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Skip Navigation LinksAll Horse Topics > Animal Rights/Welfare Issues > General Rights/ Welfare Issues


Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
Old Horse Saved from Louisiana Flood
The Louisiana State Animal Response Team (LSART) partnered with local Ouachita Parish officials and Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries to rescue and evacuate a geriatric horse from the rising floodwaters of the Ouachita River on Nov. 9, 2009, in West Monroe, La. Horse owner Tess Cooper had contacted her veterinarian, Dr. Jay Wharford, and asked for his ... Read full story
 11/19/2009
Vets Discuss Welfare Assessment, Semantics, Regulation
Far from being a topic rooted only in science, how we protect animal welfare is affected by such diverse elements as politics, ethics, and semantics, said international speakers at a welfare symposium at Michigan State University held earlier this month. The three-day Joint International Educational Symposium on Animal Welfare was developed and ... Read full story
 11/18/2009
Enter Your Vote in Donkey Sanctuary Christmas Contest
The Donkey Sanctuary has acquired a rare apple and is asking supporters to vote for their favorite Christmas donkey to decide which animal will get to eat it. Candidate Wilson eyes the unique prize apple. The golden delicious apple, which made national headlines in the U.K. recently, is split exactly half red and half green with a ... Read full story
 11/18/2009
Old Friends Retirement Farm Opens New York Facility
Old Friends, a racehorse retirement farm located near Georgetown, Ky., has opened its first satellite for retired Thoroughbreds. Cabin Creek, a 40-acre farm just outside Saratoga Springs, N.Y., will begin receiving horses immediately. An official opening and celebration is planned for July 22, 2010. The auxiliary space will be named in honor of ... Read full story
 11/18/2009
Abandoned Colorado Horse Recovering from Gunshot Wound
A horse shot and left for dead along a Colorado road is expected to recover from his wounds, said the veterinarian in charge of his care. On Nov. 9, Garfield County Sheriff's Deputies discovered the grey gelding after receiving a report about an injured animal. The horse had sustained a .22 caliber gunshot wound to the head. This ... Read full story
 11/16/2009
Old Horse Starved, Then Hung to Death
Two British Columbia men were charged with animal cruelty in allowing a 27-year-old Appaloosa gelding to starve, then they tied "its neck to the bucket of an excavator, then raising it so the horse was off the ground. It died from strangulation," according to a report at vancouversun.com. The two men face maximum fines of $10,000, up ... Read full story
 11/14/2009
Readers Express Concerns about Future of Equine Industry
More than 1,220 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "What are you most worried about for the future in the equine industry?" Results were as follows: Unwanted horses 57.63% (706) Rising costs of owning horses 51.43% (630) Loss of equestrian spaces ... Read full story
 11/13/2009
Retired Racehorses Move to New Prison Farm Facility
Four retired racehorses from Suffolk Downs moved into their new home on Tuesday, stepping into sawdust-covered stalls built for them by prison inmates at a 90-acre farm not far from the rocky coastline where the Pilgrims first stepped ashore. The horses will live at the Plymouth County Sheriff's Farm, where the prisoners converted part of an ... Read full story
 11/12/2009
National Equine Welfare Code of Practice Endorsed
A national Welfare Code of Practice has been endorsed by the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Quarter Horse Association, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, the U.S. Equestrian Federation, and the U.S. Trotting Association. The Welfare Code of Practice, drafted by the American ... Read full story
 11/12/2009
Baltimore Cart Ponies Seized
City of Baltimore authorities have seized 19 ponies after inspectors discovered the animals residing in allegedly filthy, dilapidated stables. The ponies are all owned by Baltimore street vendors who sell produce from horse-drawn carts. Baltimore Bureau of Animal Control authorities removed the animals on Tuesday after a routine inspection revealed ... Read full story
 11/11/2009
Safety Net for Appaloosa Horses Established
In March 2009, the Appaloosa Horse Club members received an e-mail blast about a family with 80 Appaloosa horses they needed help finding homes for as they could no longer afford to feed them. Just two months later, two month-old Appaloosa fillies were dumped in Baker City, Ore. "Appaloosa owners need to know that there are options and resources ... Read full story
 11/10/2009
Equine Welfare Consensus Reached By AQHA, Partners
Equine industry alliance partners reached a general consensus involving humane treatment and equine welfare during a meeting October 20 and 21 at the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum in Amarillo, Texas. Meeting participants discussed the merits of developing a uniform therapeutic medications program and humane treatment policies ... Read full story
 11/10/2009
Horses Abandoned in Trailer, Driver Charged
Seven horses that were abandoned in a trailer on the side of the road in Edmonton, Alberta, last week are doing well in foster care and are waiting to be claimed by their owner. Meanwhile, the driver of the trailer has been charged under Alberta's Animal Protection Act. On Sunday night, Edmonton police received a complaint about an abandoned ... Read full story
 11/10/2009
225 Free Horses Placed via Adoption Listings on TheHorse.com
In a little more than a year, 225 Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds have found new homes via their free listings on TheHorse.com's adoption service. The service is a bulletin board on which owners can list any Thoroughbred or Standardbred offered for free to a good home. It also features resources on horse adoption. Interested individuals contact ... Read full story
 11/9/2009
Working Animal Welfare: Seeking Sustainable Solutions
In developing countries, working horses, donkeys, and mules are most often used for heavy labor, whether it be hauling heavy loads of cargo or carrying tourists up and down a mountain. The animals might be suffering from malnourishment, dehydration, disease, lameness, or injury. Rest and recovery is often not a practical option. The animals have ... Read full story
 11/6/2009
NYC Carriage Company Asked to Vacate Stables
One of New York's carriage companies is seeking new stables for nearly 30 horses during their busiest time of the year. The reason? Urban development. Eric Bederman, press secretary for the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD), said the current 31-stall Shamrock Stables location sits squarely on the city-owned footprint ... Read full story
 11/5/2009
U.K. Couple Sentenced in Pony Obesity Cruelty Case
A couple in the United Kingdom have become the first horse owners convicted of obesity-related animal cruelty under that country's Animal Welfare Act, said a report from Horse and Hound. The Act stipulates that owners must provide a suitable diet for their animals. Keith and Lynn Hall of Blackpool, England, were charged with animal cruelty ... Read full story
 11/5/2009
Colorado Horse Rescue, Days End Join Unwanted Horse Group
The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) has welcomed the Colorado Horse Rescue (CHR) and Days End Farm Horse Rescue as members of the Coalition. With the number of unwanted horses still at a discouraging level, the UHC feels it is important to have the opinions and perspectives of these two facilities. The CHR is headed by Hildy Armour and the Days ... Read full story
 11/4/2009
Miami Horse Killings: Tips to Keep Your Horses Safe
The number of horses reported butchered for their meat in the Miami area since January rose to 21 on Saturday when trail riders found the remains of a Thoroughbred mare beside a rural road in Miami-Dade County. Police made two arrests in September, but investigations are ongoing. Some of the horses were killed and butchered on their owners' property. ... Read full story
 11/3/2009
Controversial Dressage Training Method Under FEI Investigation
Responding to public outcry following the Internet posting of a video showing an international-level dressage competitor warming up a horse using a method some call inhumane, the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has launched an investigation. The so-called "blue tongue video" shows Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel ... Read full story
 11/3/2009
Miami Trail Riders Find Butchered Horse
The number of horses apparently butchered for their meat in the Miami area since January rose to 21 on Saturday when trail riders discovered the remains of a Thoroughbred mare alongside a rural road in Miami-Dade County. In September, Miami-Dade police arrested two men in connection with two horse poaching incidents. The remaining cases are still ... Read full story
 11/2/2009
Thoroughbred Trainer Jeff Mullins Barred From NYRA Tracks for Six Months
The New York Racing Association barred the trainer from Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga on Friday (Oct. 30) for violating its barn rules by giving one of his horses an unknown substance and then providing conflicting information about it. "Racing integrity is a top priority for the New York Racing Association at all times," Neil Getnick, ... Read full story
 10/31/2009
Tulsa Police Horses Saved; Going to Help Nonprofit Equestrian Programs
In trying to meet the city's budget crisis, Tulsa, Okla., Mayor Kathy Taylor cut the budget for the city's mounted police and ordered it disbanded. The outcry over concern for the fate of the horses resulted in a rescue effort that succeeded, according to tulsaworld.com. The eight horses, which are mostly between 15-20 years old, could ... Read full story
 10/31/2009
Owner of Mutilated Pony Faces Charges
A Florida man faces animal cruelty charges after allegedly tying a rope around a pony's leg so tightly that the animal lost its hoof. Sheri Evans, cruelty investigator for the Humane Society/SPCA of Sumter County Inc., discovered the pony Aug. 3 after an anonymous caller reported the animal tied to a post and struggling to walk on a mutilated ... Read full story
 10/30/2009
Texas Rescue Seeks Help for 60 Horses
A Texas equine rescue group is seeking donations of feed, hay, cash, and other necessities to care for 60 ponies and horses recently relinquished by their owner. Law enforcement authorities in Lewisville, Texas, discovered the animals residing on overgrazed pastures at a 50-acre ranch last week. Their owner surrendered the animals to Hope For Horses ... Read full story
 10/28/2009
Government to Study Unwanted Horse Issues
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has been tasked with examining how horse processing plant closures have affected equine welfare. The GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency that provides Congress with objective, fact-based information intended to improve performance and accountability of federal agencies. Commercial horse processing ... Read full story
 10/27/2009
Seized Texas Horses Returned to Owner
More than 30 horses removed from a petting zoo at a Texas feed store will be returned to their owner. Dallas County law enforcement authorities and SPCA of Texas personnel removed the 35 horses and more than 300 other animals from Earnest Kearney, owner of the Kearney Store in Sunnyvale, Texas, on Oct. 6. On Friday, Dallas County Justice of the ... Read full story
 10/26/2009
Kentucky Horse Park, Equine Humane Center Partnering
The Kentucky Horse Park and the Kentucky Equine Humane Center are partnering in a new project to assist Kentucky's unwanted horses. Last week the Kentucky Horse Park became aware that some pregnant Thoroughbred mares were in need of a home. The mares' owner sent them to the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC), a 72-acre facility located in central ... Read full story
 10/23/2009
Seized Texas Arabians Placed in Adoptive Homes  *
The majority of the Egyptian Arabian horses removed from a Texas breeding farm in August are now residing in new homes. More than 70 animals were removed from the Renazans Arabians Ranch in Pilot Point, Texas, after authorities discovered them allegedly living in filthy conditions and inadequate food and water. Ranch operator Gordon Key relinquished ... Read full story
 10/19/2009
New Hampshire Equine Rescue Gets Help From New Reality TV Show  *
Equine Protection of North America (E.P.O.N.A.), a 501(c)(3) rescue and rehabilitation facility for abused and neglected horses in New Hampshire, received a much-needed surprise on Oct. 13. Jill Sullivan Grueter, host of Project Pawsitive, a new reality-based television show geared at providing eco-friendly renovations to deserving animal rescues in ... Read full story
 10/16/2009
Four Horse Deaths At Track's Opening Day Sparks Investigation in England  *
Following the death of four jump horses on opening day at Wetherby Racecourse and Conference Centre in England, the track will be investigated by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), according to an article today (Oct. 16) on horseandhound.co.uk. The previous day a track press release from Paul Struthers, Media Relations Manager for the British ... Read full story
 10/16/2009
Free Equine Castration Clinic A Success in Minnesota  *
A free equine castration clinic was held on Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Lake Elmo, Minn. The clinic was sponsored by the Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition, which is made up of members from the Minnesota Horse Council, the Minnesota Animal Humane Society, Equine Rescues, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota ... Read full story
 10/16/2009
New Animal Welfare License Plate Available in Maine  *
A new welfare specialty license plate for the state of Maine is now available for purchase, announced Planet Dog. The plate directly supports the health and welfare of Maine's companion animals. The plate features colorful silhouettes of a cat, dog, rabbit, horse, and bird with the slogan "respect. love. adopt." It can be purchased at Bureau of Motor ... Read full story
 10/15/2009
Agricultural Act Passes Senate, Moves onto President  *
