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Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
Horse Fraud Trial: Winning the Selleck Case  *
Trial lawyer George Knopfler faced a number of unique challenges beyond simply proving the facts of his case when he represented actor Tom Selleck and his family in a lawsuit alleging fraud in the sale of a show horse. He had to educate a jury with little experience in the horse business about the ins and outs of the show horse world; he had to make ... Read full story
 10/19/2009
NY May Demand Horses' Complete Vet Records  *
State racing regulators in New York, seeking additional and timely information about medications given to racehorses, are eyeing a major crackdown on recordkeeping practices of Thoroughbred owners and trainers. In what one official said could result in a considerable change for some in the industry, strict sanctions could be levied against trainers ... Read full story
 8/8/2009
Equine Veterinary Group Releases Statement on Genetic Defects in Horses  *
This is the 2009 Statement on Genetic Defects released by the American Association of Equine Practitioners. It was approved in July 2009. Congenital Defects Congenital defects include all undesirable traits and pathologic conditions present at birth whether they are genetic or due to intra-uterine events that results from extra-uterine influences. ... Read full story
 8/4/2009
Horse Rescues React to Unauthorized Fundraising   *
Two equine rescue operators are revamping their fundraising policies after learning about unauthorized fundraising activities taking place on their behalf. The situation came to light June 3, when Tawnee Preisner, vice president of NorCal Equine Rescue in Oroville, Calif., saw a vendor displaying a NorCal sign selling decorative items outside a Yuba ... Read full story
 6/13/2009
AAEP 2008: Medication in Racing and Performance Horses  *
Medication issues in equine competitions might have reached their highest level of public focus in 2008 due to high-profile situations such as Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown's steroid regimen and the disqualification of several Olympic horses for prohibited medications. Despite a significant investment of time and money by various advisory and regulatory ... Read full story
 2/15/2009
Hobby or Business? Defining your Equine Venture  *
According to the Internal Revenue Service, if your main objective is to make a profit, then you are considered a legitimate business. Many people involved within the horse industry often do not view their small horse operation as a business. They are surprised to learn that you do not have to own a large facility or have several years of experience ... Read full story
 8/31/2008
A Better Way?   *
Breeders willing to risk disease or injury for the traits they desire are at the heart of the problems we face today. We've had bad news following bad news lately with the loss of some of the top horses in equestrian sports. The only silver lining to emerge in this dark storm of fatal injuries in Thoroughbred racing and eventing is that these incidents ... Read full story
 7/1/2008
Genome Sequence will Benefit Performance Horse Breeding, Management   *
The newly completed equine genome sequence will be an invaluable asset for those looking to breed and manage the ideal equine athlete, as well as giving researchers a whole new set of tools for investigating equine disease, according to Claire Wade, BSc, PhD, a senior research scientist at the Broad Institute, a part of the Massachusetts Institute ... Read full story
 2/15/2007
KEEP Promises its Members 'We'll Keep on Going'  *
Shaking off defeat of the casino bill in the recent legislative session, the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) showed a fresh outlook for the remainder of 2006 in a first public meeting May 9 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The organization's staff, three Kentucky legislatures, and dozens of KEEP members representing various horse breeds were ... Read full story
 5/10/2006
Buyers to be Surveyed on Mandatory Disclosure of Surgeries  *
Thousands of Thoroughbred buyers soon will be receiving surveys asking what they think about the mandatory disclosure of surgeries that cause permanent changes in the conformation of sale horses. Distribution of the questionnaires was scheduled to begin the week of April 17. The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) provided funding ... Read full story
 4/25/2006
USDA Announces Method for Enforcing the Horse Protection Act  *
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced on Friday (April 14) the use of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to enforce the Horse Protection Act (HPA). The method will detect horses that have been subjected to soring. Since 2004, APHIS' animal care program has held public meetings and informed horse industry ... Read full story
 4/17/2006
Second Commercial Clone of a Mare is Thriving  *
