New Orleans Racetrack Closes as Gustav Approaches

New Orleans' urban Fair Grounds racetrack announced Friday that it will temporarily close all of its facilities beginning Saturday because of the projected track of Hurricane Gustav.

Gustav could make landfall as a Category 3 storm either Monday night or Tuesday morning along the northern Gulf Coast. Area governments are calling for recommended or mandatory evacuations beginning on Saturday.

"In this time, our primary focus is for the safety and well-being of our employees," said Fair Grounds vice president and general manager Austin Miller.

During Gustav, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana National Guard will be using Fair Grounds as a staging area.

No horses are on Fair Grounds' backstretch. The track's inaugural Quarter Horse meet concluded Sunday, and the backstretch will not open for the Thoroughbred meet until October 15.

Fair Grounds is the nation's third-oldest Thoroughbred racing facility, and has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Gustav Evacuation Plans: Mississippi Horse Park Open for Storm Avoidance

Here he comes.

Three days ago I was talking to someone at Louisiana State University who couldn't get a hotel room in Baton Rouge for his parents...because all the hotel rooms in the area have been booked by coastal residents hoping to avoid Hurricane (or Tropical Storm, depending on his mood) Gustav when he crosses the Gulf of Mexico on Monday.

And if he goes toward Texas instead of Louisiana, they'll just cancel the rooms.

But what about the horses? Are horse owners in the coastal zones planning to evacuate? Which way should they head? According to today's projected route, horse owners would be advised to head east of Louisiana, not west. You may remember that Katrina sent horses toward Texas as the Mississippi coast flooded. And the 1-2 punch of Rita hit west of New Orleans.

Many coastal horse owners will seek refuge at the Mississippi Horse Park near Starkville.

“We expect to see a lot of repeat customers from past hurricane evacuations,” said Bricklee Miller, manager of the Mississippi Horse Park and Agricenter. The facility is located on Mississippi State University’s South Farm.

“The horse park is an ideal facility -- far enough from the coast to be safe, but not too far to drive,” Miller said. “It has excellent stalls, arenas, RV hook-ups, showers and bathrooms. It is also a location that is very hospitable to other animals fleeing the storm with families.”

The horse park has 300 stalls and 150 RV sites.

“We want people to feel welcome and comfortable coming to this facility and to this community to ride out the storm,” she said. “In past years, local horse owners donated hay and assisted with animal care. Our intention is to expand our care for future refugees by providing snacks and a meal each day."

Dr. Carla Huston, an MSU College of Veterinary Medicine associate professor of pathobiology and population medicine, serves on the Mississippi Animal Response Team. This team responds after disasters and in emergency situations to assist with animal care and recovery.

“If emergency management is recommending people leave the coast because of pending weather, horses and other animals need to evacuate, also,” Huston said. “When a hurricane approaches, horse owners want to have their animals in the first wave of refugees leaving the warning area to avoid getting caught in traffic and risking overheating trucks pulling trailers.”

Certain measures should be taken before evacuation orders are given. Animals should have current tetanus shots, and owners should have medical kits packed with supplies for treating cuts and abrasions. Have paperwork such as Coggins tests, photos and descriptions of each animal handy.

“When evacuation orders are given, all people should leave. It’s not unusual to have to leave some animals behind during an evacuation. Make sure they have at least a week’s worth of food and water and some sort of identification on them,” Huston said. “Some people spray paint phone numbers on horses and livestock or use permanent markers on hooves. Identification tags can be woven into the mane to help reunite animals with owners if fencing is damaged.”

Secure all barn windows and doors. Depending on the structure, turning horses out to pasture could be the safest thing for them. Animals will still be at risk from flying debris, and they will need to have access to water and food.

When horses are taken to unfamiliar pastures, they may need help seeing wire fencing. If caught in stormy weather, horses may need some type of eye protection to keep them from becoming frightened and to protect their eyes from debris.

“Most people do not have horse blinders, but other materials can be adapted for that purpose. I’ve seen handlers use life jackets and bras to cover horses’ eyes,” Huston said. “During a time of stress, horses will be prone to specific types of injuries and illnesses including cuts and abrasions, colic and laminitis.”

Thanks to Linda Breazeale of Mississippi State University Office of Agricultural Communications for her help with this post.

The Games Aren't Over Yet: US Olympic Dressage Horse Tests Positive for Banned Substance

Courtney King-Dye and Mythilus; photo kindly loaned by Susan J. Stickle (thanks!)

The FEI today communicated that an additional doping/medication case at the 2008 Olympic Games has emerged. The charges concern US dressage rider Courtney King-Dye and her horse Mythilus, who tested positive for the banned substance Felbinac, considered a "medication class A" prohibited substance.

Felbinac is applied topically for the relief of local pain and inflammation and belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

King-Dye, who placed 13th individually in the Dressage competition, was officially notified on the morning of 22 August of the positive test result and the decision for provisional suspension was upheld that evening at a preliminary hearing before one member of the FEI Tribunal.