On Oct. 8, 2009, the United States Senate passed the final version of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 (H.R.2997). The House of Representatives approved the bill the previous day. This bill provides funding for the USDA for fiscal year 2010 and contains two provisions of ... Read full story
 10/14/2009
Stolen Horse Recovered; Max Home With 14-Year-Old Owner  *
A horse that was stolen from his Eastern Illinois home more than a year ago has turned up in Springfield, Mo. The paint gelding, named Max, was reunited with his 14 year old owner this week. Kaitlynn Bilskie never gave up hope in finding her barrel racing partner, said her stepfather, Keith Caughran. "This has just been an amazing miracle," he said. ... Read full story
 10/12/2009
Horse Rescues Prepare for Long Winter Ahead   *
Tawnee Preisner doesn't need a calendar to know that winter is approaching--all she has to do is count the number of inquiries she receives from horse owners wanting to place their animals at her California equine rescue. Calls from financially strapped horse owners in need of help spike every fall, she said. But this year, the number of inquiries ... Read full story
 10/11/2009
BLM Plan Would Relocate Wild Horses  *
Thousands of wild horses would be relocated from their traditional Western ranges to preserves in the East and Midwest under a proposed plan unveiled in a letter from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to congressional leaders on Wednesday. Under the plan, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) would purchase land east of the Mississippi River to ... Read full story
 10/9/2009
Illegal Horse Meat Sales Results in Two Arrested in Florida  *
Two Miami, Fla., men are facing charges after allegedly selling horse meat to an undercover police officer. Miami-Dade Police arrested Roberto Chavez and Ricardo Olivarez on Tuesday after the pair allegedly sold the officer 10 pounds of meat for $50 at Chavez's Southwest Miami-Dade Ranch. Both men were initially charged with doing business without ... Read full story
 10/8/2009
Proposal to Move Western Wild Horses to New Eastern Preserves  *
Thousands of mustangs that now roam the West would be moved to preserves in the Midwest and East under a new Interior Department plan to protect wild horse herds and the rangelands that support them. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Wednesday (Oct. 7) the plan would not require killing any wild horses. Interior Department officials had warned in ... Read full story
 10/8/2009
Retired Racehorse Training Clinic Draws Crowd of 350 From 10 States  *
"The ticket sales to this event prove that people's fascination with the Thoroughbred horse remains strong," said Steuart Pittman, the Maryland horse trainer who conceived of and conducted the Retired Racehorse Training Symposium at Maryland Therapeutic Riding in Crownsville, Md. "The demand for knowledge about how to train these horses after a racing ... Read full story
 10/8/2009
Reward Offered for Information on Oregon Horse Poisoning  *
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing four horses in Lake County, Ore. Between Sept. 20 and 21, four competition Quarter Horses were found dead at the 18000 block of Lake Ridge Road in Lakeview ... Read full story
 10/7/2009
Texas Authorities Seize Horses, Other Livestock   *
More than 30 horses are among 386 animals in SPCA of Texas custody after authorities seized them from a petting zoo located behind a Dallas County feed store. Dallas County law enforcement authorities and SPCA of Texas personnel removed 34 Miniature Horses and one Paint horse, along with other livestock, from the Kearney Store in Sunnyvale, Texas, ... Read full story
 10/7/2009
Pat Parelli Named Humane Society Horseman of the Year   *
Pat Parelli has received the Humane Horseman of the Year Award presented by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The award recognizes Parelli for his work with the HSUS through a program centered on the trainability and adoptability of rescued horses. Keith Dane, director of equine protection for the HSUS, presented Parelli with the award ... Read full story
 10/6/2009
UK Horse Charity Promoting Retired Horse Adoption  *
The Horse Trust has launched a horse placement plan in response to demand from desperate horse owners affected by the credit crunch. The charity has seen a large increase in enquiries from cash-strapped owners who need to rehome their horse, yet at the same time has had to close the doors of its sanctuary due to a drop in public donations. This is ... Read full story
 10/5/2009
Horse Rescues Get Creative to Combat Donation Recession   *
In a stubbornly stagnant economy and with winter fast approaching, equine rescue operators are finding creative ways to attract financial support from beyond their traditional contributor bases. Equine welfare agencies began to feel the financial pinch two years ago when extreme weather conditions and high fuel prices conspired to raise the cost ... Read full story
 10/1/2009
Man Charged in Barrel Horse Theft  *
A Fort Pierre, S.D., man faces multiple charges in connection with the theft of Dually, a champion barrel racing horse allegedly stolen from the Stanley County fairgrounds in July. The horse was competing in the Fort Pierre Rodeo when it was taken from the Stanley County Fair Grounds on July 5. Sheriff's deputies later recovered the horse in a ... Read full story
 9/30/2009
Del Mar Receives Thoroughbred Safety Accreditation   *
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., has been fully accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance following a complete review of all racing operations at the facility. Del Mar is the 11th racing facility to be so designated by the Alliance. The accreditation of Del Mar was the culmination of ... Read full story
 9/29/2009
NYC Carriage Horse Audit Pushes for Licensing, Inspections  *
New York City's 203 carriage horses could be better monitored by city agencies, according to a follow-up audit report recently issued by the office of NYC Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. The two NYC agencies in question are the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (Health Department) and the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA). The Health ... Read full story
 9/29/2009
Guilty Verdict Returned in Chicago Carriage Horse Trial   *
Two of three Chicago carriage horse drivers were convicted on misdemeanor counts of animal neglect on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Michele Goudie, manager and co-owner of J.C. Cutters Ltd., and carriage driver Melissa Woicek received guilty verdicts on six and one counts respectively; a third defendant, Frances Dupont, was acquitted. Defense attorney John ... Read full story
 9/28/2009
Mustangs Find New Homes on National Adoption Day  *
More than 400 mustangs found adoptive homes this weekend during a series of National Wild Horse Adoption Day events sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and wild horse advocacy groups nationwide. Another 100 horses are expected to be placed during three similar events in October. The horses were offered for adoption Sept. 26 at 35 events ... Read full story
 9/28/2009
Miami Horse Poaching: Another Arrest Made  *
A second Florida man is in custody in connection with two horse poaching incidents, including the death of horse in Miami Gardens butchered for its meat. Miami-Dade Police arrested Santiago Cabrera, 19, on Monday in connection with a July 26 incident involving a horse discovered dead in a pasture apparently butchered for its meat. He later confessed ... Read full story
 9/22/2009
Kentucky Horse Council Facilitates Meeting of Equine Rescues  *
Equine rescue facilities in Kentucky and throughout the nation are experiencing an overflow of surrendered horses. Increasingly, such facilities struggle with funding and necessary support for ongoing management and care of the horses. In recognition of the efforts of Kentucky's equine rescue facilities, the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) regularly provides ... Read full story
 9/19/2009
Gulfstream Donates to Slaughter Reward Fund  *
Roadside discoveries over the past months of horses slaughtered in west Dade and Broward counties in Florida have prompted Gulfstream Park to contribute $5,000 to the reward fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. In making the announcement, Gulfstream Park president and general manager Bill Murphy said, "This ... Read full story
 9/19/2009
Old Horse Sanctuary Needs Barn Fire Recovery Help  *
America's oldest equine sanctuary is asking for the public's help following a barn fire that destroyed their winter supply of hay. No horses were harmed in the fire at Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines in southeastern Pennsylvania, but the bank barn will require massive repairs and 4,000 bales of homegrown hay were lost, according to administrative manager ... Read full story
 9/18/2009
Arrest Made in Miami Horse Poaching Investigation  *
An arrest has been made in connection with the recent spate of horse killings in the Miami-Dade County area, multiple local media outlets report. Luis Miguel Cordero Police arrested Luis Miguel Cordero, 18, after his neighbor tipped them off that Cordero had contacted him offering $2,000 if he would help Cordero to kill two horses. Police ... Read full story
 9/17/2009
Florida Horse Poaching Information Rewards Rise to $20K  *
The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for a series of horse poaching incidents in Florida rose to $20,000 today when Crime Stoppers of Miami-Dade County Inc. increased its reward offer to $15,000. The Humane Society of the United States is also offering a separate $5,000 reward for information critical ... Read full story
 9/15/2009
New Home for Your Horse: Questions to Ask  *
Horse owners faced with the decision to find their horses a new home, whether it be locating that perfect retirement home, a new job in therapeutic riding, the mounted patrol, or even with a new owner, need to ask some important questions before giving up care of their animal. Own Responsibly, the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) handbook, can provide ... Read full story
 9/15/2009
Abandoned Horse Teleconference Scheduled Oct. 6  *
Amidst reports of horses being abandoned due to the struggling economy, the University of Illinois Extension has scheduled a telephone conference on October 6 from 6:30 to 8:00p.m. to address this issue. "Horses and other animals are suffering from the economic downturn right along with their owners," said Ellen Phillips, U of I Extension educator. ... Read full story
 9/14/2009
Information Sought on S.C. Captive Bolt Horse Shooting  *
The owner of a Quarter Horse mare found dead in its South Carolina pasture last month is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible for the incident. The horse was discovered dead in its pasture with a single small wound in its head on Aug. 28. A necropsy performed at the University of ... Read full story
 9/11/2009
Pryor Mustang Gather Complete, Some Horses Returned to Range  *
The majority of horses from the Pryor Mountain herd are back on the range now that their controversial gather is complete. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) began removing the horses last week amid objections from wild horse advocates that the gather would harm the herd's viability. The BLM initially planned to remove more than 190 horses from ... Read full story
 9/10/2009
Walking Horse Breeders' Kentucky Incentive Funds Tied to HPA Compliance   *
Tennessee Walking Horse breeders in Kentucky who are found to be noncompliant with Horse Protection Act (HPA) anti-soring rules will be unable to receive breeders' incentive funds under new Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) regulations. Soring is the deliberate injury to a horse's feet and legs to achieve an exaggerated gait. The KHRC administers ... Read full story
 9/10/2009
Miami Gardens Horse Reported Butchered   *
Investigations into a series of horse poaching incidents in Florida expanded again on Wednesday when a horse was discovered dead in the paddock of a Miami Gardens ranch. The incident is the latest among at least 20 similar horse killings in Florida since January. More than 17 unresolved cases remain under investigation by Miami-Dade County police, ... Read full story
 9/10/2009
Former Owners of Seized Retired Polo Ponies Sought   *
An equine welfare advocate is hoping to reunite polo ponies seized from a farm owned by Polo Pony Retirement Foundation operator Nancy Mackall in August with former owners who want them back. Twenty equines were residing on the farm when Orange County, Va., Animal Control Officers removed 10 allegedly malnourished horses from the property in response ... Read full story
 9/9/2009
AP Report: Racetrack Horse Deaths Down Slightly   *
The rush to improve safety since Eight Belles was euthanized at last year's Kentucky Derby did little to curb the number of horses dying at American racetracks in 2008, The Associated Press found in a national count. Although many tracks were already implementing safety reforms when the popular filly pulled up lame with two broken legs after finishing ... Read full story
 9/8/2009
Colorado Officials Seize Threatened Horses  *
Colorado authorities came to the rescue of 24 horses yesterday that a northern Colorado man had threatened to shoot, according to the Associated Press. Trenton H. Parker was protesting a jail sentence resulting from an order to clean up the property where he resides. State and county officials and equine rescue representatives gathered the animals ... Read full story
 9/5/2009
'Scarred and Blemished' Classes Added to UK Horse Show  *
A horse show in Wales is showing some love to "all but perfect" horses by adding special classes for equines with scars and blemishes that otherwise might keep them from the ring, Horse and Hound reported. The Cricklands Showing Spectacular, Sept. 19-20, will offer 12 "all but perfect" classes, including best turned out, best ex-racehorse, and best ... Read full story
 9/4/2009
Judge Allows Controversial Mustang Gather   *
The roundup of more than 190 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) horses from the Pryor Mountain herd got under way on Thursday after a U.S. federal judge ruled against a group that tried to prevent the gather. The roundup was originally scheduled to begin on Sept. 1. But wild horse advocates sought a temporary restraining order to stop the removal on ... Read full story
