-gene-racing-success-arabian-horses/
Horses Sans Shoes: The Facts on Bare Feet
TheHorse.com - Full Article
The science of the equine foot is like the hoof itself–expanding and contracting, getting shaped and trimmed. Find out what researchers are learning about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof.
Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Sep 11, 2019
What researchers know about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof
It looks like an ultra-resistant all-weather block, with a shiny, marblelike surface that can trick us into thinking it’s indestructible. Its sharply defined edges give us the impression that it’s as solid as stone—especially when they land with full force on one of our own feet. And its “clip clop” sound striking against hard surfaces betray it as a dense support structure that works like a steel foundation under massive forces.
In reality, though, the equine foot isn’t like this at all.
The foot—or, essentially, the one long toe—is a complex structure filled with bones, tendons, ligaments, arteries, veins, nerves, cartilage, joint fluid, and more. Far from being inert, it’s alive and very active, communicating sensory information, pumping blood, and articulating, contracting, and flexing over ground. And if it’s unshod, it’s constantly changing shape as the horse uses it, instantaneously as well as over time...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/160548/horses-sans-shoes-the-facts-on-bare-feet/
The science of the equine foot is like the hoof itself–expanding and contracting, getting shaped and trimmed. Find out what researchers are learning about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof.
Posted by Christa Lesté-Lasserre, MA | Sep 11, 2019
What researchers know about the biomechanics of the barefoot hoof
It looks like an ultra-resistant all-weather block, with a shiny, marblelike surface that can trick us into thinking it’s indestructible. Its sharply defined edges give us the impression that it’s as solid as stone—especially when they land with full force on one of our own feet. And its “clip clop” sound striking against hard surfaces betray it as a dense support structure that works like a steel foundation under massive forces.
In reality, though, the equine foot isn’t like this at all.
The foot—or, essentially, the one long toe—is a complex structure filled with bones, tendons, ligaments, arteries, veins, nerves, cartilage, joint fluid, and more. Far from being inert, it’s alive and very active, communicating sensory information, pumping blood, and articulating, contracting, and flexing over ground. And if it’s unshod, it’s constantly changing shape as the horse uses it, instantaneously as well as over time...
Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/160548/horses-sans-shoes-the-facts-on-bare-feet/
Mil's Life - a Real Life Urban Cowboy
FEI.org - Full Article14 September 2019
Words by Hannah Spreckley
An award-winning documentary tells the true story of how horses changed a young man's life in inner-city Philadelphia...
With the backdrop of the grimy streets of North Philadelphia, a man on a horse strides into focus – setting the scene for a superb short documentary about the close relationship formed between a man and his horse
‘Mil's Life’ is the story of 26-year-old urban cowboy and native Philadelphian, Jamil ‘Mil’ Pratis, and how these animals, specifically his one-eyed horse Dusty, have had a major effect on changing the course of his life.
The 25-minute documentary focuses on Mil's passion for horses in an unusual setting. If you thought that equestrian sport was only ever for the wealthy and privileged, this will change your view! Set amongst the poverty and urban decay of North Philly, where gangs and drugs are rife, Mil’s Life is an almost unbelievable story of how one young man’s life was altered by the Fletcher Street Riding Club...
Read more here:
https://www.fei.org/stories/mils-life-real-life-urban-cowboy
Horse Boarding: Legal Rights and Responsibilities
EquineLegalSolutions.com - Full ArticleAt Equine Legal Solutions, we receive a lot of calls from horse owners and boarding stables that are unhappy with a situation and want to know what their legal rights are. In the four states where we practice, California, New York, Oregon and Washington, there are no laws governing horse boarding, other than animal cruelty statutes and local zoning regulations governing use of the property. Landlord/tenant law generally does not apply to horse boarding relationships unless the boarder lives on the stable property. Therefore, in general, the terms of horse boarding relationships are governed solely by contract (written or verbal).
What are the minimum accommodations a boarding stable is legally required to provide?
