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OTTB Steps In To Heal A Broken Heart, Take Rider On New Adventures

Good To Go never made it to the starting gate in the afternoon and at the age of 3 was retired to Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation. The daughter of Euroears spent five months at the TAA-accredited organization before garnering the interest of an adopter.

Aimee Robinson began searching for her OTTB partner in January 2020. Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation was an easy choice for Robinson, a resident of Oklahoma and an advocate for all kinds of animal adoption.

“As a lover of rescue dogs and OTTBs, I so wanted to adopt through Nelda Kettles' organization that saves both dogs and horses,” Robinson said. “I shared with her my wish list–a mare with a kind eye, willing and sound for eventing, but gentle enough for everyday trail riding. That's a tall order to fill. She invited us to her farm to trial several horses to find the one. All were lovely. It would be a tough decision, and I went home to study.”

Some weeks later Robinson saw a video of Good To Go, who she had not seen on her visit, during a training session at Horse and Hound and instantly felt a connection.

“I noticed (Good To Go's) kind eye, and we hopped in the truck right away to meet her,” Robinson said. “After our first ride I immediately submitted our adoption application. It was a wonderful process, and I recommend any equestrian to look into OTTBs with Horse and Hound Rescue Foundation. They will work to find the perfect one for them and their individual goals.”

Good To Go, now known as “Wicklow,” was not Robinson's first OTTB. Her love for Thoroughbreds can be attributed to a kindhearted horse affectionately known as Sadie, who Robinson lost to colic some years ago.

“I had the most wonderful OTTB mare I named Sadie,” Robinson said. “She was my best friend, and we did everything from eventing to weekend trail rides across the state of Oklahoma. My senior year of college at Oklahoma State University, Sadie survived her first colic episode and she underwent surgery at the OSU veterinary school. One year later, I moved her with me to Wisconsin, when I took my first 'adult' job after college. She experienced a severe colic episode, and she was too far gone. I lost her, in a state 14 hours away from home. It was heartbreaking.

“I've been searching for an OTTB who reminded me of Sadie's kindness,” she said. “Wicklow has Sadie's build, and even more so, Wicklow has Sadie's kind eye that I very well remember. I knew right away that Wicklow was the horse for me. She is so kind, curious and an absolute joy. Our family just loves her.”

Now, the Oklahoma-bred is enjoying life with her person and is learning the basics and starting over small fences, with their sights set on eventing, jumpers, and dressage. But their favorite activity is trail riding, and Robinson anticipates they will have many fun camping and trail adventures in their future.

“We haul on the weekends to different horse parks for relaxing rides and camping fun,” she said. “'Wicklow' is a 17-hand girl, so we make sure to clear the spider webs for everyone, including my boyfriend who rides our spotted Appaloosa. She loves exploring and relaxing, but she places focus when we need to get to work too.

“I truly believe that OTTBs are some of the most versatile horses. Wicklow's wonderful demeanor and willingness is a perfect example.”

Republished with permission from the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Find more stories like this one here.

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Ask Your Veterinarian Presented By Kentucky Performance Products: Pre-Sale Medication Regs ‘A Good Change’

Veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital answer your questions about sales and healthcare of Thoroughbred auction yearlings, weanlings, 2-year-olds and breeding stock. If you have a question for a veterinarian, email us info at paulickreport.com

QUESTION: What is the veterinary perspective on the new pre-sale medication restrictions in force at public auctions in the United States?

DR. BART BARBER: From this veterinarian's perspective, the changes that the sales companies have made are positive. The limitations that have been imposed add a degree of confidence to buyers while still allowing sellers and veterinarians to fully treat horses as needed with only a few exceptions.

Dr. Bart Barber

There are some subtle differences but the changes for both sales companies are very similar. One of the new rules that each have applied is that only one non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and one corticosteroid may be used. There can be no stacking of drugs within the classes. There are lots of drugs in each of these categories and they have similar actions and effects within each class. That said, there are differences that make drugs in each of those classes superior for treating specific conditions. For instance, one NSAID is preferred to treat pain associated with colic while another is preferred for musculoskeletal pain. Certain steroids are better suited for treating allergic reactions while others are best at treating head trauma. The point is that there are reasons why one NSAID or corticosteroid is chosen over another and why there are several different choices.

