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Thoroughbred Charities Of America To Host Breeders’ Cup Halter Auction

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) will host an online auction of halters worn by Breeders' Cup winners and contenders. The All-Star Halter Auction is set to open on Friday, Nov. 6 at 9 a.m. and will conclude on Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. EST. The auction is sponsored by LNJ Foxwoods and all proceeds will benefit TCA.

“In a normal year, we would be just days away from our annual Bash at the Breeders' Cup fundraising event,” said Erin Crady executive director of TCA. “However, like so many nonprofits, we've pivoted to an online fundraiser this year. The funds raised by the auction will help us to continue to make impactful grants to approved organizations working to transition Thoroughbreds into second careers, provide health and human services for backstretch and farm workers, and provide equine-assisted therapy services to men, women, and children.”

More than 50 halters worn by Breeders' Cup contenders and winners will be available for bidding. Halters worn by Classic winners Accelerate, American Pharoah, Awesome Again, Blame, Curlin, Ghostzapper, Gun Runner, Mucho Macho Man, Tiznow, Vino Rosso, and Zenyatta will be offered. A halter worn by 2020 Kentucky Derby winner and Classic contender Authentic as well as a halter and two shoes worn by Preakness-winning filly and Distaff contender Swiss Skydiver will be available. All halters may be previewed here.

Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) was formed in 1990 to raise and distribute funds to charities in the Thoroughbred industry that provide a better life for Thoroughbreds, both during and after their racing careers, by supporting qualified repurposing and retirement organizations and by helping the people who care for them. In 2020, TCA granted over $1 million to 70 charities working within Thoroughbred retraining, rehoming and retirement; backstretch and farm worker services, research, and equine-assisted therapy. Over the last 30 years, TCA has granted more than $24 million to more than 200 charities that successfully meet the criteria set forth in its annual grant application. TCA also administers the Horses First Fund, founded by LNJ Foxwoods in 2016, to assist Thoroughbreds in need of emergency aid. TCA is the charitable arm of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). More information can be found at tca.org.

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Study: Whip Use Doesn’t Improve Steering, Finishing Times In Races

Researchers say a new study published in the open-access journal Animals fails to support the most common justifications for whip use in Thoroughbred racing. The research team was led by cultural anthropologist Dr. Kirrilly Thompson and its third author was Dene Stansall, horse consultant for the animal rights group Animal Aid in Britain. The team set out to examine whether whips improved a rider's ability to steer, prevent interference, and to ride horses out to their best ability.

Whip use is believed to give every horse, jockey, owner and trainer an equal chance of winning. Researchers say that the idea of whip use being critical to racing integrity is a cultural belief and that its actual impact on steering and safety have not previously been scientifically studied.

For the study, the team looked at stewards' reports for 125 British flat races that included 1,178 jockeys and their horses. Of these, 67 races were considered “hands and heels” races, where whips were carried but not used, and 59 races where whip use was permitted.

The team compared stewards' reports between hands and heels races and conventional races and determined there was no significant difference between the two groups as far as interference or drifting on course or reported incidents of jockey misbehavior. Steward reports in both categories indicated an urgent need to improve steering, which prompted the team to suggest racehorses be better trained to respond to weight shifting or opening a rein to prevent drifting.

The team also found no statistical difference between finishing times in hands and heels versus conventional whip races, which researchers interpreted to mean that horses were no more compelled to maximum performance by use of the whip. The study did not appear to examine differences in an individual horse's performance in races with and without conventional whip use.

The team recommends whipping-free races could be adopted without compromising racing integrity. They also note that any costs to introducing whipping-free races would be exceeded by the benefits to horse welfare and public perception.

Read the full study here.

Let Them Eat: Preventing Welfare Issues In Stalled Horses

Horses stalls overnight can spend multiple long hours with nothing in their stomachs, making them eat more rapidly when fed breakfast. German scientists suggest that horses kept inside should have something to chew on nearly continuously through the overnight hours, whether that's a constant supply of hay or their bedding, reports The Horse.

The Horse also notes that any straw horses ingest should be high quality and introduced slowly; a veterinarian or equine nutritionist should be consulted before adding edible straw to a horse's diet.

Dr. Miriam Baumgartner, of the Technical University of Munich, Germany, noted that horses shouldn't be without food in their system for more than four hours at a time. Horses bedded on non-edible bedding like pellets or sawdust are without something to eat for an average of nine hours each night.

When horses are without food for this amount of time, they “rebound” during the day, Dr. Margit Zeitler-Feicht, Baumgartner's colleague, noted. The duo studied 104 horses that were kept in stalls; those that were stalled on non-edible bedding ate faster with fewer pauses than horses that were kept on straw. They also ingested their evening meals more rapidly than horses kept on straw. The research team reports that this could mean that horses housed on inedible bedding may have compromised welfare.

The team concludes that horses should be offered something to eat continuously throughout the night, whether in the form of hay or edible bedding. To deny them the ability to eat continuously can cause health and welfare issues.

Does Weather Make Mares Moody?

Mares that tend to be moody might show signs of mellowing as the weather cools. Colder weather goes hand-in-hand with shorter days, and daylight influences a mare's hormones. These hormones control her reproductive cycle; from early spring until late fall, a mare is in estrus—her body produces eggs that mature and are released every 19 to 22 days.

During estrus, a mare has increased hormone levels, which can lead to impatience, aggressiveness and overall crankiness. As the days get shorter, the mare begins producing melatonin, which puts her body into anestrus, where no eggs are released. This transition begins in late fall; by the time the winter solstice comes, a mare is in the deepest part of anestrus. During this time, she may seem calmer and more easygoing.

If a mare's personality changes, it's worthwhile to keep a journal to see if the change is hormone related, as not all changes are. Year-round tracking, including daily observations, can be helpful, and including vital signs is a must. Noting her reactions in different situations and environments over multiple months will offer the ability to compare her attitude in different seasons to help identify hormone-related behaviors.