ViaGen and Encore Genetics announced last week the arrival of a second commercially cloned mare. The filly, a genetic copy of famed cutting horse Tap O Lena, was born at Royal Vista Southwest Farms in Purcell, Okla., on March 9. The companies also announced the impending arrival of two clones of the famous cutter Bet Yer Blue Boons, who is also a ... Read full story
 4/5/2006
HSUS Makes Public Statement on Commercial Equine Cloning  *
On March 30, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) reacted to the announcement of two successful commercial cloning ventures and additional cloned foals that are expected to be born this spring. "The Humane Society of the United States expresses concerns about subjecting horses to commercial exploitation through cloning," said a public statement ... Read full story
 4/5/2006
Alexis Stewart Wants NY Horse-Drawn Carriages Banned  *
Alexis Stewart, daughter of domestic diva Martha Stewart, urged New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg to impose a citywide ban on the city's 200 plus horse-drawn carriages, according to a Jan. 11 article on USAToday.com. In a letter written on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Stewart cited an accident involving a carriage ... Read full story
 1/18/2006
Sun Cured/Dehydrated Alfalfa   *
In 2005, feed regulatory officials were informed that sun-cured alfalfa products might be used in products labeled as dehydrated alfalfa, thereby substituting a product of possibly inferior nutritional quality to unsuspecting consumers. This prompted an investigation into the distinction between sun-cured and dehydrated alfalfa products, and whether ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Deliberate Abuse?   *
I hope you remember me from psychology graduate school back in the early '80s. Time flies. Anyway, I still have horses and enjoy your contributions on behavior to The Horse magazine and web site. Sometimes I wish I had gone into horse or dog behavior, but I am enjoying work as a clinical psychologist and enjoying horses for a diversion. I've been starting ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
End Horse Slaughter  *
In August 2002, Texas Attorney General John Cornyn gave his opinion (Opinion No. JC-0539) that horse slaughter was illegal in Texas because of a 1949 Teas law against the sale, possession, and transport of horse meat for human consumption. District attorneys from Kaufman and Tarrant Counties started prosecution using the law (Agricultural code 149). ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Mandatory Disclosure of Veterinary Practices Postponed   *
The Monitoring Committee for the Sales Integrity Program has postponed implementation of the mandatory disclosure of acceptable veterinary practices, says the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. The program's code of ethics defines these practices as surgeries designed to affect permanent changes in a horse's conformation, including transphyseal ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Company Offers Commercial Cloning   *
A San Francisco, Calif., company announced in late July its intention to clone one individual's horse for profit, at a cost of $367,593 for implanting clone embryos into 100 mares plus additional patent royalties based on the number of clones that are produced and their value. The announcement marks the first U.S. commercial cloning venture devoted ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Filly Recovering from Tail Burning Incident  *
"Her tail is just barely hanging on," says Vonda Hamilton of Dixie, her 2-year-old Spotted Saddle Horse filly whose tail was ignited and burned by trespassers during the night of Aug. 19 near Erwin, N.C. Hamilton is treating the filly's tail and leg burns around the clock as officials from the Harnett County Sheriff's Office investigate allegations ... Read full story
 8/31/2005
Company Offers Cloning to Customers  *
A San Francisco, Calif., company has announced its intention to clone one individual's horse in short order for commercial profit, to the tune of $367,593 plus additional patent royalties based on the number of clones that are produced and their value. The announcement marks the first U.S. commercial cloning venture devoted just to horses. An interested ... Read full story
 8/8/2005
Sales Integrity Program Committee Addresses Concerns Over Surgery Disclosure  *
The monitoring committee for the Sales Integrity Program is taking action to address some consignors' concerns about how the Thoroughbred auction industry will handle the disclosure of invasive joint surgeries and other procedures designed to permanently change a horse's conformation. Disclosure is a provision of the industry's new code of ethics, ... Read full story
 8/2/2005
NYRA Makes Security Barn Adjustments  *
The New York Racing Association is "100% committed" to race day security barns, but has taken immediate action to address concerns expressed by horsemen at Saratoga Race Course, NYRA president Charles E. Hayward said July 29. Hayward's remarks, contained in a NYRA press release, came after discussions July 26 with horsemen on improving the quality ... Read full story
