Curlin Arrives in Hot, Hot California: Will He Like the Footing?

California, Here I Am! This terrific Benoit Photo of Curlin de-vanning resides at www.oaktreeracing.com.

He's the Number One horse in the world. He's won on dirt on a half dozen tracks on two continents. He's trained and raced on grass. But how will be like the fake stuff under his toes?

Curlin arrived in Arcadia, California, just hours after winning the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup on real dirt at New York's Belmont Park. He has three and a half weeks to get used to training over the Santa Anita artificial surface, which is a dark-colored Australian-enhanced secret recipe of a surface called Pro Ride.

And if he likes it, he'll run in the $5 Million Breeders Cup Classic on Saturday, October 25. It will be the biggest and best thing for horse racing in years, since three-year-old champion Big Brown is also expected to run in that race.

A week ago, Curlin was half hidden in a barn near Saratoga's famed Oklahoma training track, widely regarded as an ideal and safe surface for training. He was vanned down to Long Island, ran his race, and then was vanned to the airport for his charter flight west, with a stopover in Louisville, where fellow Breeders Cup contender Student Council joined the flight.

A piece of cake for a horse that has flown to Dubai twice!

The 4-year-old colt by Smart Strike landed at Ontario/Los Angeles International airport and was then vanned to Santa Anita, where Curlin will reside at Barn 27.

The weather in the Los Angeles area has been very hot and the new track has been harrowed more often, in response to comments from jockeys that the heat was making it loose.

Watch for lots more news on the Curlin-Big Brown rivalry this month! Plan to be in front of a big television on Saturday, October 25th!

By the way, Curlin has his own web site at www.gocurlin.com.

Just for fun: Big Brown and Curlin insult each other in this video gem from our friends at YouTube.com:

Siglavy Mantua I, Spanish Riding School's Master of the Piaffe, Has Died

Siglavy Mantua I ridden by Oberbereiter Krzisch in the solo ride. Normally, the Lipizzans were equipped with double bridles but this special ride was communicated through a single Weymouth bit. Herr Krzisch rode with one hand and held a special sapling switch vertical in his right hand. (Spanish Riding School photo)

We sat there, transfixed in our stadium seats. You could hear every note of the Viennese march floating from the speakers in the huge Staples Center arena in Washington, DC. All eyes were on the spotlight, on the man and horse who piaffed to the music as one.

For many people, fairy tales piaffed to life before their very eyes when they attended a live performance of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna’s famous Lipizzaner stallions. They were entranced by the quadrille, mesmerized by the pas de deux, and awed by the airs above the ground.

But one performance in the show was different. When lights went down and the single spotlight followed that magical horse and rider around the arena, we knew we were seeing something special. The motionless rider rode with one hand, holding a wooden switch upright in his free hand. Without any sign of aids, the two piaffed, passaged and literally danced in the spotlight, like a music box come to life.

What people didn’t realize is just how special that treat was. There was no way that the public could know that for more than 20 years, it was always the same horse who danced in that spotlight. After all, the Lipizzaners look almost identical.

But only one horse and rider could and did perform the famous solo ride. Siglavy Mantua I and Oberbereiter Klaus Krzisch were a team admired around the world, yet few people knew their names.

I am sad to announce to his admirers around the world that Siglavy Mantua I died in August at the Spanish Riding School’s Piber stud farm in southern Austria, only a year after his official retirement from the performing troupe in Vienna. He was 28 years old.

Siglavy Mantua I lived his life within the high walls of the Vienna stables, and was ridden almost exclusively by Krzisch. When he arrived there in the winter of 1982, he was often overlooked because of his long back, and less-than-elegant carriage. With Krzisch’s dedicated training, the horse’s native intelligence and willingness helped him overcome his athletic shortcomings and he blossomed into a horse recognized for his ability to perform collected movements.

While the School’s 2005 USA tour was to have been Siglavy Mantua I’s farewell, he continued to be sound and interested in performing, so he remained in Vienna until last year, when he was sent to Piber for retirement and to breed mares. This summer, his health deteriorated and the decision was made to end his life with dignity and peace.

I remember being in a mini-press conference at the School when one of the journalists asked bluntly if the riders had a favorite horse among the many stallions. The director looked a little uncomfortable and exchanged glances with Oberbereiter Riegel. Then he shrugged and said, "Well, of course, Siglavy Mantua I is very special."

And he smiled as he said the horse's name. We all dutifully scribbled the horse's name in our notebooks. Later, I went to look for him in the stable and the head groom told stories about the aged stallion's brilliant personality and sense of humor. Mantua was certainly a favorite, at all levels, in public and in private, out of a cohesive unit of identical horses.

His 2002 son, Siglavy Malina II, is now with the School in Vienna, and every colt of his nice crop of 2008 foals knows they have big hoofprints to fill, as the traditions and performances and romance of the Spanish Riding School continue to enchant horse lovers.

The legend of Siglavy Mantua I will live in the memories of thousands of devotees of one of the world’s oldest equestrian traditions. His soundness and his longevity will continue to impress everyone in the horse health world. He delighted us all.

Note: Thank you to Oberbereiter Andreas Hausberger for sharing the news of Mantua's death.

This is a rare private moment at the 2005 Washington performance of the Spanish Riding School. In the afternoon, Oberbereiter Krzisch arrived at the makeshift stables in the bowels of the Staples Center to check on his horse and I happened to be standing outside the stall. (Mantua had the first stall, of course.) The photo above this one is the ornate sign above his stall in Vienna. I wonder who lives in that stall now! (Fran Jurga photo)

Secretariat's Owner Honored by Smith College

Penny Chenery is best known for her work in Thoroughbred horse racing and as owner of the celebrated racehorse, Secretariat, who won the Triple Crown but she also a name in the alumna book of Smith College here in Massachusetts. Smith has just announced that she will receive the Smith College Medal in 2009 in recognition for her accomplishments in the horse world.

After leaving Smith in the midst of World War II, Chenery took over her father’s stables when he became ill, and she has received many awards including the Thoroughbred industry’s highest award, the Eclipse Award of Merit, in 2005.

Chenery has been dubbed the “The First Lady of Racing.” Those who know her talk about her class, determination and integrity – and her commitment to the horses. Upon the retirement of Secretariat to Claiborne Farm, she insisted that he would be available to the public for viewing as she felt he belonged to the United States and the world.

Chenery has served on numerous boards, both in the horse racing industry and outside of it. She has worked to promote equine research and Thoroughbred retirement and rehabilitation. Of note, she helped found the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF), an organization dedicated to the prevention of the slaughter of retired racehorses, which finds them new careers. The TRF works with prisons to retrain the horses and has a positive impact on the inmates.

As president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association from 1976-84, Chenery was the first woman to lead a national horse racing organization. In 1983, she was one of the first three women elected to membership in the previously all-male Jockey Club.

Smith tells us that Chenery graduated in the class of 1943; nher mother, sister and two cousins also attended Smith.

The Smith College Medal was established in 1962 to recognize alumnae “who, in the judgment of the trustees, exemplify in their lives and work the true purpose of a liberal arts education.”