In the rare case that a horse has already been treated with one of these medications for a specific condition and another condition arises for which another medication in the same class is needed, decisions will need to be made. First and foremost the horse will be taken care of. It is important to point out that this situation would not automatically disqualify the horse from being sold. A positive test for multiple NSAIDs or corticosteroids merely gives the buyer the right to rescind the sale. The goal of the new regulations is not to limit treating horses appropriately but to limit indiscriminate stacking of NSAIDs and corticosteroids, which is in the best interest of the buyers, the sales process, the industry and, ultimately, the horse. It's a good change. When the situation described above arises, it will be in the best interest of all parties to come together, use good judgment and horsemanship to determine intent, the best interests of the horse, and whether or not the process was compromised. These occasions will likely be rare and I believe that even in these instances we will be able to care for the horses without compromising the intent of the rules.

Bronchodilators, including clenbuterol, have been limited in that they have been completely banned for a time period prior to the sale. There is a potential for abuse of these medications and again this is a positive change to protect the horse. When this change was announced some chose to not use this class of medications in horses at any age, for any condition and I believe that is a mistake. Taking this out of a veterinarian's toolbox for use in foals could have fatal consequences. There are legitimate uses for these medications and they should be used when they are warranted. The sales companies have not limited their use when appropriate for age and condition, they have merely asked for disclosure.

The balancing of allowing for appropriate use and imposing rules to curtail abuse is difficult. In this case it has been well thought out and will benefit all involved.

Dr. Bart Barber, DVM, is a shareholder in Rood and Riddle's veterinary practice and specializes in reproduction, primary and preventative ambulatory care, as well as operations at Rood and Riddle Veterinary Pharmacy.

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Dreadhead Cowboy Facing Animal Cruelty Charges After Protest Ride On Chicago Expressway

Adam Hollingsworth, known as the Dreadhead Cowboy, rode his horse “Nunu” approximately seven miles down the Dan Ryan Expressway during rush hour in Chicago, Ill. on Monday, claiming the protest was to bring attention to “Kids Lives Matter.”

According to abc7chicago.com, Hollingsworth is facing aggravated animal cruelty charges. Nunu was taken in by Chicago's Animal Care and Control after Monday's ride, and has since been transferred to the care of an affiliate rescue center. She is receiving care, but is only able to stand for five or ten minutes at a time and may have to be euthanized as a result of her condition.

“I love Nunu… She is one of my newer horses. I've had her about three months and we've grown a bond,” Hollingsworth said during a press conference Thursday. “It was very upsetting knowing that I love my horse. When I was hearing everything and I couldn't say nothing, and I had to stand there and just listen to all the lies that have been told on me.”

Chicago's Dreadhead Cowboy slowed traffic and dropped jaws by riding his horse down the Dan Ryan Expressway amid rush hour traffic Monday. https://t.co/uwjchBhcog pic.twitter.com/191MpFPW3s

— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) September 22, 2020

Ring Ring: New Resources For Vet Clinics Taking After-Hours Colic Calls

Telephone triage is a critical part of modern patient care in both humans and horses. A British study explored how suspected colic cases called into a veterinarian's office were handled; from there the research team created resources to support decision making.

Drs. Katie Lightfoot, John Burford, Gary England, Mark Bowen and Sarah Freeman created an online survey targeting veterinary practices that took calls from horse owners outside of normal work hours. The team used 116 responses in their analysis: half were from veterinary surgeons, a quarter of responders were members of client care teams, 18 percent were management staff and 4 percent were veterinary nurses.

Of the group, management and client care staff felt less confident offering advice to owners and recognizing critical colic indicators, though they were the ones most likely to answer after-hours emergency colic calls. People in these roles often would not offer advice to horse owners who called the clinic, stating that it was not their role to provide suggestions. Often, information that could affect the speediness of treatment were not asked, like those dealing with equine insurance or transportation to a clinic.

The research team then created evidence-based materials that provide current information about colic and support decision-making made by those taking the calls. The materials included a form for recording information from clients and a flow chat for decision making.

Client care teams were then recruited to employ the new resources and provide feedback. The four teams used worked for East Midlands veterinary practices; they were interviewed before they used the resources and six months after their implementation. All teams reported that the information and resources were helpful, and that they had increased confidence in recognizing critical colic cases and offering owners advice.

The success of the standardization of call response led the researchers to suggest that more should be done to ensure veterinary team members were supported for after-hours emergency calls, including by implementing formal training and standardized protocols. They also acknowledged that some barriers to implementation would include the use of computerized booking systems, practice protocol and owner familiarity may be barriers to implementation.

The resources are available for free through the British Equine Veterinary Association website; they can be used in their current form or adapted to suit other requirements.

Read the full study here.