World-renowned Neurology Expert to Deliver Milne "State-of-the-Art" Lecture at 2008 Convention

(received via press release from the AAEP)

Stephen M. Reed, DVM, DACVIM, will deliver the prestigious Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture on December 8, 2008 during the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ 54th Annual Convention in San Diego, California. Equine neurology is the focus of this year’s lecture, which is sponsored by AAEP Educational Partner Platinum Performance in conjunction with the AAEP Foundation, Inc.

Dr. Reed is widely recognized for his commitment to the horse, equine veterinarians and the equine industry. A diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, he developed an interest in the specialty of equine neurology and became recognized as an expert in this area. He has written and spoken extensively on “wobbler” syndrome, equine protozoal myelitis, head trauma and the neurologic examination.

In addition, Dr. Reed has authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications. He is an editor of Equine Internal Medicine, which is about to enter into its third edition. In 2008 he also co-edited with Dr. Martin Furr another textbook, Equine Neurology. Dr. Reed has received a number of recognitions for his work, including the Schering-Plough Animal Health and World Veterinary Association Award for Applied Research.

Dr. Reed graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1976. In 1983, he joined the faculty at the school as an assistant professor, rising to the title of professor in 1994. In 2003, Dr. Reed was named to the Jenne Professorship in Equine Medicine and Surgery. He received the award for Distinguished University Service in 2002 and The Ohio State University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2008.

In 2007, Dr. Reed retired from The Ohio State University as an emeritus professor. At the same time, he chose a new career path away from academia and now practices as an equine specialist at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. Dr. Reed considers the opportunity to assist in the mentoring of twenty-nine residents, more than twenty interns and hundreds of veterinary students as his most significant contribution to the veterinary profession.

The Frank J. Milne Lecture debuted at the 1997 convention in Phoenix, Ariz. Named for AAEP Past President and Distinguished Life Member Frank J. Milne, the lecture series features “state-of-the-art” information on subjects and techniques considered important to the equine veterinary profession.

Photo links to Ohio State University web site.

Earning Equestrian Royalty: Rodeo Queen Campaigns on Rescued Arabian

Sterling as he appeared at the time of his arrival at the rescue ranch in January.

It's been a long Sunday; I have been checking stories about horses from Sunday papers around the world, thanks to the Internet.

My favorite story this week is from Kansas, where fourteen-year-old Paxton Kerley won the competition to be the 2008 Chautauqua County Rodeo Queen. Paxton gives the credit to her horse, Sterling, a 26-year-old Arabian.

Riding such an elderly steed is worthy of praise in my book, but the story only begins with the horse's age.

Paxton borrowed Sterling from Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue and Retirement Inc. of Sedan, Kansas, where she is a volunteer.

Six months ago, Sterling was rescued from a neglectful owner and judged by veterinarians to be near death. He had teeth problems, worm problems, hoof problems and was severely underweight.

Talk about a makeover! Someone call Disney! This great story is told in today's Winfield Daily Courier. Click here to read about Paxton and Sterling's rise to royalty, and feel better about kids and horses and the world in general.

Paxton and Sterling training for the rodeo queen competition six months after his rescue. He is awaiting adoption and was loaned to Paxton, who volunteers at the rescue ranch.

Where I'm Glad I'm Not Tonight: Santa Cruz, California

there was a storm the other night, originally uploaded by DESERT SE7EN.

Is Big Sur burning? Santa Cruz is. Wildfires are blasting through canyons in Northern California, fouling the air breathed by humans and horses and putting many horses in the direct path of danger.

More than 500 horses have been evacuated from the uber-hip hill town of Santa Cruz, south of San Francisco, according to a report in San Jose's Mercury News.

Horses of every breed, type, and size have been led, ridden and hauled down from the hills. The newspaper reports estimates that nine horses died in the fires. More than 200 were moved in the past few days and were bedded down at a county fairground. They've been allowed to return home now.

They are safe, for now. They are the lucky ones.

Thanks to Desert Se7en for the blog photo.

Where I Wish I Was Tonight: Hoofing the Light Fantastic in Aachen!

It's a special night in Aachen, Germany. As I write this, the Symphony Orchestra Aachen, directed by Marcus R. Bosch, is tuning up in Aachen's beautiful Deutsche Bank Stadium. The program will include Tschaikowsky's "Swan Lake" and waltzes by Strauss as well as parts from the musicals "West Side Story" and from "My Fair Lady".

But the orchestra will be on the sidelines. In the arena will be celebrity riders like dressage great Olympic Champion Monica Theodorescu and current World Champion in Vaulting, Kai Vorberg. They'll be riding under theater lighting, and interpreting the music with their horses.

The concert is one of many star-studded events that make up the World Equestrian Festival, which opened last night in Aachen. Many of the world's top equestrian athletes will compete over the next week at the Festival, which will be a final test before many of the horses enter quarantine for the Olympics in Hong Kong.

