Who Stole My Hoof Pick? Canadian Organization Expert Analyzes Where Those Hoof Picks Go

I have a dryer that eats my socks and, to prove it, a drawer full of odd socks looking for their mates. I optimistically believe that the lost ones will show up again some day but in my heart of hearts, I know that the dryer ate them.

It's much the same for hoof picks. No matter how brightly colored or how big and visible, hoof picks disappear and you can never find one when you really need it.

(The exception is my PowerPick, designed by farrier Doug Ehrman of The Sound Equine. I keep it in my car to use as a weapon in case I am carjacked or need to break the glass to escape if my car falls off a bridge. I'm sure it is great for cleaning hooves but I love it so much, I can't bear to bring it near a horse, which would guarantee its disappearance.)

The disappearing hoof pick problem distresses a professional organizer in Montreal who is also an avid rider whose horse lives in a boarding situation. Jacki Hollywood Brown is determined to put her organizing talents to work in the barn and has written a hilarious post on her "Well Organized" blog.

I think I agree with one of her points: Why do we bother to microchip our horses? They are big enough to find and their stalls are labeled. Let's microchip the hoof picks and track them by satellite: it would fascinating to find out where they go!

I hope you'll take a minute and read Jacki's hoof pick theories. I thought it was hilarious...but I think she might be serious!

Aachen by the Numbers: World Equestrian Festival Opens Next Week

In Aachen, Germany, on Tuesday a big number "6" flashed up on the display board at the famous show grounds. That's how many days are left before the competitions begin at the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen 2007, to be held July 3rd-8th. With German engineering precision, the countdown proceeds smoothly, without a ripple of panic. At least no visible ones.

Over the next two weeks you will surely read posts from me related to the happenings in Aachen, so here's a little background inspired by that big "6" in the sky:

10.2 million: total of euros added to the budget for this year's event

441: number of horses en route to Aachen as I write this

23: nations represented

253: total of competitors entered for this year's event

5: number of disciplines to be contested (jumping, dressage, driving, eventing, and vaulting)

10: that's how many of the Top Ten international show jumpers will be competing at Aachen. Yes, every single one of them will be there! Among them: FEI World Equestrian Games 2006 medallists Jos Lansink (BEL), Beezie Madden (USA) and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER).

134: number of countries in which the telecast will be shown

16: number of cameras in the show jumping arena alone

5: number of days left now before the first horse steps into an arena!

http://www.chioaachen.de/

In eventing, World Champion British rider Zara Phillips, grand-daughter of Queen Elizabeth, returns to Aachen to defend her reputation at the site of her great triumph there at the World Equestrian Games last year. Also returning is top German event rider Bettina Hoy, who lives in England, right down the road from Phillips. Rolex Kentucky winner Clayton Fredericks will be there for Australia with Ben Along Time, and his wife, Badminton 2007 and Burghley 2006 winner Lucinda Fredericks will ride WP In Limbo.

And in dressage, all eyes will be on Isabell Werth, Team and Spéciale World Champion from Germany and Dutch rider, Anky van Grunsven, Freestyle World Champion. The two arch-rivals will meet in the same arena for the first time since Anky's sabbatical to give birth to her new daughter. Just to keep the suspense level up, Anky has not announced which of her horses she will ride! The German team is favored to win the team dressage medal.

Catherine Haddad (Maximus JSS), Courtney King (Idocus), Arlene "Tuny" Page (Wild One) and Steffen Peters (Lombardi II) will represent the USA in dressage. Evi Strasser will ride for Canada.

In case you're wondering, my personal favorite horse to cheer for, Blue Hors Matine of Denmark, will not be competing. You may remember that she was injured before the World Cup in Las Vegas this spring. She is being prepared for the European Dressage Championships in Italy this fall.

The German show jumping team is also favored in the Mercedes Benz Nations Cup, which will be a very special outdoor jumping on grass under the lights. Look for the defending champion Germans: Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Christian Ahlmann, Ludger Beerbaum and Marco Kutscher, along with defending WEG champion Marcus Ehning to be looking through some very competitive ears in that event. I'm not sure, but I think the final will come down to the famous switching of riders and horses, which makes for a very exciting finale.

In show jumping, the USA Samsung League team of Margie Engle, Laura Kraut, Beezie Madden, Richard Spooner and McLain Ward will saddle up.

I don't know how, if, or when Aachen will be telecast in the USA, but if you have a chance to watch, don't miss it, especially the show jumping. German sports network Sportschau will use the innovative "Spider-Cam“ that was tried and tested at the FEI World Equestrian Games last year. This camera “flies” next to or above the horse and rider on a cable system. According to Sportschau producer Steffen Simon, the camera “gives the spectators a feeling for the dynamics, speed and distance between the jumps for the first time."

In the US, broadcasting will be via World Championship Sports Network (WCSN); in Canada, it will be broadcast on the CBC. I admit, I don't understand how WCSN works, i.e. if you can watch Aachen live on the web or just highlights...or what. According to their (excellent) web site, they are only broadcasting the show jumping. CNBC will broadcast the event in Europe.

Aachen comes a bit close to the Pan Am Games in Brazil, to be held later in July, and most US funding has been directed to send teams there to compete. In the meantime, Aachen will still be the show to watch, if you can figure out how to tune it in on your tv or PC. And if you do, let me know how you did it, I want to watch too!

Boarding Barn Blues: Sexual Harrassment in the Paddock Winds Up in Court

If you've ever kept a horse at a boarding barn you can relate to a story in the news this week. Boarders are always complaining about the conditions of turnout at boarding barns and nothing is a hotter than the compatibility of horses who are turned out together.

And there are horror stories galore about barn employees accidentally mixing up horses and putting them in the wrong paddocks. One of the worst things is to find your horse in the wrong stall, wearing another horse's halter, not to mention the very dangerous possibility of your horse eating another horse's grain, supplements, and medication.

But does it ever get serious enough to dial the lawyer's number?

The Chicago Tribune is reporting on an unusual court case in Illinois. The owner of a mare is being sued because her mare kicked a gelding who exhibited male-horse behavior while the two were turned out together. Apparently the injury eventually led to the decision to euthanize the gelding.

The owner claimed that her mare was defending herself "from an unwelcome romantic overture." Her attorney equated the gelding's behavior to equine sexual harassment—an unwanted violation of Gabby's "personal and private space."

The gelding's owner is suing both the mare's owner and the owner of the boarding stable. Instructions had been to turn the horse out alone.

Hopefully, the mare has received some PTSD counseling.

Amy Tryon's Seven-Hour FEI Hearing Completed in Switzerland

Here's the official report from FEI Headquarters in Lausanne:

The hearing in the case of alleged abuse at CCI 4* Lexington (Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event) involving rider Amy Tryon (USA) and horse Le Samurai, which had occurred on 28 April 2007, took place today 25 June 2007 at the FEI Headquarters in Lausanne.