 9/3/2009
Stolen Barrel Horse Recovering   *
A champion barrel horse is recovering from injuries sustained when it was allegedly stolen during a rodeo event in South Dakota in July, but its competitive future remains in question, said owner Wendy Halweg. Halweg and her horse Dually were competing in the Fort Pierre Rodeo when the horse was taken from the Stanley County fair grounds on July ... Read full story
 9/2/2009
Walking Horse Show Officials Investigate Alleged Bribery   *
An exhibitor at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is under investigation for allegedly attempting to bribe a Designated Qualified Person (DQP) during a pre-performance inspection. DQPs are employed by horse show managers to examine horses for compliance with Horse Protection Act (HPA) rules against soring. Soring is the deliberate ... Read full story
 9/2/2009
Walking Horse Celebration Exhibitor Suspended for Alleged Bribe   *
An exhibitor at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration has been suspended indefinitely after allegedly attempting to bribe a horse show official. The Celebration's management group suspended Walking Horse owner Clay Mills on Tuesday for violating a rule that prohibits any attempt to influence a Designated Qualified Person's (DQP) decision ... Read full story
 9/2/2009
Heeding Quarantine  *
Quarantine is one of the oldest infectious disease control measures. Formal use of quarantine dates back at least to the 14th century in Italy, where city officials banished people infected or exposed to people with plague ("black death") for 30 days. This was termed "trentino." Later extension of this to 40 days led to the term ... Read full story
 9/1/2009
Hurricane Katrina Remembered  *
Today marks the fourth anniversary of the horrible destruction caused by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in Louisiana and Mississippi. (For our cover story from 2005 read "Enduring Chaos".) The Horse and TheHorse.com were active participants in the coverage and animal relief efforts after the hurricanes struck the Gulf Coast. Because of our relationship ... Read full story
 8/29/2009
Seized Arabians in Custody of Texas Group   *
More than 70 allegedly neglected Arabian horses seized from their owner earlier this month are now in the permanent custody of the agency directing their care. Denton County Sheriff's Deputies removed 77 of the horses from Renazans Arabians ranch in Pilot Point, Texas, on August 14 after a caller complained about their condition. The horses were ... Read full story
 8/28/2009
California Report: Racehorse Hind Limb Injuries Increased  *
A necropsy report presented to the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) Aug. 27 at Del Mar tends to support trainers who complain that synthetic tracks lead to more hind limb injuries. In 2008, 19 Thoroughbreds from a total of 111 that died on synthetic tracks in the state succumbed to catastrophic hind limb injuries, according to a preliminary CHRB/University ... Read full story
 8/28/2009
Walking Horse Celebration Show Inspectors Ready   *
Federal Horse Protection Act (HPA) compliance inspectors will be out in force during this year's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, said Rachel Cezar, DVM, coordinator for the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Horse Protection Program. The Horse Protection Act forbids soring, the deliberate injury to a horse's legs to achieve ... Read full story
 8/27/2009
Record Number of Horses Surrendered to MSPCA; Assistance Needed   *
The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) at Nevins Farm is receiving a record number of surrendered equines and is seeking adopters as well as donations for the horses' continued rehabilitation and medical care. The number of horses surrendered to the non-profit in 2009 will surpass last year's total by early September, ... Read full story
 8/25/2009
Racehorse Medication Issues Top Jockey Club Round Table   *
Although there are differences of opinion on what should be done next in the area of medication reform, everyone seems to agree there is a continuing problem and something should be done. The perceptions and realities of drugs used in the training of Thoroughbreds was the overriding theme at the annual Jockey Club Round Table, held Aug. 23 at the ... Read full story
 8/24/2009
Horse Poachers Target of Community Watch Project   *
A community campaign might convince poachers that horse owners in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are on the alert to stop them, hopes Judy Paul, mayor of Davie, Fla. At least 17 horses have been stolen and apparently butchered for their meat in Miami-Dade County since January. An additional two horses were found slain in their pasture in nearby ... Read full story
 8/24/2009
Wild Horse Shootings: Crime Stoppers Video Prompts Tips   *
A televised re-enactment of wild horse shootings in Alberta has prompted tips from the public on the crimes, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). "We're following up on some tips we've received," said Cpl. Tina Millard of the Sundre RCMP. Crime Stoppers produced the film in response to the shooting of three more horses, including ... Read full story
 8/21/2009
Chicago Carriage Horses' Day in Court Delayed by Budget Crunch   *
The carriage horse seizure case involving J.C. Cutters Ltd. has been continued once more. This time it was due to a City of Chicago budget-related mandatory work furlough day for all non-essential city employees on Aug. 17. "The new trial date is Sept. 23; the officers with Animal Control were on mandatory furlough yesterday," said John Robeznieks, ... Read full story
 8/20/2009
Retired Thoroughbreds the Focus of Safety Alliance Panel  *
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance has formed a special subcommittee focusing on aftercare of retired Thoroughbreds. The goal of the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Subcommittee on Aftercare is to work toward a national solution to issues surrounding retired Thoroughbred racehorses, including enhancement of ... Read full story
 8/20/2009
Project Brings Vet Training to Rural China   *
Working donkeys, horses, and mules in Xinjiang, China, are on the receiving end of care and guidance provided through a project by Urumqi University, the World Society for the Protection of Animals, and the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA). Bringing the maize crop back from the fields. The group has had a veterinary vehicle ... Read full story
 8/19/2009
New York Thoroughbred Breeder Arraigned on Cruelty Charges  *
Horse breeder Ernest Paragallo, who was banned from racing after 177 allegedly malnourished horses were seized in a raid of his upstate New York farm, has been arraigned on 35 counts of animal cruelty. Paragallo appeared Tuesday before Judge George Pulver Jr. in Greene County Court but didn't enter a plea. The case was adjourned for 45 days. Paragallo ... Read full story
 8/18/2009
76 Arabian Horses Seized in Texas   *
The operator of a Texas horse breeding farm was arrested after law enforcement authorities removed 76 allegedly neglected horses from his ranch on Friday. Denton County Sheriff's Deputies discovered the horses at the Renazans Arabians ranch in Pilot Point, Texas, after a caller complained about their condition. Tom Reedy, public information officer ... Read full story
 8/17/2009
Tips to Stop Horse Poachers Offered by Police   *
While their probe into a series of horse poaching incidents continues, the Miami-Dade County Police are asking horse owners to do their part to keep their animals safe. At least 17 horses have been stolen and apparently butchered for their meat in Miami-Dade County since January. Members of several Miami-Dade County Police units and investigators ... Read full story
 8/13/2009
Farm Animal Welfare Symposium Coming to Ohio State  *
Issues in farm animal welfare continue to be hotly debated across the United States, with many farm animal production practices under scrutiny. On October 16, a symposium on animal welfare at The Ohio State University will offer perspectives that are grounded in science and education. The "Ohio State Animal Welfare Symposium: Building Partnerships ... Read full story
 8/13/2009
Donated Water Troughs Aid Moroccan Cart Horses   *
Cart horses, mules, and donkeys working in the Moroccan city of Marrakech are now able to stay hydrated throughout their hot days on the job, thanks to the donation of nine water troughs by the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA). The troughs are located near the main stands where around 1,000 horses and mules that pull tourist carriages ... Read full story
 8/13/2009
Softer Whips for Racehorses at Del Mar   *
Del Mar is taking the sting out of its whips. On Wednesday, it will become the first California racetrack to require riding crops that don't raise welts. Darrell Haire, regional manager for the Jockeys' Guild, said the whips are made of softer leather or fabric. They're supposed to get the horse's attention with a popping noise rather than by causing ... Read full story
 8/12/2009
Florida Horse Poaching Tip Reward Rises   *
The reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for a series of horse poaching incidents in Florida rose to $8,000 on Tuesday when Crime Stoppers of Miami-Dade County Inc. added $3,000 to existing reward funds. Miami-Dade County Police are currently investigating 17 cases involving horses stolen and apparently ... Read full story
 8/12/2009
U.S. Thoroughbred Stallion Reported Butchered in Peru  *
Drilling for Oil, a U.S. Thoroughbred graded stakes winner who was sent to Peru in July for stallion duty, was found dead after being butchered for his meat, according to the Turf Diario. The stallion was reportedly stolen from Hamide Stable Aug. 6 after thieves set other horses free to distract security personnel. His carcass was found three kilometers ... Read full story
 8/11/2009
Link Between Drugs and Racehorse Injuries is a Work In Progress  *
Higher levels of two different non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were identified in Thoroughbred racehorses suffering musculoskeletal injuries in Kentucky Racing Commission races compared to non-injured horses. But whether these elevated levels contribute to musculoskeletal injuries or not remains to be determined, reported a group of ... Read full story
 8/10/2009
Cargill Supports Horse Therapy Program in Eastern Iowa  *
As part of its ongoing commitment to support the communities in which it does business, Cargill announced today it has donated $10,000 to Children's Center Charities' Hippotherapy Program. The word "hippotherapy" comes from the Greek word "hippos," which means horse. The Hippotherapy Program introduces horses and horseback riding into therapy in order ... Read full story
 8/10/2009
Colorado Wild Horse Gather Halted By Judge  *
A federal judge sided with wild horse advocates this week when she ruled the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) could not remove wild horses from the West Douglas Herd Area in northwest Colorado as planned. The BLM had planned to remove the 175-horse herd from the 120,000-acre range area in July 2008. The gather was postponed after The Colorado Wild ... Read full story
 8/8/2009
Thoroughbred Breeder Paragallo Indicted on Cruelty Charges  *
Thoroughbred breeder Ernest Paragallo, whose farm in upstate New York became the center of allegations over animal neglect claims, was indicted today by a grand jury on 35 counts of animal cruelty. The indictment, stemming from an April raid by State Police and animal protection officers from the Columbia-Green Humane Society, adds 13 new counts to ... Read full story
 8/7/2009
Horse in the UK Slashed With Knife  *
In an article on thenorthernecho.co.uk comes a report of a valuable show horse that was attacked in his field and cut by a knife in County Durham, United Kingdom. The article quoted the police as saying, "This was a vicious, deliberate, senseless attack on a defenseless animal." The horse was a gray, 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Anyone with information ... Read full story
 8/7/2009
Research Shows Exercised Horses Have Fewer Unwanted Behaviors  *
Providing a stabled horse with one hour of exercise daily has beneficial effects on horse welfare, as well as handler safety, according to a new study. "Providing horses with a daily exercise regime, as well as regular positive interactions with other horses and people, is likely to improve their welfare and make them safer to handle," said Raf Freire, ... Read full story
 8/6/2009
Poisoned Saddlebred Horses on the Mend  *
An American Saddlebred show horse in critical condition after ingesting unknown quantities of oleander leaves is recovering and will be released from the hospital later this week, according to the veterinarian supervising its treatment. "He's looking brighter and turning the corner," said Steven V. Colburn, DVM, of the Creekside Veterinary Service ... Read full story
 8/5/2009
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
HSUS Releases List of Humane Options for Disposal of Horse Remains  *
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) released a national list of humane resources for horse owners making end-of-life arrangements for their equine companions. "Providing a humane, dignified death for your horse is simply responsible horse ownership," said Keith Dane, the HSUS director of equine protection. "No one likes to think about the ... Read full story
 8/4/2009
Arlington Park Thoroughbred Racetrack Receives Safety Accreditation  *
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced that Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Ill., has been fully accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance following a complete review of all racing operations at the facility. Arlington Park is the seventh racing facility to be so designated by the Alliance. Churchill Downs and ... Read full story
 8/4/2009
Poisoned Horses Update; One Still Critical  *
Debbie Tomin, co-owner with her husband, Bill, of Rockridge Farm in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., told TheHorse.com late Sunday morning that "23 horses were fed the poisonous concoction (of apples, carrots, and oleander leaves). "All the ones in the barn and three outside (were fed the dangerous mixture)," she said of the Saddlebreds at their farm. "We ... Read full story
 8/2/2009
Castration as a Solution?
