State Line Tack: Rest in Peace

Background: State Line Tack, once based in a huge old barn on the Massachusetts/New Hampshire state line, was a leading force in retail equestrian marketing in the 1990s. The location was ideal; shoppers from densely populated Massachusetts flocked to the store for its discount prices and the fact that it was on the side of the state line where there was no sales tax.

As the horse industry boomed in the 1980s and 1990s, so did State Line; their glossy catalogs were like bibles for horsemen, and lay scattered about in barns and stables across the country. The original store is not far from here, and I was a frequent customer, although I tried hard to patronize locally-owned tack shops as well.

When Petsmart bought State Line, the plan was for many of the pet chain's stores around the country to have "State Line" departments where horse products would be sold.

The old barn in New Hampshire was empty for a while, but was converted two years ago to become the deluxe flagship store of State Line's one-time competitor, the upscale Dover Saddlery, based in Massachusetts.

State Line Tack played a big role in the horse industry, one that not many people would stop to realize. They took chances, introduced lots of supplements and health products, and helped launch the businesses of many entrepreneurs and manufacturers of small and specialty horsecare products.

Today's news--that Petsmart has sold State Line to another catalog retailer--probably means the end of State Line. The company helped build the huge retail horse industry that we know today, and its success encouraged so many of the mail-order catalogs that now fill our mailboxes.

Official press release from www.petsmart.com:

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 30, 2007--PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM), today announced the sale of its State Line Tack equine assets to PetsUnited, the privately-held holding company for a web-based multi-marketer of pet and equine products, including dog.com, fish.com and horse.com.

The sale, which closed today, includes the State Line Tack brand, inventory, customer lists and certain assets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The company announced its plans to exit the equine business in February.

PetsUnited said it will move the State Line Tack online and catalog business from Brockport, NY, to its Hazelton, Penn. facility in the next 60 days. However, online and catalog orders and shipping will continue as usual during the transition period.

PetSmart now will pursue opportunities to sell its 396,000-square-foot Brockport facility, which includes a warehouse, call center and retail store located on approximately 32 acres of land. Call center and fulfillment operations for the company's online pet business (petsmart.com) will move to an outside e-commerce provider by Sept. 1, and the store will close August 25. The approximately 240 associates who work at the Brockport distribution center and call center will be laid off in stages over the next six months as the company phases out operations. The Brockport facility is expected to be fully vacated by the end of October.

Lehman Brothers Inc. acted as exclusive financial advisor to PetSmart with respect to the sale.

About PetSmart

PetSmart, Inc. is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets. The company operates more than 908 pet stores in the United States and Canada, a growing number of in-store PetsHotel cat and dog boarding facilities, and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information (www.petsmart.com). PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; and offers complete pet training, pet grooming, pet boarding, doggie day camp and pet adoption services. Since 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc., an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit animal welfare organization, has donated more than $52 million to animal welfare programs and, through its in-store pet adoption programs, has saved the lives of more than 2.9 million pets.

So Where's Barbaro? Documentary Telecast Rescheduled

We all grumbled about NBC's announcement that 5 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon (today) had been their chosen time to broadcast the documentary about Barbaro.

Newspapers and NBC media outlets dutifully had backup features today to feed into the broadcast.

So why is my television blasting out an NHL hockey game?

NBC Sports was caught in a broadcast mess today and Barbaro's documentary was pulled. According to the hockey announcer, it is re-scheduled to be broadcast on Friday night at 9 p.m., with a re-broadcast at midnight.

The only problem is that it will only be shown on NBC's cable network, CNBC. Barbaro fans without cable service (that includes me) will have to invite themselves to a friend's house...or call the cable guy, pronto.

You can still watch the trailer at http://video.nbcsports.com/player/?id=88594

Fredericks Wins Rolex! "New American" Second! Pony Third!

Congratulations to Australia's Clayton Fredericks and "Ben Along Time", who won the 2007 Rolex (Kentucky) Three-Day Event this afternoon when leader-before-jumping Kristin Bachman erred and went off course. The crowd groaned for Kristin, who rode last, then cheered for Fredericks.

Philip Dutton and Connaught, another Irish-bred, were second. Dutton recently abandoned his Australian citizenship and is now competing for ratings as US rider.

Karen O'Connor and her popular TBxArabianxShetland "pony" Theodore O'Connor turned in a clear round to take third place; they also won the Best Conditioned Horse Trophy.

“Never in my wildest dreams,” said the human O'Connor after show jumping. “It’s been like a fairy tale. I’ve never had more fun than I had this weekend with this pony. He feels like a giant out there.

“I’d love to take him to the Pan Ams,” she said. “He’s only just getting started.”

Clayton Fredericks and his wife Lucinda may not be household names in American eventing, but they are at the top of the world leader boards. Clayton and Ben won the Individual Silver medal in eventing at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany last August, along with Team Bronze. Ben Along Time is an Irish-bred gelding owned by the rider.

Fredericks has two horses entered in next week's Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, England.

His wife, Lucinda, won the Burghley Three-Day Event in England last year with Headley Brittania, with whom she will attempt to win at Badminton next week.

If either Fredericks rider wins at Badminton, they will have achieved a spousal sweep of eventing's "Grand Slam"--Burghley, Rolex Kentucky, and Badminton.

To learn more about the dynamic Britsh-based Fredericks team, visit www.teamfredericks.com

Rolex photo of Clayton and Ben emerging from the water obstacle at the Kentucky Horse Park by Michelle C. Dunn.

Meet Barbaro's Little Brother

The Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper in Lexington, Kentucky has posted video of a foal born a week ago at Mill Ridge Farm. This foal will grow up in the spotlight: he is a full brother to the late, great Barbaro. Enjoy!

Rolex Relay: Sunday Morning Links To More Relays!

