Stranded Aussie 3-Day Horses Find a Support Community Amidst National Equine Influenza Emergency Lockdown

It's hard to find good news to report this week, but Franz Venhaus from the Equestrian Federation of Australia (EFA) sent a note today that seems illustrative of the Aussie national character in the face of adversity.

To review: Equine Influenza has never been known on the Australia/New Zealand subcontinent. The horses are not vaccinated and are basically defenseless. EI is believed to have escaped from a Japanese racehorse in quarantine outside Sydney in New South Wales (NSW), perhaps because of lax health procedures in personnel who contact horses outside the quarantine station as well as within it.

The disease showed up in some horses from Sydney at an event near the Hunter Valley breeding center (Think: the Ocala of Australia), about four hours' drive from Sydney. By the time it was recognized, horses from the event had returned home to points all over eastern Australia. Many continued to a World Cup qualifier horse trials in Warwick in southern Queensland (get out your map of Australia!).

Once EI was diagnosed, the government of New South Wales imposed a mandatory lockdown of racing, showing, and transporting horses or horse feed, bedding, etc. Not even empty horse trailers could be on the road. Racehorses weren't even allowed out on the tracks to train for fear of contact. That NSW ban was quickly followed by a nationwide ban, and many countries closed their doors to horses that had been in Australia. New Zealand in particular was wary, and still is.

Imagine the disappointment of riders trying to qualify for the World Cup and/or the 2008 Olympics when their big event was cancelled. Imagine their reaction when told that the 300 horses could not compete but that they couldn't leave, either.

Franz writes in his email today:
"About 250 horses are stilled stranded at Warwick in southern Queensland (QLD), following the cancellation of the World Cup Eventing qualifier and of associated competitions.

"Our President, Geoff Sinclair, and I happened to be at the venue for the event and assisted organisers and Queensland state officials to manage the crisis. FEI vet Julian Willmore did an outstanding job in very difficult circumstances.

"In the meantime, the Qld Government has pulled out all stops to assist with the situation and under State emergency legislation has turned the site into a self-countained mini-city ("Morgantown") with portable classrooms for the school children there, paying for all feed, veterinary and other horse care, employing the vets on site, providing three meals a day and setting up an emergency fund of $20,000, which is managed by the local council.

"The town of Warwick has rallied to provide additional food and other items and is raising more money to assist.

"Our thanks and congratulations for such a marvellous effort!"

It sounds like Gilligan's Island, outback-style.

Meanwhile, the disease has spread to the beautiful racetrack at Randwick, in suburban Sydney, where eight horses have tested positive and one horse has died. About 700 horses are in training there, and the disease is expected to spread quickly through them. Until today, all cases had been in the pleasure horse community, except for the quarantine horses.

According to the figures reported by the Australian Broadcast Corporation, 488 horses on 41 properties are infected with horse flu in NSW and a further 1646 animals suspected of having the virus.

It's still winter in Australia (although Queensland is semi-tropical) and the breeding season is about to begin. One of the world's greatest stakes race, the Melbourne Cup, is coming up.

Or so they hope.

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES CHAIR IN EQUINE REPRODUCTION

(edited press announcement)

Colorado State University's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences today announced the establishment of the Iron Rose Ranch University Chair in Equine Reproduction, funded with a $3 million gift.

The chair will enhance the college's work in equine reproductive performance and the position will be awarded to a professor at a future date in support of the Equine Reproduction Laboratory team.

The Iron Rose Ranch Chair creates a tenure-track position in the university in the equine reproduction program. With the addition of the new Iron Rose Ranch Chair, endowed chairs at the college now number six.

The Equine Reproduction Program at Colorado State has a long history of developing techniques for the equine industry. Started in 1967, today the laboratory is internationally renowned for its reproductive research. Several of the program's discoveries directly benefit human reproductive and fertility medicine. Over the past 30 years, the laboratory has developed techniques such as collection of semen and artificial insemination, recovery and transfer of equine embryos, shipping of cooled semen and shipping of cooled embryos that are now routinely used in the equine industry.

Iron Rose Ranch, located near Carbondale, Colorado, specializes in breeding some of the finest cutting horses in the nation. This is the second chair established at Colorado State by the Iron Rose Ranch. The first, the Iron Rose Ranch Chair in Equine Musculoskeletal Disease and Injury, was created in 2004 with Dr. Chris Kawcak, as associate professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences, named to fill the chair.

Since then, Kawcak and Dr. Paul Lunn, head of the Department of Clinical Sciences, have continued to work with the Iron Rose Ranch on additional funding opportunities within the college. The new Iron Rose Ranch University Chair, noted Perryman, is a result of their joint efforts.

University of Queensland Researcher Finds New "Bugs" In Horse Hind Gut

Two new species of bacteria have been discovered in the gut of horses. Streptococcus henryi and streptococcus caballi, were found by accident by UQ veterinary science PhD student Gabriel Milinovich while researching the hoof-deteriorating disease of laminitis.

Mr Milinovich made the discoveries in 2004 in horses at St Lucia but has only recently classified and confirmed their existence. He said he did not believe the bacteria, two of thousands found in a horse's gut, were related to laminitis or harmful.