Later today, the US Equestrian Federation released information that Mythilus had been treated in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Clinic for artrial fibrillation as a result of stress from his trip. USEF's team veterinarian, Dr. Rick Mitchell, attended to the horse in close cooperation with the Veterinary Commission.

King-Dye and Dr. Mitchell believe that during treatment at the clinic, he may have come in contact with Felbinac. In discussion with King-Dye, USEF vets, grooms and physical therapists, no other explanation or conclusion was able to be drawn.

“Neither I nor my vets had ever heard of the drug Felbinac until we got the call about Myth's positive test,” said King-Dye. “We were stunned and baffled. We spent the entire day doing internet research on the uses for this drug and how it could possibly have gotten into my horse's system.

"As far as we could find it is not even manufactured, approved, or available in the US. My horse has had no soundness problems whatsoever, and I would have no need for an anti-inflammatory.

"Anyone who knows me knows whole heartedly that I would never dope my horse intentionally. It is cheating; it is not putting your best against the other’s best. I have never been in a more torturous and frustrating situation; trying to prove innocence is very hard. It saddens me beyond description that my whole reputation could be blackened because of this situation,” she said in an official USEF statement released today.

The FEI Tribunal stated in their Preliminary Decision that “there are circumstances in this case that makes it difficult to clear out how the Prohibited Substance entered into the horse’s system.”

“The USEF stands behind the FEI's initiatives to rid the sport of doping and to protect the welfare of our horses. We are equally supportive of Courtney in this situation as this substance was unknown to any of us until a few days ago,” said USEF CEO John Long. “It seems clear that Mythilus came into contact with it without Courtney's or Dr. Mitchell's knowledge.”

----

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"Rescuing" Horses, World War I Style: Consciousness-Raising British Horse Novel Wins Literary Prize

It's the end of the summer. Maybe you will be sitting next to a horse trailer at a show this weekend, waiting for your class, or be stuck waiting for the hay truck, or be flying back to college. You need something to read, right?

The book I have saved for this holiday weekend is Our Horses in Egypt by Rosalind Belben. It's a British novel about the unfair thing that happens to military horses at the end of wars. And what some people try to do about it.

What's amazing is that I received a notice today that the book has won the James Tait Black Prize for Fiction, a highly coveted literary award from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

The book features parallel stories: Philomena, a horse serving in Egypt during the First World War, and Griselda, her former owner who travels across Egypt to find her.

Random House's web site describes the plot: A lady's foxhunter's named Philomena, fat and lazy when she is requisitioned from an English field at the start of the First World War, sails for Egypt with the territorial regiment, the Dorset Yeomanry. She serves faithfully, charging the dervishes in the Western Desert and enduring the privations of Allenby’s great campaign in Palestine. She recovers from wounds to swelter through a summer in the Jordan Valley. She takes part in the triumphant advance on Damascus – only to be sold off in Cairo among the 22,000 horses left behind by the British War Office after the Armistice.

Years later, in 1921, the forceful Griselda Romney, now a war widow, has discovered that her old hunter, Philomena, could be still alive. With her six-year-old daughter, and of course a Nanny in tow, Mrs Romney sets out to Egypt, to find Philomena and to rescue her….

And that's just the beginning.

As you can see, the concept of "rescuing" horses is not a new one. Nor, in hindsight, are the adventures of women trying to travel independently, without male protection, far far from home in a country where war-weary horses didn't get any reward for their efforts. It's the way this story is told, and the time period it portrays that mirrors our current day, that will take your breath away.

And the judges said:

"That Philomena's stoicism and duty is as apparent as her owner's is testament to Belben's ability to give life and language to animals as well as humans. She does this without any sense of strain or anthropomorphism, through a rich and innovative use of language that never slips into the sentimental."

When interviewed, Belben (in photo, at left) said simply, "I'm very gratified and honored. I'm also rather touched. ­ Our Horses in Egypt is, after all, resolutely equine."

And so are we.

Order Our Horses in Egypt by Rosalind Belben through your local independent bookstore or call horse-book specialist Robin Bledsoe in Cambridge, Massachusetts: 617 576 3634.

Rabies Alert: Did You Mingle with the Horses at the Missouri State Fair?

We always think that the odds are long that mingling with farm animals and show horses at a fair or at the races will have a health risk, but that is exactly the case in Missouri this week. A young Saddlebred exhibited at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia has tested positive for rabies, and while the likelihood is small that he would have bitten anyone or that any people came into contact with his salivia, a public health alert has been issued.

Here are the facts from the State Department of Health:

The horse originated from Missouri and was a 2-year-old gelding (neutered male horse), bay (dark red, with black mane, tail, and legs). The horse was described as “medium” in size, standing about 15 hands (or 60 inches) at the withers, which is the area near the base of the mane. The horse weighed about 900 pounds. During the fair, the horse was shown in the Saddlebred Show and was stabled in Barn C.