The plight of the unwanted horse may be the most important horse issue of the 21st century. Estimates suggest that 100,000 horses per year become "unwanted," leading to saturation of rescue and retirement facilities around the country and a strain on their financial resources. Is overbreeding to blame? Is it because horse processing plants were closed? ... Read full story
 8/1/2009
Chincoteague Pony Auction Raises Funds for Herd Health  *
This year's Chincoteague Pony swim and auction raised $94,100 for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department. Approximately 150 ponies were rounded up yesterday for today's annual sale, the proceeds of which are used to help maintain the wild herd and run the fire department. This year, bidders bought 70 ponies at an average price of $1,344.29, according ... Read full story
 7/30/2009
Florida Horse Killing Investigation Expands Again   *
The investigation into a series of Florida horse poaching incidents expanded again Sunday when another horse was found dead in its pasture, apparently slaughtered for its meat. A caretaker discovered the horse's carcass in a pasture near its stable. Flesh was missing from its chest and one of its back legs, a Miami-Dade County Police report noted. ... Read full story
 7/28/2009
Racehorse Safety Accreditation for Monmouth Park  *
Monmouth Park in New Jersey is the sixth racetrack to be accredited by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance. Monmouth, host of the grade I Haskell Invitational Aug. 2, was reviewed by alliance officials July 9-10. Ronald Jensen, DVM, racing official Richard Lewis, and alliance executive director Mike Ziegler ... Read full story
 7/28/2009
Wild Horse Management Bill Draws Varied Reactions   *
An equine advocacy organization is criticizing new wild horse and burro management legislation, saying it fails to make efficient use of public land. HR 1018, the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, amends the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 to allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to increase acreage available to free roaming herds, and to establish ... Read full story
 7/27/2009
Registering a Thoroughbred Foal? Remember Retirement Program  *
The majority of Thoroughbred registration applications were recently mailed to the breeders fo 2009 live foals. The Jockey Club is reminding owners and breeders that they can contribute to the post-racing care of Thoroughbreds through a voluntary checkoff program that benefits Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) and the Thoroughbred Retirement ... Read full story
 7/23/2009
Toe Grab Recommendations Adjusted by Jockey Club  *
After discussions with industry participants and a review of all scientific research available on the use of toe grabs on the front shoes of Thoroughbreds, The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Safety Committee recommends adjusting the current RCI Model Rule on horse shoes to allow toe grabs up to four millimeters in height on front shoes on dirt racing surfaces ... Read full story
 7/23/2009
Cutting Horse Costs a Focus of UK Welfare Group Publications  *
The UK's National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) has produced two new brochures on responsible horse management in response to the high number of requests for help that their members are receiving from horse owners struggling financially. The new publications cover "Responsible Re-Homing" and "Cutting Cost without Compromising on Welfare." Many ... Read full story
 7/23/2009
Drought Burdens Texas Horse Rescues  *
Texas' worst drought in 50 years has burnt up pasture and raised the price of hay, leaving horse rescues to cope with an increase in abandonment and neglect cases as owners struggle to feed their horses. "The cost of hay is going up, if you can even find it," said Jennifer Williams, PhD, president and executive director of Texas' Bluebonnet Equine ... Read full story
 7/23/2009
Missing Horses Sought in Oregon Neglect Case   *
Police in Marion County, Ore., are seeking several horses that might have been hidden by a barn operator accused of animal neglect. Investigators believe the horses were moved by Kristina Early, operator of the Early Rise Ranch, a training and boarding stable in Salem, Ore. Early was arrested July 11 after animal welfare authorities removed more ... Read full story
 7/22/2009
Minimum Standards of Care Established by Kentucky Horse Group  *
In an effort to provide a basic guideline for minimum horse care requirements, the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) recently developed an eight page educational guide called Minimum Standards for Equine Care in Kentucky. The guide is a free resource offered for educational purposes to horse owners, potential horse owners, law enforcement officials, and ... Read full story
 7/21/2009
Barrel Horse Theft Investigations Continue   *
Charges connected to the alleged theft and abuse of a barrel horse remain pending until prosecutors can verify facts surrounding the case. The horse was competing in the Fort Pierre Rodeo when it was taken from the Stanley County Fair Grounds on July 5. Sheriff's deputies later recovered the horse in a corral elsewhere in Fort Pierre. State's Attorney ... Read full story
 7/20/2009
Horse Poaching: Miami-Dade Police Investigate New Report  *
Law enforcement authorities in Florida are investigating the death of another horse apparently butchered for its meat. Miami-Dade County Police discovered the horse's carcass July 19 after an anonymous tipster reported it lying near a roadway. The flesh from the horse's sides had been removed and its neck was mutilated. The incident is the latest ... Read full story
 7/20/2009
Kentucky Livestock Neglect Investigation Training Offered  *
Continuing education for animal control and law enforcement officials in the investigation of cruelty to livestock is now available in Kentucky. The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) partnered with the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association (KCA) to develop a three-day training for investigators, which includes education on identifying neglect in horses and other ... Read full story
 7/18/2009
House Passes Mustang Management Bill   *
A bill promoting increased on-range management for wild horses and burros came closer to becoming law today when the U.S. House of Representatives passed it 239-185. Introduced by Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) HR 1018, the Restore Our American Mustangs Act, amends the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 to allow the Bureau ... Read full story
 7/17/2009
Abandoned Horse Information Sought, Reward Offered   *
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or persons responsible for abandoning a 2-year-old mare in Meadow Canyon, Nev. The horse's brand was cut from its body, leaving a large wound. Nevada Agriculture Department Enforcement ... Read full story
 7/14/2009
Ranch Hand Arrested in Texas Horse Deaths  *
A ranch worker was arrested on multiple animal cruelty counts for the heat-related deaths of 11 horses in Weatherford, Texas. Parker County law enforcement authorities discovered 10 horses dead in their pasture on July 1. One was euthanized on the scene. Investigators found another 29 horses suffering from extreme dehydration. According to Parker ... Read full story
 7/13/2009
Proposed Mongolian Horse Race Raises Welfare Concerns   *
A planned horse race over the Mongolian Steppes has raised the ire of several equestrian groups concerned about the welfare of the more than 700 horses that will take part in the 1,000-kilometer Mongolian Derby. The League of Adventurists International Ltd., the British-based adventure company organizing the competition, describes the race as "the ... Read full story
 7/11/2009
Guilty Plea in Oklahoma Starved Mustang Cruelty Case   *
A criminal case involving the starvation of two wild horses adopted from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) ended with a guilty plea in Rogers County, Okla., the Bureau announced yesterday. Adopter Shannon J. Smoke of Broken Arrow, Okla., pled guilty in state court on July 1, 2009, to one count of felony animal cruelty for starving the horses ... Read full story
 7/10/2009
Two Horses Die at Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Races   *
Two horses died in separate incidents at the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada. The annual event features rodeo-style competitions and livestock exhibitions. The horses were competing in the Stampede's GMC Rangeland Derby chuckwagon race. The race pits four teams of horse-drawn wagons against each other in a series of elimination races over several ... Read full story
 7/9/2009
Barrel Horse Theft: Arrest Likely, Sheriff Says   *
Arrests in connection with the theft and abuse of a barrel horse in South Dakota could take place this week according to Stanley County law enforcement authorities. The horse was competing in the Fort Pierre Rodeo when it was taken from the Stanley County Fair Grounds on July 5. Stanley County Sheriff Brad Rathbun said deputies found the horse ... Read full story
 7/9/2009
Unwanted Horse Survey Results Released  *
The results of a survey on perceptions of factors surrounding the unwanted horse issue are now available from the Unwanted Horse Coalition. The study assessed the causes and magnitude of the unwanted horse population in the United States. It was conducted by an independent market research company from November 2008 to January 2009. More than 23,000 ... Read full story
 7/9/2009
11 Horses Die in Texas Pasture, Heat and Dehydration Cited  *
Equipment failure and employee negligence are being blamed for the heat-related deaths of 11 horses in Weatherford, Texas, last week. Parker County animal control authorities discovered the horses on July 1 after a tipster reported a horse down in a pasture. County Sheriff's Deputies discovered 10 horses dead on the 600-acre property. Another 29 ... Read full story
 7/8/2009
Thoroughbred Identification Service Enhanced by Jockey Club   *
Owners and equine rescue groups with unidentified Thoroughbreds that sport lip tattoos now have access to free identification services provided by the Jockey Club. Unveiled in April, the free tattoo lookup service allows horse owners and rescue groups to look up lip tattoos to identify the horse in question. Recently, the group added the tattoo research ... Read full story
 7/8/2009
Standardbreds Find New Homes through TheHorse.com Free Horse Listing  *
Four Standardbreds listed on the TheHorse.com's Adoption Service listing for horses free to good homes have already found new homes. The Standardbred list, modeled after an identical program for Thoroughbreds, was launched June 4. It is sponsored by the U.S. Trotting Association. An additional 17 Standardbreds are currently listed as available. ... Read full story
 7/7/2009
'Welfare of the Horse' Forum Available on H-SPAN  *
On June 16 the American Horse Council held "The Welfare of the Horse" forum in Washington, D.C. The Forum, sponsored by Luitpold, was held as part of the AHC's National Issues Forum and featured speakers from segments of the horse community as varied as competition, sport, work, and entertainment. Speakers and panelists discussed the many welfare and ... Read full story
 7/5/2009
More Slaughtered Horses Discovered in Florida  *
The investigation into a series of horse killings in Florida widened on June 19 when a rancher discovered two slaughtered horses partially buried in a dirt mound on his Miami-Dade County property. The discovery is the latest in an ongoing Miami-Dade Police investigation into a series of incidents involving horses slaughtered by poachers. A similar ... Read full story
 7/4/2009
Brazilian Cart Horse Care a Focus for MSU Researcher  *
When Camie Heleski, PhD, MS, traveled to Brazil to attend a conference in 2000, she noticed that the horses used to pull carts transporting people throughout the country's villages appeared frail and their hair looked brittle and dull. The animals also displayed lesions on their bodies where dry sweat would build up under their leather harnesses. In ... Read full story
 7/4/2009
Boston Police Horses Relocated After Budget Cuts  *
The horses of the Boston Police Department Mounted Unit disappeared from Boston's streets as of June 30, the end of the fiscal year. The 12 horses fell victim to budgetary cutbacks needed to bridge a $20 million shortfall and avoid layoffs of uniformed officers. Of the unit's 12 horses, four will be maintained by the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department ... Read full story
 7/2/2009
Oregon Horse Shooting Case Concludes   *
Russell Willeford, the Oregon man convicted of shooting and abandoning a 6-year-old Arabian gelding in the Deschutes National Forest, will serve 90 days in the Deschutes County Jail and pay more than $9,000 in restitution in connection with the incident. He will also serve five years probation, and is barred from possessing firearms or domestic animals ... Read full story
 7/2/2009