The 27-year-old researcher said he named streptococcus henryi in honour of Dr Dick Peter Henry, a UQ veterinary microbiologist who continued his research up to his recent death at age 78.

Streptococcus caballi was named in honour of the riding horse which is most prone to developing laminitis.

Milinovich's research will be published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. He is supervised by Professor Chris Pollitt, Dr Darren Trott and Dr Paul Burrell.

(post edited from a university press release)

Late Great World Champion Dressage Mare Cloned by French Owner

One of the most bizarre horse news stories of recent years has taken yet another zany twist: a clone has been created of the late great world champion dressage mare Poetin, who died of laminitis in the midst of a stormy international sale transaction.

Here are some excerpts from the August 22nd press release sent out by Cryozootech, the French cloners-for-hire:

Cryozootech is happy to announce the birth of the clone of 2003 dressage world champion Poetin 2, a Brandeburg mare that died prematurely in 2005. This achievement illustrates the use of the cloning technique for genetic safeguarding.

Poetin 2 was born in 1997. This Brandeburg mare has an interesting life story:

Poetin 2 from Sandro Hit and Poesie by Brentano, was promised to a bright future: she won the German championship and the world championship in dressage for young horses, with so far unequaled scores (a 10/10 for her trot). She was sold for 2.5 million (Euros) in 2003 to an ING Bank / van der Zwan farm (Netherlands) consortium.

(French owner) Xavier Marie acquired Poetin at a dispersal sale in 2005 after the consortium broke up. Unfortunately, when she reached his place, Poetin 2 had acute laminitis from which she did not recover. She was euthanized in December 2005. A lawsuit ensured.

Knowing of Cryozootech's work for genetic preservation, Xavier Marie asked for her cells to be collected beforehand, with the objective in mind to get a replacement for his horse. Poetin's clone was born on March 30th, 2007. Now she frolics in paddocks of the Haras de Hus near Nantes on the west coast of France.

In other news: The firm reports that their first clone of a gelding has managed to successful breed a mare. Simultaneously, a research pony mare and the first horse clone to be born, is also pregnant, due to foal in 2008.

Aussies Stop in Their Hoofprints: Nationwide Ban on Horse Movement; All Races, Shows, Events, Transport Shut Down for 72 Hours

Australia's a big country. And not an equine is stirring today.

Nor a horse van, nor even a feed truck or a hay trailer. The country has stopped dead in its hoofprints, by government decree. It's a true state of emergency.

They are even recommending that people tie up or confine their dogs.

From my friend Geraldine, editor of the Horsepoint e-newsletter and web site in Australia's state of Victoria; up to this point the government had only been concerned with the state of New South Wales, where Sydney is located:

A National “Stand Still” has been put in place to prevent further outbreaks of Equine Influenza. The Stand Still is in effect for the next 72 hours. The Stand Still cancels all movement of horses in Australia and requires the cancellation of all horse events.

How it works:
The Chief Veterinary Officers of other states and territories, together with industry representatives agreed at this morning to recommend a 72 hour national standstill on horse movements, starting from 1.00 pm today as part of a coordinated national response consistent with Australia’s veterinary emergency plan (AUSVETPLAN).

The purpose is to reduce the risk of spreading infection by avoiding congregations of horses from different origins. Racing clubs and other equine associations are being asked to cancel or postpone any meetings or events.

Owners are also being asked to limit contact between their horses and other horses as much as possible and not to move their horses.

For events already underway, organizers are requested to contact the State Department of Agriculture regarding advice on how to manage the standstill in relation to these events.

For states other than NSW, some movement of horses in transit will be allowed to continue, if they had already left their usual place of residence. They will be able to return provided that the journey can be completed expeditiously:

• only within the state
• preferably completed within 4 hours
• completed with no contact with other horses not of the same consignment
(or at the same event).
• The movement is directly back to the premises from which the current
journey originated and on which the horses had been held or were present
immediately prior to the recent movement.

Note that for NSW a complete standstill applies i.e. no movement at all. On return home the horses should be isolated from other horses and watched closely for fever and respiratory signs. Equine influenza can be spread by humans so wash hands and change clothes before handling other horses. All horse owners should keep a close watch on their animals and report any signs of fever, coughing or respiratory symptoms to their local veterinarian.

More information is available from the Australian government at this web address:
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/horse/influenza


Thanks to Geraldine for keeping us posted. She's also been helpful in advising this blog on the effects of the terrible drought in Australia on the horses there. Australia has been a tough place to be in the horse business this year.

Cushings-sufferer Slew 'o Gold Keeps His Cool in Kentucky Heat Wave

Here's either the best or worst news of the day.

First, the bad news. Pensioner stallion Slew 'o Gold is suffering from Cushing's disease.

More bad news: the heat wave continues in Kentucky.

Still more bad news: Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky, where Slew 'o Gold stood at stud (as did his father, Seattle Slew) is known for its beautiful barns. Unfortunately they have an open layout and are difficult to heat or cool.

The good news: The farm has wrapped Slew's stall in plastic and installed air conditioning.

I'm happy for Slew 'o Gold, but it makes me wonder about all the other older horses in the hot zone. I know that few, if any, are as lucky as Slew 'o Gold.