 8/2/2005
Horse Owner Wins Laminitis Lawsuit  *
Jane McGarel-Groves was awarded 350,000 GBP (about $608,280 US) in damages after suing two veterinarians that treated her 14-year-old dressage horse Annastasia in 2001 with corticosteroid joint injections. The injections inadvertently caused laminitis, according to a report on the BBC web site, and the horse was euthanatized. French equestrian team ... Read full story
 7/28/2005
AAEP Releases Guidelines Addressing Use of Compounded Medications  *
The Drug Compounding Task Force of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has released guidelines regarding the responsible use of compounded medications by veterinarians. The guidelines are the result of the association's commitment to educating its members on this increasingly important topic within the animal health industry. Issues ... Read full story
 2/22/2005
BET Pharmacy Featured at KAAHIA Meeting  *
Attendees at the Oct. 20 meeting of the Kentucky Allied Animal Health Industry Association (KAAHIA) expected a lively discussion of compounding regulation and enforcement, as it featured speakers Bob Douglas, BS, MS, PhD, and Stephen Atwood (managing partner and legal counsel/equity holder, respectively) of BET Pharm, a compounding pharmacy in Lexington, ... Read full story
 10/21/2004
Drugs: Good and Bad   *
Olympics. Just the word makes us swell up with pride. This month horses and riders from around the world will converge on the birthplace of the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. The idea of the Olympics is to have all countries send their best athletes to compete on equal terms for honor, and bragging rights. Horse people understand this concept intimately. ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
AAEP Tackles Drug Compounding with Formation of Task Force  *
In response to the ethical issues surrounding illegal drug compounding within the animal health industry, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has formed a drug compounding task force to define compounding guidelines as they relate to the association's members. Illegal drug compounding occurs when drug manufacturers circumvent the ... Read full story
 7/19/2004
HC/HERDA Update; Owners of Carrier Stallions Notified  *
Approximately 100 Quarter Horse stallion owners have received, or will receive, a telephone message from Ann Rashmir, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of surgery and head of the Hyperelastosis Cutis (HC) Research Program at Mississippi State University, that contains unwelcome news. The message is that the stallion is a carrier of the recessive ... Read full story
 5/17/2004
Judge Rules California Trainer Defrauded Owners  *
California Thoroughbred racing trainer Frank Monteleone and assistant trainer Linda Mikus have been found liable for compensatory and punitive damages plus interest totaling $635,000 as the result of a civil suit brought against them by two horse owners who were clients of Monteleone's. The May 4 decision, handed down by District Court Judge Jennifer ... Read full story
 5/11/2004
USEF Powers Upheld  *
The United States Equestrian Federation's (USEF) authority to enforce its own rules and regulations has been affirmed, at least temporarily, in a federal court in Lexington, Ky. A decision on whether the injunction should be made permanent is expected in a few weeks. The Kentucky case arose from a lawsuit filed by Cody J. Williams, a self-styled bloodstock ... Read full story
 4/30/2004
AAEP 2003: Compounding  *
Charlotte A. Lacroix, DVM, Esq. (attorney) of New Jersey, presented a session on compounding at the convention. Lacroix cautioned her veterinary audience that illegal compounding is a potential tidal wave in liability. The FDA says a drug is any substance, food, or non-food used to treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent a disease. A drug also is any non-food ... Read full story
 2/3/2004
AAEP 2003: Medications and Drug Testing  *
A packed room during the AAEP’s Racing Forum held sometimes heated discussions about the facts and nuances of the on-going Racing Medication and Testing Consortium’s (RMTC) attempt to create a uniform medication policy for racing in the United States. Milton McClure, DVM, a racetrack practitioner from Bossier City, La., chaired the session that centered ... Read full story
 2/3/2004
Graded Stakes Drug Testing Plan to Begin in July  *
The American Graded Stakes Committee has set July 2004 as the target date for implementation of a more stringent drug testing policy for all graded stakes that will require tests for more than 140 parent drugs and their metabolites. The committee initially hoped to launch the testing protocol, which would be required for a stakes to keep its grade ... Read full story
 12/30/2003
The Future of Horses with HYPP  *