Aachen is the quarantine site for many of the European and American horses who have qualified for Hong Kong.

Admitting there's a "YOU" in "Fugly": Unwanted Horse Coalition Meets in Washington; Free Download of Summary

Who's Fugly today? Fugly Horse of the Day is a blog that delivers a swift kick to the sensitive parts of the horse world. Anyone who thinks he or she is insulated from charges of cruel or questionable practices should think again; this web site has its camera lens focused on all of us. This video is a montage of photos from the blog. If you don't believe there are horses in need in the USA, just click on the "play" icon. "FHOTD" features a few stunners every day, and the blogger never seems to run out of horses. While her anger is apparent, it is a deadeye aim at humans. Humans make a horse Fugly, just because humans make horses, often for all the wrong reasons. (Images in video are direct from YouTube and attributed without explanation by FHOTD; you would have to go through the blog to read each photo's story.)

Many people in the horse world think that all this "unwanted horse" business does not apply to them. It's someone else's problem.

Make that everyone else's problem.


The way I think of it is: If you know that every horse you have owned in your life ended his or her life in the care of a concerned human (preferably yours), maybe you have a clear conscience. But for many of us who have sold a horse on and don't know how its life ended, there is always that little wisp of a cloud of doubt.

Could one of those horses in one of those videos have been your Misty, your Dusty, your Snowball, your Frosty, your Moose, or even my Skeeter?

We hate to think about it, but we have to. And we have to do a lot more than think about it. We have to do something about it.

This week in Washington DC, the American Horse Council and the US Department of Agriculture presented a full day's forum on the status of unwanted horses in our country. The report is slim, and grim. Full of things we already know, questions we have already asked, but the fact that people at the top of the decision-making and influence-peddling heap are paying attention is a ray of hope in a cloud-filled sky.

What can you or I do? Dr. Tom Lenz, representing the American Association of Equine Practitioners, summed it up for me: “Buy rather then breed. Adopt rather than buy. Find alternative careers. Euthanize rather than discard.”

It's time for the AAEP and the AVMA to put that mantra to work. Every time a vet leaves a barn, a card should be left behind with that advice. Posters need to go up in feed stores and at showgrounds.

I know that veterinarians, feed stores, tack shops and yes, horse magazines and web sites, make a lot of money from horse breeding, whether it's selling foal halters or stallion ads or performing AI and ultrasounds on mares.

I saw a bumper sticker from the dog side of the world. It read something like: "DO NOT BREED....when so many are in need!" We need a lot of those printed up with horses on them instead of dogs.

Most days, I force myself to visit an unpleasant blog called "Fugly Horse of the Day" and recommend it to you too. I think "FHOTD" must be the most popular horse blog on the entire Internet. It is irreverent. It is cruel. It is downright nasty. It makes me cringe. But I keep going back, because it keeps going on.

Each day, the blogger finds and ridicules a horse-for-sale ad found on the Internet. Most feature poorly-conformed products of what has come to be called "backyard breeding". Other days she takes aim at trainers or show practices. Some posts show tiny children playing under the hooves of "unbelievably gentle" stallions that are for sale. Some horses are shown in barbed-wire prisons. Others are deparately thin or deformed. Shrill-sounding owners plea for someone to "rescue" their lame, exhausted bred-to-death older mares who can no longer produce. Grade "stud colts" who should have been gelded years ago strut their pathetic stuff and fall prey to the blogger's ridicule.

She (I assume the blogger is female, but I could be mistaken) coins new words for bad colored horses, such as "hideozygous". She can and will make each and every one of us flinch, sooner or later. For many, the graphic language and in-your-face style are too much. For others, it's refreshing that someone has finally taken off the rose-colored glasses and shown us the reality of the American horse-owning public.

What keeps me coming back to FHOTD is the perpetuity of it. She never runs out of bad horse ads. She never quavers from her mission. Each blog post has hundreds of responses from her readers. This tells me that there is an endless supply out there of these horses.

Around here, land may be too valuable for people to have horses they don't use (or can't use). The cost of keeping a horse may too high for there to be too many field-bred accidents born each year, but I know there are some. And there are people everywhere who ride horses with ill-fitting tack, or do just plain dumb things (sometimes by accident). Horses get hurt because of owner ignorance regardless of zip code or boarding costs per month. And hurt horses in the unwanted pipeline go down quickly, until they end up on a trailer bound for Mexico or Canada, a long, long way from the green pastures that older horses romp through in fairy tales.

We invite you to download this article (see link below) on the unwanted horses meeting and read it. Get informed with these basic facts and then figure out where you're going to start to lend a hand. You can begin today, with a donation of time or cash to responsible horse rescue groups and sanctuaries who are hard at work trying to turn unwanted horses into wanted ones.

I hope your first pony lived out its days under the apple tree with Black Beauty and Ginger. That's the way it's supposed to be, but Fugly reality is haunting me. How about you?

