Horse Care | Horse Racing Free Tips

Not Just Good For The Gut: Probiotics Help Heal Wounds In Horses

Researchers in the Netherlands have found that equine wounds treated with a dressing impregnated with probiotics heal more quickly than when a dressing soaked in saline is used. Probiotics are live microorganisms that are beneficial to the host; they also compromise some bacteria.

Drs. Jacintha Wilmink, Søren Ladefoged, Angelique Jongbloets and Johannes C. M. Vernooij used 29 horses with lower leg wounds that were less than 6 months old and were more than 1.5 square inches. Most of the wounds were caused by trauma, but some wounds were caused from pressure.

Fifteen wounds were treated with probiotics and 14 were treated with sterile saline. The wounds were categorized into those with an incomplete granulation bed and wounds with a complete granulation bed.

Horsed were evaluated for 24 days, with bandage changes nine times during the study. Wounds were cleaned with swabs moistened with sterile saline and debris was removed. Blood was drawn and wounds were swabbed to identify the bacteria present.

The study team found that wound area decreased faster when dressings that contained probiotics were applied; the rate to 50 percent healing of wounds with a complete granulation bed was 3.4 times faster when probiotics were used in the wound dressing. No systemic inflammation was found from using the dressing with probiotics.

Equine Aftercare Feeling Financial Impact After Event Cancellations

Equine aftercare nonprofits are poised to take a hit financially from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though horses in their care have been adopted out in record numbers. A plethora of fundraising events for aftercare organizations have been moved online or cancelled completely as health mandates have limited the number of people who can gather.

Multiple Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA)-accredited organizations have had to cancel events and their staff are concerned about how they will make up for the lost revenue. In addition, many donors are also experiencing financial constraints and may be reluctant to give at the levels they previously have. Organizations that offer grants to equine aftercare entities are also feeling the pinch of limited donations, reports Blood-Horse.

Second Stride, a Kentucky-based Thoroughbred rehoming organization, was unable to host their annual pre-Derby party in the spring and they have opted to not hold the in-person party in September, either, as safety protocols keep shifting. The organization now plans to host a virtual event around the Derby that offers a handicapping panel and an online auction.

Win Place Home, a California-based nonprofit, cancelled their spring event, which typically brings in about one-quarter of their yearly revenue. To make up for some of the lost revenue, Win Place Home will offer a week-long silent auction with videos featuring adoptable horses and special guests.

The amount of money nonprofits raise through fundraisers and events is part of what dictates the number of horses each organization can assist. With donations down, organizations may not be able to help as many horses. Surprisingly, aftercare organizations across the country have experienced adoption booms during the pandemic, and not in horses with unlimited second-career potential. Family horses, trail horses and those with limiting injuries were also adopted out in droves.

Interestingly, there has not been an uptick in the number of horses being retired from racing—yet. Though it's unclear what the future holds for equine aftercare, it will hopefully include more donations.

University Of Kentucky Launches New Equine Research and Outreach Newsletter

The University of Kentucky Ag Equine Programs has launched a new monthly newsletter, the Equine Science Review, highlighting UK equine research and outreach efforts.

The free newsletter comes out mid-month from the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, which is home to world-class research and service excellence in equine health, safety, nutrition, pasture and forages, economics, engineering, environmental compliance and many other areas of interest. Programs at UK offer the depth and breadth of scope that is fitting of its location in the heart of horse country.

“Reporting completed projects and exciting new knowledge is obviously important, but the Equine Science Review also enables new ideas and 'work-in-progress' stories to be shared,” said James MacLeod, UK Ag Equine Programs director and faculty member in the Gluck Equine Research Center. “Awareness of efforts at these earlier stages also has value, providing information on new and innovative approaches being used by students and faculty to address critical challenges. We might not have the answer yet, but such stories convey reasons for the equine world to look to the future with hope.”

The July issue of the Equine Science Review can be read via Issuu here or as a downloadable PDF here. Contents in the July issue include a story about promising developments in the quest to prevent catastrophic racehorse injuries through an mRNA study; a look at equine markets during the COVID-19 pandemic; an exciting report regarding an absence of any equine lepto abortion cases at the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Lab for first time in 30 years, which is likely linked to use of a new vaccine; pasture renovation information; advice about whether or not rained hay is any good and much more.

“I am very pleased to see the successful launch of the Equine Science Review,” said David Horohov, chair of the Department of Veterinary Science, director and Jes E. and Clementine M. Schlaikjer Endowed Chair and professor in the Gluck Center. “The ESR provides an excellent opportunity for faculty and staff in our college to reach out to our equine stakeholders, both professionals and horse enthusiasts, and inform them of our important work.”

Subscribe to the publication here. Past issues can be found here.

‘Side By Side’: Fever Temple’s Half-Brother, Even Fever, Ponies Him To The Gate At Indiana Grand

Fever Temple and DeShawn Parker stepped onto the track for the afternoon's fourth race Tuesday, July 28 and were greeted by a familiar face. The pony horse assigned to take them to the gate was none other than half-brother Even Fever, a retired racehorse who recently joined the pony horse team of Liz Klopp at Indiana Grand.

“I knew Even Fever was being used for outriding at Ellis Park, but I didn't know he was here at Indiana Grand until a few weeks ago,” said Brandi Steele, trainer of Fever Temple. “Liz (Klopp) came up to me and told me she had just bought him (Even Fever) to add to her pony horses. It was pretty cool to see them side by side on the track today.”

Although Even Fever is grey and Fever Temple is dark bay, Steele sees the family resemblance in the two geldings. They all hail from her owner Jim Edgar's mare, Cecilia's Fever, and with six foals of racing age, four are currently or have been under the care of Steele. Even Fever was trained by Tom Dorris in Illinois for Edgar.

“We have had four in the barn by Jim (Edgar's) mare Cecilia's Hope and they are all dark bay and all look the same in the face,” noted Steele. “Looking at Even Fever, even though he's grey, he has the same facial features as all the others.”

Even Fever completed his racing career in 2018, racing primarily in Illinois. The now 10-year-old son of Even the Score won 10 races during his career and earnings in excess of $167,000. He is now excelling as a pony horse in his second career on the track.

Fever Temple, Lucky Fever, and Cecilia's Hope are all part of Steele's barn and currently racing. Fever Temple finished fourth in his start Tuesday. Lucky Fever has had four starts this year. Cecilia's Hope, a two-year-old, will make her racing debut Monday, Aug. 3 at Indiana Grand in the afternoon's third race.

Steele has been training for Edgar, former Governor of Illinois, for the past three years. Edgar has been a longtime proponent of horse racing and still owns part of a Standardbred, but his main focus these days is in the Thoroughbred industry.

“Jim has a farm around the Springfield (Illinois) area, but he breeds here in Indiana and his horses stay over here,” said Steele. “He has seven or eight brood mares right now.”

Although retired, Edgar is still actively involved on numerous boards and lends his expertise as a consultant. He was inducted into the Lincoln Academy of Illinois as Laureate and awarded the Order of Lincoln in 1999, the state's highest honor. He also has a state park named in his honor, the Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area located in central Illinois. The stakes winning owner remains passionate about horse racing and attends the races frequently to watch his horses compete at Indiana Grand. His best horse to date was Fighting Fever, who won in excess of $276,000 before her retirement to the brood mare ranks in 2006.

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