Tag: Horse Care

Many owners blanket their horses during the winter months for warmth, cleanliness, or in an effort to decrease hair length. While previous studies have evaluated the effect of blanketing on a horse's surface temperature and hay intake, none have assessed the impact of blanketing on a horse's coat. Therefore, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls evaluated changes in hair coat length and diameter of horses with or without medium-weight blankets during winter.

The study was conducted with 16 adult horses (9 ± 3 years of age) that had an average body condition score of 5.5 ± 0.5. Two Arabians, two Quarabs, two Thoroughbreds, and ten stock-type horses were included in the study. Medium-weight (220g fiberfill) blankets were placed on eight of the horses when temperatures were below 41°F for two days (October 27, 2019). Each month, through March 2020, hair samples were taken from the neck and hindquarters using tweezers. Hair length and diameter were measured using a digital caliber and micrometer, respectively.

Blanketing did not affect body weight or body condition score of the horses. For all horses, hair length was shortest in October and March, and longest in January and February. Similarly, hair coat diameter was smallest in October and March, and largest in January and February.

The length of hindquarter hair did not differ between blanketed and nonblanketed horses. However, neck hair length was greater for nonblanketed horses (58 and 47 mm) compared to blanketed horses (43 and 35 mm) in January and February. These differences were not observed for the month of March. When looking at hair coat diameter of the neck and hindquarter, no differences were found between blanketed and nonblanketed horses.

The results of this study provide evidence that blanketing can affect hair length in areas not covered by a blanket, such as the neck. But the effects are only short-term, where blanketed and nonblanketed horses had similar hair coat lengths when shedding their winter hair coats. However, the effect of blanketing on hair coat length will likely vary based on timing of blanket use.

More information on winter horse care can be found on the UMN Extension Horse website.

Sign up for the University of Minnesota Extension newsletter here.

The post Research Update: Hair Length And Diameter Of Blanketed And Nonblanketed Horses appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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It was the happiest of holiday seasons for the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program. Thanks to the support of Thoroughbred lovers across the country, TAKE2 was just shy of its goal of raising $100,000 in celebration of the Program's 10th Anniversary, and a most generous holiday gift of $25,000 from the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund (NYSTBDF) brought the campaign across the finish line. A total of $117,744 was raised during the 10 months of the drive.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who made a contribution, and blown away by the generosity of the Fund,” said TAKE2 Executive Director Andy Belfiore. “Our Program is a labor of love, and it means the world to know that so many people share our commitment to retired racehorses. This funding will help us continue the work started by Rick Violette 10 years ago, putting the spotlight on the Thoroughbred in the show ring and creating second career opportunities to ensure happy and healthy lives beyond the racetrack.”

The NYSTBF long has been a staunch advocate for TAKE2, which offers Thoroughbred Hunter and Jumper divisions at more than 400 horse shows. TAKE2's sister program, TAKE THE LEAD, works with New York's owners and trainers to find homes for the horses retiring from NYRA tracks. The promotion of responsible Thoroughbred retirement is at the top of the agenda for NYSTBDF, a mission that has grown in the last 10 years.

“I've been with the Fund since about 2010, and the commitment to aftercare has changed a great deal in that time,” explained NYSTBDF Executive Director Tracy Egan. “I think 2011 was the first year we used promotional funding to support aftercare, but back then I had to justify the spending and convince people it was the right thing to do. That's not the case any longer.

“I've always believed we need to create the reality that we are taking care of our horses even after they leave the racetrack,” she added. “Their racing careers are so brief, and they have long and productive lives after the track.”

Egan not only champions retired racehorses through the Fund, she herself is the proud owner of more than one off-the-track Thoroughbred.

“For 20 years, my riding horse was a retired racehorse named Sovereign Address,” she said. “He raced four times, then injured a tendon. I brought him home and he was just the most wonderful horse. I also have older mares, retired broodmares, the oldest is now 26.”

Personally and professionally, Egan is behind the promotion of organizations like TAKE2. “Programs that showcase the Thoroughbred are vital to aftercare efforts, and TAKE2 is leading the way,” she said. “I'm so thankful to Rick Violette for getting the ball rolling. For a while now, people have been favoring Warm Bloods to take them around the hunt course, but in my opinion, there is nothing better than a Thoroughbred to take you there. They are so amazing, so ready to go. There really is nothing like partnering with a Thoroughbred with a good brain.”

In addition to promotional initiatives, the NYSTBDF works with TAKE2 and TAKE THE LEAD on projects including equine rescue efforts.

“We know we can count on TAKE2 and TAKE THE LEAD to team up with the Fund in times of crisis to help save horses who are in harm's way,” Egan said. “There are so many organizations and individuals who step up during those times, and [TAKE2/TAKE THE LEAD President] Rick Schosberg is instrumental to our joint success. We have seen our team in action, and it is a beautiful unifying effort – everybody acting on behalf of the horses.”

The NYSTBDF will host a ceremonial check presentation and a reception with aftercare organizations and state legislators at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY, on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

“We have a new Board Chairman, Brian O'Dwyer, and it was his idea to have the check ceremony, to bring together the aftercare community and the lawmakers from Albany,” Egan said. “We want our lawmakers to learn about and understand our commitment to aftercare.”

