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House Committee Passes Horse Transportation Safety Act

The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) commends members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for passing the Horse Transportation Safety Act (HTSA) June 10 as part of surface transportation legislation. The HTSA would ban the use of unsafe double-deck trailers to haul horses in interstate commerce.

The $547 billion package sets federal transportation policies and reauthorizes a wide array of programs over the next five years. Included in the transportation bill is the HTSA (H.R. 921), which aims to ensure that horses are not subjected to dangerous and inhumane conditions during transport. AWI has long spearheaded the passage of the HTSA to bar transporting horses in vehicles that endanger both animals and motorists. The bill, led by Representatives Steve Cohen (D-TN), Dina Titus (D-NV), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), currently has 121 cosponsors.

A vote by the full chamber is expected later this summer.

The impetus for the HTSA was a horrific accident several years ago in which a double-deck trailer carrying 59 Belgian draft horses overturned in Wadsworth, Illinois, killing 19 horses. The tragedy spotlighted the reckless practice of packing horses into trailers designed for much shorter and stouter animals, such as cattle and pigs.

“Cramming horses into double-deck trailers and hauling them over a long distance is dangerous and inhumane,” said Joanna Grossman, Ph.D., equine program manager and senior advisor at AWI. “Although a few states have already banned this practice, a federal prohibition is essential to protect both horses and motorists.”

The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends at least a 7- or 8-foot clearance for horses; double-deck trailers usually have a ceiling clearance of 4 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 5 inches, which typically does not allow horses to stand comfortably or even fully extend their heads and necks inside. Moreover, because horses cannot maintain proper balance, they are at higher risk of injury from falling. Horses can also sustain injuries while being loaded onto the steep ramp of a double-deck trailer.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture banned the use of double-deck trailers to transport equines to slaughter in 2011, citing concerns that such vehicles (containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another) could prove “extremely top-heavy and prone to tipping.”
The HTSA would finally close the loophole that allows other horses to travel across state lines in double-deck trailers.

“I'm pleased that the Horse Transportation Safety Act was incorporated in this morning's passage of the INVEST in America Act,” Cohen said. “These wonderful animals deserve to be transported in as humane a manner as possible. Double-deck trailers do not provide adequate headroom for adult horses, and accidents involving double-deck trailers are a horrendous reminder that the practice is also dangerous to the driving public.”

“As a society, it is imperative that we protect the welfare of animals, both big and small,” Fitzpatrick added. “As a member of the bipartisan Congressional Animal Protection Caucus and an outspoken defender of animals, I continue to be committed to ensuring that our government is doing its part in promoting animal welfare. I'm proud to stand with Representative Cohen to guarantee the safe and humane treatment of horses on highways and roads. I look forward to this legislation's swift passage in the House.”

“It's past time for Congress to close the loophole that encourages horses to be transported in a harmful way,” Titus said. “I'm proud we were able to advance our amendment to protect these beautiful animals.”

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UC Davis Standing Equine PET Scanner Now In Use At Golden Gate Fields

The UC Davis standing equine positron emission tomography (PET) scanner is officially in use at Golden Gate Fields racetrack in Berkeley, CA, providing imaging at the molecular level to monitor racehorse health and guide training and medical care. The scanner (the MILEPET from LONGMILE Veterinary Imaging) allows for imaging of a horse's leg while under mild sedation, eliminating the time, cost, and health risks associated with general anesthesia. In use at the UC Davis veterinary hospital since March, the instrument has been transported by a team of UC Davis veterinarians and technicians to the equine hospital at Golden Gate Fields once a week for the past month.

Dr. Mathieu Spriet, the equine radiologist who pioneered equine PET, is very enthusiastic about this new development. “Running the PET scanner at Golden Gate Fields brings multiple benefits,” said Spriet. “First, it provides Northern California horseracing with the same technology that has helped improve racehorse health and safety in Southern California. Second, it demonstrates that the equine PET scanner can be efficiently transported and shared between multiple sites, reducing costs and increasing availability. And finally, it opens the door to more research opportunities with performing multicenter studies.”

This achievement was made possible thanks to support from the UC Davis Center for Equine Health and the Stronach Group, owners of the Golden Gate Fields racetrack. Both parties have been intimately involved with the development of equine PET. The Center for Equine Health was at the origin of the very first equine PET performed in Davis in 2015 and has since supported the development of the modality by funding several research projects as well as a clinical program. The Stronach Group has had a key role in the last two years by providing partial support to develop the first scanner allowing imaging of standing horses in an effort to prevent catastrophic breakdown in racehorses.

The original MILEPET, owned by the Southern California Equine Foundation with support from the Stronach Group, has been in use at Santa Anita Park since December 2019. In a year and a half, over 200 horses have been imaged with the scanner, several on multiple occasions. Research projects supported by the Grayson Jockey Club and the Dolly Green Research Foundations have helped characterize the value of PET scanning in racehorses. The PET scanner is ideal for imaging the fetlock (the horse's ankle), which is the most common site for catastrophic injuries in racehorses. The first research study performed at Santa Anita demonstrated that PET was far superior to bone scan, another imaging technique in use at the racetrack, for identifying injuries in the sesamoid bones (the small bones at the back of the ankle). Two subsequent studies demonstrated the value of PET to monitor injuries while healing and joint health as horses go back into training.