AHC-USDAUnwantedHorsesFile.pdf

California Reports First Confirmed Case of West Nile Virus in Horses for 2008

The first positive equine case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in California in 2008 has been reported in Riverside County, southeast of Los Angeles. The affected horse, a 15-year-old Quarter horse gelding, died of WNV disease complications, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture today.

WNV is a mosquito–borne virus that was first detected in the United States in 1999 in the New York City area. It may cause a wide range of clinical illnesses from mild, "flu-like" symptoms to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) that may be fatal to both humans and horses. While horses are susceptible to WNV, many horses infected with the disease will not develop any illness and will recover uneventfully. Currently, there is no specific treatment for WNV.

California became the focus for West Nile Virus in 2004 with 540 confirmed clinical equine cases. Over 40 percent of clinically affected horses died or were euthanized. However, in 2006 and 2007 there was a significant decrease in confirmed equine cases with 58 and 28 cases, respectively.

Signs of West Nile Virus in horses include stumbling, staggering, loss of coordination, muscle twitching, circling, and inability to stand. Birds serve as the primary reservoir for harboring the disease. Mosquitoes transmit the disease to humans and horses after feeding on infected birds. Once infected, horses do not spread the disease to other humans or horses.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is urging horse owners to consult their veterinarian to ensure each horse is current on West Nile Virus vaccinations. It is also important to practice mosquito control methods to aid in reducing mosquito-breeding sites.

For more information on West Nile Virus in horses, visit http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/ah/wnv_info.htm.

Thoroughbred Filly Dies of Rabies Despite Vaccination

The rabies virus as seen through the microscope. (University of South Carolina photo)

From the Animal Health Lab at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada comes this sobering report:

Recently in Ontario, Canada, a 15-month-old Thoroughbred filly was suspected of suffering the muscle disorder commonly known as "tied up" just one hour after appearing normal and being brought into the barn. Over the next 42 hours the horse's condition worsened drastically until she was unable to stand.

The horse was euthanized and her remains were sent to the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) at the University of Guelph for necropsy.

Testing of spinal cord samples showed that the horse was infected with rabies virus, and specifically the Arctic fox strain. This type of infection was very widespread in foxes in the second half of the 20th century, but is now seen mostly in skunks in restricted parts of Ontario.

It is important to note that this horse had been vaccinated with a killed 3-year vaccine product at 4 and 5 months of age. Newer DNA vaccines that are now used in horses for West Nile disease, and have been studied for use in equine rabies, may hold promise for better protection in the near future.

Efforts by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources have greatly reduced rabies in Ontario to the point where in 2007 there were only 106 confirmed cases of rabies in Ontario (with no horses affected). This case illustrates the need to consider rabies as a rule-out in any horse showing neurologic signs, regardless of vaccination status.

USDA Ease on Quarantine is Music to the Ears of Dancing Stallions

Entertainment horses like the white stallions of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna will be able to enjoy a more lenient import process while touring the USA in the future, according to the US Department of Agriculture's new ruling.

Need a good reason for a headache? Try importing a performing stallion troupe into the USA from a CEM-infected country. (CEM stands for Contagious Equine Metritis, an equine venereal disease) The paperwork and quarantine could take longer than the tour!

This has always been a known obstacle to the tours of groups like the horse-circus/opera Cavalia or the regal performances of the centuries-old Spanish Riding School Lipizzaners from Austria. A 2007 outbreak of CEM at the SRS forced cancellation of the 2008 USA tour, which is now being re-scheduled.

The new plans should be easier, thanks to an announcement made today: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has amended its import rules to allow noncompetitive entertainment horses to be temporarily brought into the U.S. from countries affected with the venereal disease, Contagious Equine Metritis. The final rule, titled Temporary Importation of Horses: Noncompetitive Entertainment Horses From Countries Affected with Contagious Equine Metritis, is effective July 7, 2008.

Noncompetitive entertainment horses are those that participate in performances or exhibitions and are not entered into competitions, such as races or shows. Examples of such horses include circus horses, the Spanish Riding School's Lippizans of Austria and the Lusitano and Andalusian performance stallions in Cavalia.

The final rules allow these non-competitive entertainment horses to enter the U.S. without having to be test bred under a special permit that is longer than the 90 day permit for competitive horses. The new rules impose additional requirements for the importation of these horses, including additional information that must be provided to apply for a permit and the plans and itineraries for housing, transit and performances while in the U.S. The permits, if approved, will last for one year, and the importer can apply to renew the permit.

The rules require that these noncompetitive entertainment horses be imported and maintained in the U.S. though a trust fund agreement executed by the horse’s owner or importer. This would ensure that the government is reimbursed for the services it provides, such as administrative costs and costs for a USDA representative to monitor the horses. The agreement is also intended to ensure that the importer will be able to fully uphold the requirements specified for these horses over extended periods of time.