The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, then led by the late Rick Violette Jr., launched the TAKE2 Second Career Thoroughbred Program in 2012, with the goal of creating more second career opportunities and making it easier to find new homes for retired racehorses. TAKE2 sponsors awards and prize money in Thoroughbred Hunter and Jumper divisions and supports Thoroughbred aftercare initiatives nationwide. To date, more than 2,000 Thoroughbreds have participated in the TAKE2 Program. Its sister program, TAKE THE LEAD, has found placement for nearly 1,000 horses retiring from the NYRA racetracks. A 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, TAKE2 is co-funded by members of the Thoroughbred industry around the country: NYTHA, NYTB, New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund; Thoroughbred Horsemen's Associations in Illinois (through Galloping Out), Maryland (through Beyond the Wire), and Pennsylvania (through Turning for Home); and Ocala Breeders' Sales Company. TAKE2 is a 2022 TCA grantee. For more information, go to www.take2tbreds.com.

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The Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF), in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the California Animal Health & Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS), has confirmed the presence of Clostridium botulinum type C in alfalfa hay cubes linked to the death of at least 20 horses in Louisiana. This incident, which has evolved into a multi-state epizootic of Equine Botulism linked to the same alfalfa hay cubes, has also been connected to at least 28 similar horse deaths in New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado, with many other horses becoming clinically ill.

Equine Botulism is a condition caused from a bacterial toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. In this incident, the condition was likely caused from direct ingestion of the toxin produced by the vegetative bacteria through contamination of the alfalfa hay cubes.

The FDA began their investigation, in conjunction with state departments, after reports that horses in Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas showed neurologic symptoms consistent with botulism. During LDAF's investigation, LDAF Investigators received information of possible alfalfa hay cube adulteration with animal remains. LDAF Investigators subsequently confirmed the presence of animal remains in an unopened 50 lb. bag of “Top of the Rockies Alfalfa Horse Cubes” (Lot # 111422), produced by Manzanola Feeds LLC, a feed manufacturing firm in Manzanola, CO. This finding indicated that material from an animal or animals may have been incorporated into the cubes during alfalfa harvesting. Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism, is commonly present in decaying animal carcasses.

As a result of this ongoing investigation, Manzanola Feeds has recalled Top of the Rockies alfalfa cubes with the date codes 111222, 111322, 111422, 111522, and 111622.  If you have Top of the Rockies alfalfa cubes with these date codes, or you can't be sure of the date code of the products you have, throw them away in a secure container and follow the handling and cleaning instructions found at https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-cautions-horse-owners-not-feed-recalled-lots-top-rockies-alfalfa-cubes-due-reports-illness-and.

Immediately consult a veterinarian if your horse ate this product and shows signs of neurologic illness, such as muscle tremors, difficulty eating or swallowing, difficulty standing, or collapse. You can also report the illness to FDA through the Safety Reporting Portal or by calling your state's FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators. If possible, share the brand name and lot numbers of what your horse ate.

If you have fed this product with the associated lot number or no lot stamp at all to your animal(s) who subsequently became ill or has died unexpectedly with neurologic clinical signs, please notify the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry by calling their 24-hour Emergency Hotline at 1-855-452-5323.

For more information on Botulism, visit https://www.ldaf.state.la.us/animal-health/botulism/.

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After the Finish Line's 7^th Annual Charity Auction of Breeders' Cup Hats starts Sunday, Jan. 8. The eBay auction lasts for one week, and is one of After the Finish Line's fundraisers that benefits its grantmaking activity. After the Finish Line's sponsor, the Georgia B. Ridder Foundation, honors the lifetime work of its founder, Georgia B. Ridder, who owned Alphabet Soup, the 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic champion. The Retired Racehorse Project has partnered with After the Finish Line, and will receive a portion of proceeds.

Bidding in the eBay auction, ebay.com/str/afterthefinishline, will start Sunday, Jan. 8, at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.

Up for bid are 115 iconic purple Breeders' Cup hats from the 2022 World Championships at Keeneland. They are typically only available for the connections of Breeders' Cup entrants.

“This auction brings aftercare and horse racing fans together in a unique way,” said Dawn Mellen, president and founder of After the Finish Line. “Fans can bid on the official hats of their favorite racehorses to benefit off-track Thoroughbreds. This raises awareness about the importance of aftercare for the racing community. We are excited to build a bridge between racing and aftercare with this annual eBay auction.”

“I look forward to participating in this year's Breeders' Cup Hat Auction. I expect the bidding will be fierce for many of the hats,” said Michael R. Whalen, President of the Georgia B. Ridder Foundation. “Fortunately, we will have lots of choices from among the great horses that raced.”

About After the Finish Line: After the Finish Line, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, awards Monthly Grants to aftercare organizations across the United States that rehab, retrain, rehome and/or retire Off Track Thoroughbreds, Thoroughbreds in training that never raced, and Thoroughbred broodmares, stallions, and foals. Grants are awarded for surgery, veterinarian, medication, chiropractor, farrier, dental, vaccines, hay, feed, training, auction rescue, and other expenses. Since 2007, ATFL has awarded 775 grants helping approximately 5,200 Off Track Thoroughbreds. Visit, afterthefinishline.org.

About Georgia B. Ridder Foundation: The Georgia B. Ridder Foundation, based in Pasadena, California, contributes to many local charitable organizations. The Foundation carries forward the lifetime work of its founder, Georgia B. Ridder, the former first lady of California racing, the owner of Alphabet Soup, and the 1996 horse breeder of the year. They take great pride in continuing their support of thoroughbred aftercare and California-Bred horses. 

About the Retired Racehorse Project: The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds in the equestrian world. In addition to producing the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, the world's largest and most lucrative retraining competition for recently retired racehorses, the organization also publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, produces the Master Class retraining clinic series, and presents programming at major horse expos.

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