Free Thoroughbred Identification Service Expanded  *
The Jockey Club has enhanced its free Tattoo Identification Services by adding access its markings database to the tattoo research module. The free tattoo identification service was unveiled in April to help owners identify tattooed but unknown Thoroughbreds in their possession. For legible tattoos, owners could use a free tattoo lookup feature available ... Read full story
 7/2/2009
Washington Horse Rescue to Host AVMA Convention Volunteers  *
An area horse rescue will benefit when the American Veterinary Medical Association's 2009 conference comes to Seattle later this month. Hope For Horses, a Woodinville, Wash., based equine humane society, will host nearly 100 volunteers attending conference. Each year AVMA convention attendees are invited to participate in a "voluntourism" event to ... Read full story
 7/1/2009
Chicago Carriage Horse Case Set For Trial In August  *
A trial date of Aug. 17 has been set for the criminal charges against J.C. Cutters Ltd. co-owner and manager Michele Goudie, horse owner Melissa Woicek, and carriage driver Frances DuPont, who have been cited under two City of Chicago Municipal Codes, 7-12-290b and 7-12-290i. A separate issue is the ongoing fight for possession and ownership of the ... Read full story
 6/20/2009
Arraignment Set in Mustang Cruelty Case   *
The operator of a Nebraska training ranch and sanctuary for Bureau of Land Management mustangs and burros has waived his right to preliminary hearing and will be arraigned on more than 100 animal cruelty counts in Morrill County District Court on July 14. Jason Meduna, operator of the 3-Strikes Ranch in Alliance, Neb., is charged with 149 counts ... Read full story
 6/19/2009
AHC National Forum Tackles Equine Welfare Issues   *
Representatives of various equine breeds and disciplines found out June 16 they have a lot in common when it comes to the welfare and safety of horses. The "Welfare of the Horse," called the most inclusive program of its kind, was the sole topic for this year's American Horse Council National Issues Forum in Washington, D.C. It offered participants ... Read full story
 6/17/2009
Former Trainer Guides New Racehorse Transition Program   *
Barbara Luna has spent most of her life working in various aspects of the Thoroughbred industry, from hot walking horses as a college student, to becoming a licensed owner and trainer later on down the road. Throughout her endeavors she discovered that even greater than her love of campaigning runners was the passion that came from helping retired ... Read full story
 6/15/2009
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
Daughters of Man Accused of Cruelty Relinquish Licenses   *
Kristen and Jennifer Paragallo, the daughters of Ernie Paragallo who faces 22 counts of animal cruelty, have relinquished their owners' licenses. "The surrendering of the two licenses from (Paragallo's) daughters came during our suitability review," said Joe Mahoney, a spokesperson for the New York State Racing and Wagering Board, on June 10. "That ... Read full story
 6/11/2009
Charges Filed in Texas Cruelty Case   *
A Texas woman accused of maltreating 57 horses remains in jail after failing to post bond on cruelty charges. Carol Paselk faces one count of cruelty to animals and one court of cruelty to livestock. The Class A misdemeanors each carry penalties up to $4,000 and one year in the county jail. The charges stem from the May 9 removal of 57 allegedly ... Read full story
 6/11/2009
Authorities Seize Colorado Horses for a Second Time   *
A Colorado man faces multiple animal cruelty counts following the removal of 17 horses from his property for the second time in two years. Sheriff's Deputies in Jefferson County, Colo., seized the horses from owner John McCulley on May 20. County animal control officers and a veterinarian deemed them emaciated, in need of dental and farrier care, ... Read full story
 6/10/2009
Elvis' Graceland Stable Opens for Tours; Rescued Horses Helped  *
Sometimes promotion of the horse industry and assistance for unwanted horses comes from unusual places. Did you know Elvis Presley had a stable at his home at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn.? Or that he sometimes rode a horse up to the gates of Graceland to sign autographs? Did you know rescue horses have lived there (and still do)? The stable at Graceland ... Read full story
 6/7/2009
Plea Deal Entered in Pennsylvania Cruelty Case  *
A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty to 13 animal cruelty counts and relinquished ownership of his animals under a plea bargain entered in Northampton County District court on June 4. Joseph Mayer was originally charged with 38 counts of animal cruelty for failing to provide adequate food, water, and veterinary care for nine ponies, two horses, a donkey, ... Read full story
 6/6/2009
Standardbred Adoption Service Launched for FREE Horses   *
TheHorse.com and the U.S. Trotting Association have joined forces to create a Standardbred Adoption Service listing for horses offered free to good homes. This is designed after TheHorse.com's successful Thoroughbred Adoption Service. The Standardbred Adoption Service will provide an Internet-based bulletin board for registered Standardbred racehorses ... Read full story
 6/4/2009
AHC Sets Agenda for Horse Welfare Forum  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) is gearing up for what it calls "the most inclusive presentation on safety and welfare ever assembled"--a June 16 forum on equine welfare. The forum, called "Welfare of the Horse," is the focus on this year's AHC National Issues Forum in Washington, D.C. The event begins June 15 with committee and state horse council ... Read full story
 6/3/2009
Kentucky Offers Stallion Castration Incentive Program   *
Indiscriminate breeding is one contributing factor to the number of unwanted horses. The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) is now offering incentives for responsible Kentucky horse owners to reduce the number of horses capable of reproduction through a gelding voucher program. The program is funded by SoHo (Save Our Horses), a tax deductible fund to support ... Read full story
 6/2/2009
Becoming 'Equitarians'  *
What exactly is an "equitarian," you ask? Since I'm a descendant of the dictionary family and, thus, "empowered" to make up my own definitions, I'll explain: An equitarian is one whose only reward for providing medical or humane services to needy horses is the satisfaction of a job well done. There are millions of our equine friends worldwide who could ... Read full story
 6/1/2009
Vets Discuss 'Equitarian' Outreach Efforts, AAEP 2008  *
The table topic meeting room was full to overflowing with equine veterinarians at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., most interested in some of the worldwide equine welfare projects both ongoing and proposed. The meeting was to continue a process to identify and coordinate some ... Read full story
 5/31/2009
Belmont Stakes Home Track Receives Accreditation  *
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced the Thoroughbred racetrack Belmont Park, home of the Belmont Stakes, has been fully accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance following a complete review of all racing operations at the facility. The Elmont, N.Y., racetrack is the third racing facility to be so designated by the ... Read full story
 5/29/2009
Castration Clinics Snip Away at Unwanted Horse Population  *
Equine groups across the country are attempting to reduce the number of unwanted horses at the source, through subsidized castration clinics aimed to reduce the number of foals hitting the ground. Stallion to Gelding Support is a national program designed by the Horse Protection Society of North Carolina. The program has been offering vouchers for ... Read full story
 5/27/2009
Defense Prepares For Fight in Chicago Carriage Horse Case  *
A highly publicized Chicago carriage horse court case has now been continued a third time, to June 15. Defense attorney John Robeznieks is preparing data for city prosecutors on the charges facing J.C. Cutters Ltd. co-owner and manager Michele Goudie, horse owner Melissa Woicek, and carriage driver Frances DuPont. “If the prosecutors determine they ... Read full story
 5/26/2009
National Wild Horse Adoption Day Launches Web Site  *
The National Wild Horse Adoption Day Web site is now live. Located at nationalwildhorseadoptionday.org or adoptawildhorse.com (both take you to the same site), wild horse enthusiasts and supporters will be able to keep pace with the activities slated for Sept. 26 and find out how they can get involved. A goal of 1,000 adoptions has been set for the ... Read full story
 5/26/2009
100 Horses Seized, Felony Abuse Charges for California Family   *
A California Superior Court Judge has ruled there is sufficient evidence to press felony charges against several members of a family accused of maltreating horses at their Ventura County ranch. Jane Bor, her son Ernie, and daughter-in-law Cecelia, were arrested Oct. 8 after authorities took custody of 100 allegedly maltreated horses residing on their ... Read full story
 5/23/2009
New Charges Against Nebraska Mustang Ranch Operator   *
The operator of a Nebraska training ranch and sanctuary for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs and burros now faces more than 140 counts of felony animal cruelty in connection with the alleged maltreatment of animals seized from his property in April. Jason C. Meduna, operator of 3-Strikes Ranch, appeared in Morrill County Court on Wednesday. ... Read full story
 5/21/2009
Texas Groups Win Custody of 57 Seized Horses   *
A Texas Justice of the Peace has awarded custody of 57 Thoroughbred and Arabian horses to the equine welfare groups that have been caring for them since the animals were seized May 9. Hopkins County law enforcement authorities and volunteers from the True Blue Animal Rescue and the Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society seized the animals from owner Carol ... Read full story
 5/20/2009
Texas Groups Care for Seized Herd   *
More than 50 allegedly neglected horses are receiving rehabilitative care from two Texas rescue agencies after they were removed from their owner's care earlier this month. One of the seized horses. Local law-enforcement authorities joined volunteers from True Blue Animal Rescue and the Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society to remove the 57 Thoroughbred ... Read full story
 5/18/2009
Abandoned Horse Recovering from Head Injury   *
An abandoned Thoroughbred gelding found near Mesa, Ariz., is recovering from injuries and regaining condition better than his foster owner expected. Gwen Cleary has been caring for the horse, called Solo Vino, since he arrived at her farm on March 3, with a gash in his head, fractured skull, and detached nuchal ligament, apparently caused by a blow ... Read full story
 5/15/2009
Florida Horse Poaching Continues   *
Police in Miramar, Fla., are searching for poachers responsible for killing two Paso Fino horses for their meat. The horses' butchered carcasses were discovered in their pasture on May 6 when their owner arrived to feed them. The case is the latest in a series of similar incidents in Florida. In cases spanning back to 2007, the butchered remains ... Read full story
 5/14/2009
Colorado Vets Polled on Unwanted Horse, Euthanasia Issues   *
Although anecdotes suggest the number of unwanted horses is growing, there is very little data that measures the magnitude of the problem or how extensively the various options to address the issue are being implemented. To get a better handle on this situation, Jill Montgomery of JRAM Enterprises, an equine industry consulting firm, and Tom Lenz, ... Read full story
 5/13/2009
Decision on Future of Victoria Steeplechase Racing Pending  *
A decision on the future of steeplechase racing in Australia's Victoria state was deferred May 13 until next week after the Racing Victoria Limited board took submissions from pro- and anti-jumps campaigns. RVL said the board would make an announcement next Monday, May 18. "The Racing Victoria Limited board has not yet reached a decision on the ... Read full story
 5/13/2009
Charity Releases Healthy Horse Guide for Tourists  *
The Brooke Hospital for Animals, a UK equine welfare charity that operates across 10 countries in Asia, Africa, Central America, and the Middle East, has released guidelines for tourists utilizing the services of working animals while on holiday. The Brooke is calling on all tourists to take action against the abuse of working equids by following ... Read full story
 5/11/2009
Owner Sentenced in Illinois Trailer Accident Case   *
The former owner of 59 draft horses involved in a 2007 tractor-trailer truck rollover accident in Illinois was sentenced to supervision and ordered to pay $4,000 in fines and restitution in connection with the incident. The accident occurred Oct. 27 when a truck hauling the horses in a double-decker trailer from Indiana to Minnesota overturned in ... Read full story
 5/8/2009