The college is also horse-friendly and has an equestrian center on its beautiful campus in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Opinion: Why the Slaughter Transport Bill Is Not Enough (and Ten Steps Toward Healing the Ideology Split)

Horse carcasses hang in the cooler at Nature Valley Farms in Saskatchewan. Photo from the No Country for Horses documentary produced by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The House Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday favorably passed proposed legislation to ban the slaughter of American horses for human consumption overseas, as well as the export of American horses to other countries for slaughter. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) introduced the bill, H.R. 6598, known as the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008.

This bill is still a long way from passing into law. It still must be passed by a majority vote of the Representatives, and the Senate must do the same.

The legislation is being opposed by the AVMA, AQHA, and AAEP. These organizations have dug in their heels on the issue of slaughter, or (more precisely) government intervention on the slaughter of animals for meat. I truly don't believe that anyone in those organizations wants to defend the stuffing of dozens of horses into double-decker trailers for long, hot journeys to Mexican slaughterhouses, but politics is forcing them into just that.

This issue continues to split the horse world the same way that abortion is the hot-button issue in the larger political scene. I think we should look at that issue as a model of how derisive an issue can be and work for solutions that prevent further splits and animosity in the horse world.

One thing I know is true: A workable solution will probably never come from a regulation crafted by legislators and lawyers in Washington. But Washington could force the horse industry into a new era of self-awareness and responsibility.

To better understand horse slaughter as a hot-button issue, keep your eye on abortion debates and on the somewhat related issue of puppy mills. Watch how the government is handling both those issues (or not handling them).

Some solutions I support or propose:

1. If the AQHA is against slaughter, it should discourage its members from breeding. Declare a moritorium for one year, say 2010. Close the book on new foal registrations temporarily. Educate owners and breeders that this is for the good of the breed and the US horse market. Supporting both slaughter as a disposal method and breeding as a means to set new registration records is not in the best interest of horse welfare.

2. If the AVMA and AAEP are against slaughter, they should begin massive owner education programs to discourage breeding, particularly of sub-standard mares. Vet clinics should also offer a period during their natural slow seasons twice each year to offer discounted euthanasia and castration services. Vets make money on breeding and foaling, so a simple equation is that more horses owned by fewer clients are good for a clinic's bottom line. A shift in emphasis needs to made to wellness care and preventive medicine for existing horses rather than creating more horses. Vets should begin to offer decision-making seminars or ethical counseling for mare owners. If clients can't pay their bills, should they be breeding more horses?

3. If the humane and welfare organizations are against slaughter, they should work on massive owner education programs to discourage owning a stallion and they should work with the AVMA and AAEP to offer discounted castrations for cash-strapped clients the same way they offered spay/neuter services for dogs and cats.

4. Breed organizations should follow the model used in Europe so that only approved stallions breed mares. Saying that a stud is (for instance) a registered Paint is no guarantee that the stud is a quality animal worthy of passing on its genes. Likewise, the sale of stud colt weanlings and yearlings should be discouraged. Castrate them first.

5. If the US government wants to regulate horse affairs, it can look to taxation of breeding stock. If you want to breed your mare, perhaps a fee needs to be paid that will support some of the many thousands of unwanted horses. Breeding a mare should be a privilege. The government might also look at a moratorium or higher tax on imported horses, particularly mares and stallions, while there is a glut of unwanted horses here. At the same time, ownership of affordable pleasure (non-breeding) horses could be a tax credit, linked to open land preservation.

6. Find an alternative to the bottom rung auctions. The "meat buyers" should keep a database of the horses they acquire and who owned and bred them. At the very least, we should know breed, sex, and age. Make that information public. If 50 percent of slaughter-bound horses are a certain breed, wouldn't that information have be a call to action for a breed registry to reduce new registrations and discourage breeding until over-production stabilizes?

7. The USTA and Jockey Club need to keep track of ex-racehorses. Owners who abandon their horses and do not provide for their retirement should be embarrassed. If an owner stands in a winner's circle accepting a check while last year's campaigner stands in an auction pen, the public should know. If the high bidder at Keeneland sent 50 horses to slaughter last year, it should be known. The racing/betting fan base should know MUCH more about how owners dispose of or provide for their retired stock. Syndicates and partnerships should have a policy about what they do with non-racing stock that is part of their offering. Those who do (and who stick to it) should get publicity for it.

8. Retirement farms and rescue centers should not differentiate between past winners and "just horses". Encouraging donations or adoptions only because a horse has an impressive show or race record is a slippery slope. A horse that has won for its owner should never end up in a retirement or rescue farm, unless the horse arrives with a big donation check. Prospective adopters should not be interested in a horse only because it was a winner.

9. Horse publications should report more objectively on the issues of slaughter and over-breeding and end their cash-cow stallion issues, effective in 2009. Many are not serving their readers by presenting balanced reporting; some are not reporting on this issue at all. They should also discontinue their "bringing up baby" issues that encourage the creation of more cute foals. People who say they are against slaughter need to pressure publishers into more pro-active roles in educating mare and stallion owners about responsible breeding. If a publication persists in encouraging breeding, readers can cancel subscriptions. Cancel event, farm services and other non-breeding ads. Write letters to the editor. Write another one. These steps will get their attention. (Note: I know that Horse Illustrated has already discontinued its breeding edition for this reason; hopefully other publications have as well.) Editors should be advocates for the reader's information needs. A publication that is dependent on stallion ads for revenue needs to balance that reality.

10. Throughout the industry: Create a culture of public information about horse breeders and stallion get. We need more "where are they now" information but also statistics on how breeders of show and race horses dispose of their lower quality weanlings and yearlings and two-year-olds. Report on the number of show and race horses imported into the US each year. Create a culture of peer pressure among horse owners. Give more prizes at shows to horses who are born and bred in the USA and who were rescued, retrained from racing or rehabilitated. Monitor dog and cat breed/show issues and learn from them (and their mistakes). Encourage veterinary research programs and product development that will help injured or older horses rather than funding more research aimed at getting more mares in foal or increasing fertility of past-peak stallions.

And then, encourage everyone you know to get involved in horses or financially adopt a needy horse at a rescue farm. Encourage the press to publicize the work that is being done to help horses, on both sides of the slaughter fence. Re-invent horse ownership as something fun and meaningful to do in life. Become an ambassador for horses.

11. Tear down the fence and let's all go for a ride. Together.

If you like this post, you will also like these three favorite posts recommended by The Jurga Report:
A link to the excellent Retraining of Racehorses video;
The No Country for a Horse documentary;
Admitting There's a "YOU" in Fugly.

© 2008 by Fran Jurga, The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines and Equisearch.com. All rights reserved.
http://special.equisearch.com/blog/horsehealth/

This post originally appeared on The Jurga Report on September 24, 2008.

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Intriguing Photo: Hands On Horse Care

horse, originally uploaded by wilmatthews.

I stared at this photo for a looooooong time before I figured it out. Your eye goes to the hands, not what's beneath...and that is a horse's head.

Once I figured out what it was, I was torn by how to react. Is this brutality or kindness? Is that gloved thumb pushing too hard? And the ring on that bare hand, is that a horseshoe?

