Tag: Horse Care

Kentucky Derby Museum is excited to announce the newest holiday festivity in town – Ari's Winter Workshop! Happening daily in December, families can turn any day into a holiday outing.

Ari, the Museum's miniature horse, has been a busy little elf! He used all his holiday magic to transform the Museum into his Winter Workshop. For a slight upgrade to the children's General Admission ticket, children will be entertained with holiday crafts, a scavenger hunt, and storytime! Each child will receive a gift bag with reindeer antlers, an ornament to decorate, two holiday postcards to color, crayons, candy cane, and scavenger hunt.

Kids can don their antlers and get ready for an adventure and plenty of photo opps! Families can work together on a fun scavenger hunt through the Museum, and enjoy a holiday storytime. Kids can decorate their postcards and address them to our Stable horses, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, or Santa! (Don't forget to drop them off in the UPS holiday dropbox in the Museum lobby!) Finally, visit the Stable to see Ari and take some memorable photos!

“With Ari's Winter Workshop happening each day in December, it's easy for families to plan a day at the Museum making holiday memories together,” said Emily Dippie, Curator of Education at the Museum. “We are excited to offer a unique way to celebrate the magic of the season with a dash of Kentucky Derby flair.”

Ari's Winter Workshop only costs an additional $8 at the door with each child's General Admission ticket. Since the Museum is free for children 4 years old and under, it will just cost $8 for this age group. On top of all the fun festivities, everyone will have access to the Museum's two floors of interactive exhibits, the signature 360° movie, and a guided visit of Churchill Downs Racetrack.

Ari wants to thank UPS for sponsoring his Winter Workshop! He can't wait to make tons of new friends at the Museum all month long.

The post Kentucky Derby Museum: Miniature Horse Ari Kicks Off New Daily Holiday Event appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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As part of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)'s month-long Holiday Giving Campaign, Denali Stud has pledged to match all donations up to $5,000 made to the TAA on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. Denali Stud has contributed funds to the TAA since 2013 and continues to be an aftercare ambassador, representing responsible breeding and ownership within the racing industry.

“Denali Stud proudly supports the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance,” said Denali Stud owner Craig Bandoroff. “TAA does the due diligence of accrediting aftercare farms and distributing grants to help care for the horses. It's our obligation, not an option, to fund Thoroughbred aftercare. Join Denali Stud and donate to the TAA's Holiday Giving Campaign today.”

“Denali Stud has been a part of the TAA's journey for nearly a decade, and we are honored to partner with them on our first Holiday Giving match donation day,” said Stacie Clark Rogers, operations consultant for the TAA. “With the promise of a $5,000 match donation from Denali, the TAA has the opportunity to raise $10,000 in a single day, but we need your help.”

TAA's Holiday Giving Campaign commenced Nov. 29 and is scheduled to conclude New Year's Eve. Those wishing to support the TAA, its 81 accredited organizations, and thousands of retired Thoroughbreds, can donate through the TAA's website or text DONATE to 56651. During the Holiday Giving Campaign, TAA is also offering donors the benefit of sending digital holiday cards to colleagues, friends, and loved ones.

Throughout the end of the year, the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will continue to host special one-day only donation matches with some of horse racing's biggest names. For more chances to double your donation, watch the TAA's social media, website, and industry advertisements for the next Holiday Giving match day announcement.

To learn more and donate to the TAA's Holiday Giving campaign, visit: ThoroughbredAftercare.org/HolidayCampaign.

The post Thursday, Dec. 1: Denali Stud Pledges $5,000 In Matching Funds For One-Day Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Drive appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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A horse that has been infected with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) has inflammation and tissue damage to the brain and spinal cord which may cause transient lameness or incoordination. Infected horses may also be weak, lethargic, or have gait changes. 

Some horses may show mild signs of infection, while others become severely compromised. EPM can be confused with other equine issues, so a clear diagnosis is imperative to ensure the horse is being treated for the proper condition. 

EPM is primarily caused by Sarcocystis neurona, but it can also be caused by a similar organism, Neospora hughesi. Most horses with EPM respond well to treatment, which includes antiprotozoal or antiparasitic medications like ponazuril, diclazuril, or sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine, reports EQUUS magazine.

However, neurologic signs can return months or years after the original diagnosis and treatment, and treatment may be again required. Unlike viruses and bacteria, to which a horse can develop lifetime immunity, the parasites that cause EPM are skilled at surviving even a concerted medicinal treatment plan. 

Making complete clearing of the parasite even more complicated is the fact that the protozoa crosses into the horse's central nervous system, an area of the body that allows the protozoa to “hide” from treatment.

How often horses experience EPM relapses is not known. In one study, 8 percent of horses being treated for EPM relapsed within 90 days after the EPM treatment was stopped. Multiple factors are most likely related to EPM relapses in horses, including the type of drug used for treatment, its dosage and the duration of treatment, as well as the individual horse's immune system function.

There may also be variations in EPM strains, though this has not been investigated.

If a horse experiences an EPM relapse, the treating veterinarian may recommend an additional round of treatment or that the owner treat the horse with ponazuril or diclazuril and lengthen treatment duration.  

Read more at EQUUS magazine.

The post EPM Recurrence: Does It Happen? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Cooler weather can increase the risk of colic in horses, at least anecdotally, reports The Horse. However, it's not the weather that's increasing the risk of colic; it's the management and behavior changes the shift in weather causes that increase the risk of impaction colic. 

Horses that shift from pasture to a more hay-based diet experience a decrease in water consumption. If a horse's diet is changed rapidly, he may not increase his water consumption enough to make up for the shift in diet. This could increase the risk for impaction colic. The shift from grass to hay should occur gradually.

Horses that generally spend the majority of their time on pasture that are brought into stalls don't move their bodies in the same way they do as when they're outside. Movement is important for many things, including gut motility, so reducing the horse's ability to move may also lead to an increased risk of impaction. Riding, lunging, hand walking, or turnout is beneficial no matter how cold the weather is. 

Cooler weather can cause water in buckets and troughs to freeze; limited access to unfrozen water can negatively impact a horse's water consumption, which will also increase the risk of impaction colic. Care should be taken when using heated buckets or trough heaters to ensure the horse doesn't get shocked, which would negatively affect his inclination to drink. 

Adequate salt consumption will also encourage a horse to drink and further reduce the likelihood of impaction colic. While horses can lick and ingest salt from a salt block, adding it directly to the horse's feed can ensure that he's receiving adequate sodium. 

Read more at The Horse. 

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