Slew 'o Gold will always be remembered for breaking the taboo against running races--and winning--wearing bar shoes. He had a wonderful career full of dramatic finishes--and problem feet.

Read the complete story from Three Chimneys Farm in yesterday's Lexington Herald-Leader here.

Photo links to www.kentucky.com

This Horse Is Underdressed for Our Neighborhood

Fall fashions are arriving in the stores; why should horse fashions be any different?

Here we have a press photo for the new fly sheet/wrap/hood from Anky Van Gruvsnen's line of horsewear from Holland.

We could use a few hundred sets of these outfits around here: both West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis have been found in our local trailriding area.

The temptation is to wrap the horses up and turn them out, soaked in fly spray. The problem with that is that the forecast is for 96-degree heat today.

What's wrong withs picture? Anky forgot to design matching leg wraps. We are fighting not only mosquito-borne horse viruses but also the ubiquitous Lyme's disease carried by ticks. The ticks crawl up the horses' legs (and mine).

All three insect-borne diseases are a risk to both horses and humans here.

I think we should all stay in today. I regret not having an air-conditioner on days like today. The Travers Stakes from Saratoga will be broadcast on ESPN from 4-6 pm.

Pray for frost.

Australian State of New South Wales Reacts to Equine Influenza in Sydney: No Movement of Horses Allowed

Today was a watershed day for the horse world of Australia.

Until today, the disease of equine influenza (EI, or "horse flu") had never been found in a horse in Australia or New Zealand. You may remember the careful quarantine protocol for the Olympics in Sydney; the Aussies took no chances.

Because the disease is unknown there, horses are not vaccinated for EI. Compare that to Japan, where every horse is required to be vaccinated.

Eleven horses in Sydney's Centennial Park, where 700 horses including the mounted police horses are now quarantined, have tested positive for EI; the source of the disease is unknown. Meanwhile, five of the world's most valuable Thoroughbred and Standardbred stallions have also tested positive, but they remain in quarantine at the import station, along with 70 other stallions who will not be released to begin the September 1 breeding season.

The state of New South Wales, where Sydney is located, has ordered a cessation of horse activity and movement. It is mid-winter in Sydney, and the breeding season is about to begin. The elegant racetrack at Randwick in Sydney is closed to prevent infection. The year's biggest races including the world-famous Melbourne Cup, are coming up in the next few months.

If you have ever traveled to Australia or New Zealand, you know that this is no joke. Inspectors come on board the plane when you land and spray inside the overhead bins. They inspect your luggage with a vengeance, looking not for guns or drugs or even toe-nail clippers but any sort of food or fruit that could harbor a fly or mite or weevil.

Our friend Franz Venhaus at the Equestrian Federation of Australia shared this announcement from his government:

"Following the confirmation of Equine Influenza in horses stabled at Centennial Park in the center of Sydney, the NSW Minister for Agriculture has canceled all horse events and all horse movements in NSW. Seven hundred horses near Centennial Park have been quarantined.

"We urge all horse owners and riders not to transport their horses and to avoid making contact with other horses. They should thoroughly wash after contact with their horses. They should also watch out for any symptoms of infection in their horses, like a raised temperature, nasal discharge and coughing, and if present, report this firstly to their vet and, particularly if groups of horses are involved, call the disease emergency hotline 1800 675 888.

"All equestrian events in NSW are to be called off pending further information on the extent of the Equine Influenza outbreak.

"Equine influenza (EI) is an acute, highly contagious, viral disease which can cause rapidly spreading outbreaks of respiratory disease in horses and other equine species. EI is exotic to Australia and would have a major impact on the Australian horse industry if it were to become established here.

"New South Wales Department of Primary Industries is sending Inspectors under the Stock Diseases Act 1923 to inspect horses where there is concern that they may have been exposed to an infected horse."

Good luck, Aussies.

Walking Horse Trainer Admits to Illegal Hoof Trimming and Shoeing

New rules in place at the 69th Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration - which began this week in Shelbyville, Tennessee– offer some signs of progress for an industry that has been plagued for decades by the specter of soring. But recent allegations of illegal and inhumane training methods serve as a reminder that the industry is still under close scrutiny.

In a letter sent this week to Hon. Charles Crawford, Bedford County, Tennessee District Attorney General, The Humane Society of the United States urged Crawford to investigate an alleged case of "pressure shoeing" and pursue, if warranted, animal cruelty charges against Tennessee Walking Horse trainer Dick Peebles and the farrier who allegedly performed the pressure shoeing. The Humane Society of the United States also offered assistance in investigating this case.

" At a time when some trainers and leaders in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry are trying to implement reform and finally put an end to soring, those individuals that refuse to comply with state and federal law and continue to abuse and molest these magnificent animals should be held accountable," said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for The Humane Society of the United States. "Those who practice the illegal act of pressure shoeing should be rejected by the entire Tennessee Walking Horse industry."

"Pressure shoeing"– generally held to be the most egregious form of illegal horse soring – is the trimming a horse's hoof so the shoe puts painful pressure on the horse's sole, forcing an exaggerated high gait. In some instances, foreign objects are placed between the sole and the shoe or pad which is nailed to the hoof, to create painful pressure on the sole.