Wilma Mathews shot this interesting angle at an event that I thought I had seen from every angle. It shows what a creative eye can find.

Wilma got down on her hands and knees and photographed just this head of one of the wild Chincoteague/Assateague ponies in Virgina last month.

I know you all read Misty so I don't have to say much more. But part of the routine is that the ponies have their hooves trimmed at the roundup. It only takes a minute or two, but it takes a small army of people to hold down the incredibly frightened and WILD pony while the farrier works on the hooves.

Perhaps this was shot in a moment of violence but the stop-action makes it look like the pony is lying still. I hope none of them were injured and that this one is now back on the island, tail to the wind atop a high sand dune.

Thanks to Wilma for sharing this photo.

Pimp My Pony: "Wired" Magazine Salutes the Equestrian Commuter

One of the last places I would have expected to find a survey of the latest high-tech gear for horses and riders is Wired magazine, the uber-guide to high-tech culture. Click here to read a web capsule. The illustrator was having fun in the creative department; I have no idea why she is dressed that way or what sort of stirrup leathers those are supposed to be. I love the gas nozzle raised to the sky, though, and the magazine gives some real ooomph in the links department to Dr. Robert Cook's Bitless Bridle, Veredus leg boots, Horsetec shock-absorbing stirrups, Linear saddles and polyurethane horseshoes, among others. Commuting on horseback sounds like a good option to me!

This post originally appeared on The Jurga Report on Equisearch.com on September 23, 2008. The Jurga Report provides ongoing news and observations about horse care and health by journalist Fran Jurga. Bookmark TJR today!

King-Dye Responds to FEI Ruling, Disqualification of US Team at Olympics

The following is an excerpt from a press release issued tonight by Phelps Media Group on behalf of US Olympian Courtney King-Dye. The text as issued by the FEI is in the post that follows this one. Click here to go to the FEI post.


Courtney King-Dye, a member of the U.S. equestrian team's three-member dressage squad that competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong, China, rode Mythilus to a 13th place finish individually and helped the U.S. to finish in fourth place overall by placing seventh in the Grand Prix, the team round of competition. King-Dye was the highest placed U.S. rider in the Grand Prix. She qualified for the Grand Prix Special and then was one of only 15 riders to qualify for the Grand Prix Freestyle. King-Dye earned an overall score of 70.175%.

Today, the FEI Tribunal issued a decision that disqualified King-Dye from the Olympic Games and as a result, the U.S. dressage team is also disqualified and loses its fourth place finish.

King-Dye responded to the FEI Tribunal decision today, saying, "Although I was very aware that the Zero Tolerance Rule would make it nearly impossible for the FEI to clear my name from this illegal medications use charge, I was still somehow extremely disappointed when I received their ruling this morning. In the FEI press release, the Tribunal clearly acknowledges my innocence and lack of negligence in their ruling. But the fact is that they have to punish me according to the FEI rulebook because I cannot prove where the drug came from. I can't prove it because I don't know."

At the hearing at FEI headquarters in Lausanne two weeks ago, King-Dye presented testimony and legal arguments on her behalf. King-Dye noted that Mythilus was treated at the clinic in Hong Kong Jockey Club prior to the start of competition nine times for heart fibulation, a disorder in which the rhythm of the heart is disrupted, but Felbinac was not part of the treatment. King-Dye could only speculate as to how the drug entered her mount's system. King-Dye further cited the Equine Anti Doping and Medication Control Rules, which contain an exception to a medication rule violation in case of an environmental contamination. She presented the argument that the exception should apply because Felbinac did not appear on the Equine Prohibited List as a threshold substance and no specific criteria was established for it on that list. King-Dye also pointed out that she had gained no competitive edge, and because of the nature of Felbinac and the minimal concentration detected, there were no findings that Mythilus underwent any maltreatment.

"I cannot place blame or resentment anywhere," King-Dye said. "My vet, my groom, my Federation and Team, and I did everything right, carefully and according to the rules. The FEI and the Tribunal handled the hearing professionally, proficiently, and well. I feel everyone involved did their best to follow the rules and to do the right thing in accordance with their jobs, and I am grateful that the Tribunal clearly acknowledges my innocence. They are bound by the wording of a rule, and it is their job to uphold the rules to the letter to the best of their ability.

"It is my hope that the wording of this rule will be re-evaluated. All people who use medications illegally should be punished, but the rules should also provide a way to vindicate a person who has demonstrated clear adherence to the rules and who is simply entangled in a strange situation."

King-Dye expanded on the 'strange situation' of this case explaining that Felbinac is a topical anti-inflammatory used mainly on humans. It is not approved, manufactured, or available in the U.S. It is mainly used as an over-the-counter ointment for humans in China, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. It is also sometimes used as a coupling agent in ultrasound gels and lubricants in those countries.

"When we first learned about that use, we suspected that Myth might have been exposed to Felbinac during his treatment for his heart in the Hong Kong Jockey Club," King-Dye said. "However, after doing more research on the drug and having a bio-chemist analyze the data, we learned that the trace amount found in Myth's system could occur from something as distant and arbitrary as a person using Felbinac on their knee then using a broom, then someone else uses the broom and shakes my groom's hand, and then my groom touches my horse. In the sampling, 14 nanograms per milliliter were found. It takes 7,500 to 100,000 nanograms per milliliter to have an effect on a rat."

Commenting on the ordeal, King-Dye remains positive about the sport and is looking forward to the future. "Though I am left with the feeling that this was rotten for me to have to go through, a terrible shame that both I and the Olympic Team are stripped of our placings, and my name now has a tarnish on it - I'm over that," King-Dye said. "Everyone did everything right, and it's just one of those things you have to go through sometimes. The heavy feeling that remains is that this will happen again to someone some day, and I do hope that we will take some measures to avoid that."

Guilty as Charged: Mythilus and King-Dye, US Dressage Team Punished in Olympic Medication Violation Decision

Because of the serious nature of this story, I will share with you the decision as it was issued by the Federation Equestre International (FEI) today. Sorry I can't report a happy ending to this ongoing story.

Thanks to Malina Gueorguiev of the FEI who writes:

Today the FEI Tribunal has issued its decision in the Positive Medication Case involving the horse MYTHILUS ridden by Ms Courtney King-Dye, the person responsible ("PR"), and representing the US Dressage Team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong.

The horse was sampled at the Olympic Games on 19 August 2008 and tested positive for Felbinac. Felbinac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to reduce inflammation and pain and, accordingly, is classified as “Medication A” Prohibited Substances under the FEI Equine Prohibited List (VR Annex III).

At a preliminary hearing held during the Olympic Games on 22 August 2008 it was decided to maintain the provisional suspension until the final decision of the case.

The hearing in this case was held at the FEI Headquarters on 7 September 2008. Before and during the hearing the PR presented testimonies and legal arguments and the United States Equestrian Federation ("USEF") requested that in case of a decision against the PR, the US Dressage Team does not forfeit its 4th place at the Olympic Games.

The Tribunal was satisfied that the laboratory reports relating to both the A-Sample and the B-sample reflect that the analytical tests were accurately performed in an acceptable method and that the findings of the laboratory were accurate. The FEI Tribunal was satisfied that the test results evidenced the presence of Felbinac.