Letter to the Editor: This letter must begin by saying how proud I am of a man whom I have never met. His name is Steve Stevens of Houston, TX, the current president of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Mr. Stevens has given the membership of AQHA a voice. He has written personal letters of his activities as president and the goals ... Read full story
 12/30/2003
Cloned Pregnancy Lost at Texas A&M  *
A research mare at Texas A&M (TAMU) carrying a cloned foal recently lost her pregnancy. "We lost it at nine months of gestation via premature separation of the placenta and placentitis (placental infection), which we treated for three weeks before she slipped, said Katrin Hinrichs, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, professor in TAMU's College of Veterinary ... Read full story
 12/9/2003
Good and Bad Drugs  *
So what do veterinarians talk about when they get together? Pretty much what other horse people talk about--successes, problems, the high cost of doing business, and the latest “hot” topics of the industry. At the 2003 gathering of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), one of the hottest topics is the problem of illegal compounding ... Read full story
 12/3/2003
Thieves Steal College Tack; Donations Needed  *
Asbury College in Wilmore, Ky., was cleaned out of horse tack on Friday, June 6. In all, 18 saddles (English and Western) were stolen, plus all the leather halters, lead ropes, and bridles. The small college has a variety of summer riding camps for kids, and while the staff has been able to borrow enough tack to hold classes, they are in need of donations ... Read full story
 6/11/2003
Genetic Defects Statement Issued by the American Association of Equine Practitioners   *
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently re-stated a policy that surgical correction of "genetic defects" for the purposes of concealing the defect is unethical. The policy states that if surgical correction is undertaken for the purpose of improving the health of the individual, then it should be accompanied by sterilization to ... Read full story
 5/1/2003
Extra-Label Drug Use in Veterinary Medicine  *
Reprinted from the FDA Newsletter, March/April 2003 Since 1994, when Congress passed the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA), veterinarians in the U.S. have enjoyed legitimate extra-label use (ELU) privileges. Veterinarians can safeguard ELU privileges by following AMDUCA, and by educating clients (particularly food animal ... Read full story
 4/29/2003
Group Seeks to Redefine What Only Veterinarians Can Do  *
Each state has a veterinary practice act, which is a legal interpretation of what constitutes veterinary practice in that state on all species. For example, chiropractic or acupuncture might be considered veterinarian-only skills in some states, while in other states they can be performed by a skilled lay person under a licensed veterinarian's direction. The ... Read full story
 4/11/2003
Official: Uniform Drug Policy Three to Five Years Away  *
Uniformity in medication and drug testing could be years away, a member of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium said April 1 during a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB)Medication Committee meeting. Dr. Rick Arthur, a vice president and director of the Oak Tree Racing Association and a member of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, ... Read full story
 4/3/2003
California Panel Calls for Ban on Use of Venom in Horses  *
California has taken the first step to ban the backstretch use of snake venom, which officials believe can be used as a nerve- or joint-numbing agent in sore or injured horses. If approved by California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), the action by its medication committee April 1 would add snake and snail venom to the list of prohibited substances banned ... Read full story
 4/3/2003
Without Definitive Test, Battling EPO Use Big Challenge  *
Officials said the classification of erythropoeitin -- the blood-doping agent commonly known as EPO -- as a prohibited practice has curbed its use in some jurisdictions but a definitive test for the substance is a must if any regulation is to have teeth. Medication was just one of the topics discussed during the initial sessions of the joint meeting ... Read full story
 3/14/2003
Fighting EPO Use Proving a Tough Fight   *
Though testing for the blood-doping agent erythropoietin (EPO) remains in its infant stages, a view into the prevalence of the drug on North America's backstretches is beginning to come into focus.Since a test to identify EPO antibodies was introduced to racing jurisdictions late last year, horses have tested positive in Texas, New York, and Louisiana. ... Read full story
 3/10/2003
Putting Equine Podiatrists in Their "Right Minds"  *
While most people don't consider equine podiatry an artistic profession, Ric Redden, DVM, owner of the International Equine Podiatry Center and organizer/chief instructor of the first In-Depth Equine Podiatry Course going on this week, heartily disagrees. "We're trying to teach these students (which include some veterinarians and farriers who have ... Read full story