Composition of the hearing:

Panel of the FEI Tribunal:
Ken Lalo
Patrick Boelens
Erik Elstad

Present for the FEI:
Alex McLin, FEI General Counsel;
Laetitia Zumbrunnen, FEI Legal Counsel

Present for the rider:
Amy Tryon
Kevin Baumgardner, Attorney
Andrew Temkin, Attorney

The following individuals gave evidence at the oral hearing:
Christian Landolt
Wayne Roycroft
Catrin Norinder
Frits Sluyter
Rebecca Broussard
Amy Tryon
Mark Phillips
Karen O'Connor

The hearing began at 9 a.m. Lausanne time and finished at 4:30 p.m. The panel examined the evidence received, which included numerous witness statements and video footage in addition to the testimony of those listed above.

The panel accepted the evidence presented and will issue its motivated decision within a short time and in any event no later than 30 days of today.

How Dry We Are: Missouri Ag Experts Run the Numbers for Their State

According to a warning published by the University of Missouri, the drought may be "over" in Missouri, but the effects linger, especially when it comes to the prospects for the 2007 hay crop.

Craig Roberts, a professor of agronomy in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri, warned that the quantity of this year’s hay crop will be down 50 percent to 75 percent from normal, but the nutritional value will be good.

On May 1, Missouri hay stocks were 625,000 tons. This is down 28 percent from a year ago and 71 percent below May 1, 2005. Hay stocks are at their lowest level since 1984, when it had dropped to 328,000 tons.

“Last year, we had the drought, which affected both the quantity and the quality of the hay,” Roberts said. “This year, we had a late freeze, which mainly affects the yield. Overall, we will be down, but the drought last year was far worse.”

Rainfall varied greatly across Missouri in May with portions of the northwest and west central areas of the state receiving seven to eleven inches of rain while the Bootheel in Southeast Missouri received only two to three inches of rain.

Significant irrigation is underway in some areas. In dry land areas with no irrigation, corn leaves are rolling, an indicator of stress, especially in sandy soils, according to Pat Guinan, University of Missouri climatologist with the Extension Commercial Agriculture Program.

Also from Missouri, Scott Brown, research assistant professor in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and program director of livestock and dairy with the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) has issued a forecast for milk prices to rise $1.00 to $1.50 per gallon across the USA. (The national average is $3.10, according to Brown.) However, the rise in dairy prices is linked to a global demand for US dairy products, not to drought conditions or hay prices/quality/shortages, according to Brown.

Uruguayan Super Horse Invasor Retreats from Racing With Injured Fetlock

This just in form the NTRA; if you follow horse racing, you know that this is a huge loss to the sport:

2006 HORSE OF THE YEAR INVASOR RETIRED DUE TO INJURY

Invasor, the 2006 Horse of the Year, was retired today due to a cracked sesamoid bone in his right hind leg. The injury was detected following a workout at Belmont Park this morning in which Invasor worked five furlongs in :59 2/5. The injury is not life threatening, and Invasor will retire to stud at Shadwell Farm in Lexington, Ky.

"I feel honored and privileged to have trained Invasor for Sheikh Hamdan," said Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of Invasor. "He feels so bad for all of us connected with the horse. He's a great owner and a great sportsman. It's a very sad day for all of us. Invasor was a superb horse and a pleasure to be around. Everyone on my team did a great job with him, as did jockey Fernando Jara. It's a shame the way it ended, but at least he will be able to go to stud."

"He came back fine from the workout," McLaughlin continued. "But when we went to wash his feet, he took a couple of funny steps and we noticed some swelling in his right hind leg. We had him x-rayed shortly thereafter, and that is when the fracture was detected."

Invasor captured the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge last year at Churchill Downs en route to 2006 Horse of the Year honors. He won two races from as many starts in 2007, taking the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in February and the Dubai World Cup at Nad al Sheba in March. He had been scheduled to compete in the June 30 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.


Blogger's Note: The trainer did not specify which sesamoid bones were cracked but he surely was referred to the proximal (think: proximity, or closeness) sesamoid bones, which are like two walnuts located at the back of the fetlock, between the long pastern bone (P1) and the cannon bone, which is the straight up-and-down bone leading to the hock, in the hind leg. The fetlock area is more or less like the horse's ankle (human and equine anatomy doesn't exactly match up). The sesamoids act to regulate the tension of the tendon running down the back of the leg, as it changes direction.

The proper name for the navicular bone, inside the foot, is the distal (think: "distant") sesamoid; it helps the deep digital flexor tendon make a smooth pull to flex the foot. The words proximal and distal differentiate the sesamoids from each other and refer to the relative distance from the horse's head.

Invasor was lucky to have such a mild fracture. You may remember that two weeks ago I was blogging about the death of race filly Ruffian, who smashed the sesamoids of her front foot in a match race in 1975. She didn't survive the surgery that attempted to save her life.

Photo of Invasor links to Dubai World Cup web site.

On the Road: Nevada Goes Wild with a Horse-y License Plate

Everyone from Wild Horse Annie to Hunter Thompson would approve of the announcement today from our friends in Nevada, where the state launched sales of a sparkling new wild horse license plate to rival nearby Wyoming's bucking bronco. It looks a wee bit like a wild and crazy Lipizzaner, but you can judge for yourself.

The best part: the tag line of "Wild and Free" at the bottom can be interpreted many ways. In the horse world, of course, it refers to the thousands of free-roaming (more or less) wild horses and burros who call Nevada home. More wild horses live there than in any other state. Proceeds from the sale of the plates will benefit wild horse preservation.

By my count, four states have horse-y license plates: New York, Kentucky, Wyoming and Nevada, as of today. Did I forget any?

Farnam Supports AQHA Foundation's "America's Horse Cares" Program

Farnam has donated $250,000 to support the American Quarter Horse Association's Foundation's (AQHA) America's Horse Cares program, according to the AQHA web site.

The funds will support a special program for therapeutic riding. America's Horse Cares is dedicated to creating an ongoing funding base to support special-needs individuals and organizations that benefit from equine experiences.

"We are grateful to Farnam," said Foundation Executive Director Gary Carpenter. "While this donation is not directly tied to sales of Farnam products, it goes without saying that when AQHA members purchase Farnam products, it makes gifts like this one possible."

Tis the Season: Lightning Can Kill Horses

Thunderstorms come rumbling through here with regularity this time of year. Something happens when the big banks of thunderheads build up over the land and move toward the coast here in Massachusetts. I'm not a meteorologist, but I think the cooler air over the ocean kicks up squalls and makes the chaotic thunderstorms pack more punch--or at least make more noise--when they run into a new, third air mass.

I worry a lot about people out on boats when the storms hit, because I've been caught out there myself and it's terrifying. But I also think about horses and I'd like to read some research on horse behavior to see how horses instinctively react to the electric feeling in the air that precedes a storm, and to the storm itself.

There's a lot of talk about how horseshoes naturally conduct electricity and can attract lightning to a horse, such as when a horse is standing under a tree and the lightning passes through the tree and its roots to kill the horse.

I believe that barefoot horses also are susceptible to lightning strikes, but what about horses with rubber shoes or hoof boots? Will those act as insulators?

Last Friday, lightning struck and killed four horses, including a four-week-old colt, in Leesburg, Georgia. The horses were huddled under a tree during the storm when the lightning killed all but the oldest mare.

