Horse Care | Horse Racing Free Tips

Multiple Benefits To Removing Shoes Over Winter

There are multiple benefits to allowing horses to transition to barefoot over the winter months, hoof care specialist Alicia Harlov tells Dr. Chris White in a conversation recorded at thehorse.com.

For performance horses who regularly wear shoes, removing those shoes for the winter can be a safety measure safer, preventing slippery balls of ice from forming in their hooves. It can also allow for a more natural hoof function that helps get ahead of any issues the horse might have.

“Pulling shoes over the winter is also a great way to get ahead of nagging pathologies (diseases or conditions) that we often chase throughout the rest of the year,” Harlov told The Horse. “Allowing the feet time to rest out of shoes can result in benefits to the caudal hoof, relaxing contracted heels, growing healthier frogs, and strengthening the structures in the back half of the foot especially.”

Making the transition to barefoot takes time, Harlov cautioned. She recommends removing the hind shoes first, and allowing the horse time to get comfortable before returning to full work.

“Some horses need an adjustment in their workload at first as their feet strengthen, while others can immediately go back to their previous workload seemingly unaffected,” Harlov continued. “A good rule of thumb is for every year shod, expect one month of transition time before the horse is fully comfortable. A little bit of preparation and observation can go a long way in a successful barefoot transition.”

Pink Lloyd’s Racing Bridle Will Be Auctioned To Benefit LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee Robert Tiller has donated the racing bridle of multiple-time Canadian champion Pink Lloyd to an auction to benefit the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, according to the organization's Facebook Page.

The 9-year-old Pink Lloyd was retired to LongRun after his victory in the G2 Kennedy Road Stakes at Woodbine on Nov. 27, the 26th stakes win of the magnificent gelding's career. He was named the 2017 Canadian Horse of The Year, six-time Sovereign Award winner, with 38 starts, 29 wins and earnings in excess of $2.4 million.

The bridle was only ever worn by Pink Lloyd, and it was worn in all of his races. The auction begins on Dec. 12 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern, and runs through Dec. 16 at 11:00 p.m. A link to the auction will be shared on LongRun's Facebook page around mid-day on the 12th.

LongRun has been in operation since 1999 and has worked tirelessly to place over over 1,000 Thoroughbreds in new adoptive homes. It is the first industry-funded adoption program in Canada, and works directly with owners and trainers stabled at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, and Fort Erie Racetrack in the Niagara region to offer a responsible retirement option for their horses.

The post Pink Lloyd’s Racing Bridle Will Be Auctioned To Benefit LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Maryland Tracks To Institute Aftercare Funding Initiative January 1

The Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association Board of Directors recently approved an initiative designed to increase funding for the Beyond The Wire aftercare program.

Effective Jan. 1, 2022, pending review from the Maryland Racing Commission, there will be an assessment of 1.5 percent on the price of a claimed horse at Maryland racetracks. For example, the new owner or ownership group that claims a horse for $10,000 would pay a $150 assessment that would be used to support racehorses accepted by Beyond The Wire.

The program is similar to one in New York, where in 2019 the New York THA and New York Racing Association instituted a mandatory 1.5 percent aftercare assessment on claimed horses. The Maryland program will be “opt out,” meaning the 1.5 percent assessment will be charged unless an owner or ownership group signs an opt-out form that will be available in the MTHA office in the Laurel Park grandstand.

In a related matter, Beyond The Wire is offering opportunities to sponsor a retired racehorse for the holiday season and beyond. Occasionally, horses have medical problems or even more rare, behavioral problems, that make it very difficult for them to be adopted. Sometimes, it is in the best interest of the horse to live out their days at one of our Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited facilities.

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If you love horses, have a connection to a particular horse, love racing, are an animal lover or just want to do something that makes you feel good, please consider “sponsoring” one of our beautiful Thoroughbreds this holiday season. The list of sponsor horses can be found here. Please include the name of the horse with your PayPal donation at the top of the PayPal page.

Current sponsor opportunities include hay for a week ($25), shoes for a month ($125), X-rays for a checkup ($250), one month of board ($300), or any other amount.

AAEP: Keynote Speaker Urges Veterinarians To Think About, Embrace Generational Differences

Between retirements, fewer veterinary students choosing equine and many of those who do leaving equine within five years after graduation, it is more important than ever for practices to embrace the unique strengths of the different generations within their practice. Doing so, according to keynote speaker Meagan Johnson, will help practices maintain outstanding service to horses and clients as well as facilitate the growth, satisfaction and long-term success of associates and interns.

Summarizing the strengths and work styles of each generation currently in the workforce, Johnson said:

Baby Boomers (born between 1946-1964) understand the importance of teamwork as the first generation for whom education became an expectation.

Generation X (1965-1980), as the offspring of parents who both worked outside the home, tend to be fiercely independent. They want to be given a task and the necessary tools, then be left alone to accomplish the task.

Millennials (1981-1996) tend to be interested in building their corporate “lattice” instead of climbing the corporate ladder. They value collaboration and want to know their manager is participating in their career development. Beyond feedback, they crave a sense of purpose: more than 85% of millennials who have remained with their employer for at least 5 years were happy with their sense of purpose at work.

Generation Z (1997-2012) is the first digital generation and by far the most diverse. They are values-driven and want to see diversity reflected in leadership. Nearly 60% of Gen Z job seekers rank their organization's social media presence as the reason they accepted the job. In light of that, Johnson recommends practices examine their website and social media to introduce their team, highlight success stories, share letters from clients, post about charity events and more.

Johnson also suggests practice's consider instituting monthly 15-minute conversations with younger employees to help advance skills, improve learning curves and facilitate satisfaction. The conversations should be built around four questions:

1. What's something you're better at now than you were last month?
2. What things would you like to get better at this month?
3. What is your plan for developing these skills?
4. What resources can I help you with?

Similarly, Johnson advises practices to consider replacing an employee's traditional annual review with periodic stay interviews to help ensure their professional growth and satisfaction, discover what they value and would like to improve, and identify any potential impediments that otherwise wouldn't be discovered until the employee's exit interview.

Finally, Johnson stresses the importance of young equine veterinarians feeling as impassioned as practice owners, who can expedite this process by not summarily dismissing ideas and suggestions from associates and new practitioners. Rather, practice owners should first explore how the ideas affect cost, quality, safety and service before making a determination.

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