Illness was first noted in the horse on August 17. Over the next day and a half, the horse developed severe neurologic signs and died the morning of August 19. The horse subsequently tested positive for rabies. People directly involved in the care of the horse are being contacted and are being assessed for possible rabies exposure and the need for rabies post-exposure treatment.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is requesting that persons who attended the Missouri State Fair between August 7 and August 9 contact their physician if they possibly had contact with this horse and any of the following occurred during their visit to the fair:

If the individual:

* was bitten by a horse;
* had contamination of a fresh open wound with saliva from a horse; or
* had saliva from a horse come in contact with eyes, nose, mouth or other mucous membranes.

Questions pertaining to human health aspects of this situation may be directed to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services at 573-751-6114. Questions pertaining to animal health may be directed to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health at 573-751-3377.

Florida Disease Update: Four Additional Horses Infected with EP

(This information is provided by the State of Florida. Please see the previous post on this blog about Equine Piraplasmosis (EP) in Florida for much more in-depth information. This post is simply an update.)

Further testing on samples from horses on the index premises in Manatee County, have
indicated that four additional horses on the premises are infected with the organism that
causes Equine Piroplasmosis (EP). The four positive horses were stabled in the barn with the
initial clinical horse. All other horses on the premises, which are managed separately from the
horses in the barn, were negative on testing. In addition, 20 ticks found at the premises were
identified as the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), which has not been shown to
transmit the disease between horses.

The preliminary investigation indicates that the transmission on the index premises may have
been caused by use of common needles between horses and not spread naturally by a tick
vector. The Department is continuing its investigation including additional horse and tick
surveillance of the area. As a precaution, 3 adjacent premises and 1 contact premises have
been placed under quarantine pending further sample collection and testing.

Today the State of Florida issued an additional update:

While Tropical Storm Fay delayed investigation efforts earlier in the week, additional samples were collected and tick inspections performed yesterday. Further horse testing and tick surveillance will continue over the weekend.

Currently the only premises with evidence of EP is the one index premise in Manatee County. There have been no additional clinical cases reported at this time.

While no states have restricted movement of Florida horses, Canada has advised the United States Department of Agriculture they will not accept horses originating from Manatee County, effective immediately. This ban will stay in effect until further notice.

Four Olympic Jumpers Test Positive for Capsaicin; Liniment Suspected

From the FEI, governing body of Olympic equestrian sports, comes this official notice just hours before the show jumping individual medal finals:

The following combinations will not be competing in the Jumping individual final competition held tonight (Thursday, 21 August). They have been provisionally suspended by the FEI further to doping/medication control tests that indicated the presence of capsaicin in each horse.

Bernardo Alves (BRA) on Chupa Chup
Christian Ahlmann (GER) on Cöster
Denis Lynch (IRL) on Latinus
Tony Andre Hansen (NOR) on Camiro

Capsaicin is classified as a "doping " prohibited substance, given its hypersensitizing properties, and as a "medication class A" prohibited substance for its pain-relieving properties.

As previously communicated, the FEI provisionally suspends all competitors who test positive in doping or positive medication cases at the Olympic Games in the interests of the integrity of the sport.

Christian Ahlmann was notified of his suspension yesterday evening (Wednesday, 20 August) further to receipt of the test results by the FEI from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Laboratory yesterday afternoon.

A preliminary hearing was held at 10h00 this morning (21 August) before a member of the FEI Tribunal who confirmed the suspension.

The other riders--Tony Andre Hansen, Bernardo Alves, and Denis Lynch--were notified earlier today (21 August) further to receipt of their positive test results this morning. All three of them were provisionally suspended.

Preliminary hearings were held with the respective National Federations in the following order: 14h00 – Brazil; 15h00 – Ireland; 16h00 – Norway. The hearings were held before a member of the FEI Tribunal who confirmed the suspension.

FURTHER STEPS

Confirmatory analysis of the B-samples will be carried out very shortly according to the accelerated procedure in place for the Olympic Games. Upon report of a positive B-sample result, evidence and written submissions will be requested from the rider, and a three member panel of the FEI Tribunal will be appointed. This panel should take a decision as to the applicable sanctions as early as possible further to the accelerated procedure, and providing for a hearing to be held as necessary. The competition results will be amended as indicated in the Tribunal’s final decision.

(end official notice)

Blogger's note: Capsaicin is the element of hot peppers that is so effective in many "heating" liniments for humans. (Think: "Deep Heet"). According to undocumented stories from other news sources, the riders are claiming that they did not know that capsaicin was in the liniments they use.

One of the questions about capsaicin is if it relieves pain effectively, does it also deaden sensitivity on pasterns and forelegs? Many show jumpers are accused, rightly or wrongly, of attempting to heighten sensitivity on the pasterns and forelegs so horses will not want to brush against a jump or rail.

Horse Sport Ireland claims that Lynch used the linment Equiblock under his saddle pad.

Norway may be stripped of its team bronze medal. This is the first Olympics with the capability to test for capsaicin. No eventing or dressage horses tested positive for it.