I'll be writing more about lightning this summer. Please share your experiences with me by clicking on the "comments" button below.

I know that Dr Nicholas Dodman, the famous animal behaviorist at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, has done research and provides treatment for horses that are traumatized by the sound of thunder.

And does your barn have lightning rods? I love driving through the New England countryside and seeing the old isinglass bulbs on old fixtures that were often hand-forged by local blacksmiths. But I don't see them on new barns. Maybe modern electricians can "ground" the wiring but what about lightning danger? Can someone tell me why lightning rods aren't in use anymore?

What's your favorite lightning-strike story?

FEI Eventing Safety Committee Prioritizes Issues

The newly-created Federation Equestrian Internationale (FEI) Safety Sub-Committee met for the first time in London, England last week; David O’Connor (USA) is the chairman.

The objective of the inaugural meeting was to define the Committee’s mission as well as its agenda.

The role of the FEI Safety Sub-Committee is to:
- Identify all areas of concern;
- Investigate or trigger specific investigations;
- Manage all issues related to Eventing Safety by recommending rule updates and policy changes in the sport;
- Communicate on all findings

The Committee reviewed the following specifics:

1. PREVENTION:
- Ensuring that the strictest international safety requirements are applied to the national level;
- Development of diversified safety devices for Cross Country construction;
- Promoting research on riders helmets;
- Reviewing of trends in Course Designing;- Stopping horses on Cross Country course;
- Reviewing of number of refusals on Cross Country;
- Training of fence stewards;
- Introduction of a National Eventing expert to be the liaison between the NF and the FEI in relation to all safety issues;
- Review of FEI Officials education and qualification;
- Qualification of riders at national level before entering low level international events;
- Promotion of FEI Eventing safety database and reports on all the figures relating to Eventing international events.

2. ANALYSIS:
- Monitoring of statistics (i.e. specific combination of fences, analysis of riders or horses falling several times during a year, events with abnormal number of falls, etc.), and follow-up with FEI Officials and NFs;
- Inclusion of veterinary information on horses in a safety database;
- Review of serious accidents and procedures.

3. MANAGEMENT:
- Communication and follow-up of safety programme;
- Planning of safety educational seminars.

Comments, ideas and proposals are welcome and should be sent to the FEI Headquarters: Catrin Norinder FEI Eventing Director / Nathalie Desscan Eventing Department: n.desscan@horsesport.org

(Information posted is extracted from FEI report)

How Dry We Are: US Drought Affects Wild Horses, Too

American horseowners are starting to feel the "ouch!" of rising prices for hay and grain, particularly in the West. But imagine if your hay bill was not just for your own horses...but for an entire herd.

That's the problem faced by South Dakota's Karen Sussman, founder of the International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros, an organization with the mission of saving wild horses threatened with elimination and slaughter. Sussman cares for more than 350 horses on her 680-acre ranch near Lantry, South Dakota.

I interviewed Karen last week when she was elated; it was raining!

She said that last year no hay had been baled within 100 miles of her farm. She is now paying more than double the normal cost of her 1400-pound round bales. They are now $125 per ton, compared to $50-60 a ton in pre-drought times.

Not only does hay cost more in a drought, but you must feed more of it, since pastures are unlikely to provide enough grass. In Karen's case, it means feeding hay to her #3 herd, which usually can live on grass. She is also having to fill her horses' water tanks with her town's water--and pay for it--since her own well went dry last summer.

"Imagine watching grass going yellow in June," she mused. "And imagine feeding hay to over 300 horses for six months when you weren't expecting to feed hay at all. And that's at double the price."

I hope you will take a minute and look out the window. What colors do you see? In many parts of the world, green is missing from the color palette.

Nice Try, George

The human George Washington may have been the Father of His Country, but it looks like his equine namesake will never be the father of anything.

As the top British racehorse of 2006, GW came to America to try the Breeders Cup Classic back in November and failed to catch Uruguayan wonder horse Invasor. His reward was to be retired to stud in Ireland and a long list of eager mare owners gladly paid the stud bills.

But it didn't work exactly as planned. As it turned out, the owners had to pull another stallion off the track to sub for GW in the breeding shed when the mares failed to become pregnant, and the champion headed back to the racing yard.

That's quite a change of mindset for a stallion and there were rumors that GW was being kept in isolation up until race day because of his preoccupation with his libido.

But Royal Ascot opened on Monday and as the Queen pulled up in her carriage, the idle talk was whether GW could successfully use one of the world's premier turf races, the Queen Anne Stakes, as a warmup for an "older horse" career in racing.

And he did! He may not have been the winner, but he conducted himself like a gentleman on the racecourse and in front of his Queen and actually started running in the final furlong, to finish fourth.

England's Guardian newspaper reported, "He appeared fit and well in the paddock before yesterday's race, and while many had feared that he might be 'coltish' in the preliminaries, the Queen's blushes were spared as his masculinity remained firmly where it belongs."

What many people might not know about GW is that he was born and bred in the USA by Gretchen and Roy Jackson, owners and breeders of Barbaro. It was a most remarkable feat for them to breed the top 3-year-olds in both England and the US in the same year. That neither horse would be able to reproduce (Barbaro was euthanized while still in his racing career), is an odd, unsettling coincidence. GW was bought from the Jacksons by the international racing powerhouse of Coolmore.

GW's fate brings to mind the failure of the great US stakes horse Cigar, who now resides at Kentucky Horse Park. Cigar was older when he retired; GW's young age gives him a great opportunity to come back to racing. And there is always a chance that science will find a way to enhance his fertility and give him a second chance.

For an intriguing look at how fertility problems can cause mayhem in the horse world, rent the movie "Sympatico", based on the play by Sam Shepherd. The movie starred Albert Finney, Nick Nolte, Sharon Stone, etc. and one of the two racing-related sub-plots involves non-disclosure of a stallion's fertility problems. It's a brutal film but worth seeing and the actors and Kentucky scenery are superb.

How Dry We Are: What's "Desertification" and Why Should You Care?

The Associated Press has a great story today about the changing landscape in China. Not long ago, China was converting massive tracts of land into productive farmland with some of the most ambitious irrigation programs ever undertaken on the planet. They invested $9 billion to try to halt the advance of the Asian deserts. (Remember the controversial damming of the Yangtze River just a few years ago?)

According to AP, China is giving up and allowing the land to revert to desert: "over-farming has drawn down the water table so low that desert is overtaking farmland. Authorities have ordered farmers here in Gansu province to vacate their properties over the next 3 1/2 years, and will replace 20 villages with newly planted grass in a final effort to halt the advance of the Tengger and Badain Jaran deserts."

Deserts now cover one-third of the country and continue to grow because of overgrazing, deforestation, urban sprawl and droughts; dust from China clouds the skies of South Korea and has been linked to respiratory problems in California. Reservoirs have dried up and farmers dug wells, which caused the water table to drop and the soil became contaminated with salt.