Guilty Verdicts in U.K. Spindles Farm Cruelty Case  *
After a 12-week trial, Buckinghamshire horse dealer James Gray and several members of his family were on May 8 found guilty on charges of animal cruelty at Bicester Magistrates Court. James and his son Jamie Gray were found guilty of all charges under sections 4 and 9 of the Animal Welfare Act. His wife Julie and daughters Jodie and Cordelia were ... Read full story
 5/8/2009
AQHA Suspends Texas Trainer   *
The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) has suspended trainer Cleve Wells in connection with the treatment a horse received from an employee at Wells' Burleson, Texas, facility. On April 23, the AQHA Executive Committee announced that it revoked Wells' association membership for one year, and fined him $10,000 for violating Rule 104(a). The ... Read full story
 5/7/2009
125 Thoroughbreds Placed through TheHorse.com Listing  *
Six months after its launch, TheHorse.com's Thoroughbred Adoption Service listing has helped place 125 horses in new homes. See a list of horses placed. Another 108 are currently available, ranging from yearlings to sound, already re-trained competition horses, to retired babysitters. Listings can be sorted by date listed, name of horse, gender, ... Read full story
 5/7/2009
Rescued Mustangs Available for Adoption  *
More than 200 BLM mustangs removed last month from a Nebraska training ranch and sanctuary are gaining strength and are now available for adoption to qualified new owners. Authorities took custody of the allegedly maltreated horses from the 3-Strikes Ranch in Alliance, Neb., last month. Since then, the animals have received veterinary and other rehabilitative ... Read full story
 5/4/2009
Restraining Order Halts Chicago Carriage Horse Adoptions   *
Proceedings have ground to a halt pending the next court date for Chicago carriage horse company J.C. Cutters Ltd., including any further adoption or transfer of ownership of the five remaining horses. Defense attorney John Robeznieks has now secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing the Hooved Animal Humane Society from finding new ... Read full story
 5/4/2009
Minnesota Gelding Project Offers Free Castration  *
In an effort to reduce the number of unwanted horses in Minnesota, several equine organization are banding together to offer free equine castration for horses and owners that meet program criteria. Organizers of the project include the Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition, the Minnesota Horse Council, the Animal Humane Society, and the University of ... Read full story
 5/1/2009
Polo Association to Develop Prohibited Substance Policy  *
During its semi-annual Board of Governors meeting April 25, the United States Polo Association (USPA) voted to establish a committee to examine existing and additional safeguards for polo horses, including developing a prohibited substance policy. The USPA's Board of Governors approved the following motion: "In light of the tragedy that occurred ... Read full story
 4/30/2009
BLM Cites Co-Owner of Nebraska Mustang Ranch   *
The co-owner of a Nebraska training ranch from which 211 BLM mustangs and burros were recently removed faces federal charges for the alleged maltreatment of a mustang adopted in her name. On April 16, the BLM cited Anissa Meduna, co owner of the 3-Strikes Ranch in Alliance, Neb., with one count of inhumane treatment of a wild horse or burro, said ... Read full story
 4/30/2009
BLM to Offer Cash Incentives for Wild Horse Adoptions  *
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is hoping cash incentives will boost adoptions of wild horses and burros that would otherwise spend their lives in long-term holding facilities. Under a pilot program slated to debut at an adoption event in Kellyville, Okla., next month, the agency will pay $500 to qualified individuals who adopt BLM mustangs or ... Read full story
 4/30/2009
Mustang Bill Heads to House  *
A bill prohibiting the euthanasia of healthy Bureau of Land Management (BLM) horses took a step toward becoming law on Wednesday when members of the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee approved the measure by a 21-14 margin. H.R. 1018 amends the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971 to allow the BLM to increase acreage available ... Read full story
 4/29/2009
BLM Could Seek Charges against Mustang Ranch Operator  *
The operator of a Nebraska training ranch and sanctuary for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs could face further penalties if the BLM decides to seek its own charges in the case. Morrill County authorities charged Jason Meduna with one count of felony animal cruelty in connection with the alleged maltreatment of BLM mustangs and burros at ... Read full story
 4/27/2009
Mustang Ranch Operator Surrenders Animals  *
The owner of a Nebraska training ranch and sanctuary for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs and burros has surrendered more than 200 animals to two equine rescue agencies. On Tuesday, Jason Meduna, operator of 3-Strikes Ranch in Alliance, Neb., relinquished custody of 200 mustangs and 10 wild burros to Habitat for Horses, a Texas-based rescue, ... Read full story
 4/22/2009
Paragallo Hearing Postponed   *
A court hearing has been postponed for a prominent Thoroughbred breeder charged with cruelty after scores of allegedly malnourished horses were found on his New York farm. Ernie Paragallo was to appear in Coxsackie Town Court on Monday (April 20) afternoon, but a clerk said the hearing was postponed at the request of his lawyer. A new date hasn't ... Read full story
 4/21/2009
Nebraska Mustang Trainer Arrested for Cruelty   *
The operator of a Nebraska training ranch and sanctuary for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs is facing cruelty charges in connection with the alleged maltreatment of an undisclosed number of animals. On Saturday, Morrill County authorities arrested Jason Meduna, operator of the 3-Strikes Ranch in Alliance, Neb., for animal cruelty, according ... Read full story
 4/20/2009
Pfizer Donates Supplies for Seized Horses   *
Pfizer Animal Health has pledged to donate equine health care supplies to aid the more than 170 horses under Columbia-Greene Humane Society care at Center Brook Farm in Climax, N.Y. Investigators sezied the horses during an investigation into New York Thoroughbred breeder Ernie Paragallo. Pfizer Animal Health, which also recently made a $50,000 ... Read full story
 4/20/2009
Mustang Trainer Faces Felony Animal Cruelty Charge   *
The operator of a Nebraska training ranch and sanctuary for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) mustangs is free on $20,000 bond after being charged with one count of Class 4 felony animal cruelty in connection with the alleged maltreatment of animals at his ranch. The charge carries penalties of up to 5 years in jail and up to $10,000 in fines. On Saturday, ... Read full story
 4/20/2009
Thoroughbred Rescue Receives Not-For-Profit Status  *
One of the groups that has successfully used the Thoroughbred Adoption Services on TheHorse.com is Kim Clark's LeightonFarm.com. Now she has established a 501(c)(3) to help Thoroughbreds transitioning to a new life off the track. "I placed 150 horses in 2008 through LeightonFarm.com," said Clark. "Most of them Thoroughbreds retiring from racing. Being ... Read full story
 4/19/2009
Banned Suffolk Downs Trainers Reinstated   *
Three of the five trainers that were banned from Suffolk Downs last fall for violating its zero tolerance policy toward horse slaughter have been reinstated and will be allowed to saddle horses for the East Boston, Mass. track's 2009 season, which runs May 2-Nov. 7. The trainers--Wayne Sargent Jr., Gerry LaFleur, and Tony D'Angelo--last November ... Read full story
 4/17/2009
Jockey Club Offers Free Thoroughbred Identification Service   *
The Jockey Club has established a free service to help owners identify tattooed but unidentified Thoroughbreds in their possession. For legible tattoos, an owner can use a free tattoo lookup feature available from The Jockey Club's Web site and the Registry homepage. For illegible or partial tattoos, customer service representatives from the ... Read full story
 4/15/2009
Homes for Horses Coalition Gathers for Conference   *
Representatives from dozens of national and state-based equine protection, advocacy, and rescue organizations gathered April 9 and April 10 at Bally's Las Vegas for the third annual Homes for Horses Coalition Conference to discuss the re-homing of at-risk horses in America and other equine welfare concerns. The conference was held in conjunction ... Read full story
 4/13/2009
Track Safety Accreditation a Long-Haul Process   *
One down, but many more to go in a process designed to never hit the finish line. The accreditation of Churchill Downs by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance is being called a major accomplishment by the officials involved, but they also acknowledge it's just the beginning. Safety and integrity standards will ... Read full story
 4/10/2009
NYRA Bans Paragallo from Doing Business  *
The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has banned owner-breeder Ernie Paragallo from doing business at its tracks after authorities seized 177 horses at his Hudson Valley farm. The 51-year-old Paragallo is the authorized agent for Paraneck Stable. NYRA officials say Paraneck won't be allowed to race at Aqueduct, Belmont, or Saratoga until a new agent ... Read full story
 4/10/2009
Seized Chicago Carriage Horses Transferred   *
Although carriage company J.C. Cutters Ltd. has not yet had its day in court, the six carriage horses seized Feb. 6 due to alleged city code violations have been transferred to a northwest Illinois equine rescue facility and are up for adoption. A spokesperson at the Hooved Animal Humane Society (HAHS) in Woodstock, Ill., confirmed that the horses ... Read full story
 4/10/2009
Alleged Cruelty Law Violations Found at Paragallo Farm   *
Investigators say they found serious violations of animal cruelty laws involving at least 40 Thoroughbred horses at the New York farm owned by Ernie Paragallo following a raid April 8 by State Police and animal protection agency officials. "It's the worst Thoroughbred farm I've ever seen like this,'' said Ron Perez, president of the Columbia-Greene ... Read full story
 4/9/2009
Churchill Receives Safety Accreditation   *
At a press conference April 9 at Churchill Downs, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced that the Louisville racetrack has been fully accredited by the NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance following a comprehensive review of racing operations at the facility. Churchill Downs is the first track to be so designated by the Alliance. ... Read full story
 4/9/2009
New York Racing Regulators Investigate Owner Paragallo   *
State regulators in New York have begun an investigation into undernourished mares that were given away by Thoroughbred owner and breeder Ernie Paragallo. The New York State Racing and Wagering Board will examine the circumstances under which the horses were given away by Center Brook Farm in upstate New York, as well as ownership questions that ... Read full story
 4/8/2009
National Wild Horse Adoption Day Sets Goal of 1,000 Homes  *
Wild horse and humane animal advocacy groups from across the nation are joining forces to encourage the American public to consider and act on the adoption of a wild horse or burro. A goal of 1,000 adoptions has been set for the first National Wild Horse Adoption Day to be held Sept. 26, 2009. More than 65 events will take place across the country ... Read full story
 4/6/2009
Kentucky Group to Offer Low Cost Gelding Services   *
In an effort to help horse owners manage herd populations and breed responsibly, the Kentucky Horse Council, in partnership with Morehead State University (MSU), is offering a low cost gelding clinic April 28 and 30, 2009. The service, funded by Save Our Horses, a tax deductible fund to support KHC health and welfare programs, will allow Kentucky ... Read full story
 4/6/2009
Cross-Country Walk Draws Attention to Equine Welfare   *
A Colorado woman is walking from Newark, Del., to Long Beach, Calif., in an effort to urge lawmakers and others to help the nation's unwanted horses. Kristina Kremer set out March 14 on the slow journey she expects to finish this fall. Kristina Kremer plans to walk across the United States. Kremer, who operates an equine rescue in Capulin, Colo., ... Read full story
 4/3/2009
Walking Horse Show Management Transfers to New Group   *
The chief executive of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry's premier horse show is promising marked improvements in compliance with Horse Protection Act (HPA) anti-soring rules at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and other sanctioned Walking Horse shows now that a new horse industry organization is in charge of operations at those ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
America's Horses Face Crisis  *