Scientists Announce New Test for West Nile Virus in Horses

A new test for West Nile virus in horses that could be modified for use with humans and wildlife may help track the spread of the disease, according to an article in the September issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

“Thousands of cases of West Nile virus have been reported worldwide, but 80% of infected people don’t show any symptoms,” said Dr Louis A Magnarelli, Director of The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, Connecticut, where the research was conducted. “It is important to have highly sensitive and specific tests to diagnose infections and also to help track the ecology and epidemiology of West Nile encephalitis.”

The Connecticut researchers have found that a new test designed to detect antibodies produced by horses is highly effective at diagnosing West Nile virus infections. Compared to the standard test for West Nile virus, the new test is much faster and gives accurate results. It was also useful in confirming past infections.

“Although the methods developed are for diagnosing West Nile virus in horses, the procedures can be easily modified to develop new antibody tests for humans and wildlife,” said Dr Magnarelli. “It is essential to test wildlife for infection to determine the ecological and epidemiological aspects of West Nile virus infections in nature so that we can try to control the disease by managing mosquito populations.”

Diagnosing West Nile encephalitis in ill horses helps to identify areas where the virus is spreading and to make decisions about vaccinating horses. Laboratory diagnosis can also clarify the cause of undiagnosed neurological disorders.

“We tested 43 privately owned horses for the infection. The results showed that none of the horses with undiagnosed illnesses had been infected prior to the 1999 outbreak of West Nile virus in Connecticut, USA,” said Dr Magnarelli. “This kind of information is useful in confirming the epidemiology of the virus; determining when it arrived in certain areas and how it spreads.”

West Nile virus infects a wide range of animals, including humans, horses, dogs, cats, bats, squirrels, rabbits and birds. It is widely distributed in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. It was first reported in North America in 1999, when there were human fatalities in New York City.

Since its arrival in the USA, West Nile virus has spread rapidly across the continent. The virus sometimes causes swelling of the brain, or encephalitis, which can be fatal. It is transmitted by several species of mosquito. Because the mosquitoes feed on so many different creatures the virus spreads quickly in areas where it has been introduced.

Missouri Reports Uncommonly High Incidence of Potomac Horse Fever This Summer

Potomac Horse Fever (PHF), a potentially fatal equine disease, is being reported among horses in the St. Louis area in unusually high numbers this summer. Dr. Philip Johnson, a veterinarian at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine specializing in equine medicine and surgery, said he has treated six cases of Potomac Horse Fever this summer and is aware of a dozen additional cases treated by St. Louis-area veterinarians. Johnson said the disease is uncommon in the Midwest.

“Potomac Horse Fever crops up as mini epidemics when conditions are right,” he said. “We don’t usually see it in Missouri and we’ve seen a lot of it this year on both the Illinois and Missouri sides of the Mississippi River.” Johnson said the wet summer and subsequent flooding would favor promulgation and dissemination of the infectious agent that results in disease.

Potomac Horse Fever is caused by Neorickettsia risticii, an infectious agent found in snails, swallows, bats and flies that live near rivers. Exposure in horses often occurs when flies – stoneflies, mayflies, dragonflies, damsel flies and caddis flies – pick up the infection in the river environment and then spread out. When they die, their bodies can fall onto pastures or water troughs where horses unknowingly consume them. The resulting bacterial infection of the large intestine can result in fever, colic, diarrhea, toxemia, laminitis and pregnant mare abortions. Without treatment, the disease is often fatal.

Fortunately, a new type of testing is now available to diagnose Potomac Horse Fever. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing involves examining an ailing horse’s blood and feces employing scientific processes similar to that used in DNA fingerprinting, Johnson said. When combined with observation of clinical signs, PCR testing is a far more accurate process to diagnose Potomac Horse Fever than old-fashioned blood tests, he said.

Once Potomac Horse Fever has been diagnosed, it can be treated using oxytetracycline, a medicine not commonly prescribed to horses due to the potential for side effects (including diarrhea, paradoxically one of the signs of Potomac Horse Fever), but that is effective in treating this disease.

If you suspect that your horse is exhibiting symptoms of Potomac Horse fever, no matter where you live, contact your veterinarian and request a PCR test. If you live in Missouri, you can also call the College of Veterinary Medicine's Equine Clinic at 573-882-3513.

Equine Piroplasmosis Case in Florida: First US Case Since 1988

Equine piroplasmosis is spread by ticks. It can be carried by several types of ticks, including the American dog tick, according to the AVMA.

Many horses are not allowed to be imported into the US because they come from countries where the disease of Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) is found. The US has not had a case since 1988, and the import restrictions have always been credited with eradicating the tick-borne disease.

So, today's news from Florida is a shock. We will print here the entire health warning from the Florida Department of Agriculture and warn Florida horse owners to keep an eye out for strange behavior and disease symptoms. The web site of the Florida authorities will be at the end of this post.

