Robin Goodfellow’s racing tips: Best bets for Wednesday, August 16
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Wednesday's racing from Ffos Las, Salisbury, Yarmouth, Beverkey and Kempton.
Month: August 2023
Professional Jockeys Association claims plans to remove racecourse saunas has ‘created a physical and mental well-being issue’ as the British Horseracing Authority refuses to bow to demands
DOMINIC KING: The British Horseracing Authority and Professional Jockeys Association are locked in conflict over the permanent removal of saunas from racecourses across England.
Eight Yearlings Supplemented To 2023 Texas Summer Yearling Sale
Eight yearlings have been supplemented to the 2023 Texas Summer Yearling Sale catalog, ahead of the Aug. 28 sale at Lone Star Park.
Six of the entrants will be catalogued as hips 265-270, two of the supplemented horses will replace horses already reported as scratched from the sale.
“The additions to the catalog add to our strong regional base already and we're glad to have these additional offerings in our sale,” TTA Sales Director Foster Bridewell said.
Two of Texas' leading stallions Bradester and the late My Golden Song are represented by four of the additions. Yearlings by Early Flyer, Airoforce, Cutting Humor, and new Texas stallion King Zachary complete the octuplet.
A supplemental paper catalog will be available on the sales grounds. The interactive catalog has been updated at TTAsales.com.
The post Eight Yearlings Supplemented To 2023 Texas Summer Yearling Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Study: Pasture Grass Calories Main Driver For Equine Weight Gain
Researchers from the Equine Studies Group at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition in Leicestershire and the University of Bristol suggest that pasture, not supplemental hay or grain, may be to blame for obesity in equines.
The research team created a study that followed 96 horses from February through August of one year. Every horse had access to pasture for at least six hours a day; many had 24/7 access to pasture grass.
Each horse's body condition score (BCS) was determined at the end of the winter and again at the end of the study in August. The owner of each horse was also sent a questionnaire so the scientists could better understand how the horses were managed, including exercise, amount of hay or grain fed (if any), and deworming strategies.
The data showed that the percentage of obese equines rose from 27 percent at the end of the winter to 35 percent at the end of the summer. Interestingly, the team found that horses fed hay and grain (in addition to pasture) were not necessarily more obese. This meant that the calories ingested from grass were the main driver for weight gain.
The horse's breed was the biggest predictor of obesity. Native ponies, like the Welsh pony, were most at risk of obesity, followed by cob-type horses. The scientists suggested that being aware of a breed's propensity for obesity may encourage owners to be even more diligent in monitoring a horse's weight, possibly engaging an equine nutritionist early. Preventative measures are more effective than allowing a horse to become obese in the first place, they note.
The study team also found that the fatter a horse was at the beginning of the study, the less seasonal weight fluctuations he would experience. This is likely because of the additional metabolic changes associated with obesity: a heavier horse has a reduced caloric requirement to maintain his weight.
Read more at EQUUS magazine.
The post Study: Pasture Grass Calories Main Driver For Equine Weight Gain appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