The recent melamine additive controversy showed that US pet and livestock feed products are likely to contain elements from most anywhere in the world. And the AP story claims that, worldwide, grain production slipped from 432 million tons in 1998 to 422 million tons in 2006 because of desertification. The AP story speculates that eventually China will need to buy a massive 30-50 million tons of grain a year on the world market.

We have seen already what an impact China's purchasing power has on global commodities like steel and oil. Imagine both the impact of a fragile environment on Chinese herbal and feed additives, and the cost factor of China buying in such huge quantities on the global grain futures market.

Farmers (or farming corporations) will always plant for the market and if China needs wheat or soybeans, and is willing to pay the price, farmers will grow those crops instead of the oats and hay that our horses might need. Add the impact of US farmers allegedly switching hayfields to cornfields to make ethanol fuel and you see that the US horse industry needs to pay attention to the weather...all over the world.

Desertification has an impact not only on hay and grain supply and price but on our own respiratory health and that of our horses. And the effects may be much more far-reaching than that.

The United Nations has launched a special web site to educate people like you and me on the problems of drought and desertificaiton. Visit it at http://www.unccd.int/

Photo courtesy of United Nations.

Leading Dressage Horse Euthanized After Freak Accident in New Jersey

This post will send chills through the horse world. I have just learned that the Grand Prix dressage mare Coco Chanel, owned and ridden by Tami Hoag of Wellington, Florida, was euthanized this week.

According to a letter from Hoag published on the Dressage Daily web site, the Rhinelander mare was injured while being treated for a tendon injury in an underwater treadmill therapy unit. She was transported to and euthanized at the Mid-Atlantic Equine Center in Ringoes, New Jersey the following day. Coco Chanel was examined by leading surgeon Patricia Hogan VMD, ACVS of New Jersey Equine Clinic and USEF veterinarian Timothy Ober DVM, among others.

Had the mare not suffered the tendon injury, she would have been competing at the nearby USEF headquarters at Gladstone, where the Collecting Gaits Farm Festival of Champions is underway this week to select the US team horses for the dressage competition at the upcoming Pan Am Games in Brazil.

Ms. Hoag is indeed "the same" Tami Hoag who is one of the bestselling mystery/thriller/suspense genre writers in the world. Her brilliant novel "Dark Horse" paints a disturbing picture of a serial killer at work set against the very realistically described backdrop of hunter/jumper and dressage shows in Wellington, Florida. Her new book, The Alibi Man, is a sequel to Dark Horse, and revolves around the murder of the groom at the farm where the protaganist dressage-riding ex-cop, Elena Estes, is holed up to recover from mental stress after her mishap on the job as a detective. The new book moves over to the polo fields of Wellington.

To quote Elena: Early on in my life I came to the conclusion that my spirituality was something uniquely and privately my own, something I could find deep within a small, quiet space in the very center of my being. Some people find that place through meditation or yoga or prayer.I find that place within me when I am on a horse.

Learn more about Elena Estes and Tami Hoag at her author's web site on the Random House web site. A detailed horse-related of Hoag is published at http://www.horsesdaily.com/whoswho/hoag_tami/hoag_tami1.html

Thanks to Sandy Johnson for sharing the news about Coco Chanel and to Dressagedaily.com for posting the letter. I am sure that more information will be available later.

Horse Slaughter Plant in Illinois Will Continue Operation with Judge's Blessing

From the Chicago Tribune this morning via the Associated Press:

A federal judge on Thursday granted a 10-day extension of an order that lets a horse slaughterhouse in DeKalb remain open while he considers whether to make the order permanent.

Judge Frederick Kapala, in the Rockford branch of U.S. District Court, made the ruling after hearing a suit by Cavel International Inc., owners of the plant, which is seeking to invalidate a new state law that prohibits the killing of horses for human consumption and possession, and the import or export of horse meat for human consumption.

Kapala extended the order to June 28.

Read the complete story at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/west/chi-horseslaughter_15jun15,1,3581843.story?coll=chi-newslocalwest-hed

Worldwide Animal Welfare: Will the World Unite to Protect Animals?

At their annual meeting in Paris on May 25, members of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) gave overwhelming support to a new Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare. The declaration is proposed by the UK-based World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), which hopes to collect 10 million signatures worldwide and have the declaration adopted by the United Nations.

OIE members, including chief veterinary officers from around the world, voted for the resolution in order to achieve worldwide acceptance of animal welfare as an important issue, and called on governments to support the goal. To find out more about the Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare, please visit Animals Matter online.

WSPA is the world's largest federation of animal welfare organizations, representing over 800 member societies in more than 147 countries, and is the only animal welfare organization to have consultative status at the United Nations and the Council of Europe. ASPCA President Ed Sayres serves on the WSPA Board of Directors.

WSPA was formerly headquartered in Boston in the United States but moved to England a few years ago.

Horses and Coal Mines Don't Mix Well in Australia's Thoroughbred Nursery Region

The Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC) is reporting today that environmental conditions in the Hunter Valley, Australia's premier Thoroughbred breeding region, may necessitate the relocation of major horse farms there.

The Hunter Valley in the state of New South Wales in eastern Australia is an idyllic patchwork of horse farms and vineyards. But horse farm managers say the rapid proliferation of coal mines nearby is putting their industry at risk; they are worried about pollution, water access and land use.

Delegates from the Upper Hunter's wine and horse industries have met to discuss their concerns and say some breeders will consider moving their operations. It is more difficult for wineries to literally "pull up roots" and move.

Horse farm representatives say that the horses suffer the dust created by the mines. The horse industry in the region, which is about three hours from Sydney, employs a great number of people and stimulates the economy.

A few years ago, a friend gave me a ride to the airport when I was staying in Scone, which would be like Australia's equivalent of our Ocala, Florida. Once we left the beautiful valley, we drove several hours to the airport in Tamworth and I remember driving past endless mines and grassed over hills that had been former mine sites. Undoubtedly oil supply concerns have stimulated interest in increasing coal production.

Appleby Horse Fair: Tradition Tinged with Tragedy

Yesterday was the closing day of Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria, England. As noted in a blog post last week, this is one of the world's last great gypsy horse fairs. Gypsy and traveller horsemen from all over the British Isles travel by every conveyance (including traditional gypsy horse-drawn wagons) to sell their horses. The most coveted are what we now call in America, the "Gypsy Vanner" type, a small draughty, cresty-necked, loudly-colored pinto with lots of feather and pizzazz.

In spite of the presence of 12 inspectors from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), there was a sad mishap this year. One of the big parts of the "show" is the washing of horses in the river. It's a slippery slope down to the river, and the RSPCA helped out by building a horse-friendly ramp.

But apparently one fellow was showing off and forced a very skittish horse into the river. The horse panicked and drowned right in front of a crowd of onlookers on the riverbank.

Sure, there are pictures on the web if you want to do a Google news search. A bit too sad for me to post, though.

The gypsy vanners who have made it to America and are fluffed and polished by loving owners are the very, very lucky ones of their type.

Safety at Shows: USEF Forms Task Force

(Lexington, KY) (via USEF press release, thanks to Maria Partlow)– The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has formed a Task Force to review current safety procedures at USEF competitions and to make recommendations to the USEF Safety Committee regarding possible changes to safety standards for licensed competitions, regardless of breed or discipline.