On August 15, the Walking Horse Trainers Association (WHTA) Board of Directors and Ethics Committee issued a report detailing an investigation of Mr. Peebles' alleged shoeing violation. According to the report, Mr. Peebles, while not admitting guilt, agreed to accept responsibility for a shoeing violation and received a five-year suspension penalty, a penalty reserved for pressure shoeing under the USDA Horse Protection Act Operating Plan.

The WHTA's suspension of Mr. Peebles' trainer's license may not actually prevent him from training horses, or his clients from showing them. The suspension was not implemented and is not enforced under the Horse Protection Act, but rather the WHTA's own rules and ethics code; therefore, he is not officially banned from showing under any law or governmental regulation.

The "World" of Equine Infectious Diseases: Australian Quarantine Station Hit by Equine Influenza

Australian broodmares may be left waiting at the breeding shed this year. The breeding season in the Southern Hemisphere launches next week and many of the world's premier "shuttle" stallions will be kept in extended isolation at a quarantine station after an outbreak of equine flu.
The outbreak was reported today by the Australian racing news agency, Racenet.

A shuttle stallion is one that serves mares in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres; these stallions are breeding mares during the January-March season in the North and September to November in the South.

Thoroughbred racing and breeding is set up for foals to be born at a certain time of the year, as they all age one year on January 1 in the Northern Hemisphere, and July 1 in the Southern Hemisphere. Earlier foals would be larger foals at the time of yearling sales or more mature when they are ready to race, so breeders are always trying to get their mares bred as early as possible. A significant effort is also made to breed the mare back on the "foaling heat" instead of waiting for her to cycle normally.

Racenet is reporting that the stallions, many of whom are already booked for Australia's top mares, will be required to stay at the quarantine farm for another 30 days. Every time a new horse at the farm comes down with the flu, the release date is extended another 30 days.

Among the horses detained is the American champion Bernardini, winner of 2006 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, who is in his first year of breeding service.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the quarantine affects two groups of recently-landed Thoroughbreds, totalling about 80 top stallions from leading international stud farms.

Kiwi Horse Leaves His Medical History at Home and Romps in US Win

Crossing the Line did just that, and ahead of his rivals. The New Zealand-bred colt easily won last Saturday's Del Mar Mile at Del Mar Racecourse in Southern California. But there's more to this horse's story.

The colt has had ankle surgery, and also survived major colic surgery early in his career in New Zealand. Once racing, he "bled" (showed signs of exercise-induced pulmonary hemmorhaging), which is not allowed under New Zealand racing rules. There is no Lasix (the medication that inhibits the condition) in most countries outside the USA.

(See my July 24 post for more on bleeding policies in New Zealand vs the USA.)

So, with known leg, intestinal and lung problems, the horse was shipped to the USA, given Lasix last Saturday, and he won not only a prestigious grass stakes race with a large purse, but also qualified for a place in the gate at the Breeders Cup in October, since the race was a Breeders Cup qualifier.

This is a Cinderella story if there ever was one; the New Zealand press is comparing it to the script of the recent Hollywood movie "Dreamer".

It's a long time until October; let's hope Crossing the Line stays healthy!

Sentrex Seminar on Bone Healing: You're Invited!

(from invitation)

SentrX Animal Care, Inc. will host a reception for the equine community at the Embassy Suites in Lexington, Kentucky, on Friday, September 7, 2007. The event will feature a keynote from Louise L. Southwood, a prominent large animal veterinarian, who will present an update on SentrX’s equine bone healing work.

“We are honored to have such a notable veterinarian as Louise discuss equine bone healing,” said Dr. Richard Koehn, president and CEO of SentrX Animal Care, Inc. “SentrX’s products accelerate the healing of wounds in horses with minimal scarring. The equine community has successfully put our products to use and we are excited to provide them a brief update on our work.”

Louise L. Southwood, BVSc, PhD, DACVS, DACVECC, is an Assistant Professor of Large Animal Emergency and Critical Care at New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

Event Details:
Friday, September 7, 2007
5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Embassy Suites
Lexington, Kentucky
1801 Newtown Pike

To learn more, visit www.sentrxanimalcare.com

Japan Racing Association Cancels Racing as Flu Spreads

An outbreak of equine influenza in Japan has caused sufficient concern to cancel racing in the country through this weekend, according to the Japan Racing Association (JRA). At some tracks, the ban has been extended to August 23.

Also at risk are some of Japan's top international stakes horses, who will be affected by travel bans imposed by other countries. Delta Blues was scheduled to travel to Australia as defender of the Melbourne Cup.

Even worse news is that, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, leading turf horse Meisho Samson has tested positive and will not be traveling to France to run in L'Arc de Triomphe.

The last time that flu forced the JRA to cancel races was in 1971, when racetracks were shut for nine weeks after 1800 of the JRA's 7000 Thoroughbreds became ill. Since then, the JRA has required all horses to be vaccinated.

It is not clear from reports exactly what strain of flu has hit the Japanese horses. JRA has curtailed all transport of horses between farms and training centers, cutting many horses off from the opportunity to train.

It's Not Just Dogs...