If you're looking for news and photos from the Rolex (Kentucky) Three-Day Event, check Equisearch.com. But here are a few sources and "enrichment" reading about eventing that may make you the star of the water cooler discussions on Monday:

The Lexington Herald-Leader's journalistic team is blogging more or less "live" from the Kentucky Horse Park. They're doing a great job! Check out "The Big Event" blog.

USEF has named horse and rider combinations for the 2007 "test event" to be held at the 2008 Olympics site in Hong Kong

Horse and Hound reports on the continuing EHV outbreak at the Hong Kong equestrian games for the Olympics


Lexington Herald-Leader's slide shows of Rolex 2007


Lexington Herald-Leader article goes way behind the scenes to show what event organizers cope with on cross-country day

Rolex Relay: Pony Proves He's Precious

From the media tent at the Rolex (Kentucky) Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky: The first “horse” out on course was actually not a horse at all. He's technically a pony.

Karen O'Connor's crowd-favorite "Theodore O’Connor" stands 14.1 hands. He and Karen clocked around the course like old pros, picking up just a handful of time penalties to end cross-country on a score of 60.1. They ended the day in 10th place.

“I’m speechless,” said O’Connor. “Our goal with this pony has always been to never over face him and never show him what he can’t do. I was very nervous coming into the cross-country today. But, as each exercise came, he just proved to me that he is just one-in-a-million horse. I’m in awe of him.”

From the official media release: "Teddy", clearly ready, met every fence dead-on, and Karen gave all of us a real riding lesson. When asked about her ride, Karen said, "It was a great learning experience. I’m still drunk on "pony power."

When queried on how she was going to keep him focused for show jumping, Karen replied, "That’s pretty easy, he looks up to everything anyway."

For more about Theodore O'Connor, scroll down to yesterday's post about him.

Photo by Michelle C. Dunn, courtesy of Rolex

Rolex Relay: Amy Tryon's Le Samurai Injured at Last Obstacle on Cross-Country Course

Breaking news from the media tent at the Rolex (Kentucky) Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park:

Yesterday's first place rider after dressage has withdrawn from the competition and a top US horse is now hospitalized. Amy Tyron of Washington State, riding Le Samurai (a.k.a. "Sparky"), had a foot-perfect round until the last fence, the Rolex Arch. While technically in second place, the pair will not continue.

According to reports, the horse seemed to stumble before the fence, but gamely jumped it.

Amy pulled up after crossing the finish line, and Sparky was assisted immediately by the Rolex veterinary staff. It was announced later this afternoon that Amy had withdrawn from the competition.

A statement given by Rolex veterinarian Catherine W. Kohn VMD informed the media: "Le Samurai had experienced an injury, and it appears that he lost the supporting ligaments in his left front leg. He was given a mild sedative to keep him comfortable, and he’s being treated at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute.

“He has lost the ligamental support to the fetlock of the left front leg,” she continued. “He is resting comfortably this evening.”

I will try to keep blog readers informed of Sparky's condition and treatment. Condolences to Amy. Hagyard's is the vet clinic located on the other side of Iron Works Pike from the Horse Park, so he did not have far to go to receive treatment.

For much, much more coverage of the Rolex extravaganza, visit equisearch.com and read Nancy Jaffers' expert coverage.

House of Representatives Votes to End Sale and Slaughter of America’s Wild Horses

WASHINGTON – A bill to restore federal protections for wild horses and burros from the sale and subsequent slaughter for human consumption overseas overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a vote of 277 to 137. In considering the bill, the House also defeated two "poison pill" amendments by Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) which were designed to kill the legislation.

Sponsored by U.S. Representatives Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), H.R. 249 restores a decades-old ban on the commercial sale and slaughter first enacted under the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971. The longstanding protections were removed by a controversial rider slipped into an omnibus spending bill in late 2004 by former U.S. Senator Conrad Burns, who was defeated in the 2006 elections.

Also in Congress this week, a similar bill that would permanently ban the slaughter of all American horses passed the Senate Commerce Committee by a vote of 15-7. That bill, S. 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, was authored by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.). The House companion bill, H.R. 503, is co-sponsored by Reps. Rahall and Whitfield, along with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Rep. John Spratt (D-S.C.).

(Post includes passages from a press release by the Humane Society of the United States)

Today is World Veterinary Day

World Veterinary Day (WVD) is held annually on the last Saturday of April and this week (Saturday 28 April)--and that's today! Around the world, veterinarians are celebrating the profession’s diversity by showcasing its contribution to the health and welfare of both people and animals and indeed to the national and international economy, food security and development.

British Veterinary Professor John Cooper has made an impassioned contribution to the celebrations from his current base in welfare service in the West Indies.

“When, on Saturday, World Veterinary Day is commemorated,” he said, “some will say ‘But what do vets do other than treat pets and visit farms?’ The answer is ‘much, much more.'

Professor Cooper continued, “The global role of the veterinary profession has never been more important. The daily movement of people and commodities, including animal products, means that infectious diseases can rapidly spread from one continent to another and threaten the health and lives both animals and humans. Avian influenza, West Nile virus infection, Rift Valley Fever and SARS are but few of the dozens of ‘emerging’ diseases that require a strong veterinary input if there are to be contained and controlled. Vets also play an increasing role in helping to alleviate the burden of rabies – a disease that still kills around 100 children a day.

“Millions of people depend upon animal products – milk, meat, eggs, wool, honey – for their survival. Those who depend most upon animals for their livelihood are the poor and veterinary surgeons remain at the forefront of those who are involved in ministering to these people and their livestock - often in isolated and sometimes dangerous places,

“And it is not only domesticated animals that benefit on a daily basis, on every continent, from the skills, knowledge and compassion of veterinarians together with those, such as veterinary nurses, who support them. Wildlife are an increasingly important part of the veterinary surgeon’s responsibilities. There is a growing awareness of the threats that our planet faces as animals and plants become extinct and habitats are destroyed or permanently damaged by such factors as pollution and climate change. As part of measures to counter these changes, members of the veterinary profession participate in conservation programs and the promotion of ‘ecosystem health’.