The Tribunal did not accept the PR's argument that the exception contained in Equine Anti Doping and Medication Control Rules ("EADMCR") Article 2.1.3 to a medication rule violation in case of an environmental contamination should apply, since Felbinac did not appear on the Equine Prohibited List as a threshold substance and no specific criteria was established for it on such List as a contaminant.

The Tribunal repeated its stand that the FEI policy in regard to doping and medication does not only intend to ensure a level playing field but has the additional policy consideration of ensuring that the welfare of the horse is maintained and that horses compete only when they are physically fit and capable of competing. This requires doping and medication rule violations to be strict liability or no fault offences. The PR's arguments that she had gained no competitive advantage and that the findings did not constitute any maltreatment of the horse, due to the nature of the substance and the minimal concentration detected, were therefore not relevant.

The Tribunal accepted the FEI's position that, under the clear language of EADMCR Article 10.5, in order for the PR to prove that she bears no fault and no negligence and that the sanctions should be eliminated, she must demonstrate how the substance entered the horse's systems. While elaborate, the explanations furnished by the PR were only speculations.

As a result of the foregoing, the horse and the PR are disqualified from the Games and all medals, points and prize money won at the Olympic Games by them are forfeited. Such disqualification is automatic and is not considered a sanction; rather it is an automatic mechanism used to ensure a level playing field.

As a result, the US Dressage Team with its remaining two competitors is also disqualified and loses its 4th place. The Tribunal did not accept the arguments of the USEF that the resulting disqualification of its Team, when the sampling was carried days after the end of the Team competition, is a "sanction" which is inappropriate in this case and should not be imposed. The Tribunal noted that the resulting disqualification was automatic.

In regard to sanctions, the Tribunal considered the fact that the PR is an experienced sportswoman and that the behaviour of anyone at the top of the sport and particularly at the Olympic Games must be faultless since the eyes of the world focus on performances at such events.

On the other hand, the Tribunal found the evidence of the PR and the US Dressage Team Vet to be credible and believed that neither the PR nor anyone on her behalf or related to the USEF had knowingly administered the medication to the horse. The Tribunal further accepted the PR's and USEF's arguments that they have done almost everything in their power to ensure that no rule violation shall occur. The Tribunal also considered the type of Medication A substance involved and its therapeutic applications, the fact that the same substance may not be considered as a doping substance, the specific circumstances relating to the horse's hospitalization in Hong Kong and the possibility of contamination, the excellent stable management practiced by the US team and measures placed to try and ensure the no horse with prohibited substances participates at the Olympic Games, the efforts made by the PR and the USEF to determine the source of the positive finding, the impeccable record and reputation of the PR, the PR’s cooperation in the investigation and the hardship already caused to the PR including the fact that the US Dressage Team has already lost its 4th place at the Olympic Games.

As a consequence, the Tribunal imposed on the PR a one month suspension, which has commenced on the date of the application of the provisional suspension and ended on 21 September 2008, fine and costs.

Florida Equine Piroplasmosis Investigation Continues

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services continues to keep the horse industry informed about the discovery of horses with the rare and contagious disease of Equine Piroplasmosis (EP).

A total of 18 premises are currently under state quarantine due to exposure to EP. Since the investigation began, 25 premises have been quarantined, with approximately 200 horses being tested for the disease. Seven of the 25 premises have been released from quarantine as a result of negative testing and an extended time since exposure to the disease.

During the investigation this week no additional premises have had horses test positive, leaving the current number of positive premises at 6. Only 3 of the quarantined premises have positive horses still residing on the farm.

The investigation is continuing and animals are still being traced and tested. Tick surveillance is continuing as well. There have been no exotic ticks found and all testing on ticks collected has been negative for EP.

There are no state restrictions placed on Florida horses at this time and the only country that has placed restrictions on Florida horses is Canada, which will not accept any horse that has been in Florida within the past 21 days. The State Veterinarian’s Office is continuing to work with the United States Department of Agriculture in an effort to have the Canadian restrictions reduced or lifted but for now, they remain in effect.

Retraining of Racehorses Organization Receives Veterinary Award for Equine Welfare Accomplishments

The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Welfare Award for 2008, sponsored by The Blue Cross animal charity, has been presented to the Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) organization for its contributions to equine welfare through the re-training and re-homing of racehorses.

The award, which was introduced by BEVA in conjunction with The Blue Cross animal welfare charity eight years ago, is a formal recognition of significant contributions made by veterinarians and others to equine welfare.

It was presented at the 47th BEVA Annual Congress in Liverpool last Friday.

Retraining of Racehorses was established in 2000 by the British Horseracing Authority. Its aim is to raise funds from the British racing industry to provide and maintain facilities for the care, retraining and rehoming of former racehorses.

Americans could learn a lot by snooping around the RoR web site.

RoR awards prizes to ex-racehorses competing in almost all horse sports and showing disciplines and also works hard as a support system for new owners who are adopting retired racehorses. The achievements of ex-racehorses are publicized and the organization creates an impression of a community and a mission that is world-class.

Efforts to mount the RoR's excellent video on this blog have sadly not been successful. If you are interested in the welfare of racehorses, please follow this link to watch the video and learn more about this organization and the amazing potential of Thoroughbreds in all equestrian endeavors:
http://www.ror.org.uk/about_video.htm

100 Horses, 100 Trainers, 100 Days...and You Fall Off? Extreme Mustang Makeover Finalist Bites the Dust and Still Wins!

They pulled 100 Nevada mustangs off the range and handed the lurching candidates to 100 eager and brave horse trainers, who had 100 days to work with the horses and then show up in Fort Worth, Texas this weekend to show off the results.

And show off they did. Each horse had to be ridden in a reining pattern, jump through a flaming hoop and stay (relatively) calm while the trainer fired a gun.

Mark Lyon of Arlington, Nebraska took the grand prize today at the second annual Fort Dodge Extreme Mustang Makeover Legends Finals after he demonstrated that a well-trained horse doesn't always need a rider to win.

Christian, his three-year-old, bay mustang gelding must have read a Walt Disney script and followed every cue. He went for the happy ending in the $25,000 prize money event.

Here's what happened: Well into Mark's textbook perfect performance, which included a ballet of movement including deep stops and picture perfect spins, the crowd's hearts fell when the rider leaned to Christian's side in a tight turn and his saddle slipped, causing him to fall. Since the judges' instructions were to focus on the mustang's ability (not the rider's), they rewarded Christian for his reaction to Mark's involuntary dismount.

Judge (and famed horse trainer) John Lyons of Colorado said, "That was the best part of the whole performance. (Christian) did exactly what he was trained to do," describing how the colt stood and waited for his rider to get back on.

Mark, who has trained numerous mustangs, said that he worked with Christian for a week before he was even able to touch him.

The Mustang Heritage Foundation, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, hosted the Fort Dodge Extreme Mustang Makeover for the second year to increase adoptions of mustangs like Christian. The event provided the public with the unique opportunity to see how wild mustangs can become trained horses.

Thanks to the Mustang Heritage Foundation and Megan Hirshey for help with this post.