“The USEF consistently monitors safety standards, they are not static, and they will consistently change with the growth of our sport and the technology available,” said Andrew Ellis, Co-Chairman of the Task Force and a member of the USEF Board of Directors. “All of us have a stake in safety - the riders, instructors, organizers, and officials and we are open to input from everyone. We are also reviewing how other sports, such as skiing and snowboarding, address safety.” The initial Task Force meeting was April 25th and it is expected they will submit their recommendations to the USEF Safety Committee by mid-July.

Members of the Task Force on Safety are:
----Andrew Ellis, Task Force Co-Chair, Chair of the USEF Safety Committee, and Member of USEF Board of Directors
--David O’Connor, Task Force CO-Chair and President of the USEF, Olympic Gold Medal winner in Three-Day Eventing
--Dr. Kent Allen, Chair of the USEF Equine Drugs and Medications Committee, member of the USEF Board of Directors and member of FEI Veterinary Committee
--Malcolm Hook - Member of USEA Executive Committee and Board of Governors, FEI Eventing Chief Steward and “R” TD, Chair of USEF Eventing Committee
--Jo Whitehouse, CEO of the United States Eventing Association
--Derek DiGrazia – FEI “I” Eventing course designer, USEF “R” course designer; and member of the USEF committees on Drugs and Medications, Eventing and High Performance Eventing
--Dr. William Brooks, Physician at Neurosurgical Associates in Lexington, Ky. He has served as Chief Medical Officer for the Rolex Kentucky 3-day Event for the more than 20 years, and is former chairman of the USPC Safety Committee
--Bill Moroney, President of the United States Hunter Jumper Association and member of USEF Board of Directors
--Robert Costello, member of USEF Board of Directors and former Olympian in Three-Day Eventing
--Shelly Lambert, Horse Trials and Three-Day Eventing Organizer at the Horse Park of Florida in Ocala
--Melinda Roalstad – former (and first fulltime) medical director for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

New Legislation in California Would Allow Unlicensed Vet Techs to Give Medication Without Vet Supervision

Legislation liberalizing the vet practice act in California gained the unanimous support of the State Senate last week, and will now move to the State Assembly. SB 969, authored by Senator Sam Aanestad (R-Grass Valley), addresses bureaucratic barriers concerning Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs) and Unregistered Assistants (UAs) and their administration of medications.

RVTs and UAs have been allowed to administer controlled substances under the indirect supervision of a Veterinarian for countless years. However, a recent ruling from the Veterinary Medical Board (VMB) legal counsel put a stop to this practice. The VMB has since taken action to resolve this problem for RVTs, but not for Unregistered Assistants.

"Although the VMB had good intentions with the new regulations, the action creates a problem for veterinarians who do not have RVTs on staff," said Senator Aanestad. "It's well known that there is a shortage of RVTs in California, and veterinarians who employ UAs face a real problem with this new regulation."

SB 969 attempts to alleviate this problem by allowing Registered Veterinary Technicians OR Unregistered Assistants to administer controlled substances under the indirect supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The change in law would not only help veterinarians in private practice, but also city and county animal shelters, which often do not have a veterinarian present on site.

According to Senator Aanestad's office, SB 969 has the full support of the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and numerous veterinarians who operate private practices in California.

Blogger's Note: It will be interesting to see where the California Horse Racing Board comes in on this issue, and how the new law would play out at the racetrack. It is not clear whethere this legislation simply reverses the VMB legal ruling or if it expands the tasks of technicians. No comment from the RVT organization has been received; it seems like the VMB ruling was protectionist on behalf of the RVTs. There has been considerable discussion of vet hospitals skirting wage issues by choosing to employ unregistered technicians at lower wages. This is an interesting aspect of animal health that is rarely discussed in the horse press. My ears are up, since issues like this affect not just animals and the management of vet practices, but also the career aspirations of people considering the field as a potential career. It is interesting to note that the American Association of Equine Veterinary Technicians (AAEVT), a sister assocition to the AAEP, does not require licensure as a membership requirement. Ok, I'm ready for the comments...

The Pony from Ipanema? Theodore Will Go to Rio!

The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Executive Committee just announced their selections for US representation at the Pan American Games Three-Day Event, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil next month.

Among the qualifers was the pony Theodore O'Connor, to be ridden by Karen O'Connor (no relation). Theodore finished third overall at the Rolex (Kentucky) Three-Day Event in April and performed well at the Jersey Fresh event a few weeks ago. Karen chose not to go cross-country in New Jersey; it was not necessary for the selection process because of her score in Kentucky. She did compete Theodore in the dressage and show jumping phases.

The horses and riders will train at Stonehall Farm in The Plains, VA beginning June 24 and enter quarantine in Ocala, FL on July 1. The six horses that will ship to Brazil will leave from Miami, Florida on July 11.

I am sure that the complete qualifying list of horses and riders will be posted soon.

In other Pan Am Games news, showjumper Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil has announced that he will return to his native country to compete in the jumping and head a Brazilian team which will hopefully qualify for the 2008 Olympics (the Pan Am Games are an Olympic qualifying competition).

Thanks to Joanie Morris of USEF for her help with this post.

How Dry We Are: Laminitis, Vitamin E Deficiency May Be Side Effect of Drought, Researcher Warns

via press release from the University of Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. — While much of the Midwest has recovered from the drought that parched the area last year, horses are continuing to experience effects from the hot dry summer of 2006. Due to a bad hay crop, University of Missouri-Columbia veterinarians are reporting an increased number of horses with chronic selenosis and vitamin E deficiency, problems that can be fatal.

“Last year’s drought meant that Missouri’s hay crop, which is usually balanced very well for a horse’s nutrition, was much poorer than usual,” said Philip Johnson, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery. “Because of the poor Missouri hay crop, horse owners imported hay from other states nearby and possibly fed their horses hay that was too high in selenium. This can have very grave consequences for horses. Owners also may have fed their horses poor quality hay from Missouri or other places, which led to deficiencies in vitamin E, another very dangerous problem for horses.”

Selenium is a naturally occurring element and is an essential part of horse diets. However, too much or too little can create problems for a horse. When chronic selenosis, or selenium poisoning, occurs from eating too much of the element, horses can lose the hair in the mane and tail and develop a form of laminitis, a painful condition that affects the hoof. If left untreated for too long, a horse with chronic selenosis may require euthanasia as a result of severe laminitis.

Johnson said that the amount of selenium in hay can vary by county throughout the nation, but that Missouri hay typically has just the right amount of the essential element. For a small fee, horse owners can have their hay tested to determine if it has the right amount of selenium in it.

In addition, hay that is not fresh can lack vitamin E, an antioxidant which is important for nerve health in a horse. Some horse owners unknowingly compensate for this deficiency by feeding their animals with nutritional supplements. Those horses that suffer from a vitamin E deficiency typically show symptoms that include weakness, loss of weight, trembling and changes in the retina at the back of the eyeball. A quick blood test can determine if the animal is suffering from a vitamin E deficiency. Johnson recommends that horse owners who imported hay from unknown sources last year either have the hay tested or keep a close watch on their horses. Horses that do not have access to green grass and that are being fed old yellow hay are at risk.