“On World Veterinary Day 2007 it is fitting to recognize the part played by the veterinary profession in providing care for ‘all creatures great and small’, the millions of people for whom animals are essential and the fragile world in which they live.”

World Veterinary Day was founded by the World Veterinary Association (WVA) in 2001 to highlight the work of the veterinary profession around the world in food safety/public health, border controls and quarantine, clinical practice, animal health, animal welfare, environmental protection, research and development and wildlife conservation.

The WVA is a worldwide non-profit organization originally established in 1863 that works in the best, long-term interest of veterinarians, clients, co-operative partners such as the FAO, WHO and IOE, and the world society. It is committed to unifying the veterinary profession worldwide and has members in about 100 countries. See http://www.worldvet.org

Rolex Relay: Everyone Loves Theodore O'Connor!

At the Rolex (Kentucky) Three-Day Event this year, event celebrities Karen and David O'Connor are sharing the spotlight with Karen's new star mount, the diminutive pony eventer, "Theodore O'Connor." At day's end yesterday, they were lying seventh after a rainy succession of dressage tests on the soggy opening day. But the little horse is the talk of the Horse Park.

The crowd will be on their feet to watch the chestnut (he's only 14'1" or so) go cross-country tomorrow (Saturday). As Karen remarked, this horse jumps fences that he can't even see over!

Theodore is by a Thoroughbred stallion, out of an Arab/Shetland cross mare, and holds his USEF official pony card from his previous career as a show ring hunter pony. Karen won her division in the three-star The Forks horse trials earlier this year, riding Theodore.

There's lots more about Theodore on the Team O'Connor web site, along with photos. He has his own page page there. If you are subscribing to the NBC Sports live video feed this year, watch for Theodore!

“BARBARO: A NATION’S HORSE,” PREMIERES SUNDAY ON NBC

On Sunday, NBC Sports will debut "Barbaro: A Nation's Horse," a special one-hour documentary look at the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, who touched the hearts of horse racing fans and animal lovers around the world last year with his fight for life before finally succumbing to injuries suffered at the Preakness Stakes.

"Barbaro: A Nation's Horse" looks back at the Thoroughbred's impressive six and a half length win at the Derby, his dramatic injury and his amazing will to live that captured the imagination of the public.

The program will air at 5:00 p.m. (ET) Sunday, the day that would have marked Barbaro's fourth birthday.

"Barbaro: A Nation's Horse" includes new footage of Barbaro's baby brother, who was born just last week. The as-yet unnamed foal shares both parents with the late Derby champion.

"Barbaro: A Nation's Horse," includes interviews with Roy and Gretchen Jackson, Barbaro's owners; Michael Matz, his trainer; Edgar Prado, the jockey who rode Barbaro during both his winning turn at the Kentucky Derby and at the Preakness; Dr. Dean Richardson, the head of surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center; and Peter Brette, Matz's assistant trainer who worked most closely with Barbaro.

DVDs of "Barbaro: A Nation's Horse" will be sold on NBCSports.com, with 50 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Barbaro Fund and the Laminitis Fund at the New Bolton Center. The Barbaro Fund supports ongoing patient care and expansion of the George D. Widener Large Animal Hospital, Penn Veterinary Medicine's world-renowned clinical, research and teaching hospital. The Laminitis Fund is specifically geared towards researching the incurable hoof disease that ultimately took the life of both Barbaro and the great Secretariat.

(News courtesy of NTRA)

Eastern Equine Encephalitis in Florida: Keeping Count

Ocala.com, the web site for the horsey metropolis of Ocala, Florida and environs, is reporting that the first horse in Marion County for 2007 has been diagnosed with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), the mosquito-borne disease that is a serious threat to humans as well as to horses.

Florida already has four cases this year; the state is traditionally the worst-affected in the nation. EEE is one of the most common vaccines given to horses, but the disease is carried by mosquitoes and is not spread from horse to horse.

It's interesting to note that Florida has not reported a horse with West Nile Virus since 2005.

For more information about EEE in Florida, the state has published an information sheet for horse owners.

Equine Stem Cell Therapy Technique Will Benefit Humans Next

If your horse has had a tendon injury recently, chances are that your veterinary team at least mentioned the availability of stem cell therapy in tendon repair. While it may be out of financial reach for most of us, who must still depend on old-fashioned time and rest to heal our horses, stem cell therapy is being used on horses in growing numbers, particularly in the racing world. What was experimental just a few years ago is standard practice now.

While human stem cell therapy is opposed by some political and religious leaders because of the use of embryonic cells, equine tendon repair uses stem cells extracted from bone marrow. This type of stem cells are called equine mesenchymal stem cells. One leader in this technique is Professor Roger Smith of the Royal Veterinary College of London.

As reported in an article published worldwide today by Reuters, the international new agency, Professor Smith is poised to help human doctors learn the bone marrow extraction technique to help patients who suffer from rotor cuff injuries of the shoulder.

Smith has had lots of practice lately. Ten of the jump-racing horses that competed at the recent Cheltenham Festival of jump racing and one horse in the grueling Grand National had Vetcell tendon repair in their medical histories.

Equine stem cell therapy is achieved by several approaches. While Smith was a pioneer of bone marrow stem cell extraction in horses, US-based VetStem uses stem cells extracted from fat tissue.

See you in Kentucky!

If it's the end of April, it's time to go to Kentucky. The sport-horse world is poised to descend on the Bluegrass. Thousands of Dansko-clogged, sunburned eventing fans and shoppers traditionally trudge the hills and vales of the Kentucky Horse Park, where the crowd is all part of the show at America's beloved 4-star Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event from April 26th to the 29th.

Count me among the Dansko-clod, although I think this year we may be switching over to Wellies and we may be wielding umbrellas instead of sun block. We've done that before! You may have to put those waterproof DuBarry boots to the test!

