Tag: Horse Care

On May 17, 2023, vesicular stomatitis (VS) virus was confirmed on an equine premises in San Diego County, California. Currently, the virus has only been confirmed in San Diego and Riverside Counties, California.

USEF supports continuing competitions in VS-affected states and competitions which include horses from VS-affected states with the implementation of enhanced biosecurity measures. USEF is working closely with competition management in California and at events with horses traveling in from California to implement strict health protocols and veterinarian examination prior to admission to the horse show grounds.

VS is a viral disease of horses and other animals. Infection results in vesicles (blisters), crusts, and ulceration of the lips, muzzle, nose, tongue, ears, sheath, teats, and/or coronary band. Transmission is predominantly by black flies, sand flies, and biting midges. The virus is in the active lesion, thus animals with active lesions can transmit the virus by direct contact, shared feed/water sources, and other fomites contaminated by infective lesions, vesicular fluid and/or saliva. The lesions are self-limiting and typically resolve within 14 days. Humans can be infected from exposure to this virus and have mild flu-like symptoms.

VS is a reportable disease to a state or federal animal health official in all 50 states. Competitors should be sure to consult with the state veterinarian's office in the state of the competition for any VS-related movement restrictions and your state of origin for any potential restrictions on return from a VS-affected state. Additionally, international movement restrictions are placed on countries/states with confirmed cases. Therefore, prompt detection, reporting, and control of the virus is important. Equine industry vigilance and prompt response to observations of vesicles is essential.

For more information on the virus, please read the document here.

Don't miss the upcoming webinar next week:

Wednesday, May 31, 4 p.m. ET

Vesicular Stomatitis: What You Need to Know

Presented by Dr. Katie Flynn, USEF Equine Health and Biosecurity Veterinarian, and Dr. Angela Pelzel McCluskey, USDA Equine Epidemiologist

Dr. Angela Pelzel McCluskey will provide an overview of vesicular stomatitis and the current situation report. Dr. Pelzel McCluskey will provide perspective based on her firsthand experience managing numerous VS outbreaks in her previous roles. Dr. Katie Flynn will cover prevention measures for horses and their premises, as well as the biosecurity requirements being implemented at those USEF events with horses competing from VS-affected states. You won't want to miss this critical and informative session!

Register Here

The post Vesicular Stomatitis Confirmed In California; USEF Webinar Set For May 31 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Real Rider Cup, a charity show jumping event featuring members of the racing industry competing on off-track Thoroughbreds, announced today that registration is open for the 2023 events, including competition legs in Kentucky and Maryland. The Kentucky leg will take place on July 8 at New Vocations at Mereworth Farm in Lexington, and the Maryland leg will return on Sept. 15 to kick off the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show in Elkton. Proceeds from the event will once again benefit the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, and the Retired Racehorse Project.

Riders will compete both individually and as part of a team; riders are encouraged to form their own teams to ride for a particular farm, stable, organization or branch of the industry. All riders pledge to raise a minimum of $1,000, either through donations or sponsorships. Participation will be capped at 30 riders per event.

All riders will compete on an off-track Thoroughbred over a course of 2'6”, and can choose at which location they intend to compete (they can also choose to compete at both). As a show jumping event, riders are competing for fast time. The leading riders from each leg will compete head-to-head in a virtual event open for online voting to determine the Real Rider Cup Champion. Awards will also be given for top teams and top fundraisers at each leg.

“We are incredibly grateful to all the participants, volunteers and those that have donated and sponsored over the last five years,” said Real Rider Cup founder Anita Motion. ”After our record-breaking Real Rider Cup in 2022, we're looking forward to another year of fun competition and fundraising for Thoroughbred aftercare.”

Rider entry is now open for both legs of competition. Sponsorships are also available for the Real Rider Cup at both the Kentucky and Maryland locations. All interested parties should visit therealridercup.com for more information.

All proceeds benefit the Retired Racehorse Project, New Vocations Thoroughbred Adoption and the Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show.

Fair Hill Thoroughbred Show is a 501c3 organization supporting riders of Thoroughbreds by providing affordable show fees, scholarships, stakes classes and prizes in every division. By supporting their riders, we are helping more OTTBs find second careers.