The infected horse is a seven-year-old Quarter horse gelding in Manatee County.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), an outbreak of EP in Florida in the 1960s was traced to a horse imported from Cuba. At the 1996 Olympics in Georgia, horses from EP-infected countries--which make up about 90% of the world--were not allowed to compete in the eventing, because of the risk of infecting countryside tick populations in the state. On the US and Canada, Australia, Japan and the British Isles are technically free of this disease.

Here's the official warning from the State of Florida:

Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson announced today that a Manatee County horse has been diagnosed with Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) - an animal disease that the U.S. has been considered free of since 1988.

Blood and tissue testing of a seven-year-old gelding that had been euthanized after a three-week illness confirmed the presence of the disease in the animal.

State officials immediately quarantined the premises in which the horse resided, as well as two adjacent properties containing horses pending a determination of their status.

An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the State Veterinarian’s Office to determine the source of the disease and whether it has spread beyond the immediate area where the infected animal was housed.

EP

Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) is a blood-borne parasitic disease primarily transmitted to horses by ticks or contaminated needles. The disease was eradicated from Florida in the 1980’s, and the tick species believed to transmit EP in other countries have not been identified in Florida in many years. This disease is not directly contagious from one horse to another but requires direct blood transfer. Human infection with equine piroplasmosis is extremely rare.

Acutely affected horses can have depression, fever, anemia (decreased red blood cells) jaundiced (yellow) mucous membranes and low platelet counts. EP can also cause horses to have roughened hair coats, constipation, and colic. In its milder form, the disease causes horses to appear weak and show lack of appetite. Some horses become chronic carriers of the disease.

ADVICE TO VETS AND HORSEOWNERS

Veterinarians, horse owners, and others in the equine industry in Florida are asked to monitor their horses carefully and contact their veterinarian if they suspect this disease. Because it is a disease that the U.S. has been free of for two decades, suspected cases must be reported to the Office of the State Veterinarian by law.

With the exception of the quarantined premises, there are no EP movement restrictions on horses within Florida or between Florida and other states. Horses entering Florida from other countries with Equine Piroplasmosis will continue to be tested prior to and following entry according to the current rule.

WHAT HORSEOWNERS SHOULD DO

1. Monitor your horse for the presence of ticks. Use commercially available topical products labeled for ticks if your horse is in an area where tick infestation is a problem. Most of these products are synthetic pyrethrins. Include an avermectin product in your deworming program to provide systemic treatment for ticks. Ask your veterinarian if you are unsure.
2. If you find large numbers of ticks or suspect piroplasmosis, please contact your veterinarian.
3. Do not share needles between animals during the administration of any medication or vaccinations. EP and other diseases can be spread by the introduction of blood cells from an infected animal into an uninfected animal during routine administration of injectable medications.
4. Continue your normal equine activities.

Additional updates and information will be posted to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry web site at: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ai/.

© 2006-2007-2008 The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines. All rights reserved.
http://special.equisearch.com/blog/horsehealth/

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Olympic Shock: Netherlands' #2 Horse Withdrawn with Injury

Imke and Sunrise in the team event earlier this week; the test was very light and graceful.

Amsterdam must be on edge tonight. Dressage rider Imke Schellekens-Bartels announced today that her spectacular horse Hunter Douglas Sunrise (sponsored by the window shade firm) developed an injury after the team dressage competition. She has withdrawn from today's individual grand prix special.

Schellekens-Bartels and the 14-year-old Sunrise were in fifth place after the team competition and had been second in the World Cup last year. They were highly regarded as contenders for a medal in the individuals.

Details on the injury are still sketchy at this point. The Xinhua News Agency in China quotes the rider as saying, "I can't believe it. The injury must have developed during the competition on Thursday. Before, she was 100 percent in order. But afterwards we noticed a small problem that could well develop into something bigger and could harm the horse. This is the last thing I would want."

The withdrawal is a further shock for Holland following speculation that dressage star Anky Van Grunsven may retire from competition after the Games. Anky finished second to Germany's Isabel Werth in today's grand prix special event. The third Dutch rider, Hans Peter Minderhoud, finished seventh.

Sweetness and Fight? Young Quarter Horses' Resistance to Training Increased with Addition to Sweet Feed to Diet

Young horses may be easier to train if they are temporarily taken off sweet feed, says a Montana State University study where two-year-old Quarter horses wore pedometers, wrist watches and Ace bandages.

A commercial mixture of corn, oats, barley and molasses -- generally called "sweet feed" -- gives horses the glossy coat and lively spirit that makes them attractive to prospective buyers, said Jan Bowman, an animal nutritionist at MSU.

But the extra energy provided by sweet grain during the early stages of training made the horses in MSU's study more disobedient and fearful than horses that only ate hay, Bowman said. The grain-eaters spent more time resisting the saddle. They startled easier. They bucked and ran more during training.

Early training, which usually lasts about 30 days, gives young horses the foundation they need for more advanced training, Bowman said. They learn to move sideways on command, for example. They learn how to move their front or hind feet in any direction.

"Results suggest that trainers under time constraints could increase their training effectiveness during the early stages of training by not feeding excess dietary energy," Wade Black wrote in a paper that will be submitted later this year to the Journal of Animal Science.