If you enjoy this blog, why not take a minute to stop by the Primedia booth at the trade show village and mention it to the staff? What are your suggestions to improve our service to you? (You can also click on "comments" at the end of this post and share your views with all readers.)

And if you enjoy this blog, you will love the demonstrations being held on Thursday afternoon at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Stop by their booth and they will tell you about the buses that will take you from the Horse Park to the hospital (and back), which is close by.

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will be hosting live seminars during the event, so stop by their booth to find out the schedule.

Enjoy the spectacle, and if you can't be there, I will have blog reports this weekend.

African Horse Sickness: The Europeans Are On Guard

African Horse Sickness (AHS) was diagnosed in Spain in 1987-90 and in Portugal in 1989 but was eradicated using slaughter policies, movement restrictions, vector eradication and vaccination. Were it to break out in Europe again, under current vector and climate conditions it is inevitable that it will have a much greater opportunity to establish itself.

In August 2006, Dutch, Belgian and German Authorities officially notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) of the occurrence of an outbreak of bluetongue in sheep in their countries.

Several research topics related to midge-borne animal disease are already under study by 21 partner organizations in Europe, around the Mediterranean and in South Africa, the country that discovered bluetongue at the start of the 1900s.

Surveillance of disease circulation is a priority. This is followed by surveillance of the vector insects (trapping and identification, since not all the vectors are known, although researchers say there are "suspect" European species).

The next step will be to analyze the genome of the virus, sequence it and build groups of virus families so as to determine their origin. In fact, there are 24 bluetongue virus serotypes, and the disease serves as a model in studies of emerging diseases. "Infection by one serotype does not protect against the other 23," says researcher Guillaume Gerbier of France-based Medreonet research project, "and to date, we have only recorded eight serotypes around the Mediterranean since the bluetongue epidemic of 1999".

The research partners are currently working closely to monitor the emergence of new serotypes around the Mediterranean and draw up bluetongue surveillance protocols. Researchers are concerned that the disease may recur in the spring. The aim in the medium term is also to set up a joint observatory.

A recent outbreak of equine disease that killed 13 horses in South Africa turned out not to be AHS, as was initially suspected. South Africa only recently had a multi-year ban on horse exports lifted from the last outbreak of AHS there. In spite of the high danger in that country, only about 50 percent of the horses are vaccinated.

Information for this post was gathered from multiple sources and especially the excellent web site of the African Horse Sickness Trust of South Africa. Visiting that web site is an education in itself.

African Horse Sickness: Is Europe Doomed?

The Horse Trust charity in Great Britain recently warned that midge-borne viruses which have already seriously affected sheep and cattle in Europe are poised to strike the United Kingdom's equine population. The Trust has predicted mortality rates of around 90 percent from African Horse Sickness.

The Trust is calling on the British Government to advise on what plans are in place to deal with an outbreak of African Horse Sickness in Britain; assess the likely impact of a UK outbreak of African Horse sickness on the country's £4bn equine industry and support research into the prevention and control of African Horse Sickness in the UK.

Paul Jepson, Chief Executive and resident veterinary surgeon of the Horse Trust said: "Recent changes in climate and midge populations in Europe have resulted in the rapid and extensive spread of Bluetongue virus - which hit cattle and sheep in Holland, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and France in 2006.

"African Horse Sickness is related to Bluetongue and is spread by the same midge (Culicoides species). It can kill up to 90 percent of the horses it infects."

There are multiple serotypes of this Orbivirus and the only vaccines currently available are live attenuated preparations manufactured in South Africa. These vaccines are not licensed for use in Europe, although they can be used as an emergency response when the disease has taken hold.

Research institutes and vaccine manufacturers are already working to develop more effective and safe cattle and sheep vaccines for Bluetongue.

The Horse Trust is anticipating that the disease could reach the UK this year.

Infected midges can be blown by the wind for more than 100km and transported long distances in farm vehicles.

The Horse Trust is a leading equine charity in Great Britain. Until recently it was known as the Home of Rest for Horses. The Trust funds millions of dollars worth of equine research in Britain each year.

AAEP Publishes Research Group's Report on Needs of the Equine Research Community

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Equine Research Coordination Group (ERCG) recently published a paper outlining the need for a coordinated effort to promote equine research as a viable career choice for recent graduates, and to attract students to the field of equine research. According to the report, stipends for research associates in equine research have not kept pace with those offered in human medicine and by institutions such as the National Institutes of Health.

The paper "Ensuring a Bright Future for Equine Research" can be viewed at
http://www.aaep.org/equine_research_co_group.htm. This paper, which may be downloaded as an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) file. is important reading for any students considering a career in equine research.

The mission of the Equine Research Coordination Group (ERCG) is to advance the health and welfare of horses by promoting the discovery and sharing of new knowledge, enhancing awareness of the need for targeted research, educating the public, expanding fundraising opportunities, and facilitating cooperation among funding agencies.

The ERCG is a group comprised of researchers and organizations that support equine research. Participants in the ERCG include equine foundations and multiple university research representatives. Current participants include: AAEP Foundation, American Horse Council, AQHA Foundation, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Morris Animal Foundation, Havemeyer Foundation, United States Equestrian Federation Foundation and University Researchers including: Noah Cohen, VMD (Texas A & M University), Greg Ferraro, DVM (University of California - Davis), Eleanor Green, DVM (University of Florida), Dick Mansmann, VMD (North Carolina State University), Wayne McIlwraith, BVSc (Colorado State University), Jim Moore, DVM (University of Georgia), and Rustin Moore, DVM (The Ohio State University). For more information about the ERCG, please visit online at http://www.aaepfoundation.org and click on the ERCG link.

To learn more about equine research funding opportunities or current research, contact Anne Dadds, AAEP research coordinator, at adadds@aaep.org or (859) 233-0147, ext. 221, or Keith Kleine, AAEP director of industry relations, at (859) 233-0147, ext. 220, or kkleine@aaep.org.