Ike Update: Habitat For Horses Wades into Galveston to Help Stranded, Hungry Horses

Information is still sketchy on what is really going on with equine rescue efforts in coastal areas of Texas and other states following last week's flooding and devastation from Hurricane Ike. The American Association of Equine Practitioners is encouraging donations to their emergency fund, and there are reports from some individual groups that are working there.

One of the best is provided by the well-known Houston-area rescue group, Habitat For Horses. This was received via press release so it only includes their efforts, but it should give you an idea of what the rescue effort is like.

As ongoing relief efforts continue during the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Habitat for Horses has been working in teams to assess just what Ike's massive storm has inflicted on Texas's equine population left behind in the evacuation.

After the departure of Hurricane Ike, reports of horses that are injured, lost or trapped are coming in daily. Hoping to find survivors, rescue teams are covering the area to assess the damage and address whatever equine and livestock needs they will encounter. Jerry Finch, president and founder of Habitat for Horses, is on Galveston Island with Habitat for Horses rescue teams working with law enforcement officials. Finch said that in addition to the many hazards associated with this kind of a storm, flooding was one of the problems the horses faced.

"The water on Galveston Island got 8 to 10 feet deep, so the horses had to swim out of whatever pastures they were in," said Finch.

After Hurricane Katrina, Habitat for Horses staff ramped up their Emergency Response Team training, never realizing that the next time they would use these training skills would be in their own backyard. The organization's headquarters ranch took a direct hit from Ike. Finch notes that only after they make sure as many horses are as safe as possible, will they address the damage at their facility. While Habitat's own facility was severely damaged, with years of careful planning and building gone, all of the horses there escaped injury. For that, Finch said he was grateful.

"At 2:30 a.m. everything was okay, but the back side of the storm was hard on us. We waded out at sunrise," said Finch. "The horses are shaken and some of them are in pretty bad shape, but they got through it," he added.

So far, 23 horses have been rescued and are being stabled at the Galveston County Fairgrounds where a staging area has been set up. Finch reported that there are still probably many more horses to be found in the area. Finch says that if rescue teams can find the horses, they will take care of them.

"We're working with the Texas Animal Health Commission to make sure cattle have feed and hay also," Finch said. "We will do whatever we can to make sure all the large animals are receiving fresh water, hay and feed," he said.

Those wishing to help the Habitat for Horses rescue efforts can donate via the web site, http://www.habitatforhorses.org or by mail, Habitat for Horses, P.O. Box 213, Hitchcock, TX 77563.

Merial's Equine Brain Search Asks Students: Who's Doing the Best Research?

The shortlist for the 2008 Eqvalan® Duo Equine Thesis of the Year Award was announced today. The award, which is sponsored by Merial's animal health division in honor of its Eqvalan wormer, seeks to reward the very best in equine-related projects taking place in universities and colleges throughout the UK.

I don't know of a similar award in North America.

Now in its tenth year, the award is presented by the Royal Agricultural Society of England each year to recognize outstanding academic achievement in the equestrian field and to showcase the best academic research to the equestrian industry.

The five shortlisted theses, their authors, and the college attended are:

• Laura Corbin, Warwickshire College: Foot balance and lameness in riding school horses

• Carol Quish, University of Limerick: Irish Point-to-Point Racing: A Critical Review 2000 – 2007

• Alexine Sevack, Hartpury College: The establishment of evidence-based guidelines for the reduction of the equine canine tooth

• Holly Wakefield, Harper Adams University College: A Comparison of the Cryoprotective Effect of different types of Avian Egg Yolk in Stallion Semen Freezing Media on In Vitro Post-Thaw Sperm Quality

• Charlotte White, Nottingham Trent University: An investigation into the Occlusal Secondary Dentine Thickness in Horses of different ages

Being a finalist in this competition is certainly an honor, but this is the point where the honor turns into more hard work. The shortlisted students will now have to defend their theses to a panel of judges, including horse science experts, the editor of Horse & Rider magazine, and the 2006 winner, Rachel Kay.

The winner, to be announced on November 7, will receive a cash prize, trophy and membership to the Royal Agricultural Society. She (the finalists are all female) will also have the opportunity to present her thesis to the National Equine Forum in March.

Equine Amputation Celebrity Scene: Molly the Pony, Meet Riley the Mare

Now hear this: Horses can and do survive on three legs. Most will survive amputation surgery. Prosthetic limbs can be built and fitted for a horse's leg. Owners and caretakers are capable of removing and re-attaching the device.

But it's not something you hear about every day.

If Dr. Ted Vlahos has his way, that's all about to change.

Following the success of the #1 best-selling children's book, Molly the Pony, this summer, many people shook their heads in wonderment and said, "Amazing!" "A miracle!" "What a breakthrough!"

But to a group of hard-working veterinarians who have been perfecting the procedure of equine limb amputation and prosthetic therapy, Molly wasn't as much a miracle as she was the poster child that they needed to make the veterinary world take a second look at amputation as a viable alternative for salvaging injured horses who might otherwise be euthanized.

Molly the Pony isn't alone in the spotlight anymore. This week, the well-known Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah unveiled their new resident, a three-legged buckskin Quarter horse mare named Riley. When Riley hobbled into Best Friends last spring, she was knuckling over on one hind leg, and the shelter opted for fusion surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery was not successful and the mare suffered from infection.

Enter Dr. Ted Vlahos of Sheridan Equine Hospital in Wyoming. For years, he has been working on amputation cases with Dr. Barrie Grant in California and Dr. Ric Redden in Kentucky. Together, they could fill a stable with their successful cases. Vlahos had the mare sent to Wyoming, where he performed the amputation surgery and tended to the mare's recovery.

On Tuesday of this week, Riley returned to the Best Friends horse facility with her new leg and her new outlook on life. Dr. Vlahos instructed the staff on how to care for her and the prosthetic limb.

Riley will live out the rest of her days at the Sanctuary, where she will be treated, for the most part, like any other horse, albeit one who requires a few extra steps in her stable routine. The Sanctuary hopes that Riley's good health and mobility will be a feather in Vlahos's cap, and encourage more veterinarians to seek amputation options for horses who might otherwise have only one option.

Note: If the name of Best Friends sounds familiar, there's a reason. They are certainly a high-profile animal sanctuary organization in their own right, but they were in the news this summer for successfully rehabilitating 22 of the pit bulls confiscated in a dog fighting raid at the home of football star Michael Vick.

Dial 2-1-1 for Ike-vacuation Updates as Hurricane Crosses Gulf Of Mexico

Here's some helpful information from the Texas Animal Health Commission:

Persons evacuating for Hurricane Ike are advised to call 2-1-1 for the latest information on available pet and livestock facilities open for emergency animal sheltering.

“The 2-1-1 operators assist evacuees with other information, and operational animal shelters are another important piece of information the operators can provide evacuees,” said Dr. Matt Cochran, emergency management veterinarian with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), the state’s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. The TAHC is one of more than 30 agencies on Texas’ Emergency Management Council for the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management.

For several years, staff members from the TAHC have worked with livestock facility owners and managers to determine which sale barns, expo centers and show grounds can be used to shelter livestock during emergencies.