“Usually, by the time the horse is showing symptoms of either problem, it may be too late to reverse the disease completely,” Johnson said. “However, if a horse owner has other horses that are feeding from the same food source, it’s important to have those animals treated before the damage is permanent.”

Photo of Dr. Johnson provided by University of Missouri. Dr. Johnson will speak on his important research on the subject of laminitis and represent his university at the Fourth International Equine Conference of Laminitis and Diseases of the Foot, a gathering of the world's leading researchers and field practitioners in West Palm Beach, Florida in November.

"Hurry up, the Queen is Waiting!" Horses Lose Shoes at the Most Inopportune Moments

A New Zealander friend visiting the UK snapped this very-behind-the-scenes shot of the Household Cavalry during the Trooping of the Colors ceremony in London yesterday. They couldn't get seats in the stands so went around the back and this is what they saw.

Double-click on the photo to see what's really going on at Buckingham Palace! Apparently the Guardsman remained in the saddle throughout the process! The fellow on foot seems to be trying to shield the farrier from sight and the one in the black uniform is undoubtedly exhorting him to hurry up and wring off!

Of course, we all know that the Windsors understand that sometimes you just have to wait for the farrier to finish.

Derek and Dot, the curious Kiwis, wrote, "The Guards were obviously trying to cover it up but I did manage to sneak one. Embarrassing for them, I know."

Derek and Dot are spending "three or four" years touring the inland canals of the UK in a narrowboat. Float along vicariously with them via their blog at http://nzgypsyrover.blogspot.com/. Thanks for the photo!

On TV: Ruffian Movie on ABC Tonight!

Real-life horseman Sam Shepherd stars as trainer Frank Whitely in this based-on-fact movie of the life of the great racefilly Ruffian, who lies buried near the finish line at New York's Belmont Park, only yards from where she broke down while on the lead in a match race against champion colt Foolish Pleasure thirty years ago.

Air time is 9 pm Eastern on ABC; check your local listings and have a box of tissues nearby. The DVD goes on sale next week and may include the excellent documentary on the making of the film, including lots of biomechanics and special effects related to the filly's injury.

ALSO RECOMMENDED: Bill Nack's new book, "Ruffian: A Racetrack Romance" goes on the shelf next to Jane Schwartz's "Ruffian: Burning from the Start". Nack is one of the main characters in the ESPN movie; the film is roughly based on his book. Nack was the only person I have heard about who was on the track with both Ruffian and Barbaro as they were loaded onto ambulances after breaking down. His description of the parallels between the two tragedies, 30 years apart, is compelling journalism worthy of accolades from all corners of the horse and publishing worlds.

Top Ten Things You Might Not Know About Saturday's 2007 Belmont Stakes

10. Underog Slew Tizzy is trained by a veterinarian, Greg Fox DVM.

9. Rags to Riches, the filly who will undoubtably be compared to the great Ruffian, is a daughter of 1992 Belmont winner A.P. Indy and a half sister to 2006 Belmont winner Jazil.

8. The Belmont Stakes is the oldest of the three Triple Crown races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds. At 1.5 miles, it is also the longest.

7. Secretariat won the Belmont by 31 lengths. (That is not a typo.)

6. The great filly Ruffian is buried near the finish line, in the infield, at Belmont Park, just a few feet from where she broke down in her match race against Foolish Pleasure in 1975.

5. Only 21 fillies have ever run in the Belmont. Only one won; that was Tanya...in 1905.

4. As a filly, Rags to Riches will carry 121 pounds to her male counterparts’ 126.

3. After the Belmont Stakes winner leaves the Winners Circle on Saturday, the NTRA will hand out checks for $100,000 and $50,000 to the Grayson Jockey Club Research Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania's Laminitis Research Initiative, respectively, in memory of Barbaro.

2. Belmont Park is the longest racetrack in the USA. It really is 1.5 miles, the length of Saturday's big race, all the way around it. That's .25 miles farther than the Kentucky Derby!

1. No matter who wins on Saturday, the horse will have to have the stamina and heart and condition to run that far. There are no accidental winners of the Belmont Stakes and it is one of the greatest tests for American racehorses.

PS Take a break after the race and then turn your TV back on to watch Sam Shepherd in the movie about the great filly Ruffian and the tragic Barbaro-esque ending of her exciting life.

RSPCA Monitors Gypsy Horse Fair in England

The RSPCA is on-hand with an increased number of inspectors at this week's legendary Appleby Horse Fair. Twelve inspectors will be at the fair, working with local police to minimise suffering and promote animal welfare at the five-day event, where around 1,500 horses will be bought and sold.

About 25,000 visitors are expected to flock to Appleby in the district of Cumbria, near the Scottish border, to watch Romany, Gypsy and travelling communities wash horses in the River Eden and race them in front of prospective buyers.

RSPCA has worked to try and improve the welfare of the horses at the fair in a number of ways, including the construction of a temporary ramp to help prevent accidents as horses are led into the river, and RSPCA equine consultants being on-hand with advice on horse welfare.

Some gypsies arrive by horse-drawn caravan after weeks of travel from around the British Isles. Appleby is one of the last great gatherings of "traveler" horse people. Sadly, accidents between horses and motor vehicles on roads leading to and from Appleby has marred the event in recent years.

The BBC web site has a slide show from the fair. The old post card above is from the University of Liverpool's Gypsy Lore Society web page. I don't think things have changed much.

CBS News Posts "Old Friends" Out-Takes

Perhaps you missed the feature about the Old Friends retirement home for Thoroughbreds in Georgetown, Kentucky that was on CBS News last night. CBS has posted some out-take footage on their web site if you'd like to see organization founder Michael Blowen being interviewed by CBS's Richard Schlesinger.

Elective Surgeries for Horses Increase 20 Percent in Virginia

According to statistics compiled by Virginia Tech's Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia, horse owners have willingly approved new elective surgery procedures for their horses.

Marjorie Musick reported today that the EMC’s five board-certified surgeons completed almost 500 elective (non-emergency) treatments in 2006 as compared to only 400 similar operations one decade earlier — a 20 percent increase since 1996.

Dr. Nat White, the Jean Ellen Shehan Professor and Director at Leesburg, said, “Non-emergency conditions such as bone chips and ligament injuries can be treated more effectively than in the past.”

“This is an exciting time for equine surgeons because new technologies and techniques are allowing us to correct many of these abnormalities and return horses to full health,” he continued.

The horse owner's acceptance of elective surgery is also "job security" for referral equine hospitals, which are centers for surgery and treatments not widely available from veterinarians in the field. While major surgeries like colic or fractures may be the front line of emergency referrals, minor surgeries for race- and performance horses have become a surgical specialty, aided by advanced diagnostic media and new surgical techniques that are minimally invasive and require shorter recovery periods than in the past. Elective surgeries can also be scheduled in advance, without the pressure of emergency conditions, and grouped to take advantage of both surgeons' and owners' schedules and the availability of consultations.