(Photo of researcher Lisa Lancaster PhD DVM taken in 2005 at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Equine Foot Laboratory by the late Ransom Sloane, courtesy of Hoofcare and Lameness Journal)

Illinois State House of Representatives Votes to Ban Slaughter of Horses for Food in State

A story in today's Chicago Sun-Times reports that slaughter of horses was the subject of a vote yesterday in the state legislature.

Actress Bo Derek have been campaigning in state in favor of an anti-slaughter bill;the House voted 74-41 on a measure that would shut down permanently the Cavel International Inc. slaughterhouse in DeKalb, Illinois, one of three horse meat slaughterhouses in the USA.

Derek smiled from the audience. The legislation now moves to the Senate.

Viva Las Vegas: World Cup Finals Begin Today, Minus One Star Horse

(Thanks to the US Equestrian Federation for help with this post.)

(Photo: Isabel Werth and Daniel Pinto schooling in the arena yesterday. Photo courtesy of Kit Houghton/Rolex.)

Before the curtain had a chance to rise on the 2007 Rolex FEI World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada's Thomas and Mack Center, some unexpected news from the Danish camp brought a simultaneous chorus of concern and disappointment from fans and foes alike.

Denmark’s Andreas Helgstrand announced in an afternoon press conference yesterday that his horse would not compete due to lameness. One of the favorites leading into the dressage competition, Blue Hors Matine, the striking 10-year-old grey Danish Warmblood that entertained and enchanted the crowds at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, by taking the Individual Bronze and Silver in the grand prix special and the freestyle respectively, was pulled after the mare showed fluid gathering around her front left pastern.

Read more about the situation and see a photo of Matine in the trot-up.

The mare has been the center of rumors: following her 81.25% score at WEG last August, the Danes were said to have been offered 9 million euros (approx US$12.25 million) for her...by an American, of course. They continue to deny the rumor.

Blue Horse Matine's scratch comes after a news-filled week on the international dressage and show jumping scenes, with several horses scratching before the flights even left Europe. Dutch team chef d'equipe Sjef Jansen shocked the dressage world by resigning his post. His wife, reigning champion Anky van Gruvsnen, recently gave birth and will not be competing at Las Vegas.

Dressage competition begins today in Las Vegas. Canada's Evi Strasser will be the first to ride. Equisearch.com will provide reports from Las Vegas.

AAEP Statement on FDA Withdrawal of Pergolide for Human Use: Will It Still Be Available for Horses?

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has issued this statement to its members about the potential crisis of pergolide's removal from the drug market.

"As you may be aware, the FDA has withdrawn the drug pergolide from the market for use in humans. In order for the drug to continue to be available for use in veterinary medicine, the FDA must approve an exception for pergolide to be used by veterinarians and to be compounded in bulk quantities.

"The AAEP, through its Drug Compounding Task Force, has been in contact with the FDA, and they are aware of the significant impact of pergolide’s withdrawal from the market on equine medicine. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine is working with its counterpart for human medicine, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, to allow importation of pergolide for use by compounding pharmacies. The FDA expects to have an official announcement by the end of this week.

"The AAEP will continue to communicate with the FDA on this issue."

Note to blog readers: Pergolide is a drug that has been found to have some problems in human use; it is often prescribed for Parkinson's disease. Pergolide has been very helpful to some older horses suffering from problems like Cushings disease or insulin resistance that may have laminitis as a side effect. Many horse owners are concerned about a shortage of the medication for their horses.

Wiiiiiiiild Horses Set for Their 19th Nervous Breakdown: Stones Concert Promoters Want to Sedate 300 Horses

CNN.com is reporting today that promoters of the first-ever concert of the Rolling Stones in the nation of Serbia would ideally be held at the racecourse in Belgrade in July. They estimate that 100,000 people would show up.

The only problem? The 300 racehorses stabled at the track might not be Stones fans. And the proposed site for the stage is only a few feet from the stables.

The promoters have come up with a solution: each of the horses will be fed a sedative before the concert. Their drug of choice: Not Rompum or Dormosedan, but Valium.

Valium, of course, was the inspiration for the Stones' hit back in the Sixties, "Mother's Little Helpers."

According to CNN, Serbs know all about Valium (diazepam); the article says,"In Serbia it (Valium) trades under the name Bensedin, a very popular drug during the 78 days of NATO air strikes in 1999, when much of Belgrade's adult population was on tranquilizers."

The local animal cruelty groups are fighting the idea. Their slogan to the Stones might be, "You can't always get what you want..."

When Bad Things Happen to Nice Horses: Equine Venereal Disease at Austria's Spanish Riding School

UPDATED 16 APRIL 2007

This post will prove that no one in the horse industry is immune to the spread of disease and its effect on horses.

Only about 3000 Lipizzaners are alive on Earth today, and the largest group is maintained by the Spanish Riding School (SRS) of Vienna, with a total of just over 400 horses. The SRS operates a stable in Vienna for performing stallions (a.k.a. "The Dancing White Stallions") and a glorious stud farm at Piber in the province of Styria in Lower Austria. This year, there may be fewer foals at Piber than in any year in a long time and the daily routine at the stables in Vienna has been upset.

The SRS has publicly announced that a stallion at Piber was found to be positive for the equine venereal disease known as contagious equine metritis (CEM). Once this horse's infection was discovered, the entire herd was tested, and then the stallions in Vienna were tested as well. Over 100 horses owned by the SRS are believed to be CEM positive.

(To learn more about CEM, please scroll down to the post following this one, or visit the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine's excellent CEM information page. Please note: CEM is not fatal, and it is curable, although temporary infertility in mares is a side effect, and that will probably affect the 2008 foal crop.)