As there is no state agency responsible for companion animals, the Texas State Animal Resource Team (TXSART) works with animal care organizations to assist local communities to provide emergency shelters for these animals. This year, to streamline information for evacuees, the agency requested 2-1-1 to help evacuees obtain the latest information on emergency animal sheltering information.

The TAHC and Texas Agrilife extension agents have teamed up in many counties with local emergency management coordinators, veterinarians, ranchers, feed stores and local animal care groups to develop volunteer animal issue committees and develop response plans for sheltering or evacuation. These committees can provide an invaluable service and ease the distress of persons being evacuated. It’s a way of neighbor helping neighbor.

By planning ahead for ‘worst-case’ scenarios, the committees are prepared for all aspects of animal care, including emergency shelter, triage and routine care, and carcass disposal.

The Commission's web site is www.tahc.state.tx.us/

What's Killing England's Fell Ponies? Charity Funding for Research Intends to Find Out

Fell ponies look like miniature Freisian horses, but look again: this is a unique breed with a long and glorious history. With long feathers and arched necks, they make the loveliest children's ponies, and the sight of them wandering their native Cumbrian countryside is the stuff that wild horse legends are made of.

But their numbers have dropped since World War II, and the gene pool has shrunken to a bottlenecked puddle. Can this breed be saved? The Horse Trust, a UK charity, has given a donation of more than US$200,000 to the Animal Health Trust, a research center known for its work on strangles and orthopedic problems in horses, and the University of Liverpool. The charity has charged them with the task of finding out how to stop Fells Pony Syndrome (FPS).

FPS is a severe immune system disorder that results in the death of some of the newborn foals, further shrinking the breeding stock available to help the breed survive. The breed is listed as "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Foals affected with FPS appear normal at birth but within a few weeks begin to lose condition and suffer diarrhea, coughing and weight loss. Severe anemia and immune dysfunction follows, leading to wasting and finally death. The disease is always fatal.

Studbook analysis and knowledge of affected foals strongly suggests that this is an inherited disease caused by an autosomal recessive genetic mutation. The problem may trace to a single stallion who was a dominant force in the breed. A DNA-based test for this mutation would enable carriers of FPS to be identified and the conception of affected foals prevented.

As well as identifying carriers in the Fell pony population, the project will be used to identify any carriers in other breeds which have been involved in the extensive outbreeding of Fell ponies over the years.

“Breeders are supportive of our attempt to develop a diagnostic test which will help to prevent carrier-carrier matings, one in four of which results in an affected foal,” says project leader Dr June Swinburne, senior post-doctoral equine molecular geneticist at the Animal Health Trust Centre for Preventive Medicine. “Foals affected by the condition inherit an incurable genetic defect which results in severe wasting and a profound anaemia together with multiple infections. Veterinary intervention is in vain and once the condition is diagnosed foals are often euthanized. The gradual but relentless decline in these foals leaves both veterinary surgeons and breeders powerless."

According to the Horse Trust, FPS at the moment is restricted to the Fell pony population but could spread to other breeds at any time. Indeed it may be possible that carriers of the condition already exist in other breeds which have interbred with the Fell pony over many years.

Another rare breed, the Dales pony, and other native British breeds will be randomly tested to detect any further penetration of the defect into the equine population.

To learn more: The Horse Trust has one of the best horse charity web sites anywhere on the web. This remarkably generous and insightful organization funds research and welfare projects that benefit horses all over the world, not just in Britain. The Horse Trust was formerly known as the Home of Rest for Horses and has a long tradition of recognizing the welfare and health needs of horses.

The Fell Pony Society is trying to cope with the devastation of their breeding stock and preserve this lovely breed of pony, which dates all the way to the Roman occupation of Britain.

Photo from the Fell Pony Society.

Florida Authorities Continue to Quarantine Farms withe EP-Positive Horses

Last weekend two additional horse facilities in Florida were identified as being exposed to Equine Piroplasmosis (EP), according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The disease is believed to be spreading via horse movement in the Manatee County area. The latest premises, located in Dade and Lake Counties, were quarantined after finding that one horse at each location tested positive for EP.

These cases bring the total number of quarantined premises to 19 and the number of horses testing positive to 20, on 6 of the quarantined premises. All of the horses testing positive are closely linked via movement and common premises.

Because there is a close association between all 20 positive horses, the spread of the disease is believed to be due to management practices, such as the improper use of hypodermic needles, that result in the transfer of whole blood between horses.

State health authorities report that tick trapping and surveillance is ongoing but no foreign ticks have been found and no domestic ticks have tested positive for the organism that causes EP.

Canada has issued an order banning entry from any horse shipments originating in Manatee County.

EP was believed to have been in control in the USA for the past 20 years or so. It is a disease carefully monitored by health officials. The USDA has strict import rules about horses coming from countries where EP is found. Finding it here was a big surprise for everyone, and a health concern that complicates the big picture of equine disease in this country.

American Horses Stymied by Lameness at Burghley

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials**** was not the right place, right time for two leading American eventers this weekend. One of the world's most challenging events, coming just four weeks on the heels of the Olympics was filled with newly-returned Olympic riders and their non-Olympic mounts.

American Stephen Bradley didn't get past the pre-event trotup on Wednesday. His horse, Brandenburg Joshua, was rejected by the ground jury, so he did not start. For whatever reason, our friends at Horse and Hound shared a video of that inspection, so you call all see for yourselves.

And then there was Philip Dutton. Pennsylvania's Aussie-turned-American had our hearts in our throats as he rocketed around the grueling technical cross-country course yesterday to finish within the time, with no penalties. He went forward to today's show jumping on his dressage score, wedged in second place between William Fox Pitt's two super-star non-Hong Kong horses, Ballincoola and Tamarillo.

Did I mention it was raining?

Both Fox-Pitt and Dutton had high praise for the grounds crew at Burghley for keeping the track safe for their hard-galloping horses in spite of steady rain.

All were set for a tense jumpoff this afternoon in the show ring...but Dutton withdrew, saying that Woodburn was lame and could not compete. (sigh)

Let nothing take a thing away from England's William Fox-Pitt, who took not one but two horses to the top of the eventing game. He finished one-two, followed amazingly by Mary King in 3-4.

The bold Anglo-Arab Tamarillo not only aced the cross-country, his show jumping was a clear round as well. To finish a four-star event on your dressage score is an amazing accomplishment.

Fox-Pitt's second place horse, the Irish Ballincoola, completed his sixth Burghley and now will leave Fox-Pitt's fleet. He has completed the event every time, and won once. Fox-Pitt has now won Burghley five times and, with this win, holds the commanding lead in the HSBC FEI Classics series, which awards a prize of $150,000 to the leading international rider in four-star events. Dutton had been challenging Fox-Pitt after his win at Rolex in Kentucky last spring.

Burghley is broadcast live on the BBC in Great Britain and has a fantastic web site with great tech features and an impressive amount of information.

Hurricane and Disease Worries Hit New York Racing with a One-Two Punch Today

Summer's over.