Black -- a horse trainer, instructor for the MSU Colt Starting class and one of Bowman's graduate students -- came up with the idea for the study when he was an undergraduate in her equine nutrition class, Bowman said. Black presented the findings to the American Society of Animal Science in June this year. He is still analyzing some of the data to see how the grain affected the horses' adrenaline during training.

The study involved 12 closely-related Quarter horses that came from one Idaho ranch, Bowman said. Black trained the horses for three weeks, five days a week at MSU's Miller Livestock Pavilion. Half the horses ate only hay. The hay was a mixture of grass and alfalfa. The other horses ate five pounds of sweet grain a day in addition to the hay. Both groups ate as much hay and drank as much water as they wanted.

Each horse wore a pedometer adjusted to its stride and attached with an Ace bandage to its left front leg above the knee, Bowman said. Each horse also had a combination wristwatch-heart monitor hanging from its saddle. The watch displayed minimum, maximum and mean heart rates detected by an electrode belt.

Black trained the animals for 30 or 40 minutes a day without knowing which animal had eaten grain and which one hadn't, Bowman said. She and Black then recorded heart rates and the number of steps the horses took during training. They scored behaviors like obedience, get-up-and-go and separation anxiety.

Horses that ate both grain and hay became more upset when they were separated from the herd, Bowman said. They whinnied more and were livelier and less submissive than the horses that ate only hay.

The study doesn't mean that trainers should keep grain away from horses forever, Bowman said. They might consider withholding it just during the early weeks of training.

"We don't want to give the impression that you should starve them in order to enhance their good behavior," Bowman said. "That's not the point of it."

Bowman noted that all of the horses in MSU's study gained weight during the study. It didn't matter if they ate hay alone or hay with grain.

Thanks to Montana State writer Evelyn Boswell and MSU News Service for help with this article. This study complements many recent comments from experts in the horse industry calling for a return to a "hay and oats" diet. Nutrition-specialist veterinarian Frank Gravlee, DVM, MS, CNS of Alabama has been a vocal proponent of reducing sugar in the diets of all horses.

USA Team Vet Reports on Horse's Condition, Health

Everyone in the USA who follows dressage was shocked yesterday when US dressage rider and Olympic veteran Debbie McDonald and her veteran horse Brentina scored the lowest grand prix test of their career in the arena at Sha Tin. The horse was uneasy and difficult to ride, so a thorough vet check was performed. This morning, Joanie Morris of the US Equestrian Federation released a statement on the 17-year-old Hanoverian mare.

A thorough examination by US team veterinarian Dr. Rick Mitchell of Fairfield Equine Associates in Connecticut proved that Brentina is sound and well, further reiterating McDonald's comments immediately following her ride.

“Brentina was thoroughly examined by a panel of three veterinarians per our selection process prior to entering quarantine in Germany,” said Dr. Mitchell. “Furthermore we had the opportunity to observe this mare training twice daily for six weeks, and we evaluated the soundness of all the team horses on a daily basis. There was never any question during that time or now about any aspect of her soundness.”

Dr. Mitchell also explained that per the IOC rules, he evaluated each of the three horses one hour before their dressage test because a replacement was available up until that time. Brentina never demonstrated any evidence of soreness and lameness, and passed the horse inspection prior to the competition without any question.

The plan has always been that Brentina would be retired after these Olympic Games. The veteran medalist from 2006 World Equestrian Games and the 2004 Olympic Games has had her typical phenomenal performances all spring building up to these Games. Her performance in the ring here is unexplainable but everyone connected to Brentina is happy that the mare is fit and sound and will live out her retirement at River Grove Farm in Hailey, Idaho, with her owners Parry and Peggy Thomas.

A comment was published in the international press allegedly attributed to an official who criticized McDonald and said that Brentina did not belong in Hong Kong, implying that the horse was somehow obviously unfit.

© 2006-2007-2008 The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines. All rights reserved.
http://special.equisearch.com/blog/horsehealth/

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Horse Cooling Station, Circa 1910

We are hearing so much about the cooling, or "misting", stations set up for the horses in Hong Kong for the Olympics. Even so, it was dangerously hot on Thursday when the dressage horses were in the ring and some horses showed their fatigue.

This photo from New York City shows a precursor of the "misting stations". It was set up by an animal charity group (probably the ASPCA but it is not verified) right on a busy Manhattan street.

You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it. When you do, you will see that there is an actual showerhead over the horse's head. His blinkers are removed.

Notice the sign says, "For Horses Only"; I bet in 1910 a lot of people in New York City were looking for a way to cool off.

Keeping horses cool is still a good idea. Maybe the carriage horses in Central Park could use one of these! (Photo: Library of Congress, Bain Collection)

Counting Medals? Count Mosquitoes, too!

A lot of people are counting medals this week. Will Germany dominate? Are you rooting for Isabel or Anky? Was Australia robbed of the Eventing Gold it deserved?

Take a minute today to look up from the Olympics your television or your monitor and check with your local or state health department. What are the West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) risks in your area?