Information provided by the Spanish Riding School includes the following:

"In the course of a routine examination this virus was detected in a horse from the Federal Stud Piber, even though this horse had never been used for breeding. Therefore there is obviously another way that this disease can be transferred other than the covering of a mare. Thereupon the horse population in Piber and Vienna was examined. In the course of this examination the virus was detected in both enterprises.

"To this date not a single horse in the Spanish Riding School or the Federal Stud Piber has shown visible signs of this contagious disease. Quite on the contrary, the fertility rate in the Federal Stud Piber is currently at 90% and thereby clearly higher than the international average.

"As the diagnostic process is very long and complicated and the verification only possible in a multilevel procedure extending over a number of weeks, the detection and the treatment of this disease is difficult. In Austria only stallions intended for breeding are routinely examined as this examination is very complex.

"In principle this disease can be treated and is curable. However, the fight against this virus is complex and long. Successful medical rehabilitation is known from various European, American and Canadian studs. Based on these experiences the therapy has been started and a catalogue of measures has been developed to rehabilitate the horse population over the summer months.

"Nothing has changed with regard to the performances of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna as the stallions are not physically affected by the virus. This means that the classic performances, the daily morning training and the Privatissimum will continue as normal.

"Guided tours through the stables in Vienna will be limited and no contact to the horses will be permitted. (At Piber) horses identified as virus carriers are stabled in the veterinary ward which is not open to the public.

"The scheduled performance of a four-in-hand from the Federal Stud Piber and a School Stallion from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna in the course of 'Pferd International' in Munich in May this year has been cancelled.

"The total cost of the treatment for the horses concerned, the loss of business through the limitation in guided tours, various hygienic measures and increased staff costs will amount to several hundred thousand Euros."

(end quote from SRS statement)

Today I interviewed Gary Lashinsky of White Stallion Productions; Gary is the producer of the upcoming 2008 Spanish Riding School tour of western United States cities. "This will be cleared up in a few months," he stressed. "This outbreak will not affect the upcoming US tour." Gary noted that he has been assured that the SRS is taking every precaution to eradicate CEM from the herd in Piber and from the performing stallions in Vienna. Horses from Piber are routinely sold to American buyers.

The Spanish Riding School has survived Napoleon, Hitler, bombing attacks, EHV, politics, privatization, world tours, and everything else that has been thrown at it in the past 400 years. They may have a gene puddle instead of a pool, but they are survivors. These are not the first Lipizzaners to contract CEM and probably they won't be the last.

But in this Internet age, there is no below-the-radar way to go about treating a herd for a contagious disease. I hope more entities and governments will follow the SRS's lead and make public statements about their problems. Observing the SRS example may make it easier for horse owners at all levels to be honest about their horses' health issues and help control the spread of equine disease sooner instead of later.

The cost of this disease control program, coupled with the financial loss of performances and tours, is estimated to be several hundred thousand US dollars. Disease outbreaks usually are not a line item in a business plan, and the Spanish Riding School has only recently been launched as a private corporation.

We don't have Barbaro to cheer on anymore, so let's cheer on the Lipizzaners to recover and get back to the capriole, the levade, and the courbette--back in the "good news" spotlight, where they belong.

(Originally posted 11 April 2007)

16 April Update: The Spanish Riding School has issued a document explaining all details of the CEM infection and their plan to treat the horses in the weeks to come. They have announced that the original discovery of the infection was found in a stallion that was exported to the USA in November 2006. The SRS contends that the horse tested negative before export, but his subsequent test in the US was positive.

Here's a link to the official English-language version of the document from the SRS: http://www.srs.at/index.php?id=320&action=detail&iid=116

Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM): Equine Reproductive Nightmare

Contagious Equine Metritis, or CEM, is a bacterial infection that is transmitted during breeding, but may also be spread by humans and stable equipment, although humans are not known to contract the infection itself. North America is believed to be free of CEM, with the last known cases here occurring in the late 1970s. The disease is found in horses in Europe.

You won't be able to look up CEM in your grandfather's vet manuals; the disease has only been identified since the 1970s, when mare vaginal infections in the United Kingdom were linked to the gram-negative bacteria Taylorella equigenitalis, qv.

CEM in stallions is one of the main diseases tested for by the USDA in quarantine, and horses are not allowed into the US who test positive for the disease until they undergo treatment and test "clean". In stallions, there are no outward symptoms, and the disease may be transmitted via artificial insemination as well as by traditional breeding.

Infertility is one of the leading symptoms in mares, but symptoms vary in severity, usually beginning with a vaginal discharge followed by inflammation of the uterus and/or cervix. Once the acute stage of the disease is over, the mare continues to shed the bacteria.

Treatment includes antibiotics, although some strains apparently are resistant to streptomycin. Some countries in Europe have CEM procedures mandated by law, while others, including Austria, do not classify CEM as a reportable disease, which makes CEM such a frustrating problem in the realm of equine health.

The USDA's web site has an excellent information page on CEM.

25 Years Ago: EHV at the Spanish Riding School Stud Farm

One of first recorded observations of a neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus took place in 1983, when a severe outbreak devastated the Piber stud farm of the Spanish Riding School in Austria. Oddly enough, today's news from Vienna about the CEM outbreak (see following posts) comes on the 25th anniversary of the publication of an account in TIME Magazine about the EHV outbreak, which killed seven mares and 27 foals at the Piber stud farm.

Here are some excerpts from the account that appeared in TIME Magazine:

"The outbreak of equine herpes I in Austria began in mid-February when a number of horses started coughing. By March, many of the mares were aborting their foals. Miscarriages are a common effect of herpes, but the next phase of the disease is not. The unusually virulent form of the virus slowly killed the seven mares by paralyzing their nervous systems.

"Of the 36 pregnant mares at the Piber farm, 22 were vaccinated at the first signs of the outbreak and survived, although they all lost their foals."