Thanks to the American Horse Council for this update.

New Web Site Will Be Information Center for Equine Colic

The University of Liverpool in England has created an information-packed web site for horse owners concerned about immediate danger, risk factors,and recovery of their horses in the face of the complex equine condition we call simply "colic".

The University is opening its Centre for Colic Prevention and has partnered with The Glass Horse at the University of Georgia to present dynamic multimedia graphics showing how colic disrupts the digestive tract of the horse.

Click on this link to go directly to the new colic web site.

Law Prohibiting Double-Decker Trailer Transport of Horses Passed by Legislature in Rhode Island

This is a typical double-decker livestock trailer of the type that Rhode Island legislators are seeking to ban for the transport of horses within or through their little state. This one is in a classified ad and is being offered for $6500.

It's questionable whether a double-decker livestock trailer has ever even traveled through the tiny state of Rhode Island, or if anyone in the state owns one, but that didn't stop the state legislature from passing a bill that would outlaw moving horses in two-story, low-ceilinged trailers designed for short-necked livestock. The Humane Society of the United States reported today that the bill goes to the governor for a signature after today's vote.

Sen. Dominick Ruggerio, D-Providence, and Rep. Amy Rice, D-Portsmouth, introduced the legislation in response to a tragic accident last year resulting in the deaths of 18 young Belgian draft horses after a double-decker cattle truck overturned on the highway in Illinois.

Federal legislation is currently pending to ban the use of double-decker trailers for transporting horses (H.R. 6278), and to end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption and prohibit their export for slaughter in other countries (S. 311/H.R. 503).

Rhode Island has a good-sized horse population, although there are probably more boats than horses there. It was the home of Lincoln Downs, a Thoroughbred racetrack that closed in the 1970s.

National Zoo Switcheroo: Gelding Is a Stallion Again

National Zoo staff and a human urologist perform a reverse vasectomy on Minnesota, a Przewalksi's horse for the second time on Oct. 10, 2007, after the first attempt proved to be unsuccessful. Veterinarians placed Minnesota on his back for this procedure—a delicate task that limited the amount of time for the surgery, but allowed better access to the surgical site. Six months later, the Zoo’s veterinarians and reproductive scientists collected a semen sample from the horse that indicated the procedure had been a success. Photo Credit: Suzan Murray/Smithsonian’s National Zoo

The National Zoo is reporting that it reversed an equine vasectomy procedure performed on Minnesota, an endangered male Przewalski horse in the zoo's herd. The news story provided by the zoo does not go far in explaining if the horse had undergone a true castration surgery earlier in life. They did boast that this is the first procedure of its kind to be performed on an endangered equid species.

“The major challenge we faced was that this procedure had never been performed on an equid, let alone a critically endangered species,” said Dr. Budhan Pukazhenthi, a reproductive scientist at the National Zoo’s Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Va. “We had to develop all new protocols ourselves.”

The team sought the expertise of Dr. Sherman Silber, a St. Louis-based urologist who pioneered microsurgery for reverse vasectomies in humans and had been successful in vasectomizing and then subsequently reversing vasectomies in South American bush dogs at the St. Louis Zoo.

“Although our team is very experienced in horse anesthesia and surgery, by using the specialized professional skills of Dr. Silber, we greatly increased the likelihood of success,” said Dr. Luis Padilla, associate veterinarian at the Conservation and Research Center.

Silber, working with the Zoo’s team of veterinarians and reproductive scientists, first performed the operation on Minnesota in March 2007. That procedure proved unsuccessful, possibly due to the presence of scar tissue or the fact that the horse was positioned on its side, making it difficult to perform the surgery. Silber was confident that if the horse could be placed on its back, the procedure would be a success. Laying an anesthetized horse on its back for a prolonged period of time can be challenging due to their size and physiology. Veterinarians decided it could be done, but only if the surgery time was kept to a minimum. In October 2007, the team operated on Minnesota again—completing the procedure in an hour. Six months later, the Zoo’s veterinarians and reproductive scientists collected a semen sample from the horse that indicated the procedure had been a success.

“I’ve always dreamed of using my expertise to contribute in some way to wildlife survival,” said Dr. Silber.

National Zoo scientists hope to pair Minnesota with a suitable female later in the coming months. His genes will infuse genetic diversity in a Przewalski’s horse population that is based on genes from only l4 original animals. National Zoo scientists are researching ways to improve fertility and produce more offspring in the aging, captive population. Bolstering the population translates into more horses for future reintroduction programs, essential for a critically endangered species.

Currently, National Zoo scientists are working in remote areas of China using radio collars and Geographic Information System technology to map the movements of Przewalski’s horses reintroduced by Chinese colleagues into their former habitat.

This breakthrough also has important implications for how endangered species in captivity are managed. The new knowledge could allow males and females of a species to be exhibited together but temporarily prevented from producing offspring if the Species Survival Plan—a cooperative breeding program among zoos—does not recommend them for breeding.