The recent publicity about an NFL (football) player being accused of hosting illegal dogfights has raised a lot of people's awareness of what I call "the pit bull underground". I'm not sure if the publicity will help put an end to the practice or pique people's interest in aggression as a spectator sport.

But are you aware of the "sport" of horse fighting? It works basically the same way as a dog fight. A mare is presented to two stallions and they battle each other before a cheering throng. The International Fund for Horses has a fact sheet on horse fighting that should be sufficient to shock you.

The Philippines is the country where horse fighting receives the most publicity, but apparently China and Korea allow the sport as well. Historically, Iceland and Scandinavia embraced horse fighting as an ancient tradition. On July 17, a scheduled horse fight in the Philippines was canceled to comply with the country's animal welfare laws.

Youtube.com has a growing list of horse fighting videos you can watch, if you have the stomach.

If this sounds barbaric, consider this: Four days ago, on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 the last legal cockfights in the USA were held. Louisiana and New Mexico were the last two states in the USA with legal cockfighting.

And how about camels? Turkey is one country that boasts of matches between trained wrestling camels.

Animal fighting is a worldwide activity.

(Photo links to International Fund for Animals web site.)

Dr. Larry Bramlage Honored by Turf Writers

Above: Dr. Larry Bramlage thinks on his feet during a live interview at a televised horse race. (AAEP photo)

The National Turf Writers Association has announced that Dr. Larry Bramlage will be the 2007 recipient of the Joe Palmer Award, named for the former New York Herald Tribune turf writer and presented annually for meritorious service to racing.

Dr. Bramlage is the renowned equine orthopedic surgeon responsible for developing many new procedures and for working on high-profile horses in need of leg surgery. While his day job may be as head surgeon at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, Dr. Bramlage has become well-known to the American public as one of the veterinarians who represents the AAEP in its "On Call" program to provide veterinary commentary on nationally-televised horse races.

In 2006, Dr. Bramlage had the tough assignment of providing expertise to the audience of the Preakness Stakes when Barbaro broke his leg. Dr. Bramlage was at the finish line and was trying to interpret reports sqeacking in his earphone from far up the track. Later, he had to speculate on what was going on in Barbaro's stall on the backstretch as he was prepared for transport to New Bolton Center. He remained remarkably cool on camera.

Bramlage is the second veterinarian to received the Joe Palmer Award; last year it was presented to Dr. Dean Richardson and the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for their work with Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.

Oklahoma State Spearheads New EHV Research

Dr. Lara Maxwell, Assistant Professor of Physiological Sciences at the Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, has received a grant from Grayson Jockey Club Foundation to study the efficacy of an antiviral drug to fight Equine Herpes Virus Type I (EHV-1).

The study will revolve around the testing of an antiviral drug called valacyclovir. Laboratory and live animal data suggest that this drug will be effective if given in the same doses that Maxwell’s team will be administering.

“We will test the drug to see whether it protects horses from EHV-1,” says Dr. Maxwell. “This is a two year study, but we hope to have preliminary results by the 2008 meeting of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). If the drug is effective, this project will have far reaching consequences for horse owners and the horse industry.”

“This virus can affect horses of any age, but causes different signs of disease in foals, pregnant mares, and in other adult horses,” explains Dr. Maxwell. “Recent outbreaks of EHV-1 at farms and racetracks around the U.S. have caused severe neurological disease in adult, vaccinated horses. Therefore, current vaccines don’t seem to fully protect these horses from the devastating affects of EHV-1.”

Dr. Maxwell will be collaborating with various researchers from the Veterinary Center and will also team up with colleagues Drs. Brad Bentz at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky, and George Allen, at the University of Kentucky.

(this report is edited from an OSU press release)

Heinz Hitch Moves to Funeral Duty at Arlington National Cemetery

A quick note: the next time you see a state funeral on television, look closely at the horses pulling the bier. Do they look familiar? Have you perhaps seen them somewhere before?

For years, the H.J. Heinz Company in Pittsburgh (the ketchup/pickle/condiment people) promoted their company with an impressive hitch of black Percheron horses. They toured the country and appeared at countless parades and fairs and special events and were highly respected in the upper echelon of heavy horse hitches. The company discontinued the hitch in 2006.

The news this week is that the horses will be able to stay together and receive the best of care. Heinz has donated them to Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington DC, where the horses will be used for graveside services.

If the famous cemetery seems like an unusual retirement home, consider this: company heiress Theresa Heinz is married to US Senator John Kerry, so Heinz does have some political as well as equine "pull" in Washington.

Lightning Strike Kills Three Horses, Spares Two, in Pennsylvania Pasture

Earlier this summer, I posted about the random and tragic effects of lightning strikes. Each year, we hear tragic stories about horses being struck by lightning while out in pastures. Often there is no way to prevent the strikes, since the storms come up suddenly or because horses can't be caught and brought inside in time.

And, of course, there are some barn fires each summer that are caused by lightning strikes. I have personal experience in that phenomenon.

Yesterday, three horses died when they were struck by lightning in a field near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is always a tragedy when this happens; this strike seems more poignant in that the horses were 4H mounts.

An account in the local newspaper tells of another effect of the strike. A mare and foal in the same field were not killed with the others. A veterinarian attending to them said that the mare would abort, and noted that her foal had burned hooves, indicating that it was effected by the lightning strike, but for some reason, was not killed with the others.

