Horse Care | Horse Racing Free Tips

Palm Beach Equine Clinic Gives Appy Foal Second Lease On Life

A 4-day-old Appaloosa foal with severe flexural deformities in both front fetlocks was admitted to Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC) in Wellington, Fla., after she was unable to stand on her own.

Owned by Laura Rendon, the filly was originally fitted with splints that allowed her to stand and nurse, but “Acey” soon began crawling on her knees when she could no longer stand in the supports. Her knees soon developed sores, which Rendon was concerned would become infected.

While at the clinic, Acey was under the care of Dr. Katie Atwood and board-certified surgeons Dr. Robert W. Brusie and Dr. Jorge Gomez. The veterinary team worked together to develop a second set of splints; the foal began to show slight improvement during her second day wearing them.

The foal's splints and bandages were changed each day; she also received antibiotics and limited exercise. Over the 25 days that the foal was in the clinic, the bandaging technique was often changed as Acey grew to ensure the splints were working and were comfortable.

The filly returned to Rendon's farm no longer on stall rest and Rendon began working with her, with aspirations that the filly will be successful in both halter and lunge-line classes before deciding in which discipline she will excel.

Rendon credits Palm Beach Equine Clinic with the foal's full recovery.

Old Friends Will Resume Offering Guided Farm Tours On March 6

Old Friends is pleased to announce that guided tours of the farm will start on Monday, March 6, and run through November. We are very excited to welcome you back and also let you know we are returning to seven-day per week tours, highlighted by our 18th Annual Homecoming event on Sunday, May 7. Come visit our Thoroughbred champions including 1997 Kentucky Derby winner, Silver Charm, and one of our newest retirees, the “Coach,” Lava Man.

Note: For General Tours and Founder's Tours: Reservations are required. You can book them online.

* CLICK HERE for complete tour information on our website.

* CLICK HERE to book your tour.

General Tours

Beginning March 6, 2023, 90-minute guided, outdoor walking tours will be offered.

Tour Times:

* Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at 11 a.m.

* Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.

* Tour cost $25 per person.

* Maximum tour size 20 people.

* We cannot accommodate children under 10 on this tour.

* Golf carts are available by request; only five seats per tour and requests are first come, first serve.

* 24-hour cancellation policy.

Founder's Tour

Our Founder's Tours, led by Old Friends' President, Michael Blowen, are offered on Fridays beginning March 10, 2023.

* Tours begin at 12 noon.

* Tour cost $75 per person.

* Maximum tour size 15 people.

* We cannot accommodate children under 10 on this tour.

* Golf carts are available by request; only five seats per tour and requests are first come, first serve.

* 24-hour cancellation policy.

Private Tours

Exclusive Private Tours are bookable seven days a week by appointment only. FOUR DAY ADVANCE NOTICE REQUIRED. Please call to book: 502-863-1775.

* Tour cost:

– $50 per person with an Old Friends volunteer tour guide.

– $100 per person with Old Friends founder, Michael Blowen.

* Children 11 and under are admitted free.

* Golf carts are available by request; only five seats per tour and requests are first come, first served.

* 24-hour cancellation policy.

* For information and to make a reservation call: 502-863-1775.

Every Horse on the Farm Tour

This is a three-hour driving via golf cart tour visiting every horse residing at Dream Chase Farm with Old Friends photographer Laura Battles. Dates and Times for our 2023 Every Horse on the Farm Tours will be announced.

* Tour cost $100 per person.

* Maximum tour size 4 people.

* We cannot accommodate children on this tour.

* 24 hour cancellation policy.

Tour Companies and Large Groups must make a reservation. Please call the main office for information, rates, and booking at 502-863-1775.

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Right Dorsal Colitis: Striking Similarities To Cystic Fibrosis

Right dorsal colitis is a frustrating condition, both in prevention and treatment; affected horses often experience low-grade colic, weight loss, low blood protein levels, and chronic diarrhea. The inflamed portion of the right dorsal colon has been commonly documented in performance horses, reports The Horse.

Dr. Anje Bauck, an assistant professor of large animal surgery at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, noted that it is commonly believed that non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) like phenylbutazone contribute to the condition.

Feed is fermented in the equine colon, producing large quantities of volatile fatty acids which must be neutralized to protect the colon's mucosal lining. The administration of NSAIDs suppresses prostaglandin secretion, which affects tissue mucosa and leaves them less protected from the fatty acids, Bauck explained.

To test how NSAIDs might affect bicarbonate secretion, Bauck collected tissue samples from the right dorsal and right ventral colon of 10 horses that were having surgery. She measured bicarbonate secretion and pH level changes, then evaluated how phenylbutazone affected four of the samples.

She discovered that the dorsal colon typically has more bicarbonate secretion than the ventral colon. She also learned that phenylbutazone administration significantly reduced bicarbonate secretion, leaving the tissues susceptible to damage.

Bauck compared these results with human medicine and found that cystic fibrosis in humans is also associated with a bicarbonate deficiency. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that causes breathing and digestive issues in humans; there is not enough prostaglandin secretion in the lungs, pancreas, and intestines. People affected by this disorder have intestinal lesions similar to right dorsal colitis in horses.

This similarity may encourage vets to look at human treatment options to see how they might apply to horses suffering from the condition.

Strangles Quarantine At Kentucky Training Facility Released

The strangles quarantine that was in place in a Fayette County, Ky., training facility was released on Jan. 14. In total, one Thoroughbred gelding was confirmed with strangles and 13 others were exposed, reports the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

The 2-year-old vaccinated horse began showing clinical signs on Dec. 29 and was confirmed with strangles on Jan. 4. He was shipped to a referral hospital.

Strangles is a bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract, which is characterized by fever, nasal discharge, coughing, and characteristic abscesses in the lymph nodes around the throatlatch.

Most horses recover successfully, but the disease is highly transmissible and can take some time to clear.

Read more at the Equine Disease Communication Center.

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