(transcribed from an article in TIME Magazine, April 11, 1983)

Back in those days, EHV was called "rhinopneumonitis," so it is a little tricky to find records of this attack. However, in the excellent book The Imperial Horse: The Saga of the Lipizzaners by Hans-Heinrich Isenbart and Emil Buhrer (Alfred A Knopf, New York, Publishers, 1986), they contend that the EHV tragedy signalled a new dawn at Piber. The authors write that longtime SRS veterinarian Jaromir Oulehla assumed directorship at Piber after the deadly spring. He made the decision to purchase 14 replacement mares selected from stud farms in what was then Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, as well as Hungary. By 1985, 30 mares were in foal at Piber.

Considering that at the end of World War II there were only 250 Lipizzaners in the world, Oulehla's actions were bold and visionary. They were also timely, and coincided with a renaissance in interest in dressage and a renewal of respect and patronage for the Spanish Riding School and the Lipizzaner breed.

Wellington Virus Update: What About Next Time?

It sounds like people in Wellington, Florida are not burying their heads in the sand after the frightening outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) in the horsecentric village in December. An article in yesterday's Palm Beach Post chronicles a town management plan to, in the future, move sick horses immediately out of the show barns and into isolation tents located in city parks.

It's interesting that the town management is so involved and realizes the importance of avoiding another show season disaster. Had the December outbreak occured in January or February, the potential for many more horses to have been sick is high, as well as the cancellation of major shows and events.

The "move 'em out" scheme brings into question the liability of stable owners when a naive trainer or owner ships a healthy horse down there and it's put into an empty recently-vacated-by-a-sick-horse stall in a barn that may or may not have the virus clinging to fixtures, equipment, and personnel. Is it the horse or the premises that need to be separated?

True, there are some questions to be asked and answered, but at least they are thinking proactively.

I'm just waiting to see a new line of antiviral face masks and mouthwashers or throat sprays for horses come on the market. And coveralls for grooms and vets and farriers, who would need disposable aprons. When someone asks me in the future, "Can I try your French snaffle on my young horse?" it will have to go in the autoclave (medical tool sterilizer) first. Maybe stabling for horses at shows will be individual modules that can travel with the horse and/or be moved to quarantine with the animal, like a more elaborate design of the cargo crates for horse transport.

Kentucky Equine Humane Center Is Officially Open

(The following is edited from a press release. These people have the right idea. They also have a very promising web site with lots more information. It looks like they plan to do more than rescue horses; hopefully they will be able to provide leadership in instilling responsible ownership awareness in the general horse-owning public.)

LEXINGTON, KY (April 13, 2007) Horses of all breeds in Kentucky who are currently in life-threatening situations will receive the gift of a second chance at the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC), which will officially open its doors on April 16.

“This is an opportunity for all of us to do the right thing and play a role in ensuring the welfare and humane treatment of horses here in Kentucky, the Horse Capital of the World,” said the organization’s president, Staci Hancock. “With the Kentucky Derby, just around the corner, we believe it is an ideal time to open our doors and bring attention to the plight of horses who are at risk.” Hancock and her husband, Arthur, own Stone Farm in Paris Kentucky, where Kentucky Derby winners Gato Del Sol, Sunday Silence and Fusaichi Pegasus were bred and raised. Both are on the frontlines of the equine welfare and anti-slaughter movements.

KyEHC is a first-of-its-kind facility, established with the specific goal of providing owners with a humane option when they need to give up their horses. The Center is located on a tranquil, 50-acre horse farm just outside Lexington, Kentucky, and will be a safe refuge for at-risk horses of all breeds and disciplines. No horse in a precarious situation will ever be turned away. Adoptable horses will be placed in loving homes. Horses which are unadoptable due to chronic pain or permanent, crippling injuries will be humanely euthanized.

Kentucky Derby-winning trainer, Nick Zito (Strike The Gold and Go For Gin) and his wife Kim, are on the KyEHC board of advisors. According to Nick, “Regardless of pedigree or performance, all horses have to be treated the same. Consequently, we all have the same responsibilities to meet those needs, whether we are working with Kentucky Derby winners or horses that are just horses. Again, they have to be treated the same.”

John Nicholson, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Park, home of legendary racehorses John Henry and Cigar, observed, “A tremendous responsibility comes along with the privileges of being the Horse Capital of the World, so our industry and state need to make certain we are setting the highest possible example when it comes to equine welfare.

"Unfortunately, there is a vast, urgent need for shelters that will take all breeds of horses. The Kentucky Horse Park is contacted on a regular basis by people who are desperate to find a safe place for horses who are in a vulnerable situation. We are very happy that the Kentucky Equine Humane Center will ease suffering by meeting some of those needs.”

The KyEHC is governed by an impressive board of directors and advisors, representing a number of breeds and disciplines. The organization’s executive director, Lori Neagle, was co-founder of the successful Thoroughbred rescue organization, ReRun, and has extensive management and hands-on experience with racehorses, and in particular with geriatric horses.

The KyEHC has already received tremendous support from the equine industry and the community. Among those who have already committed their around-the-clock support are Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Sallee Horse Vans, Jerry Parks Insurance Group, Equus Media, The Bell Group, Griffin Industries, Kentucky Horseshoeing School, Stephen Hillenmeyer Landscape Services, and Dean, Dorton and Ford. Several organizations in the National Horse Center at the Kentucky Horse Park are also networking with the group, including the United States Equestrian Foundation and the Kentucky Horse Council.

All financial and in-kind donations are tax-deductible. Monetary donations will be received through the KyEHC Fund at Bluegrass Community Foundation, 250 West Main Street, Suite 1220, Lexington, KY 40507.

For more information on the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, click on www.kyehc.org or call Lori Neagle, Executive Director, at 859-327-9866 or 859-881-5849.

"Wild" Polish Ponies Save a Marshland in England

We hear a lot about the dastardly effects of wild horses on the landscape, and that overpopulated wild horse lands in the US West are environmental wastelands.