My ears went up with that news. I wondered if the other horses were all shod with steel shoes, which would serve as conductors for the electricity. A foal would no doubt be barefoot; perhaps the mare was as well. They may have experienced the electricity in the earth beneath them, but the electricity didn't get a little surge from the shoes.

Mother Nature went for the easiest targets. I hope the mare and foal will be ok.

Anthrax Kills 52 Animals, Including a Horse, in Canada

Unusually severe weather this summer continues to create unusually severe health conditions. The latest addition to the list is an outbreak of anthrax in Manitoba in central Canada, where a combination of abnormally wet followed by abnormally hot weather is believed to have stirred up anthrax spores that lay dormant in the earth.

Canadian TV's web site has a detailed report on the outbreak, which is believed to be the cause of death for 52 animals so far this summer, including a horse.

Anthrax is a highly contagious disease that is transmitted by spores, and can be spread to humans by infected animals.

Occasional outbreaks of anthrax are common after extreme weather patterns. The outbreaks usually happen in remote areas where cattle graze. If it happened in a densely populated area, the impact to both humans and animals might be quite different.

Apparently there is a vaccination for anthrax, but the Canadian farmers felt it was too expensive to vaccinate their cattle.

Foot and Mouth in England: Restrictions on Horse and Van Movement in Disease Zone

While most readers of The Jurga Report live a long, long way from the south of England, it is very instructive to pay attention to the systems being put in place there to contain a recent outbreak of dreaded foot and mouth disease.

I've made some previous posts this week about the disease itself and how it is spread; it can even be carried through the air on the wind. One area of great concern is that it would cling to trucks or be picked up on tires, so motorized transport in and out of the affected zone is being curtailed.

Surrey is a beautiful county south of London, stretching down to the coast. As I recall, the showgrounds at Hickstead are in Surrey, or very near there. It is a very, very horsey area.

The horse owners who suffer most are those who have cattle, sheep or pigs living on the same farm as their horses.

From what we are seeing on the news, this information is based on the situation earlier this week, but these are the basic rules. I think that the zone may be larger now.

If an outbreak happened here, how would you be affected? Coming as this does after more than 30 days of record-setting rain and the cancellation of many shows, horse owners in the zone may have been planning to show or sell their horses in August. Now they'll be staying at home.

The whole world is keeping an eye on Surrey, although you may not hear much about it on US news media. (Turn on your National Public Radio station and listen to the BBC World Report, or check out the BBC web site's FAM page for the latest news.)

MOVEMENT OF HORSES INSIDE PROTECTION ZONE
A nationwide ban on the movement of cattle and pigs has been imposed, with a three-kilometre protection zone in place around the affected farm in Surrey and a further ten-kilometre zone of cattle surveillance. An eight-kilometre aerial exclusion zone has been set up around the site.

Currently, horses can be moved in and out the protection zone only under licence — obtainable from the local Animal Health Office until further notice.

Horses cannot be moved from premises to premises within the protection zone if they are kept alongside ruminants (rough translation: cattle, sheep, etc. are housed on the same farm as a horse).

Horseboxes where susceptible species are kept cannot be moved without a licence (rough translation: if you have cattle, sheep etc. on your farm, you can't move your horse van or trailer).

Hacking (trail riding) within the zone is not allowed.


MOVEMENT OF HORSES OUTSIDE PROTECTION ZONE
So far, horses are not subject to movement restrictions and shows can take place as normal.

At present, horse travel overseas is not subjected to restrictions.

HOW FOOT-AND-MOUTH SPREADS
* Direct contact, from animal to animal
* Fluid from an infected animal's blister; saliva, milk or dung also pass on the disease
* Animals eating infected feed
* Virus can be spread by people or vehicles, if not disinfected
* Airborne spread of disease also possible
* Animals can begin spreading virus before visible signs of disease emerge.

Recent EHV in South Carolina Clarified

The Aiken Standard, a newspaper in horsey Aiken, South Carolina, has a report today that clarifies reports of an "outbreak" of Equine Herpes virus (EHV), Type 1, in Aiken.

Apparently only one horse is affected and is being isolated and treated.

Among other things, the article says:

"There isn't an outbreak of equine herpes in Aiken County," said Dr. Jamie Carter of Southern Equine Services, who is treating the horse.

"The horse is being treated and recovering very nicely. It was a voluntary quarantine at the farm, and no other horses on the farm have shown any symptoms."

The article goes on to quote Dr. Nicola Pusterla of the University of California at Davis, in an article in EQUUS Magazine. It does not mention what the origin of the horse's infection was or if the horse is a show or race horse that may have been off the farm recently. Many horses test positive for the disease without showing symptoms; symptoms (fever, nasal discharge, etc.) may erupt after a stressful incident.

EHV-1, sometimes called "rhino" or just "flu" in conversation, is a highly contagious viral disease. A powerful strain causing neurological symptoms is a great cause for concern when new cases are found.

