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Retired Preakness Runner Hemingway’s Key Remains in Good Company

Fifteen years ago, the chestnut Thoroughbred colt Hemingway's Key was keeping some impressive company.

Racing under the silks of Kinsman Stable and trained by Hall of Fame horseman Nick Zito, Hemingway's Key spent the winter of 2006 on the Triple Crown trail competing against the top 3-year-olds in the country, such as Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Barbaro, Preakness (G1) winner Bernardini, Belmont (G1) winner Jazil and Grade 1 winners Corinthian, Flashy Bull and First Samurai.

After finishing third in the Preakness and that summer's Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga, Hemingway's Key raced into his 5-year-old season before retiring to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) in Lowell, FL in August of 2008. Hemingway's Key has been a favorite at the TRF's Second Chances Program at the Lowell Correctional Facility.

But now the 18-year-old son of Notebook is taking on another role by being selected as one of four horses to work on the just-announced TRF initiative with Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice aimed at using retired Thoroughbreds to help at-risk youths.

The TRF's Second Chances Juvenile Program will give at-risk juveniles a chance to learn hands-on training in animal skills and life skills that they can use once released.

Hemingway's Key has been a favorite with the women at the Lowell Correctional Institution.

“He's a nice horse and he's probably the horse my students ride the most,” said John Evans, farm manager at Lowell. “He's really sound and is a great saddle horse.”

For more information on the TRF go to trfinc.org.

For information on Beyond the Wire, an industry initiative between the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, the Maryland Jockey Club, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Maryland jockeys, go to beyondthewire.org.

The post Retired Preakness Runner Hemingway’s Key Remains in Good Company appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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EHV-1 Outbreak In Europe Improving; Now Found Stateside

Europe has recently experienced one of the worst outbreaks of equine herpes virus (EHV-1) in decades. The neurologic form of the disease has forced the cancellation of international competitions in 10 European countries, including France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands, Germany and Slovakia. The cancellations remain in place until March 28.

The initial case of EHV-1 was confirmed at the CES Valencia Spring Tour showjumping competition; 83 of the 752 horses at the venue showed clinical signs and are currently being treated for the disease. Six horses have died. An additional 15 horses are being treated at off-site equine clinics.

All horses that had been in Valencia since Feb. 1 are blocked in the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) database. They cannot compete in any FEI-sanctioned event until they complete EHV-1 testing requirements. The FEI is the governing body for international equine competitions. The USDA's Veterinary Services Department has no current international movement restrictions in place.

In the United States, one 8-year-old mare in Ocala, Fla., was confirmed infected with EHV-1 on March 1 and placed in isolation. Florida Animal Health officials have implemented biosecurity protocols and are monitoring the situation. Horse owners and caretakers are reminded to take precautions before introducing new horses to an existing herd.

Report: The Difference Between ‘Training’ And ‘Abuse’ Not Always Clear

The way horsemen and the public think about training and abuse is changing. In some cases, the line is clear, but in others, it's a more subjective question, according to a recent report from The Horse.

Though equine training methods differ between breed and discipline, certain practices can be considered abusive regardless of the goal. In the past, more attention has been paid to getting a horse to submit to a rider's will than to ensuring a horse's welfare is protected. Situations that create obvious pain like tying a horse's head down or to the side, rollkur, or too-tight nosebands are one kind of abuse. The Horse reports than in other cases, abuse is the absence of something; keeping horses in stalls with no social interaction as punishment, or limiting diets can also be considered a type of abuse.

Often, horses subjected to these methods are emotional scapegoats for a stressed trainer, or they may be pushed to achieve a particular financial or performance result. There is also a disconnect between some horsemen about certain training tactics that are overlooked as things that have “always been done.”

Horse owners may be reluctant to speak up against perceived abuse as they feel the professional knows what is best for the horse.

A horse in an abusive training situation may be at increased risk of harm and even death, as the horse may injure itself while in training or colic from the stress. Generally speaking, The Horse reports, physical and mental welfare of horses is becoming better understood and that understanding is guiding changes in philosophies and training methods.

Don’t Hesitate To Vaccinate For EHV With Other Core Vaccines

With the onset of the most serious EHV-1 outbreak Europe has seen in years, horse owners and caretakers are reminded of the necessity of vaccinating horses against the deadly disease. Questions have arisen regarding the best timing of vaccine administration — should the EHV vaccine be given concurrently with other AAEP-recommended core vaccines or should the vaccines be split into multiple doses?

Research suggests that vaccinations for equine influenza virus (EIV) and equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4) can safely be administered on the same day without compromising the horse's immune response.

Scientists from the Irish Equine Centre in Kildare divided 30 healthy horses into two groups to test the efficacy of the vaccines alone and used in tandem. The first group received the EIV vaccine and then a combination EHV-1 and EHV-4 vaccine two weeks apart. The second group was given both vaccines on the same day. Blood samples were taken from all horses before and after the vaccinations to measure antibody levels to EIV, EHV-1 and EHV-4.

Results showed that the horses vaccinated for both EHV and EIV on the same day had slightly higher antibody response to EIV vaccines than those horses that were vaccinated two weeks apart. There was no significant difference in EHV-1 and EHV-4 antibody response between the two groups.

The study team concludes that administering EIV and EHV-1 and -4 concurrently will not compromise the horse's immune system response.