Unless the boarding contract says otherwise, a boarding stable is only required to provide the absolute minimum level of care – i.e., not violate state animal cruelty laws. State law generally requires providing access to potable water. Beyond that, requirements vary, but are usually quite minimal. For example, depending on the state and local laws, a boarding stable may not be legally required to provide shelter, and there may be no restriction on the number of horses that a boarding facility can keep on a particular piece of property. So, having a written horse boarding contract that spells out all of the important terms and conditions is essential for both boarding stable and boarder! ELS offers a downloadable horse boarding contract and forms package.
How much notice is a boarder required to give a boarding stable before moving out?
Boarding contracts usually say how much notice a boarder is required to give before leaving, and often, it is 30 days. However, if there is no boarding contract, or the boarding contract does not say what notice is required, the boarder can give as little as same-day notice.
Does a boarder have to give a boarding stable written notice before moving out?...
Read more here:
https://www.equinelegalsolutions.com/boarding-rights-and-responsibilities.html
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
How to Ride Your Horse Down a Steep Trail Safely
Horse-canada.com - Full ArticleTrainer Jason Irwin offers tips for teaching your horse how to travel carefully down a steep trail, slow and steady to keep you both safe.
By: Jason Irwin | July 4, 2019
The safest way to ride down a steep trail is slow and steady. The faster your horse goes down a steep trail, the more his weight is on his front end. The problem with that is if he trips and his weight is already on his front, he’s pretty likely to stumble or possibly fall. If he goes slower, his weight is probably going to be on his back end, which means he’ll be less likely to stumble, and if he does there’s a much better chance that he’ll easily recover from it.
To get your horse going downhill slow, start with trails that aren’t very steep. Ride down small hills and stop him several times before you get to the bottom. This will cause him to think of going down hills as a time to go slow. If you feel him start to rush, stop immediately and back him up a few steps. Backing up a hill is a lot of work for a horse, so this is a mild reprimand for rushing and it also really causes him to use his hind end...
Read more here:
https://horse-canada.com/magazine_articles/ride-horse-steep-trail-safely
Sunday, September 08, 2019
Omeprazole and Calcium Digestibility: What Horse Owners Should Know
KER.com - Full ArticleJuly 15, 2019
By Kentucky Equine Research Staff
Omeprazole, the only FDA-approved drug for healing gastric ulcers in horses, may cause reduced calcium digestibility, according to a recent study conducted at Kentucky Equine Research. What does this finding mean to horse owners who rely on the medication to keep their horses healthy?
Gastric Ulcers in Horses and Omeprazole
Researchers estimate 40-90% of horses have gastric ulcers, with those engaged in certain athletic disciplines, such as racing, at higher risk. Excessive gastric acid production ranks as a primary trigger for the development of ulcers. Omeprazole prevents gastric acid secretion in horses, thus rendering it an effective treatment for ulcers.
Omeprazole and other drugs known as proton pump inhibitors are used to treat acid-related conditions in humans. When given to humans, reduced gastric acid production is associated with a decline in the digestibility of several nutrients, including protein, fat, calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.
In horses, however, the effect of omeprazole on nutrient digestibility was unknown.
A study was therefore designed to determine the effect of short-term administration of omeprazole on the digestibility of several nutrients.
Researchers found that omeprazole did not affect the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, fat, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, starch, or water-soluble carbohydrates. Omeprazole did not change the digestibility of any mineral except calcium. Calcium digestibility decreased by as much as 20% in horses given omeprazole...
Read more here:
https://ker.com/equinews/omeprazole-and-calcium-digestibility-what-horse-owners-should-know/?utm_source=KER+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7cb74ca8f2-Focus_on_Ulcers&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0d95781dfc-7cb74ca8f2-11166
Saturday, September 07, 2019
Ten Reasons to Love Sticky Ichthammol Ointment
It may be smelly, sticky and sort of gross, but the drawing salve ichthammol can't be beat in terms of versatility and affordability.
THE EDITORS OF EQUUS MAGAZINE
UPDATED:MAR 10, 2017
ORIGINAL:MAR 5, 2012
Messy, smelly and downright gross, the drawing salve called ichthammol may not be your first choice for treating your horse, but you can't beat its versatility and affordability. The sticky ointment, a derivative of coal tar, reduces inflammation, draws out infection, kills germs and soothes pain.
Here are 10 uses for ichthammol:
1. Pack it around and over draining hoof punctures to draw out pus...
Read more here:
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