Today we have the first announcement of EEE in the state of Wisconsin, and the fifth case of EEE in Marion County, the area around uber-horsey Ocala, Florida. Seventy-two horses have been diagnosed with EEE in Florida so far this year.

Two horses in Orange County, California tested positive for EEE. West Nile Virus was recently found in mosquitoes tested in Vermont.

And it doesn't end there. Just a few of the alerts on hand include WNV in Oak Park, Illinois; Greenwich, Connecticut; Salinas, California, and Minnehaha, South Dakota.

EEE recently showed up in Craven County, North Carolina and Carroll County, Tennessee.

Vermont is having one of the worst mosquito seasons on record. Just how many mosquitoes are out there? It sounds like Vermonters have a lot of time on their hands. One researcher set out to determine just how many mosquitoes inhabit an acre of land...they're still counting.

Keep these three facts in mind: 1) Both diseases are carried by mosquitoes; 2) Both diseases can also be transferred by mosquitoes to humans; and 3) Both diseases are highly preventable with a simple vaccination program.

Compact, Portable, Battery-Powered Ultrasound Unit Stands By in Hong Kong

When you think of an equine veterinarian's ultrasound unit, what comes to mind? A hospital-sized machine on wheels that rolls around the vet clinic? Well, think again. 

And if you are in Hong Kong at the Olympics, go take a look and see for yourself!

GE Healthcare’s LOGIQ e, a compact ultrasound system, is in use at the equine medicine facilities at Hong Kong’s Olympic Equestrian Games facility.

The innovative, compact ultrasound system is available to all national team veterinarians, who are caring for over 200 horses, to help identify early signs of tendon and ligament injuries as well as other health markers that affect performance such as infection, bruising at the surface of the bone, or the mapping of blood flow.

GE Healthcare’s LOGIQ e has high-quality imaging capability, operates on battery power alone for approximately one hour, and is easily carried to where it’s needed, when it’s needed, thanks to its laptop size. This results in safe and versatile options, especially for event veterinarians or those who work in remote areas or have to go to horses not housed in traditional stables.

"A large effort has been made to ensure the horses’ welfare is given top priority throughout the Beijing Games," said Dr. Chris Riggs, Olympic Veterinary Services Manager and Head of Veterinary Clinical Services at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. "This includes the construction of a dedicated Olympic Veterinary Clinic, which is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. The LOGIQ e ultrasound machine is an invaluable tool in our array of diagnostic facilities. Image quality is excellent and the user-friendly platform facilitates easy use by many different veterinary surgeons. In addition, the machine is easily portable, which is extremely useful given the multiple venues involved during the Games."

The evolution of ultrasound in recent years has positioned this imaging technology as a unique and valuable tool within sports medicine. Today, more and more clinicians are trading in their 400-pound hospital-based equipment for a more portable, more affordable healthcare solution.

Veterinarians have had a need for portable equipment in Hong Kong so far. A temporary hospital area will be set up on Sunday at Beas River, a park where the eventing cross-country will be held. A fully-equipped veterinary truck has been accompanying the horse vans to and from the airport.

It would be nice if the unit could just stay closed for the next 10 days, but that's not likely to be the case. But the nice thing about ultrasound is that, in addition to use as a diagnostic tool, the unit can also monitor healing and recovery from injury.

AAEP Report on Soring of Tennessee Walking Horses Recommends Replacing DQPs with Veterinarians to Inspect Horses

Calling it one of the most significant welfare issues affecting any equine breed or discipline, the American Association of Equine Practitioners today issued recommendations for eliminating the practice within the Tennessee Walking Horse industry known as soring. "Soring" is the infliction of pain to create an extravagant or exaggerated gait in horses for training or show purposes.

Even though soring is prohibited by the federal Horse Protection Act of 1970, some within the industry still abuse horses. Its continued practice is documented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s issuance of 103 competitor violations during the 2007 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration, the industry’s championship event.

“As an organization with the primary mission of protecting the health and welfare of the horse, the AAEP is strongly opposed to soring,” said AAEP President Dr. Eleanor Green. “This wonderful breed must be preserved and protected in a climate in which its future is not challenged by the practice of soring. The true measure of success will be that soring no longer exists because the Tennessee Walking Horse industry itself brought it to an abrupt end.”

Key points in the white paper, “Putting the Horse First: Veterinary Recommendations for Ending the Soring of Tennessee Walking Horses,” include:

· Immediate institution of drug testing at every competition;

· The abolishment of the Designated Qualified Persons (DQP) Program and the establishment of a corps of independent veterinarians to conduct horse inspections and impose sanctions for violations of the Horse Protection Act;

· The development of objective methods to detect soring in order to eliminate the current practice of conditioning horses to tolerate pressure applied to the limbs;

· Establishment of a single industry organization that has governance responsibilities and sets and enforces uniform standards and regulations;

· Re-evaluation of judging standards so that the innate grace and beauty of the breed are valued instead of rewarding the currently manufactured exaggerated gait.