Przewalksi’s horses are a horse species native to China and Mongolia that was declared extinct in the wild in 1970. Currently, there are approximately 1500 of these animals maintained at zoological institutions throughout the world and in several small reintroduced populations in Asia.

US Supreme Court Upholds Illinois Law Banning Horse Slaughter

The Associated Press has just released a story stating that the US Supreme Court in Washington DC has denied the appeal launched by Cavel International against the Illinois state horse slaughter ban that closed the DeKalb, Illinois slaughterhouse.

The judge did not comment on the ruling, and I have not yet learned which of the Supreme Court Justices heard the case.

A previous Federal Appeals Court hearing by Cavel also upheld the state's law.

If you know how to use the .gov research system or have access to an advanced database like Lexis Nexis, do a search for "Cavel International, Inc., v. Madigan, 07-962" and more details should be found.

"Madigan" is the case file name refers to Lisa Madigan, attorney general for the state of Illinois.

Legal-eagles may be interested in the ruling of the Federal Appeals Court in 2007, which can be downloaded at this link.

Cavel was the last horsemeat-for-human-consumption slaughter plant operating in the USA. Two plants in Texas had previously closed. Most of the horsemeat was exported to Japan or Europe.

While the judgements halted the shipment of horsemeat out of the United States, it did not necessarily halt the slaughter of horses, so the laws have become "be careful what you wish for" scenarios, since they specifically stop the slaughter of horses for meat but do nothing to improve the lot of horses at the bottom end of the sales ladder, who are still being sold at auction to killer buyers, and shipped long distances to Canada or Mexico. Many valiant horse rescue projects and groups have been attending auctions and "rescuing" otherwise bound-for-slaughter horses.

The onus is now on the US horse industry and "horse-anthropist" horse lovers to 1) re-integrate the majority of those horses back into productive lives in homes where they will be cared for; 2) humanely euthanize those that are in need of a kind end; and 3) support the rescue efforts and rehab facilities that are bringing these horses out of the auction pens.

Oh, yes, and 4) to build even more facilities to hold and care for and rehab many, many, many more horses yet to come.

I would also add that 5) someone needs to fund a public education campaign to assist veterinarians in communicating with horse owners about the consequences of future sale or the end of usefulness for their horses. Owners need to ascertain what choices are available and what the monetary and emotional prices of those choices are, well before the time comes to make those choices.

What did you do this weekend?

A Fire Runs Through It., originally uploaded by ms4jah.

Details about horses affected by the floods in Iowa and terrible fires in California and Nova Scotia have been tough to come by. I know that the Equine Emergency Teams are hard at work in California, thanks to reports via ham radio, but there's not much news from Iowa yet. Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and United Animal Nation (UAN) teams are headed to Iowa this weekend to help.

I hope to have more news to share with you soon. In the meantime, I thought I would share this haunting photo of what happened to plastic fencing in the recent southern California fires. Wooden fences would have burned, I suppose, so it's not the plastic's fault.

The photographer mentioned that the horses still stood in their fields, though the fences were down.

Click though on the blog caption to read the photographer's dramatic store. This photo was taken on an iPhone!

Severe Weather Tips for Horse Owners

I can't believe the news this weekend. In fact, I can't remember a time when weather-related tragedies have been so consistently in the news. My heart goes out to everyone in Iowa's floods and California's fires. I know there are horses in these places, and I hope everyone was prepared, although it sounds like the people in Iowa had no way of knowing the danger they were in.

So, it could happen to any of us, anytime.

After the recent tornado in Windsor, Colorado, veterinarians at Colorado State University compiled a list of simple hints and advice for horse owners in the event of a serious weather event or natural disaster in which horses are injured:

- Right now, not during an emergency, make contact with neighbors and be sure everyone has multiple halters, leads, ropes and first-aid kits on hand.

- First-aid kits should be stocked with bandage materials to treat lacerations and stop any bleeding while waiting for veterinarians to arrive.

- Have pain medications on hand such as Phenylbutazone (bute) or Banamine.

- Make sure horses are current on their vaccines, especially tetanus.

- If your horse is injured, call your local veterinarian to evaluate your horse and treat him on the farm if possible.

- If a wound or wounds are bleeding excessively, a wound is over a joint, a horse will not bear weight on one of its limbs, or the horse is showing signs of severe lameness, the horse may need to be hospitalized for treatment.

- Shock and dehydration is another concern during emergencies. Horses that are shaking or that are severely dehydrated may need IV fluids and hospitalization.

To that list, I would recommend buying a couple of good first-aid books...and reading them. (First aid for horses AND first aid for humans!) Also check with your local fire department for any recommendations that they have for evacuation routes or protocols for heavy snow, fires, bridge closures, etc. that might affect how you can transport your animals to a vet clinic or to a safe haven if needed.