 7/31/2002
Australia Looks at Repositories for Some Auctions  *
A repository for X rays will be set up for at least some of Australia's major yearling sales well ahead of the 2003 auctions. Following the imbroglio that engulfed the recent Australian Easter sale, the setting up of an X ray bank for the main yearling auction in Sydney was almost a fait accompli, given its reliance on offshore expenditures.Reg Inglis, ... Read full story
 4/19/2002
Update on Illegal Compounding of Clenbuterol Veterinary Drug Products   *
Background information at http://www.TheHorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=947 From the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) In 1998, the FDA approved a new animal drug application (NADA) for Boehringer-Ingelheim Vetmedica's Ventipulmin Syrup, which contains a small amount of clenbuterol, as a restricted use prescription-only drug for treating horses ... Read full story
 1/25/2002
Courts May Settle Artificial Insemination Debate   *
Published in the Jan. 26 issue of The Blood-Horse Thoroughbred breeders who are happy with the industry's staunch opposition to artificial insemination and embryo transfer should not get too comfortable. "Don't think forever is forever," warned D. Barry Stone, legal counsel for the American Quarter Horse Association, which has been sued over a rule ... Read full story
 1/24/2002
AAEP Convention Forum: Purchase Exams at Public Auction  *
One of your top clients wants you to look at a filly he has his eye on at the sales. You must give him your honest opinion on the horse by looking at radiographs taken by another veterinarian and housed in a repository. Unfortunately, they aren’t the finest films you’ve ever seen and time is short, but from what you can tell, the horse is radiographically ... Read full story
 11/30/2001
Who Owns Radiographs?
My vet took some X rays of my horse's legs. I paid the bill in full, but when I asked for the X rays, he said they belonged to him and not me. Is this correct? If I'm charged for the X rays, why can't I have them? Many veterinarians run into this situation, not only equine veterinarians. To the client, it makes sense that he or she would own the ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Welfare of Rodeo Horses: Advances in Care   *
As I sit in my family room by a fire thinking about professional rodeo and the great strides made in welfare over the years, I realize I'm quite proud of the sport. I am aware that not all people will agree with the sport of rodeo, but my wish is that none will say that the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) has not gone the "extra mile" ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
BHS Warns of Unscrupulous Dealers  *
The British Horse Society (BHS) recently issued a warning to British horse owners about the dangers of unscrupulous dealers. BHS reports that dealers have been advertising in equestrian magazines for “companion” horses. Owners sell horses to these people in good faith, thinking that their beloved horse or pony will spend the rest of its days being ... Read full story
 12/15/2000
McLain Ward Suspended and Fined by AHSA   *
The American Horse Shows Association (AHSA), the National Equestrian Federation of the United States, announced Wednesday that following a meeting of its Hearing Committee, two plea agreements entered into by McLain Ward of Brewster, N.Y., were approved, and he has been suspended from all of the AHSA's recognized competitions in the United States and ... Read full story
 12/16/1999
Winning Jockey Allegedly Used 'Buzzer'   *
Officials with Oaklawn Park and the Arkansas Racing Commission announced April 15 they have uncovered evidence that has led them to believe jockey Billy Patin had an electrical device in his possession when he rode longshot Valhol to a 4 1/2-length victory in the April 10 Arkansas Derby (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park. During an emergency telephone meeting, ... Read full story
 4/30/1999
Two Futures  *
The first Kentucky Horse Council Equine Industry Summit was a success. There were more than 40 different equine organizations and breed associations which sent delegates, most of whom thanked the state horse council for getting them together on a common topic--equine welfare. (Actually, one person said that the Summit could be termed a success for ... Read full story
 7/1/1998
Trainer Suspended In Sponging Case   *
The New Mexico Racing Commission has suspended trainer Joe Meyers for five years after he was accused of stuffing a sponge into a horse's nostrils. In action that effectively extends the penalty to a lifetime ban, the commission also recommended to future racing commissions that Meyers never be allowed to hold a license in the state. The suspension ... Read full story
 1/30/1998




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