The disease is spread primarily by horse-to-horse contact and by contamination, ckets, tack or almost any equipment or physical structure that can become infected when a horse sneezes.
Horse owners should know that state regulations regarding notification about contagious horse diseases vary from state to state and between diseases. In most states, the barn next door to yours could be experiencing an outbreak, but you wouldn't know it unless the information was publicized. In other states, cases must be reported to the state veterinarian's office.

More Rare Than Pandas: Poitou Donkeys Are Making a Comeback

One of the world's rarest equid breeds has good news this summer. Four Poitou (pronouncd "pwa-TOO") donkey foals were born on a British farm this spring, and they are attracting a crowd of visitors.

The long-haired and large (as tall as 16 hands) French donkeys were down to a population of less than 100 a few years ago but a handful of people around the world are making a strong effort to insure the breed will survive.

The BBC discovered the foals and has created a slide show and link-filled web page about them. You can watch a BBC video clip, too, complete with Poitou sound effects!

You can also visit the web site of Woodside Farm in Hampshire, England where the foals are growing up. The breeding operation is the brainchild of retired veterinarian Annie Pollock.

I have only seen one Poitou in my life and it was an impressive animal. I'll never forget it. Check them out!

Governor Schwarzenegger Declares State of Emergency in California Counties Hit Hardest by West Nile Virus

With the number of people in California infected this year with West Nile Virus (WNV) three times higher than the same time last year, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is declaring a state of emergency in Kern, Colusa and San Joaquin counties to prevent the spread of this mosquito-borne disease.

On August 3, the Center for Equine Health at the University of California at Davis issued a West Nile Virus alert on its web site saying, "The Center for Equine Health would like to remind horse owners to remain vigilant about keeping their horses' vaccinations current and to follow recommendations to prevent the spread of this mosquito-borne disease."

This year there have been five human deaths in California due to West Nile Virus; 64 human cases from 15 counties have tested positive for WNV in 2007. There have been 22 new WNV positive human cases reported in California this week.

On the equine front, five horses from three counties have tested positive for WNV in 2007.

There are many fewer horse cases of the disease this year, but the human cases are skyrocketing, from 20 at this time in 2006 to 64 this year.

California has created a very informative web site on West Nile at http://westnile.ca.gov/

Image shows the tiger mosquito, common host for West Nile Virus. Photo courtesy of Centers for Disease Control.

Cancel the Tivo: ESPN Dumps Horse Racing for Home Run Hero

Donato Hanover, shown here in training mode, is the favorite for Saturday's Hambletonian. Mark Hall/USTA photo

Yesterday I blogged about the dilemma of watching two racing telecasts on Saturday afternoon on different networks. ESPN announced today that it would show the races from Saratoga and Mountaineer Park on their digital network so they could show Barry Bond's attempt to break the home run record.

So, unless you have premium cable, let's all watch the Hambletonian, the world's greatest trotting race, from The Meadowlands on NBC at 3:30 p.m. And cheer for the filly, Pampered Princess!

Racing's Hottest Filly Is Just Plain Hot Today

If she was an Arabian or a Warmblood, she might live in a barn with AC but no such luck for Belmont winning Thoroughbred filly Rags to Riches. R2R shipped to Saratoga earlier this week after three days of examinations and diagnostic tests at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center. She was given a clean bill of health. R2R galloped around Saratoga for her trainer, Todd Pletcher, than exchanged exasperated looks with me. I felt about the same way that she looked. And it would get even hotter as the day wore on.

Very Bad News from England: Dread Disease Returns, All Transport of Livestock Halted

This news just in: Foot and mouth disease has been discovered at a farm in Surrey, south of London. The Brits are declaring an emergency and all transport of livestock is halted, according to the bulletin issued by the BBC news agency.

While foot and mouth does not affect horses, it makes it impossible for animals to move from place to place. In the 2001 outbreak, shows and race meets were cancelled, breedings to stallions went unbooked, vets and farriers couldn't conduct business normally. And that's for starters.

But those were only the short-term effects. Farmers across the country lost livestock, often because of mandated "cull" killings. British meat and young stock was not exported, prices were depressed, and many farmers were depressed and even driven out of business. Farmers were sold, hay and grain went unplanted or unharvested, and the very face of the countryside changed in a single year. Resorts and museums and bed-and-breakfasts stood empty, as people stopped visiting the countryside.

This horrible disease can even spread from farm to farm on the wind.

The only up side (if there is one) to the epidemic is that it brought the countryside together in grief and sometimes in anger and frustration over the cull and quarantine regulations that often seemed so unfair.

I remember visiting Wales and admiring a woman's border collies. "Oh, take them back to America with you, please, miss," she cried. "We have 23 needing homes." I was perplexed until she explained that she was re-homing farm dogs who no longer had farms to live on or livestock to herd since the outbreak of foot and mouth in 2001. Many farmers reluctantly killed their farm dogs with the livestock, knowing the only life the animals knew was destroyed. And some farmers ended their own lives.

This BBC bulletin is chilling news. And if you think it can't happen here....think again.

Update: The BBC has added much more information and video.

Photo of sheep farm culling courtesy of Lancaster University Institute for Health Research.

Time to Get Tivo? Horse Racing Telecasts Overlap on Saturday

Can she do it? Standardbred Pampered Princess, shown with caretaker Adam Hanley, is the lone filly in the 10-horse field of the $1.7 Million Hambletonian on Saturday. She won her qualifying heat last week. Mark Hall photo, courtesy of HRC Communications.