It goes without saying that horses need to be schooled so they will load and unload quickly and quietly, whether by you or a stranger. Don't put that training off, even if you don't own a trailer.

Plan now. Just look at the news any night. It could be your horse running down the road away from a fire, or your horse swimming in the floods. Don't let that happen, if you possibly can!

Michigan State Vet School Opens New Clinic for Horses with Back Pain

Sport horse specialist Rob Van Wessum DVM will direct diagnosis and treatment at the new back pain clinic for horses at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. (MSU photo)

In mid-June, Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine will officially open the McPhail Equine Back Pain Clinic to meet the needs of horses with problems in their spines and back muscles. The clinic has a unique combination of professional expertise and state-of-the-art technology that holds great promise for horses with back pain.

According to the clinic’s director, Dr. Rob van Wessum, at least ten to fifteen percent of equine lameness problems can be traced to problems in the back. “If we did more research, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the percentage is actually higher,” he says. “People will often try to treat the lameness as a problem in the leg, when the problem is really in the back.”

Other performance issues, such as bucking, rearing, stiffness, and a general resistance to work can also be signs of a back problem, even if there are no overt signs of lameness, he adds.

In the last three years, Van Wessum has worked with about 500 equine back pain cases at the MSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) and reports that nearly all are now performing at their original level or higher. By opening a clinic at the VTH specifically devoted to this area, he hopes to bring this success to a wider audience.

Van Wessum himself is part of the formula for success. In addition to his 17 years of clinical expertise as a sport horse lameness clinician, he has experience as an internationally known rider, trainer, and judge in the sport of dressage.

Van Wessum uses several types of imaging to help pinpoint problems and treat them more accurately – fluoroscopy, Doppler ultrasound, bone scans, and (soon) MRI. Treatment is followed with a tailor-made rehabilitation program that is designed to increase the horse’s range of motion and speed gradually.

Client education is an essential part of the program.

“We show clients anatomical models and videos of how horses move and give thorough explanations during the clinical exam. If they understand why we are prescribing certain rehabilitation techniques they can, and do, become really committed partners in the rehabilitation process.”

He also will work with the client’s local veterinarian during the horse’s rehabilitation and will provide the vet with a video of the exam and all the information learned during the horse’s visit.

People are already bringing their horses from around the country to meet with van Wessum, and he makes it as easy for them as possible.

“We can help arrange transportation with a certified transporter and arrange hotel accommodations,” he says. “We do all the diagnosis and treatment in a reasonable amount of time, two or three days, so that clients don’t find it too hard to stay here with their horses.”

To schedule an appointment at the McPhail Equine Back Pain Clinic, contact the MSU Large Animal Hospital at (517) 353-9710.

Eventing Safety Summit Reports Changes to Be Made; Darren Chiacchia Speaks

Concerned members of the eventing and veterinary worlds met in Lexington, Kentucky this weekend to manifest immediate changes in the sport following the recent deaths of horses and riders at competitions. No one has more firsthand experience and more clout in their statements than former Olympic rider Darren Chiacchia of New York; he has made a near-miraculous recovery from injuries suffered this winter in Florida. Darren spoke at this weekend's meeting.

In the wake of several serious accidents to riders and horses in eventing over the last few months, USEF President David O'Connor and USEA President Kevin Baumgardner announced last week tha they would hold an emergency "Safety Summit" on June 7-8, 2008. Statement from Kevin Baumgardner and David O'Connor.

The goal of the Summit was to bring together all those concerned about the sport - riders, coaches, veterinarians, course designers, fans - in a quest to better understand what might be contributing to these accidents and to identify and agree on steps that can be taken to better protect horses and riders.

Preliminary reports suggest that action has been taken to supply frangible pins for more "breakaway" fences and that USEF will pay for necropsies of fatally-injured horses to determine the cause of death. Also, judges may have the authority to "yellow flag" or even "red flag" a rider and a reporting system for dangerous riding practices may be in the works.

Earlier this week, the FEI announced a "fall and you're out" rule change that will be used in the upcoming 2008 Olympics. It requires fallen riders on cross-country to retire rather than remount.

I am sure that USEF or USEA will supply official details in a day or so, and the information will be posted here. This post is just to report that the Summit did take place and action will be taken. One report said that 250 people attended the meeting.

NBC Sports' web site has an unofficial report summarizing the two-day meeting, if you just can't wait for the official summary from USEF and USEA, but I would be careful about hanging any hats on any of this until it is sorted out by affiliated/unaffiliated status of events and the levels of riders, which could affect events from Pony Club to advanced horse trials and three-day events.

Stand by for more news!

Michelle Nevin: Riding High on Big Brown

Click on the "play" icon to watch a collection of images of Big Brown's hardworking morning rider, Michelle Nevin, courtesy of Youtube.com.