For those of us in the horse rescue field, today's troubled economy has produced serious issues of horse welfare. Increasing numbers of horses are facing homelessness and possible abandonment. Although it is gratifying to see more effort being made by professional institutions and organizations to assist in these crises, it is clear that all horse ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
FAEP 2008 Symposium  *
Laminitis, corneal ulcers, and R. equi were among the topics veterinarians and researchers discussed at a conference in the Caribbean. Thirteen presenters took to the podium, covering lameness, reproduction, and medicine topics at the fourth annual Promoting Excellence Symposium of the Florida Association of Equine Practitioners (FAEP), held Sept. ... Read full story
 4/1/2009
Supporters Donate $14K for Abandoned Horse's Care   *
The foster owner of a horse that was abandoned in Mesa, Ariz., says the outpouring of support for the gelding's recovery has been "tremendous." The Thoroughbred, named Solo Vino by rescuers, was brought to Gwen Cleary's farm on March 3, after her neighbors found the abandoned horse, who was emaciated and had a large open wound in his head. (Read ... Read full story
 3/31/2009
Florida Poachers Target Horses  *
On Feb. 27 Ivonne Rodriguez's Paint horse, Geronimo, went missing from his Miami, Fla., pasture. Rodriguez immediately filed a police report and canvassed the neighborhood for information about her horse. Six days later, Miami-Dade County police discovered Geronimo's remains in a field across the street from Rodriguez's farm. "He was tied to a palm ... Read full story
 3/31/2009
Minnesota Humane Group Reports Increased Equine Cases   *
The Animal Humane Society of St. Paul, Minn., has seen a significant increase in equine-related cases over the past two years. According to the Minnesota Pet and Companion Animal Welfare Act, equines are defined as horses, ponies, mules, and burros. The Act outlines several requirements for ownership of equines. These include: 1. Food. Equines must ... Read full story
 3/29/2009
AAEP 2008: Veterinary Care at Rodeos   *
Doug Corey, DVM, of Adams, Ore., presented the conditions surrounding emergency care at rodeos during his in-depth emergency care presentation at the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention in San Diego, Calif. He emphasized that the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) has led in the creation of many welfare guidelines ... Read full story
 3/26/2009
USDA Coordinator Pledges Soring Law Enforcement  *
Exhibitors at this year's Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and other gaited horse shows can expect USDA inspectors to vigorously enforce Horse Protection Act rules against soring, according to USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Horse Protection Coordinator Rachel Cezar, DVM. Soring is the deliberate injury to horses' legs and ... Read full story
 3/23/2009
Rescued North Carolina Mare Healthy, But Her Foal Needs Your Help  *
Carolina Equine Rescue and Assistance took in Merimba, a 19-year-old gray mare, in July 2008. Besides being emaciated, slightly foundered, and slightly colicky, the mare was pregnant. Through the help of the rescue workers the mare has been doing great. But her delivery of her colt Pelear three days ago (March 19) was difficult, and a veterinarian ... Read full story
 3/22/2009
New Book Shines Spotlight on Successful Ex-Racehorses   *
One of the most hotly debated issues in the horse racing industry is the uncertain fate that awaits many racehorses when their careers are over and they are no longer useful to their owners and trainers. Many find themselves in sale lots awaiting transport to a slaughterhouse; others fall victim to injury and neglect. However, more and more horses, ... Read full story
 3/20/2009
Court Date Changed in Chicago Carriage Horse Case  *
The Chicago court case involving J.C. Cutters Ltd. manager Michele Goudie and their six seized carriage horses has been continued from March 12 to late April. Cook County States Attorney’s spokesperson Tandra Simonton explained, “This is a part of the normal criminal process. Dates are set with the intent for defending and prosecuting attorneys to ... Read full story
 3/19/2009
Felony Charges Filed in Massive Texas Horse Seizure  *
A Texas man is facing animal cruelty and felonious assault charges in connection with the seizure of 237 allegedly malnourished animals, including 167 horses, from his 86-acre ranch. Hill County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Gregory Brinkley on 25 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse on March 5 when Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT) volunteers removed ... Read full story
 3/18/2009
100th Thoroughbred Adopted Through TheHorse.com's Service   *
In a little more than four months 100 Thoroughbreds have found new homes through TheHorse.com's Thoroughbred Adoption Service. Actually that number is higher as many folks who placed Thoroughbreds on the adoption list said they had other horses, some Thoroughbreds and some non-Thoroughbred, that also found homes when people inquired about the Thoroughbreds ... Read full story
 3/15/2009
UK Horse Charity Reports 5x Increase in Calls   *
The Horse Trust, a UK equine charity, is reporting a five-fold increase in enquiries from cash-strapped owners who need to rehome their horse. But with a fall in public donations, the charity is unable to take on any more horses. Committed to the care of 114 horses, ponies, and donkeys already retired at the sanctuary and its ongoing work with emergency ... Read full story
 3/12/2009
Auction Operator Fined for Equine Transport Law Violations  *
The USDA is seeking $162,800 in fines from an Ohio livestock auctioneer and shipper for violating the Commercial Transport of Equines for Slaughter Act, which regulates treatment of slaughter-bound horses. At issue is the shipment of 1,345 horses to slaughter facilities in Texas between 2003 and 2007. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ... Read full story
 3/10/2009
Photography Project to Highlight Equine Welfare Work   *
Members of the Equine Photographers Network, a group of more than 500 photographers from around the world who specialize in the photography of horses, will focus their lenses on story projects that will highlight the plight of horses in need. Network members are being asked to use their photojournalism skills to highlight adverse issues or situations ... Read full story
 3/5/2009
TheHorse.com Thoroughbred Adoption List Nears 100 Mark   *
We're only seven horses away from hitting the milestone of 100 horses finding new homes through TheHorse.com's Thoroughbred Adoption Service. Launched in November 2008, 93 Thoroughbreds have found new homes through the listing service on TheHorse.com, sponsored by Gainesway Farm. From youngsters that never raced to recently retired track stars, ... Read full story
 3/5/2009
British Horse Society to Launch Responsible Breeding Campaign  *
The British Horse Society (BHS) has announced plans to launch a Responsible Breeding Campaign later this year. The campaign is sponsored by South Essex Insurance Brokers. In a statement, the group said they are alarmed by the number of horses and ponies being bred in the UK without adequate consideration being given to the animals' future. Whilst ... Read full story
 3/3/2009
Churchill Downs Implements Safety and Welfare Plan   *
Churchill Downs Incorporated has announced a series of new rules and policies designed to enhance the safety and welfare of jockeys and horses. The measures will be in place at Churchill Downs racetrack in advance of the this year's Kentucky Derby and will include standardized third-party testing of track surfaces and comprehensive testing of all winning ... Read full story
 3/2/2009
Equine Welfare Challenges  *
Last year welfare of the horse in the United States reached the consciousness of not only the industry, but also the general public. The horse and veterinary industries have long addressed issues of equine welfare as it relates to competition, and the equine rescue community has long dealt with the reality of abused and neglected horses. But mainstream ... Read full story
 3/1/2009
Charges Filed in Canada Horse Abandonment Case  *
An Edmonton, Alberta, lawyer has been charged with three counts of animal cruelty after abandoning his two horses in the British Columbia wilderness last year. On the recommendation of the British Columbia (B.C.) SPCA, Frank Mackay was charged with two counts under the Criminal Code of Canada and one count under the B.C. Prevention of Cruelty to ... Read full story
 2/27/2009
Adoption Programs to Brand Horses   *
ReRun, the Thoroughbred adoption program headquartered in New Jersey, will be freeze branding its horses to protect them from getting into the wrong hands. Joining ReRun in this initiative is Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC) and Mylestone Equine Rescue, in New Jersey. Laurie Lane, president of ReRun, said each organization will have its own ... Read full story
 2/26/2009
Equine Welfare Brochure Available to AAEP Members   *
Equine welfare is one of the major focus areas of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP). In recent months, the topic of equine welfare has further grown in importance due to the increasing number of unwanted horses. As a result, the AAEP Equine Welfare Committee developed the new Equine Welfare brochure that details the issue and ... Read full story
 2/25/2009
Kentucky Lawmakers Eye Soring Bill   *
Trainers and owners who cause injury to horses' feet or legs to achieve an exaggerated gait will face stiff penalties in Kentucky if a bill introduced into the state senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee becomes law. Sponsored by State Sen. Tom Buford, SB 176 prohibits soring Tennessee Walking Horses, Racking Horses, and Spotted Saddle ... Read full story
 2/25/2009
Sale Reports Five Violations of New Riding Crop Rule  *
The set of uniform policies developed by four major Thoroughbred auction firms--Barretts, Fasig-Tipton, Keeneland, and the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. (OBS)--took effect beginning with the OBS February select sale of 2-year-olds in training Feb. 17 in Central Florida. The policies address medication, prohibited practices, riding crops, and horse shoes. ... Read full story
 2/24/2009
Equine Advocates Brainstorm Ideas to Help Unwanted Horses   *
Expanding options for cash-strapped horse owners is key to reducing the number of unwanted horses in the United States, according to a group of equine welfare advocates who brainstormed the issue during a Feb. 18 meeting at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. The International Animal Welfare Training Institute (IAWTI), ... Read full story
 2/24/2009
Horses Recovering after Mountain Rescue  *
A pair of horses that were rescued from the side of a mountain in British Columbia will be placed in adoptive homes, after the SPCA rejected a request from their owner to return them to him. Horse owner Frank MacKay left Belle and Sundance, a 3-year-old mare and 14-year-old gelding, in the mountains of British Columbia last September. According to ... Read full story
 2/18/2009
UK Charity Provides Care for Working Donkeys in Zimbabwe  *
A British veterinary charity is supporting people affected by the financial crisis in Zimbabwe by providing veterinary care to their working animals. A group with the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) has just returned from Zimbabwe where it works via a long-standing partnership with the Donkey Protection Trust in Bulawayo. According ... Read full story
 2/17/2009
AAEP Releases Racing Safety and Welfare Recommendations   *
The American Association of Equine Practitioners today issued guidelines for protecting the health of the Thoroughbred racehorse. The white paper, "Putting the Horse First: Veterinary Recommendations for the Safety and Welfare of the Thoroughbred Racehorse," provides veterinary guidance on many issues challenging the racing industry and the care of ... Read full story
 2/16/2009
Seized Chicago Carriage Horses Find Temporary Home in Suburbs   *
Six Chicago horses belonging to J.C. Cutters Ltd. carriage company were seized on Friday, Feb. 6, amid conflicting reports on the reason for--and questions on the legality of--the action. The horses were taken to Flanery Farms, a private boarding stable in Maple Park, Ill. "Animal Care and Control didn't have a court order to seize the horses," said ... Read full story
 2/11/2009
Michigan Appeals Court Reinstates Horse Torture Charges   *
The Michigan Court of Appeals has reinstated criminal charges in a case involving 69 horses in Jackson County. In a 12-page opinion released Feb. 3, a three-judge panel reinstated three felony counts of animal torture against Matt Mercier and James Henderson Jr. on grounds the pair willfully failed to seek necessary care and treatment for the horses. ... Read full story
 2/10/2009
Massachusetts Euthanasia Case: Of Pleas and Precedents   *