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is a 501(c)3 charitable organization working to increase demand for off-track Thoroughbreds in the equestrian world. In addition to producing the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium the world's largest and most lucrative retraining competition for recently-retired racehorses, the organization also publishes Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, produces the Master Class retraining clinic series, and presents programming at major horse expos and events around the country. The RRP maintains an educational library of content to empower more equestrians to ride a Thoroughbred.

Founded in 1992, New Vocations has grown into the largest racehorse adoption program in the country. Its mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorse has led to the placement of over 7,000 individuals, with 500 retirees entering the program each year. With facilities in Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, New Vocations serves over 40 racetracks, working directly with owners and trainers in need of aftercare options.

The post 2023 Real Rider Cup Now Open For Rider Registration appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Old Friends, the Thoroughbred Retirement facility in Georgetown, Ky., is pleased to announce that Be Better, who is owned by Mike Repole, earned retirement for life at Old Friends with his win in the Old Friends Purse Presented by Josephine Abercrombie on Saturday, May 20, 2023, at Pimlico Race Course.

The 4-year old son of Uncle Mo-Social Call, by Smart Strike (Can), Be Better, who was ridden by Jevian Toledo, defeated seven other horses to score a 3 3/4-length win in the race that benefited Old Friends and its “Old Friends for Life” retirement program.

“Mike Repole put us on the map when he retired Cool N Collective to Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division,” said Michael Blowen president and founder of Old Friends. “It's only fitting that he should win the initial Old Friends Purse presented by Josephine Abercrombie on Preakness day at Pimlico.”

Should he be retired to Old Friends someday, Be Better will join three other “Old Friends For Life” retirees – Next Shares, Kalamos and Get Western – who used their automatic entry for lifetime retirement at Old Friends by winning the Old Friends Stakes (Black Type) at Kentucky Downs.

Repole has been a long-time supporter of Old Friends. Previous Thoroughbreds he's retired to Old Friends include Be Bullish and Roaring Lion, who are currently at Old Friends at Cabin Creek in New York, along with Cool N Collective and Driven by Success who passed away there.

Plans are underway to make the Old Friends Purse an annual tradition at the Preakness Stakes.

The post Be Better Earns ‘Retirement for Life’ At Old Friends appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Offering a horse hay before he's transported can lower the risk of gastric ulcer development before long-distance trailer rides, reports The Horse.

An Italian study has found that horses that don't eat before getting on a trailer for longer-distance hauls are more likely to have reduced plasma oxidant levels, as well as to develop ulcers. The correlation between transport and fasting has a marked increase on stomach ulceration – more than just fasting alone, the scientists determined. 

Hay ingestion before the trip helps absorb stomach acid, protecting the horse's stomach. Eating hay also allows more antioxidants to be released into the bloodstream, balancing out free radicals, which can have physiological impacts on the body (like developing ulcers).

To find out how feeding forage before travel affects horses, Dr. Barbara Padalino, of the University of Bologna, in Italy, and a team of scientists created a study using 26 healthy mares (14 Standardbreds, 10 Thoroughbreds and two Warmbloods) that belonged to the Charles Sturt University in Australia.  The mares, ranging in age from 4 to 20 years old, lived on pasture full time, with additional alfalfa provided. 

The horses were split into two groups and driven on a 12-hour, 547-mile overnight trip in a 15-horse trailer. Both loads were driven by the same driver over the same route. All of the horses were given 4.4 pounds of alfalfa hay: seven horses got their hay an hour before getting on the trailer; seven got it six hours before traveling and the remaining 12 horses got their hay 12 hours before traveling. 

No horses got food or water during the trip. 

Four hours before the horses were loaded, each horse had an exam with blood tests to check standard blood parameters and total plasma antioxidant status. The same tests were repeated when the horses were unloaded, then again eight hours later and then two and a half days later. 

Gastroscopes were done a day before traveling, a day after unloading and 2.5 days later.

The researchers found that ulcers were highest and antioxidants lowest in the group of horses that had been fasted prior to traveling. Fourteen of the horses had developed moderate to severe squamous mucosa ulcers by the time they unloaded. 

Free radicals were higher just after unloading in all groups. 

The researchers suggest that feeding hay to a horse prior to travel might affect both ulcer development and oxidative balance. More research is needed. 

Read more at The Horse.

The post Buffer Against Gastric Ulcers: Feed Hay Before Hitting The Road appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post