The recommendations in the white paper were developed by the AAEP’s Tennessee Walking Horse Task Force, a group with specific knowledge of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry and equine welfare issues. Dr. Midge Leitch of Cochranville, Penn., chaired the Task Force.

“The white paper is not intended to be a revision of the Horse Protection Act,” explained Dr. Leitch. “We know we are suggesting radical changes to current practices within the industry, but if industry leaders are intent on solving this issue, they will give serious thought to the recommendations that have been made.”

The AAEP recognizes that it has no regulatory authority over the Tennessee Walking Horse industry but intends its white paper to provide guidance and support to those within the industry who are working to permanently end the soring of horses.

“On behalf of the AAEP, I express gratitude to Dr. Leitch, who chaired the TWH Task Force, and the other dedicated AAEP members who accepted the charge of this task force and were so thoughtful in the development of the white paper,” added Dr. Green. “I also want to thank the members of the various Tennessee Walking Horse industry organizations (HIOs) who came last year to the first TWH Summit in Lexington. These groups encouraged the AAEP to develop this white paper and they have a unique opportunity to eliminate the practice of soring.”

For more information, contact Sally Baker, AAEP director of marketing and public relations, at (859) 233-0147 or sbaker@aaep.org.

Note: This post was received as a press release from the AAEP and is reposted with minimal editing to avoid misinterpretation of these important points.

Click here to upload the AAEP's white paper report:
AAEPTWHSoringAug08.pdf

Tropical Storm Blows Through Hong Kong; Australian and Saudi Arabian Horses Detour to Dubai to Wait Out the Storm

A Swiss horse goes for a walk out in the windy Hong Kong weather. (New York Times photo)

None of the Olympic equestrian horses in Hong Kong have been affected by the heavy rains and winds brought in by Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri, a spokesman for the Equestrian Company said today (Wednesday, August 6).

“The horses have taken advantage of the wet weather and are resting peacefully in the stables. Many are sleeping and in very good condition,” the spokesman said.

Training in the outdoor areas has been postponed, but dressage training in the indoor arena opened at 10 am today. All arenas will reopen when the No. 8 signal is lowered.

Only slight damage to the arena in the Sha Tin Equestrian Venue has been reported. 

According to the New York Times, a special shuttle was set up to get riders and staff to the stables to be with the horses.

The arrival of two planes with a total of 24 horses has been delayed. Fourteen horses from China, the United States and United Arab Emirates were offloaded from a plane before departure in Amsterdam and are resting in a quarantined animal quarters nearby. Another 10 horses from Australia and Saudi Arabia en route to Hong Kong from Amsterdam were offloaded in Dubai and are resting there in quarantined animal quarters.

All are expected to arrive in Hong Kong as soon as weather conditions improve.

Much more information about the Olympic equestrian events is available on the "World Rides in Hong Kong" blog, compiled for you by Fran Jurga. An RSS/Atom feed is available so you can keep up with the news from Hong Kong! Equisearch.com has an entire web site set up for the Olympics, including blogs from dressage rider Debbie MacDonald and eventing groom Max Corcoran.

Australian Research Should Help Improve Rider Safety in Eventing

As the Olympics approach, everyone is holding his or her breath in hopes that the eventing goes smoothly and safely, wihtout injury to horses or riders. It sounds like Hong Kong has done everything imaginable to ensure safety. And if there is a typhoon, they have made plans for rescheduling events!

Maybe one day we will look back on the past few years' high rate of injuries and sigh, "If we only knew back then, what we know now..." Moving in that direction, rider and horse safety in the sport could be improved soon thanks to new research in Australia. The study collates and analyzes data on falls and injuries over a period of years for the first time.

The research, funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and supported by the Equestrian Federation of Australia (EFA), is the culmination of a five-year national surveillance program, which shows that the number of injuries per competitor is in fact lower than previously thought.

Eventing is enormously popular in Australia and is conducted around the country at all levels, from young riders at pony clubs to Olympic competitors. This study focussed on the cross-country phase of eventing.

The results of the five-year surveillance program have been entered into a new database known as SHARE (Safety for Riders and Horses in Eventing).

RIRDC's General Manager of Established Industries, Margie Thomson, said the research would help inform those making the rules in equestrian sport.

"This research is important because it is the first time information has been collected for the sport of eventing alone. Most existing data on horse-related injuries and deaths does not distinguish between a whole range of horse-related activities with the potential to cause injury," Thomson said.

The data is based on 1732 rider falls at 444 events around the country between 2002 and 2006 and reveals the rate of rider falls is only three for every 100 starters. This is lower than previously thought.

The fact that the SHARE system of data collection can be used by other nations' equestrian federations offers the possibility of consistent data for international comparison and ultimately, a safer sport around the globe.

The research was prompted by a marked increase in the number of rider falls and fatalities, both in Australia and overseas in the late 1990s, which highlighted that there was little data on the health, social or financial costs of horse-related injuries.

The full report is available at www.rirdc.gov.au.