Some of the most interesting people at the racetrack were done for the day by the time you and I were up this morning. A cadre of wiry armed men and women rise way before the sun is up and gallop, jog, breeze and otherwise exercise the millions of dollars worth of horseflesh boxed up US racetracks.

They don't have the luxury of lunging a horse for an hour before they put their foot in the stirrup. They get a leg up and they're off. Sometimes literally, as pent-up energy explodes once a young Thoroughbred realizes that the hotwalker just unclipped the leadline.

The morning riders have a face now, thanks to the crush of media surrounding Big Brown and his bid to win the Triple Crown on Saturday. The name is that of Michelle Nevin, the young Irishwoman who is assistant to trainer Rick Dutrow and keeps her eyes focused between Big Brown's ears as they prepare for Saturday's test.

Michelle spent time in Dubai this spring, where she saddled two winners in the Dubai World Cup. Kip DeVille and Diamond Stripes are both owned by IEAH, co-owners of Big Brown. And she wasn't wearing a veil. She has also helped train 1996 Grand National steeplechase winner Rough Quest back home in Ireland.

Born into a racing family in Fethard, Co. Tipperary, Michelle's star is rising. Should Big Brown win the Triple Crown, it will be Michelle's book we'll all want to read, not the jockey's. She's done all the hard work.

So just like last year, when Belmont winner Rags to Riches had a made-for-media female hotwalker named Isabel, there's a woman behind the celebrity horse. Let's hope we see Michelle in the winner's circle on Saturday. Look for her to be the one nearest the horse.

You can learn a lot more about Michelle in an article on the IEAH web site.

Michelle walks Big Brown around the shed row; they do the circuit a lot. Yahoo!Sports photo

Eight Belles Will Be Buried at Churchill Downs Museum

A month after her death in the wake of a stunningly-gallant second-place finish in the 2008 Kentucky Derby, Eight Belles is finally going to be laid to rest. The three-year-old filly was humanely destroyed after shattering both front fetlocks while being pulled up after the race.

Eight Belles will be buried beneath a tree to be planted in her honor outside the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs.

A press release from the track included more details and reactions:

"Churchill Downs and the entire Kentucky Derby family were devastated by the fatal injury to Eight Belles, and the shock of her tragic loss continues to resonate through our Company and our industry as a whole,” said Churchill Downs Incorporated Executive Vice President Steve Sexton. “Since her death, we have been exploring ways to pay tribute to her memory while supporting positive changes that will improve the health, safety and overall welfare of all racehorses.

"We are proud to announce these initiatives today in honor of the courage and brilliance that Eight Belles displayed in the Kentucky Derby, and we are committed to continued efforts on her behalf and on behalf of all of our equine athletes.”

The Churchill Downs Foundation and the filly's owner, Rick Porter, will each contribute $25,000 to the Eight Belles Memorial Fund, established by Thoroughbred Charities of America, for continued research into racehorse injuries and toward the retraining of retired Thoroughbreds for secondary careers.

Churchill Downs also announced that it is renaming the $150,000-added La Troienne in honor of Eight Belles. The Grade III stakes race for 3-year-old fillies will continue to be run on the Kentucky Derby Day undercard in 2009. The racetrack also plans to conduct an “eight bells” ceremony on Kentucky Derby Day in 2009 in the filly’s memory, with details to be announced at a later date.

“The past month has been a time of indescribable highs and crushing lows for me and my family,” said Porter. “We watched Eight Belles run the race of her life in the Kentucky Derby, and that should have been our proudest moment as well as hers. Instead, it all changed in an instant. We’re still grieving and struggling to accept her loss, but even in the midst of our sorrow, we are determined to see something positive come from her death. We are thankful for the support of Churchill Downs throughout this process and are glad to assist in funding the memorial efforts on behalf of our beloved filly. We’re very grateful for the short time we had her in our lives.”

The Kentucky Derby Museum will inter Eight Belles’ remains at the base of a tree to be planted in the filly’s honor. The memorial, located within the Museum’s courtyard near the gravesites of four Kentucky Derby winners, will include a bronze plaque dedicating the tree to Eight Belles’ memory.

“The amazing performance by Eight Belles in Kentucky Derby 134 won’t soon be forgotten, and we are privileged to honor her efforts and her sacrifice,” said Lynn Ashton, executive director of the Kentucky Derby Museum. “We hope our memorial will serve as a lasting tribute to this great filly, and remind every visitor who walks through our doors of her very special courage.”

Embryo Transfer: How Do They Do That?

This blog's recent post about the rising popularity of embryo transfer in the sport horse world elicited some questions...and comments. The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine prepared a briefing on this subject, and I've kept it on file. I'd like to share some of that helpful information with you.

For more than 20 years humans have reaped the benefits of surrogate mothering. Women who cannot maintain a pregnancy, or whose health would be endangered by pregnancy, can "donate" a fertilized egg to a surrogate recipient, who carries the baby to term.