Virginia Tech also credited the Internet with making horse owners more open to elective surgery, since they have more resources (such as equisearch.com) to research the options for their horses and communicate with other owners who can share their experiences.

Barbaro Fund Will Disburse $150,000 for Laminitis Research at Saturday's Belmont Stakes

Via press release from the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) today; photo above of Barbaro with Dr. Dean Richardson, Gretchen and Roy Jackson ©University of Pennsylvania:

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that the NTRA Charities – Barbaro Memorial Fund will make its first two disbursements, totaling $150,000, this Saturday at Belmont Park in the winner’s circle following the seventh race on the Belmont Stakes Day card. Also part of the ceremony will be a check presentation of $15,000 to the Fund from the New York Racing Association.

A disbursement of $100,000 will be made from the NTRA Charities – Barbaro Memorial Fund to the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation (GJCRF).

A disbursement of $50,000 will be made to the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s Fund for Laminitis Research. Penn Veterinary Medicine is fighting laminitis through new and cutting-edge research to develop preventative and therapeutic management strategies. This work builds upon Penn Vet's extensive and renowned reputation for animal stem cell research and equine care.

In addition to the well-established international symposium on laminitis and diseases of the foot that Penn Veterinary Medicine has conducted every two years since 2001, the School has recently announced the appointment of a Senior Research Investigator, Hannah Galantino-Homer, V.M.D, Ph.D, to begin the work of the Laminitis Research Initiative.

How Dry We Are: Dressage Riders Warned Not to Bathe Horses at Australian Show

Dressage riders can be an intimidating lot, especially en masse. I just read a footnote to the competitors advice for the big CDI-W dressage competition in Australia, held in the musical-sounding town of Toowoomba in the state of Queensland, which is the northeastern corner of the country.

(Note: CDI-W stands for Concours de Dressage International. The ‘W’ indicates that the event is a World Cup Qualifier that is recognised by the FEI.)

Australia is a huge country and I am sure that for a competition of this level, competitors hauled their horses from all corners. Nothing is close to anything in Australia, so competitors spend a lot of time on the road. And those roads are pretty dusty, given the drought conditions in Oz at present.

In the USA, dressage riders have a reputation for being, shall we say, opinionated and forthright. Imagine the scene at Gladstone if exhibitors hauling from Colorado were told that they couldn't bathe their horses before the competition. And that you should bring your own water.

That's exactly what happened last week at Toowoomba, which is on Level 5 water restrictions.

A message was sent to competitors: "As the weather will be cool to cold for the event, horses should not need much washing. We do request that you wash your horses prior to leaving home, and try to arrive at the event with full water tanks."

Hooray for artificial footing. The memo added, "The lack of water will not affect the quality of the riding surface in any of the arenas, and should not affect anyone’s enjoyment of the event."

And it didn't. The grand prix, by the way, was won by international eventing star Heath Ryan on Regardez Moi (French for "look at me"). I guess the days of white-knuckle dressage for the Aussie eventers are over!

How Dry We Are: The Jurga Report Special Focus

Beginning today, this blog will begin to shed light on the serious drought conditions affecting horses and humans all over the world. I have hinted at this in many posts, or mentioned drought conditions when they make headlines, but the individual small stories together make for a compelling tale. Sooner or later, drought conditions in some or all of the world will affect us all, and our horses.

Whether it is an aberrant weather pattern in Africa affecting the formation of hurricanes in the Atlantic, or lack of snowpack in the high Rockies affecting the price of hay and grain, or Australian horses reduced to eating shredded cardboard, it is time for us to start thinking globally...and helping people and horses in need.

Last year, I wrote in EQUUS about the drought in Africa activating anthrax spores in the soil, which lead to the deaths of many endangered zebras. That could happen in other parts of the world as well.

One of the few good things to say about drought is that it keeps the mosquito population down, and horseowners in the Southeast and Far West may have slightly less concern about mosquito-borne diseases this season. Small consolation!

We have another building crisis on the horizon, which is the potential for a shortage of grain and hay in the USA from the combined threats of drought, high fuel prices, and the transition of hay fields across the country to corn for use in ethanol production. The recent scare over suspect feed additives from China was no coincidence: as domestic grain crops diminish or skyrocket in price, our feed and supplement manufacturers will be more and more dependent on Asian sources. I will try to keep you linked to stories on those issues, as well.

Needless to say, if you live in an area directly affected by drought, or have thoughts on how drought affects horses, please email me or click on the comments link at the end of your post to add your thoughts.

I hope you will take these drought posts to heart and realize the interconnectedness of all things equine, all around the world. May your water buckets be full and your paddocks green.

Cinnamon Seniors: A Simple Anti-Carb Supplement for Horses with EMS?

My list of kindred blogging spirits is growing! Today I discovered a new blog, called "Paws, Claws and Just Tack" from the Animal Care Center in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Since the pergolide crisis last month, EMS has been on everyone's minds. I've been hearing about feeding cinnamon on my EquineCushings list-serve and the vets from Colorado concur that the dusty spice may be helpful, or at least not harmful, to horses with Equine Metabolic Syndrome, aka endocrine-related challenges such as insulin-resistance. Hmmm...I may try some myself!

Shawn K. Wayment, DVM writes from Colorado:

"Several nutritional supplements have been advocated in the treatment/management of EMS. One of interest is the use of cinnamon to aid in the treatment of EMS. Cinnamon has been shown to exert some beneficial effects on humans with type 2 or adult-onset diabetes, and it is unlikely to have any negative or harmful side effects on your horse. Equine nutritionists have recommended administration of 4 tsp per 1000-lbs horse per day.

"Other widely recommended dietary supplements include chromium picolinate and magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium. Omega-3 essential fatty acids (found in Flax seed oil 4 to 6 tsp per day) have also been shown to be beneficial to horses with EMS.

"Also, it has been recommended to add these supplements to soaked beet pulp instead of grain. Eliminate sources of easily digestible carbohydrates such as grain, sweet feeds, carrots, apples, and lush grass."

Good luck to Dr. Wayman and the other vets at Animal Care Clinic. I am a staunch advocate for vet clinics having blogs so that vets and staff can post medical or emergency information without having to track down an IT person or learn code.

Please email me if you find other horse-health blogs out there on the web! Please read Dr. Wayment's complete post on EMS, it has some good information. And be sure to check with your own veterinarian for a confirmed diagnosis if you suspect your horse is affected by this--or any--disorder.

CBS News Visits "Old Friends" Retirement Home for Famous Racehorses

The "Old Friends" Thoroughbred retirement farm in Georgetown, Kentucky will be the feature of a segment on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric on Thursday, June 7th.

CBS News correspondent Richard Schlesinger and his producer, Chloe Arensberg, visited the 52-acre farm last week to tape the segment.

They spent several hours with the farm’s 23 retired racehorses, including Eclipse Award-winning turf champion Sunshine Forever, the first stallion ever to be returned to the United States after standing at stud in Japan; eight-time stakes winner Ruhlmann; hard-knocker Swan’s Way; West Coast star Special Ring; and Popcorn Deelites, a gelding that appeared in the Oscar-nominated film "Seabiscuit."