Months go by without any horse racing televised on non-subscription stations, and this weekend we will have a battle for viewers between top Thoroughbred and harness races. Sadly, the competition will probably hurt both events and reflect badly on TV viewership of horse races.

On ESPN, we will have a marathon broadcast from 3-6 pm (Eastern) with the Darley Test Stakes from Saratoga and the West Virginia Derby from Mountaineer Park.

What we won't have (unless things change) is the $1 Million Haskell from Monmouth Park in New Jersey, where Preakness winner Curlin will run against Hard Spun, Any Given Saturday and several other survivors of the 2007 Triple Crown.

The Haskell is especially interesting this year because it will give these horses a race over the track that will host the Breeders Cup races in October.

Over on NBC Sports, beginning at 3:30 Eastern, harness fans can watch the $1.7 Million Hambletonian from The Meadowlands in New Jersey. The qualifiers are complete, and heat winner Pampered Princess will try to pull off a Rags to Riches act by beating the colts.

The Princess gets my vote.

Or, if you have the latest tech, you can watch both.

Blue Hors Matine Still Injured, Will Miss Euro Championship

The popular Grand Prix dressage horse Blue Hors Matine will not represent Denmark as expected in next month's European Dressage Championship in Italy. The mare was injured while being unloaded at the FEI World Cup at Las Vegas in April and has not sufficiently recovered, according to a statement by rider Andreas Helgstrand on the web site, eurodressage.com.

Helgstrand won the national championship in Denmark last week. He will be riding the Oldenburg stallion Blue Hors Don Schufro, a 14-year-old son of Donnerhall, in Italy and point Matine toward the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Matine seems to have reached cult status over on youtube.com, where you can now watch 33 videos of her! One is a re-mix of her 2006 World Equestrian Games silver-medal dance-like- performance to the music of Bryan Adams.

Spanish Riding School Donates Oats for Bosnian Lipizzans; Controversial Serbian Farm Inspected

The Spanish Riding School in Vienna showed solidarity with other traditional national stud farms this week when it announced that the Austrian institution will donate 24 tons of oats to the historic Lipizzan state stud in Bosnia.

The oats, grown at the Spanish Riding School's famed stud farm at Piber, will be shipped to the Bosnian stud at Vucijak, said Armin Aigner, director of the School.

At a meeting of European stud directors, Aigner heard about the problems that the small, state-owned stud was having to obtain good food for its 90 Lipizzan horses.

The Spanish Riding School and Austria's environment ministry decided to help the Bosnian white horses by providing food for about one year.

Breeding records show that there are still strong bloodline connections between the horses in Bosnia and the famous Lipizzans bred in Austria. The breed remains essentially unchanged since the baroque era.

Meanwhile, not far away, Serbian officials have Lipizzaners on their minds after charges that horses from the Croatian stud are not receiving proper care.

According to the Balkan news agency Beta, the horses were brought to north Serbia from Lipik, Croatia, in 1991 to protect them during the war.

The Lipizzaners are at a farm northwest of Belgrade and are the source of a dispute between Serbia and Croatia over ownership and the cost of care.

Earlier this week, animal protection groups and the media reported that many of the horses were sick and on the verge of starvation.

Serbian Agriculture Minister Slobodan Milosavljevic visited the farm to examine the horses and said he found nothing to warrant concern. The Beta news agency also quoted veterinarians saying they had examined 74 horses and all were healthy.

Olympic and Pre-Olympic Equestrian Events in Hong Kong Will Be Steamy, FEI Vets Warn

A new report from the FEI veterinary committee was published recently. Among the veterinary concerns are the heat and humidity in Hong Kong, where the equestrian events of the 2008 Olympics will be staged.

Seventeen horses and their riders will soon arrive there from France, Britain the United States, and other nations, joining 20 local horses in dressage, jumping and eventing competitions from August 11-13.

Some highlights from the report:

The climatic conditions in Hong Kong (HKG) at the time of the 2007 test event, as well as during the 2008 Olympic Games, will be very hot and humid. Studies carried out thus far have indicated that the climate may be a bit worse than those encountered during the Atlanta Olympics, with an additional risk for rain, thunderstorms and typhoons.

To this effect, the FEI has three reserve days in the competition schedule, in case the competition runs into weather delays. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index may well reach levels of around 30 (Celsius) and preparations to manage the heat load in the participating horses are fully underway.

The competition format for all disciplines has been adapted to take in the evening and thereby profit from more agreeable climatic conditions. The eventing cross-country will take place in early morning. Cooling facilities such as ice, shade, water and misting fans will be available; it is recommended that all teams make sure that aggressive cooling protocols have been rehearsed prior to arrival in HKG.

At the same time, it is very useful if the normal weight of the horse is known. Horses shortlisted to travel to HKG should be part of regular weighing protocols as soon as possible.

The Welfare Sub-Committee of the FEI is attempting to set up a mini-symposium on heat and humidity between the test event and the 2008 Olympic Games. In addition, all federations sending horses to the test event will be asked to share research done on their horses with others, to make sure that the data collected benefit all involved.