Thoroughbred racing in New York migrated back to Belmont Park near New York City on Friday, only to have Tropical Storm Hanna pelt the track with rain today. Sunny Saratoga seemed like distant memory. Slickers came out, and races went on, but talk turned to other threats as the storm headed up the coast toward Boston.

According to New York City news sources and the Daily Racing Form, a three-year-old gelding who shipped down from Saratoga earlier this week was euthanized today. The horse had a fever and was unable to stand.

The barn where the horse was stabled, which houses horses for several trainers, is now under quarantine and a laboratory in Kentucky is conducting tests to determine if the horse suffered from a contagious disease, such as Equine Herpes virus (EHV).

The dead horse had the clever name "Smell My Carrots". Test results are expected Tuesday. Other horses in the barn will not be allowed to race, train on the main track, or mingle with other horses.

Many of the top stakes horses in the country are stabled at Belmont for the rich fall stakes series, however several--including Breeders Cup winner Kip De Ville and veteran campaigner Better Talk Now--are currently in Toronto for a rich weekend of racing at Woodbine. A disease outbreak at Belmont could affect the shipment of such top horses to New York. Horses stabled at Saratoga for racing through Labor Day have now dispersed all over the United States and Canada.

Except one (and surely some others): Horse of the Year Curlin stayed behind in Saratoga to train there so he is not directly affected by the Belmont situation. He will run at Belmont on September 27 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Equine Herpes virus is a highly contagious disease that has several strains, including some mutations with neurological symptoms that make it difficult for a horse to stand or walk. Hopefully the horse was sick for some other reason.

The One Way Look of Laddy: Tim Flach's Lens is Full of Horses

Photographer Tim Flach has compiled an extraordinary collection of images of horses. He has chosen the theme of "man and horse" and traveled around the world to capture images that suggested the theme...but without showing any humans. It is one of the most beautifully designed and printed books ever created about horses.

This short video from the World Horse Welfare organization in England was shot when he visited there to shoot a portrait of a one-eyed horse.

I found Tim at an "affordable art" fair in a park in London. My guess is that you will be able to to find Tim on a lot of coffee tables in the months to come. I wonder how long his art will be affordable after this book catches on!

I'll be sharing more images from the book over the next few weeks. It will be published here next month. Email me to pre-order a copy.

Tornado Story Twists Again: Colorado State Artificially Inseminates Dead Mare's Eggs, Fetuses Thriving via Surrogate Mares

When a devastating tornado hit Windsor, Colorado, around noon on an otherwise quiet day in May, a 12-year-old mare named Tuesday had to be euthanized. Tuesday's owner, Jennifer Mears, is looking forward to not one but two foals who will be born about 11 months after Tuesday's death. The clincher: Tuesday will be their mother, yet she was not pregnant when she was killed.

Colorado State University veterinarians were able to harvest Tuesday's ovaries after she was euthanized from critical injuries she suffered after the tornado rolled a shed on top of her, shattering part of her leg. Soon after, staff at the university's world-renowned Equine Reproduction Laboratory collected eggs from the ovaries and fertilized the eggs using advanced sperm injection techniques.

The fertilized eggs, called embryos, were implanted into surrogate mother mares. Mears just recently got the news that two of the four surrogate mares will foal this spring if all continues to go well during their pregnancies.

Both foals are somewhat of a miracle, said Dr. Pat McCue, director of the Equine Reproduction Laboratory. Working quickly, doctors in the hospital harvested 20 eggs from Tuesday the evening she died. Of those eggs, eight developed into embryos after being inseminated at the ERL, and the best four were implanted into four separate mares.

"There was a 30 percent chance that just one embryo would take, and it was something of a miracle that two pregnancies survived in surrogate mares," said McCue, who performed the work pro-bono after volunteering in Windsor with his family after the storm and getting an eyewitness account of the devastation. McCue cautions that, like all pregnancies, something may still go amiss before the two mares carry their foals to full term. However, he remains optimistic - both of the surrogate mares are healthy and doing well. "Both mares have very normal-looking pregnancies, and we have healthy heartbeats in each of the two embryos."

The ERL specializes in assisted reproduction of horses, with experts who see mares and stallions from around the world and work to develop new technology to preserve their bloodlines. In addition, much of the innovative work at the ERL also benefits humans. Several techniques used today in reproduction assistance were pioneered at the ERL including semen freezing and cooling. The center also was the first to harvest eggs from deceased mares and develop full-term, healthy foals.

"This is a way to continue the reproductive life span of great horses that by themselves are no longer able to get pregnant or carry a foal to term," McCue said.

When unexpected losses of a mare or stallion occur, teams coordinated by Dr. Elaine Carnevale and Jason Bruemmer have been instrumental in salvaging eggs and sperm to preserve bloodlines. The teams make it possible for new foals to be born from deceased parents at least once a month, and have assisted with dozens of such pregnancies over the last few years as the technology has advanced.

Mears, her sister Mandy and her mother Wendy have followed the progress of Tuesday's future foals from the emergency room harvesting of the ovaries, to the intricate process of fertilization when a sperm was is injected into the egg with a tiny glass needle, to watching the splitting of the initial cells into an embryo in the laboratory, to the moment when Dr. McCue discovered the pregnancies during follow-up ultrasounds. And finally, the thrill of the ultrasound examination and hearing the sound of two new hearts beating.

One of the pregnant surrogate mares, Katie, is owned by the Mears family. The other pregnant surrogate mare is owned by the ERL and was renamed Friday by McCue as a tribute to Tuesday. Mears already has names picked out for the foals who will carry on Tuesday's life: Wednesday and Thursday.

Louisiana State University's Vet School Stands By for Horses in Need After Hurricane

(received via press release)

In the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav, the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Veterinary Medicine and team members of the Equine Health Studies Program have developed a call center in an effort to respond to the potential needs of horse owners in southern Louisiana. The telephone number for horse owners in need is 225 578 9501. This helpline will function from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the coming weekend and perhaps longer if the need is evident. A secondary number exclusively dedicated to this purpose is 225-578-9062.

Today, LSU Ag assessment teams were in the field as Parish officials allowed families back to their homes and farms. District representatives from the Louisiana State Animal Response Team (LSART) have reported that there are no hurricane-related equine needs at this time in terms of a full scale response effort and that there are no plans for any staging areas at this time. However, plans are in place in the event of that need.

“Reports of injured horses, or horses in need of evacuation are minimal at this point”, said Dr. Becky McConnico, LSU Faculty Veterinarian and LSART Equine Branch Director. “That could possibly change as the rains continue and horse owners begin to contact the school from different areas of the state”, she said.

Early this morning, local veterinarian Dr. Justin Gregg reported that many areas in Catahoula Parish are flooding. This is the delta region northwest of Baton Rouge where the Black River and Tensaw River flow into the Mississippi River. LSART has rescued four (4) horses from the area and provided veterinary care. As the heavy rains persist it is likely we will see more of the same from this region of the state. Provisions of feed/hay/water and veterinary supplies are on hand, but can dwindle quickly given the number of horses and cattle in Catahoula Parish and the potential need for ongoing assistance.