"Mr. Schlesinger had a great rapport with the horses, and I’m sure that will come out in the piece,” said Old Friends founder and president Michael Blowen, a former Boston Globe film critic.

Thanks to supporters' donations, Old Friends grew from a fund to a farm, and is now sanctuary to 23 former race horses, including four retrieved from Asian stud duty. Bowen launched the organization after learning that Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand and stakes champion Exceller had both been sent to slaughterhouses overseas when they were deemed no longer useful at stud.

“One of my theories has always been that famous racehorses are tremendous tourist attractions,” added Blowen. “In retirement, they can generate a lot of income that could benefit less-fortunate horses.”

An interesting fact about Old Friends is that it is the only rescue farm that will accept stallions. In fact, most of the horses are stallions. The farm is open to the public for tours and many people enjoy seeing the famous horses in the flesh. Together, they can relive the glory days of thrilling stakes victories.

For a former racehorse, every long, lazy day at Old Friends is a glory day, of a different sort...the sort too many ex-racehorses never have a chance to experience.

Did You Know...The Price Really is Right?

Are you ready for the media blitz? The Price Is Right TV game show host Bob Barker is retiring on June 15, after 35 years of hosting the show that you probably have seen only when you were home with the flu. Or maybe you really do know how much that dinette set is worth and want to pit your wits against the TV audience.

Before you throw something at your television throughout all the upcoming tributes to Barker, consider this:

Six of the nation's premier law schools--Columbia, Duke, Stanford, UCLA, Yale and Northwestern--have each been given $1 million endowments to train future animal law attorneys. That $6 million came from Bob Barker, who was here in Boston recently to speak at the 2007 Animal Law Conference at Harvard Law School.

The new legal study institutes at the Barker-funded universities will help train lawyers to specialize in cases involving animals and provide a resource for lawyers and lawmakers in the field who find themselves involved in interpreting, making or defending laws that affect all animals, including horses.

Harvard received a separate endowment from the producers of TPIR to establish the Bob Barker Endowment Fund for the Study of Animal Rights. The Fund will support teaching and research at the Law School in the emerging field of animal rights law.

Bob Barker heads his own DJ&T Foundation, the purpose of which is to help control the dog and cat population. He funds the foundation's work through his own resources.

Barker made news two weeks ago by donating $300,000 to rescue Ruby, a foot-sore elephant, from her concrete-floored pen at a Los Angeles, California zoo. Thanks to Barker's donation and the publicity it generated, Ruby now lives at the Performing Animal Welfare Society Elephant Sanctuary in San Andreas, southeast of Sacramento. Meanwhile, the LA Zoo has announced construction of a $39 million, six-acre Asian elephant exhibit called the Pachyderm Forest, where elephants will be able to roam more freely, on natural footing.

The final episode of Barker-bedecked TPIR will be broadcast Friday, June 15. The 83-year-old Barker has won 17 Emmy awards.

"I'm going for the truck and trailer, Bob..."

PS While writing this post, someone peeked over my shoulder and told me that Bob Barker has a sordid past with regard to women. I don't know about that, since I'm not tuned into the entertainment world. I am sorry if his current good works are not enough to make up for the past and have mixed feelings about posting this now, but I also believe that people can change and hope that is the case here. I also hope that others will follow his example of helping animals through the legal system...or helping animals at all.

Photo courtesy of the DJ&T Foundation

Curiouser and Curiouser: Horse Slaughter to Resume in Illinois in Spite of Governor's Signature on Ban

The manipulation of the US legal system continues in the ongoing attempts of foreign-owned horse slaughterhouses to operate outside the law. Both Illinois and Texas, where the last slaughterhouses operate, recently passed or upheld in court existing laws that prohibit horse slaughter for human consumption of horse meat. Yet the pro-slaughter forces continue to fight in court. In Illinois, slaughter at the DeKalb plant will resume while lawyers prepare to argue the constitutionality of the new law.

The Chicago Tribune is doing a good job of covering this issue.

Another Event Horse Fatality: Eight Saint James Place Collapses After XC at Jersey Fresh***

Today was another dark day for eventing.

The United States Eventing Association is reporting that Laine Ashker’s Eight St. James Place collapsed and died at the finish line on cross-country day of the Jersey Fresh*** horse trials at the New Jersey Horse Park. According to the web site, an FEI investigative panel has been convened to review the circumstances surrounding the collapse, and a necropsy will be done.

Biographical information about the horse from the Crow's Ear Farm web site: "Jamie", as the horse was called, was a 12-year-old off-track Thoroughbred from California bought by Laine's mother as a resale prospect. Instead, he turned into a keeper and carried Laine to high-placing results at the Junior Olympics, Young Riders championship, around the Rolex (Kentucky) event twice, as well as Fair Hill, etc. In 2005 they were the highest scoring Americans at the Blenheim*** in England.

The rising-star rider is also a blogger; you can read her notes on this horse on her blog at http://www.laineashker.blogspot.com; she describes taking the horse to Dr. Reynolds Cowles at Blue Ridge Equine Clinic for a "spa" treatment before leaving for the event.

Laine's web site is http://laineashker.com/

Top Show Jumper Dies in Europe, EHV Possible Diagnosis

Oasis, one of the world's top show jumpers, died last week at Brazilian rider Rodrigo Pessoa's training center in Belgium.

On the 24th of May, grooms discovered that the horse was ill. Immediately, a team of veterinary experts from Europe, Brazil and the USA were at work to save one of the champion´s main horses.

Oasis is owned by Hunter Harrison's Double H Farm in the United States; according to Pessoa's statement, Harrison stayed in touch by telephone as decisions were made on the horse's treatment and prognosis.

Sadly, the horse on whom Pessoa won the Grand Prixs of Faalsterbo, Lanaken and Brussels in 2006 and many important qualifiers during the Winter Equestrian Festival in 2007, did not respond to treatment and died that evening.

Famed trainer and rider Nelson Pessoa, father of Rodrigo, was on hand to oversee the effort to save the horse.

Rodrigo Pessoa commented on his web site:

"It is in these moments that we realize that there are things which we cannot control and that are more important than the day to day problems. I am extremely sad with the loss of one of the best horses. I have had in all my career. He was known as a small horse, but his courage and qualities surpassed everything. Life goes on and we will look for other horses of his quality to be able to compete for the victories."

Pessoa cancelled his participation in the Wiesbaden show jumping events in Germany last weekend. He was expected to leave for the United States shortly later last week.

Information for this post was provided by the Pessoa stables.

Post script: Phelps Media Group in Florida is reporting that the cause of Oasis's illness and death was Equine Herpes virus (EHV-1). The horse competed at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida this winter, site of a much-publicized outbreak of the disease, although the disease is believed to be prevalent at many sites and to be carried in a dormant state by many horses. Because EHV is handled differently in Europe it may not be clear how the disease would be diagnosed, if the stable is quarantined or how the test results, if positive, would affect Pessoa's other horses and the future of his competition schedule. I am trying to contact the Pessoas again and will update this post. Thanks to our globe-trotting friend Sandy Johnson for her help with this sad news.