The use of PET at Santa Anita, in combination with the use of MRI and medication rule changes, is one of several factors that have led to a marked decrease in the number of fatalities between 2019 and 2020. Based on this success, the Stronach Group was eager to offer the same technology at Golden Gate Fields. The proximity to UC Davis offered a unique opportunity to utilize the scanner at both sites. It is currently available at the UC Davis veterinary hospital four days a week and one day a week at Golden Gate Fields. The relative small size (4 x 5 feet, 300 lbs) and mobility of the scanner make it possible to load in a trailer, drive the hour from Davis to Berkeley, and start scanning about 30 minutes after arriving at the racetrack.

To date, 36 horses have been scanned in the first six weeks of operation at Golden Gate Fields. All scans are performed by a UC Davis team led by Dr. Mathieu Spriet and a Golden Gate Fields team, led by Dr. Casille Batten, veterinarian for the Stronach Group. All four fetlocks of a horse can be imaged in 15 to 30 minutes. A new barn was built at the Golden Gate Fields equine hospital specifically for the PET horses, making it possible to scan six horses in one imaging session. Up to 12 horses can be imaged in one day. Two projects, one evaluating horses with injuries and the other assessing horses with no signs of injuries, are ongoing with the support of the Oak Tree and Dolly Green Research Foundations. Both studies aim at comparing findings from horses imaged at Golden Gate Fields with those imaged at Santa Anita. As the two sites use different types of race surfaces, (i.e. synthetic at Golden Gate Fields and dirt at Santa Anita), these studies will help document and compare the effect of the different surfaces on the horses' bones.

UofL’s Equine Industry Program Launches Horse Racing Industry Business Certificate

The Equine Industry Program at the University of Louisville's College of Business announces the launch of the Horse Racing Industry Business Certificate. This unique, online-only certificate is designed for current and aspiring industry professionals focused on building successful careers in the horse racing industry. Students participating in this program will graduate with an in-depth knowledge of the issues that challenge the industry and insight into innovative business approaches required to resolve them.

“We worked in collaboration with the industry through local, national and international focus groups to develop the content for this program,” said Sean Beirne, equine industry program director. “We touch on topical and pressing issues happening in our industry including crisis management, the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Act and an in-depth look at stakeholders including breeding farms, horse sales, racetracks and the rapidly expanding segment of aftercare. “As a former racetrack executive, I believe this certificate will help accelerate someone's career.”

The nine-credit-hour, graduate-level certificate is comprised of six courses. Each course is 1.5 credit hours and runs five weeks. The certificate is intended as a stand-alone program; however, the credits are applicable toward completion of an MBA.

Three courses will be offered in the fall of 2021. All six courses will be available in the spring 2022, with two courses per five-week session.

Horse Racing Industry Business Certificate courses:

EQIN 610 Horse Racing Industry Overview
EQIN 620 Strategic Communications for the Equine Industry
EQIN 630 Management and Leadership of Equine Enterprises
EQIN 640 Racetrack Operations and Related Activities
EQIN 650 Equine and Sports Analytics
EQIN 650 Regulatory Law in the Thoroughbred Industry

As the only undergraduate equine program in the world located in an AACSB accredited college of business, core business administration classes for the UofL Equine Industry Program combine with 27 hours of specialized education, focusing on equine enterprises and event management. Because of the program's location in famed Kentucky horse country, classroom instruction is supplemented with the opportunity for internships, field experience and contacts with prominent industry professionals.

For more information, click here.

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Anthrax: More Than A Bioterrorism Weapon, Just As Deadly For Horses

Most people know anthrax as a bioterrorism tool, but it can also harm livestock. Anthrax occurs naturally as a spore-forming bacterium in the soil in many parts of the United States. Once it is ingested or inhaled by an animal, the bacteria travels to lymph nodes, where it multiplies and circulates throughout the body.

Anthrax infection often gives no warning, making it an especially deadly disease. Though cattle are most often affected by the disease, horses can also be infected with anthrax. Horses that work with cattle, in competition or on a working ranch may be more at risk of anthrax exposure, according to a recent report by Quarter Horse News. Horses that live in cattle-abundant states, like Texas, may also be at additional risk of getting anthrax. Anthrax can remain viable in the soil for years if left undisturbed.

Anthrax has its deadly effects by not allowing blood to clot. Horses infected with anthrax may have a high heart rate, show signs of colic, and go off their feed. Some horses will have swelling, stagger while moving, or have seizures. Horses generally die between two and four days after developing anthrax signs and are usually diagnosed post-mortem.

If handlers suspect anthrax is the cause of a horse's illness, animal health officials should be notified because humans can contract anthrax through inhaling spores or through cuts in the skin.

Anthrax outbreaks often take place in areas that have alkaline soils or those that are exposed to extreme weather events, like drought followed by flooding. Wet winter weather followed by a dry spring and then heavy rainfall are perfect conditions for anthrax to thrive. Pastures with poor drainage and lots of organic matter are particularly at risk.

There is an anthrax vaccination available, but horse owners should discuss their horse and management strategies with a veterinarian before administering the vaccine, as there are other ways to prevent anthrax outbreaks. Horses living in anthrax-prone areas could be fed off the ground if conditions seem ripe for an anthrax outbreak. If horses have traveled through mucky areas or through areas where cattle have been, washing them with soap and water may lower anthrax risk.