In veterinary medicine, embryo transfer technology has been practiced for over a decade, and the procedure is increasing in popularity. Fertilized eggs are retrieved from donor horses and implanted in the uterus of recipient horses that can carry the foal to term.

According to Dr. Debra Sauberli, a board-certified theriogenologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, veterinarians will "flush" a fertilized egg out of a pregnant mare 7 to 8 days after ovulation.

To perform the flush, the vet inserts a catheter into the uterus. The catheter has a cup that fits over the cervix to form a seal, and a special solution is flushed through the uterus, a liter at a time. The flushed fluid is then filtered to separate cells and debris from the solution. The small amount of solution that is left is set in a Petri dish and examined under a microscope. A trained eye will find the egg, no larger than a speck of dust, somewhere at the bottom of the dish.

Immediately after flushing, a donor's embryo may be packed in a transport tube filled with a special solution and then placed in a cooled transport container (the same kind used to hold semen samples from stallions for artificial insemination) or transferred directly to a recipient mare's uterus.

Most recipient mares are housed in recipient stations, businesses specifically providing surrogate mares. Eggs are usually sent same-day air to a recipient station, where a mare has been synchronized in her estrus cycle to specifically match the donor mare's estrus cycle.

Most donor eggs are inserted into a recipient mare's uterus trans-cervically, through an artificial insemination straw inserted through the cervix. Eggs can also be implanted surgically. Research suggests that the surgical procedure has a slightly higher success rate. Although the surgical procedure is relatively simple, Dr. Sauberli points out that it requires more time and involves more risk and expense.

Since the procedure is costly, requiring special training and equipment, donor mares are usually valuable show or performance horses that will produce valuable offspring.

There are numerous benefits of embryo transfer for performing horses and older mares. Show mares can produce foals without interrupting their performance schedule. Donating an egg eliminates many risks associated with pregnancy, which may be important for performance horses or mares that cannot carry foals due to age, uterine problems, or lameness.

Embryo transfer can also increase the production potential of a single mare. A prized horse that donates multiple embryos to multiple recipients can pass on her genes to two or more foals a year (provided the horse registry allows this), rather than bearing a single foal.

University veterinary hospitals, private practice veterinarians, and specialized practices perform embryo flushing and transfer. Although most transfers to recipient mares are done at specialized practices called recipient stations, Dr. Sauberli says, "We are seeing more people who own both the donor mare and recipient mares. These recipient mares are usually grade horses or mares not of breeding quality. Instead of selling these excess horses, owners may keep them and use them as recipients."

Over the years, techniques and equipment have improved, making "direct-transfer" more feasible, economical, and convenient.

If you would like more information about equine embryo transfer, contact your local equine-specialist veterinarian.

Thanks to Kim Marie Labak, Information Specialist at the University of Illinois for explaining this procedure.

Teddy's Fund: Donate to Memorial Fund in Memory of Theodore O'Connor

Teddy, originally uploaded by J. Walker Photography.

The US Equestrian Federation has announced that a memorial fund has been launched to commemorate the affection we all had for Theodore O'Connor, a.k.a. "Teddy", the super-athletic sport pony lost in a tragic accident last week.

Donations will be used to fund the construction of a new cross-country obstacle for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in memory of Teddy.

If you would like to contribute to this memorial, please do so by visiting https://www.usef.org/_auaiframes/disasterrelief/teddy/teddy.aspx.

Teddy was euthanized last week at international event rider Karen O'Connor's training farm in Virginia after a tragic and freak accident.

According to USEF's report, the pony was spooked while walking to the arena for a morning workout.

“Teddy got frightened and bolted. He slipped running back to the barn and suffered a severe laceration to his hind leg, severing the tendons and ligaments,” said the O’Connors in a statement to the press. “Dr. A Kent Allen was on the scene immediately, and it was determined after examination that the injuries were catastrophic. Everyone who knew Teddy is devastated."

Teddy had recently been named to the "short list" to represent the USA at the 2008 Olympics in China. He wa the reigning Pan Am Games gold medalist in eventing.

Karen O'Connor's husband, Olympic gold medalist David O'Connor, is the president of USEF.

Thanks to Joshua Walker for allowing me to blog this photo.

Favorite Photo: Which Way'd He Go?

horse hoofs, originally uploaded by Miss-D80.

I love all the old stories about "Napoleon Shoes" (shoes nailed on backwards to fool trackers) and conquests of outlaws because a horse was tracked down because of a lost shoe or a bar shoe...but imagine tracking this horse?

(I don't know that the horse had five legs; the one of the left is probably from a teammate.)

The right front is probably what we'd call a rotational deviation of the limb from the knee. How the horse has gotten by and grown up to be working for a living is another big question.

Which side of the shoe do you think he wears down most?

Draft horses are amazing. They often endure bad shoeing, no shoeing, lousy confirmation, cracked feet, ringbone, sidebone...and just keep going.

Thanks to Miss D80 for the loan of her photo!