Donations are being accepted to assist the effort as the LSU team gears up to respond to the equine community and offer assistance where needed. To contribute to this effort, please make your contribution payable to the LSU Foundation with ‘Animal Disaster Fund’ in the memo line and send to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine – Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

Lights on Broadway: Shining Brightly Again

Lights on Broadway at his new home; photo from Donna Keen's blog

This story is a "must share" best-case scenario of what can happen when the stars line up in the sky. Thanks to a chance encounter, a horse's life was saved, and I hope that this story will inspire others to reach out and find ways to help retired racehorses who, regardless of their histories, often find themselves headed to Canada or Mexico...on a one-way trip.

A good place to start this story is to announce that Lights on Broadway--winner of well over half a million dollars, the 2001 Texas Horse of the Year, and an annual favorite at Lone Star Park--has retired from racing at age 11, after running in more than 80 horses. This is his second retirement; his latest comeback at tracks in the Midwest came after being purchased off a truck headed for a Canadian slaughterhouse a few months ago.

Oklahoma-based Quarter Horse trainer Gregg Sanders was talking to the driver of a truck one day this spring. Attached to the truck was a big gooseneck stock trailer with about 40 horses crammed inside. The driver showed Sanders some Jockey Club papers chronicling an impressive race record and said the horse was on board. Sanders was stunned to see the familiar name and asked the driver to pull Lights off the trailer.

The sorrel gelding was thin and lame but Sanders immediately purchased him. The price? $200, for a horse that had won over a half million dollars for his former owners. His new owner brought him to a deeply bedded stall at his own 30-horse racing stable in Henryetta, Oklahoma. Lights on Broadway, who Sanders calls "one of the kindest and gentlest horses I have ever seen", spent most of the next three days stretching out in the comfort of that stall.

The trainer began a feeding regimen to bring Lights' weight back up and immediately had his veterinarian and farrier deal with the injury causing Lights' lameness, which is now completely healed. Sanders started the gelding back into training.

Meanwhile, journalist and anti-slaughter advocate Alex Brown continually tracks high-earning horses that are running for low claiming prices around the country . Alex's ears went up when his Daily Racing Form "Horse Watch" account notified him that Lights had been entered to run on July 13 for a claiming price of $2,500 at the Anthony Downs Fair in Kansas.

Alex and a large group of the gelding's fans began working to find Lights a new home for his retirement. These included Texas fans who spread word throughout the state's racing industry, an anonymous Texas OTTB owner who made a generous donation and Alex's friends at "Fans of Barbaro", a horse welfare group that provided both financial and logistical support.

Alex is happy to report that Lights on Broadway retired August 30 to a farm owned by trainer Dallas Keen and his wife Donna, who will give the gelding plenty of time to rest, then learn a new job. He will become an ambassador for the virtually unlimited potential of the off-the-track Thoroughbred (known in most horse circles as the "OTTB"), the realities of horse slaughter, and the need for the racing industry to develop good alternatives for re-homing former racehorses.

Both Lights on Broadway's breeder and the retirement group LOPE Texas offered Lights a home, but when the Keens made a generous donation of funds and a commitment to work with Lights in his new life, he shipped to them.

"We cannot wait to have him home and give him some well deserved time off," writes Donna Keen on her blog. "He will be turned out with a couple of other geldings in a big paddock with a nice size pond. When he is ready, we will start retraining him for a new life. Whether it be a racetrack pony, a dressage horse or just a plain ol' trail buddy, he will be loved and cherished by all the wonderful people that worked so hard to make this happen."

Donna promises to chronicle Lights on Broadway's new life and has already posted lots of photos of him on her blog. His story is definitely not over yet.

Thanks to Alex Brown and Donna Keen for background used for this post.

Molly the Pony vs. Gustav the Hurricane

Molly: 11. Hurricanes: 0.

Since Molly the Pony was foaled 19 years ago, 11 hurricanes and named tropical storms have darkened the skies over her home state of Louisiana. Andrew, Opal, Josephine, Danny, Frances, Georges, Lili, Katrina, Rita, Humberto, and Gustav have all sent people and ponies scurrying for high ground. Katrina in 2005 almost was the end of the little Pony of the Americas mare; she was abandoned in a barn that later collapsed and Molly was only accidentally found by rescuers.

Molly's post-Katrina road to recovery turned bloody when she was attacked by a pit bull at a rescue farm. Her leg could not be saved, and things looked grim but Molly's friends convinced Louisiana State University's College of Veterinary Medicine to perform an experimental amputation surgery. With the help of an artificial leg, Molly has not slowed down since! She is now America's most celebrated therapy pony, and spends time each week visiting hospitals, schools, and nursing homes and inspiring all who come near.

So it was a relief to hear today that Molly survived yet another hurricane, Monday's Gustav. Even so, the "Kids and Ponies" Foundation Farm outside New Orleans was damaged. Roofs are leaking, one barn is flooded and there's lots of clean-up work to do, says Kaye Harris, Molly's benefactor and director of the foundation.

Molly is the subject of a best-selling book, Molly the Pony by Pam Kaster, published in April. The first edition sold out in a month, and a second printing is now on sale. Click here to learn more about Molly and to order her book.

Click here for a link to a PayPal donation page where you can make a donation of any amount to help rebuild the farm for Molly and the 19 elderly, retired or otherwise unwanted ponies who have found a sanctuary there.

Survivors like Molly deserve the best.

© 2006-2007-2008 The Jurga Report: Horse Health Headlines. All rights reserved.
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Olympic Drug Tests: Add Pessoa to Offenders List

Brazilian showjumper and former Olympic gold medalist Rodrigo Pessoa is the latest Hong Kong rider to be found in violation of FEI drug and medication rules. Pessoa finished fifth in the individual show jumping. But wait...

This morning, the FEI announced that it had receiving notification last week from the lab about Pessoa's horse Rufus. A test carried out on the horse following the individual final revealed an A sample that tested positive for the banned substance nonivamide, part of the capsaicinoid family and classified as a "doping" prohibited substance given its hypersensitizing properties, and as a "medication class A" prohibited substance for its pain relieving properties.

The sample was received by the laboratory on August 23rd following the individual jumping final at which Rodrigo Pessoa and Rufus placed fifth. A preliminary hearing was held by teleconference August 28th before a member of the FEI Tribunal. The suspension was confirmed on 29 August.

The B sample test is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2nd in Hong Kong. Should the B sample confirm the findings of the A sample, the process will follow the Accelerated Medication Control Procedure during and after the 2008 Olympic Games which is part of the FEI Regulations for Equestrian events at the 2008 Olympic Games (Annex G), available on FEI Olympic website.

Evidence and written submissions will be requested and a hearing will be held before the FEI Tribunal. However it is up to the Person Responsible whether or not he wishes to exercise or waive his right to be heard. The panel will then, in light of all the evidence received, take a decision as to the applicable sanction if any.

An update will be provided by the FEI following the result of the B sample and subsequently further updates regarding the hearing and final decision.

The competition results will be amended as indicated in the Tribunal’s final decision. In terms of testing at the 2008 Olympic Games, all results have now been received, and there are no remaining cases to be reported.

Thanks to Malina Gueorguiev of the FEI for factual background on this report.