Consider a story in the April 7 Telegraph newspaper from England about a herd of transplanted Polish ponies that have been turned out in a marshland...and are munching it back to life and biodiversity.

The story of these ponies, called "koniks" is fascinating. They are sort of artificially-bred Tarpans, the original wild horses of Asia. Apparently Hitler viewed them as sort of a pure horse breed, and captured them during World War II for genetic experimentation. But some survived and have been championed by the Polish government.

The Wildwood Trust in the UK obtained a small herd for an experimental land reclamation project, and the results are encouraging. Around here, huge herds of sheep are turned out on islands to clear out the brush (and poison ivy). Polish ponies would be even better...

New Virginia law: Non-veterinarian horse dentists regulated as of July 1, 2007

According to the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the Commonwealth of Virginia's General Assembly session recently passed a law to regulate the practice of equine dentistry performed by someone other than a veterinarian. If I read the paperwork correctly, the governor has approved the law as well.

The new law states that only a registered equine dental technician (EDT) or a licensed veterinarian can work on a horse’s teeth professionally. It also outlines what procedures require a vet’s supervision, or must be performed by a veterinarian, when a horse is being worked on by an EDT.

A very interesting part of the new law is that International Association of Equine Dentists certification is listed as a requirement for non-veterinarians and non-veterinary technicians but that the exclusion to the certification is if the applicant can prove that he or she has been performing equine dentistry for five or more years and has written recommendations from horse-specialist veterinarians.

There is some vague language in the bill, such as the words "board-approved" training program that may be defined in some document other than what is shown on the Internet. It's also not clear whether the approving veterinarians must be licensed in Virginia, nor does it clearly lay out how the law will be enforced, although there may be additional paperwork attached.

To be specific, it reads: The Board may register a person as an equine dental technician who meets the following criteria: (i) satisfactory evidence that he is of good moral character, (ii) recommendations from at least two licensed veterinarians with practice bases that are at least fifty percent equine, and (iii) evidence that he holds current certification from the International Association of Equine Dentistry or a Board-approved certification program or has satisfactorily completed a Board-approved training program.

The Board may register individuals who have not completed a Board-approved training program or do not hold a current certification from the International Association of Equine Dentistry or a Board-approved certification program if they have engaged in acts considered to be those of an equine dental technician as set forth in subsections C and D of this section for at least 5 years and provide the following: (i) satisfactory evidence of length of time of practice, (ii) recommendations from at least two licensed veterinarians with practice bases that are at least fifty percent equine, and (iii) proof of continued competency satisfactory to the Board.

The law prohibits non-veterinarians from using power tools in a horse's mouth and is quite specific what a technician can and cannot do without a veterinary license.

Read the complete law here.

The legislator who sponsored the bill has a web page on the bill where you can read its history. This bill flew through the state legislature in 90 days and passed unanimously every time it came up for a vote.

The new law takes effect on July 1, 2007.

Image courtesy of Digital Equus: Introduction to Equine Dentistry by B.A. Rucker DVM. Click here to order.

Animal Transport Association Conference in San Diego This Month

The 33rd International Conference of the Animal Transport Association (AATA) will be held at the Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa in San Diego, California from April 22-25.

The title of this year's meeting is "Protecting our industry: The Impact of Regulations, Disease and Extremism on the Welfare of Animals in Transport."

According to the AATA's conference invitation, the major sources for concern for business owners dedicated to the safe and humane transportation of animals are expanding governmental regulations, the control of the spread of disease by animals and a newer and more dangerous form of "animal extremism."

The 2007 Conference Committee has invited several speakers and presenters from various governments around the world, and attendees are certain to get the latest updates on governmental regulations in the U.S. and abroad, especially as it relates to the ever-changing subject of security. Additionally, university professors from around the world will speak on the impacts of disease and stress on animal transportation around the world, including an invited speaker on Bird Flu and its impact on world trade.

Another major topic of this conference will be the impact of various animal extremists groups around the world. With political climates changing in the countries where animal transporters live and trade, there’s no doubt that they will be affected by extremist efforts. While the AATA mission is to improve animal welfare while in transport, there are extremists in the world who would prefer to see AATA members out of business. The conference will examine these groups, their topics and ways to promote safer and more humane transport for animals.

The conference will also offer five training seminars, each one hour long and then repeated during the second hour so attendees may attend two seminars. Topics include "Innovations in Livestock Transport," "New Advances in Tranquilization or Sedation Products" and a special equine-related training seminar, details of which have not been announced.

Dr. Ted Friend of Texas A&M University will review recent research in equine transport and Kendra Kewkow of Anheuser Busch will speak on "Planning Ahead: First Class Travel for Anheuser Busch's Clydesdale Horses." Dr. Tomas Gimenez will speak on "Response to Equine Transport Emergencies."

In addition to the topics presented during the conference program, the Tuesday afternoon agenda includes behind-the-scene tours at SeaWorld San Diego.

Registration forms, schedules are full details are available at www.aata-animaltransport.org.

Blogger's note: When this meeting was held in Boston, it was excellent, and included a "live" session on the tarmac at Logan Airport! It is designed for employees of airlines and livestock transport services, but has a great deal of educational value to anyone involved in the import/export aspects of horse dealing, health and handling.

New Health Requirements for Horses Entering Kentucky Horse Park for Competitions

Lexington, KY – (via USEF press release)--In response to the recent outbreaks of the Equine Herpes Virus and their concern over the continual health and safety of horses, the management of the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) announced a specific health protocol to all exhibitors who plan to travel to the KHP for any events this year.

The state of Kentucky requires that all horses entering the state provide a negative Coggins test within one year of entry as well as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Health Certificate) signed by a licensed veterinarian within 30 days of entry.

Horses originating within the state of Kentucky are required to have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection within 150 days. Complete details on the health protocol are listed at www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

It is additionally recommended that all horse