A defendant’s admission of sufficient facts to warrant a finding of guilt on a criminal charge, such as one made by Elliot S. Saffran, a Massachusetts horse owner charged with animal cruelty, sounds a lot like a guilty plea. Unlike a guilty plea, however, Saffran's admission might result in no criminal conviction on the charges. Similar to diversion ... Read full story
 2/8/2009
Horse Owner Given Probation in Massachusetts Euthanasia Case   *
A Milford, Mass., horse owner who refused to euthanize his ailing mare despite the recommendations of veterinarians will be under probation for two years. Judge Thomas F. Sullivan Jr. continued the case for the duration of the probationary period after horse owner Elliot S. Saffran admitted the prosecution presented sufficient facts for a guilty finding. ... Read full story
 2/6/2009
NYC Horse Carriage Regulations Under New Scrutiny   *
The controversy surrounding New York City horse carriages operating amidst increasing vehicular and pedestrian traffic has heated up again, and now the Teamsters union is also involved. In January, carriage company owners, drivers, and stable workers voted to join Teamsters Local 553, according to Secretary/Treasurer Demos Demopoulos. "They're ... Read full story
 2/6/2009
AAEP 2008: Strategies to Prevent and Respond to Barn Fires   *
At the 2008 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention, held Dec. 6-10 in San Diego, Calif., Rebecca Gimenez, PhD, noted that barn fires are the No. 1 local emergency that affects everyone from horse owners to veterinarians, and property owners to the horses themselves. Barn fires kill more horses annually than any other type of nonmedical ... Read full story
 2/4/2009
Guilty Verdicts in Montana Pack Horse Case   *
A father and son from Georgia were found guilty Jan. 30 of 21 counts of animal cruelty for overworking and neglecting four horses during a pack trip last summer through the mountains of Montana. Ravalli County Justice Court Judge Jim Bailey sentenced Craig Heydon to 10 months in jail, with a $5,850 fine. Curtis Heydon was given 11 months in jail ... Read full story
 2/3/2009
Horse Council Forum to Highlight Welfare Issues   *
The focus this year's American Horse Council (AHC) National Issues Forum will be the "Welfare of the Horse." The Forum will be held June 16, 2009, in Washington, D.C., as part of the AHC's annual meeting. Over the last year, concerns about the welfare of horses used in racing, showing, recreation, or work have been raised by fans, the general public, ... Read full story
 2/2/2009
Civil Lawsuits Filed Against Horse Abuse Case Prosecutors   *
Two members of the Trexler family have filed civil lawsuits in South Carolina Federal and State courts alleging that animal cruelty charges filed against them in a longstanding criminal case were brought unjustly. The lawsuits seek in excess of $300 million in damages, legal fees, and restitution from prosecutors, defense attorneys, veterinarians, ... Read full story
 2/2/2009
AAEP 2008: Safely Increasing Weight in Emaciated Horses  *
Rehabilitating emaciated horses to nutritional health is a challenge--there's a fine line between not getting results and risking the horse's health by introducing too much, too soon. Maria Luke, DVM, discussed one system used to facilitate weight gain in these horses at the 2008 Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, held ... Read full story
 1/31/2009
Helping Working Equids in Egypt   *
There are roughly 15.5 million equids in Europe and the United States combined. These animals take part in the many equestrian sports and activities that have developed, and most enjoy good nutrition and care. In contrast to this, there are more than 100 million working equids in the developing world. More than 95% of the world's donkey population ... Read full story
 1/29/2009
Illinois Track Implements Welfare Plan   *
To make its position on horse slaughter clear, Fairmount Park in Illinois has put in place a zero-tolerance policy that would take stalls away from trainers linked to that industry. The track has also created an adoption program for Fairmount runners when they retire from racing. There are no slaughterhouses currently operating in the United States, ... Read full story
 1/28/2009
Chicago Stable, Carriage Rides Slated for Closure   *
After 138 years of operation, the last riding hall and stable in downtown Chicago might be turning out the lights for good. At issue are the carriage rides provided year-round in the Magnificent Mile shopping district, and post-9/11 restrictions placed on the number of carriage parking zones. Noble Horse Theatre and stable owner Dan Sampson said ... Read full story
 1/27/2009
Montana Pack Horse Case Heads to Court  *
Two men who allegedly overworked and starved four horses while on a mountain expedition through Montana's Selway-Bitterroot area last summer go to trial tomorrow in Hamilton, Mont. Craig Heydon of Atlanta, Ga., faces 10 animal cruelty charges, while his son, Curtis Heydon, faces 11. On Aug. 1, 2008, two riders found an emaciated horse belonging ... Read full story
 1/26/2009
North Dakota Bill To Study Impact of Equine Slaughter Facility  *
North Dakota legislators are advancing a plan that would allow the nation's only equine slaughter facility to be built in that state, according to an article on inforum.com. According to the article, Rep. Rod Froelich, D-Selfridge, and Sen. Joe Miller, R-Park River, sponsored House Bill 1496, which would direct the state's commerce department to conduct ... Read full story
 1/24/2009
Starving Horse Series: Freeway Shows Signs of Improvement   *
Freeway, the starving horse that Sue Thompson of Clayton, Calif., rescued in late 2007 and has rehabilitated over the past year, could be a step closer to recovery. The Quarter Horse-type gelding underwent a checkup yesterday (Jan. 22) at the University of California, Davis, where veterinarians cut back his antibiotics and gave an encouraging prognosis. ... Read full story
 1/23/2009
Horses Removed from Virginia Farm   *
Twenty-three allegedly malnourished horses are residing in foster care following their removal from a Zuni, Va., farm. Deputies removed the animals from property owned by Jeff and Diana Hansford on Jan. 21 after a team of state and private veterinarians, along with representatives from the United States Equine Rescue League Inc., determined the animals ... Read full story
 1/23/2009
Election Brings Shift on Kentucky Walking Horse Board   *
Members of the Kentucky Walking Horse Association (KWHA) declined to re-elect two controversial members to the group's board of directors during their annual meeting Jan. 10. Former President Earl Rogers Jr., and former Vice President Gary Oliver were on the ballot, but did not receive enough votes to retain their seats, said new KWHA Vice President ... Read full story
 1/20/2009
Florida Vet School Launching Forensic Sciences Program   *
Call it "CSI: Animal Edition." But this isn't television. In this real-life drama, necropsies, assessment of skeletal remains for abuse and trauma, and crime scene analysis of hair, fibers, and bloodstains are used to solve cases of cruelty to animals. University of Florida (UF) officials announced Jan. 15 that they are partnering with the American ... Read full story
 1/19/2009
AQHA Welfare Group Releases Plans for Racing, Breeding, Shows   *
The American Quarter Horse Association's Executive Committee has approved recommendations from the Animal Welfare Assurance Task Force, and the association is moving forward to implement the suggestions. The association's main objectives are to educate members and the general public on animal welfare issues and identify and eliminate any inhumane ... Read full story
 1/19/2009
California Plan Models Equine Rescues after Animal Shelters   *
Faculty members at the University of California, Davis, are working on a plan to reduce the number of unwanted horses by modeling equine rescues after small animal shelters. Under a plan developed by the International Animal Welfare Training Institute (IAWTI), a division of the university's School of Veterinary Medicine, a network of "horse-assessment" ... Read full story
 1/19/2009
Lady Finds a Home: 50th Thoroughbred Adopted Through TheHorse.com Service   *
TheHorse.com recently got word that a Thoroughbred formerly en route to slaughter had found a home via TheHorse.com's Thoroughbred Adoption Services, sponsored by Gainesway Farm. She was the 50th Thoroughbred to be placed through the service. See a list of horses placed. Lady, whose registered name is Wheels of Stars (Greggie's Wheel--Kate's Golden ... Read full story
 1/15/2009
AAEP On Call Media Program to Receive Eclipse Award  *
The On Call media-assistance program of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has been honored with the 2008 Special Eclipse Award, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers Association announced today. The Special Eclipse Award honors outstanding individual achievements ... Read full story
 1/15/2009
Appeals Court Ponders Michigan Abuse Case   *
Lawyers on both sides of a controversial horse abuse case appeared before the Michigan Court of Appeals on Jan. 13 seeking a decision on whether felony animal cruelty charges against James Henderson, Jr., and Matt Mercier should be reinstated. The appeal is the latest twist in the case which began in March 2007 when the defenants were each charged ... Read full story
 1/14/2009
Horse Health Tips for Extreme Cold Weather
This winter has been unusually cold in some areas, with temperatures well below freezing for many days in a row. This extreme cold weather can be particularly dangerous to animals that live outdoors. The Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital is reporting an increase in the number of animals presenting with starvation and problems related ... Read full story
 1/14/2009
Plea Entered in Oregon Horse Shooting Case   *
Russell Willeford, the Oregon man accused of shooting and abandoning a 6-year-old Arabian gelding in the Deschutes National Forest near Sisters, Ore., made his first appearance in Deschutes County Circuit Court Jan. 12. He pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree animal abuse, animal neglect, animal abandonment, theft, and criminal mischief, according ... Read full story
 1/14/2009
Marines Charged in Horse Shooting Case  *
The Onslow County Sheriff's Department has charged two Marine scout snipers in the November shooting of a Canadian Sport Horse in Onslow County, N.C. The horse, named Alderbaran, died of his wound on Nov. 21. Cpl. Joel Anthony Montano, who rented a home on the property where Alderbaran was boarded, along with Pfc. Micah Earl Joslyn, who lived ... Read full story
 1/13/2009
Judge Excludes Testimony in Euthanasia Case   *
A Worcester County, Mass., District Court judge granted one request to eliminate testimony and postponed ruling on another in the case against Elliot Saffran, the Milford man charged last year with animal cruelty for refusing to euthanize his ailing 29-year-old mare, Quincy. The case goes to jury trial on Feb. 5. During a Jan. 8 pre-trial hearing, ... Read full story
 1/12/2009
Unwanted Horse Survey to Conclude at End of Month  *
The opportunity to respond to a public survey launched by the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) is coming to a close. Launched in November, the survey will provide data on the scope of the unwanted horse issue. It is available at Survey.ictgroup.com/uhcsurvey and will be closed at the end of the month. Although some say the number of unwanted horses ... Read full story
 1/12/2009
45 Horses Find New Homes Via TheHorse.com Service  *
Launched in November 2008, TheHorse.com's Thoroughbred Adoption Service has now coordinated new homes for 45 horses. See a list of horses placed. "I’m extremely pleased that our initial efforts in helping find homes for horses through our Thoroughbred Adoption Services on TheHorse.com is working so well," said Publisher Kimberly S. Brown. "We hope ... Read full story
 1/9/2009
Volunteers Assist in Washington Horse Rescue  *
Volunteers fought frigid temperatures and high snow drifts last week to remove 33 malnourished horses from their snow covered pasture just outside Wellpinit, Wash. A Bureau of Indian Affairs agent discovered the herd, which included several mares and foals, on Dec. 30, 2008. They were residing without adequate food or water, but severe weather prevented ... Read full story
 1/6/2009
Therapeutic Riding Horse Needs Your Help  *
The 14-year-old Quarter Horse aptly named Pilot had only been at Hearts and Horses Therapeutic Riding Center near Loveland, Colo., for about six months, but he'd already become a star with his large size (16 hands), quiet and willing personality, and smooth gaits. But on Dec. 27, 2008, Pilot became gravely ill and was taken to Colorado State University's ... Read full story
 1/3/2009
Winter Whoas  *
The two Miniature Horses and the Miniature Donkey came trotting through the early morning gloom from the frozen field into the spotlight of the barn for their morning hay. As they got closer, I noticed they were moving ... funny. Not the ha-ha type, but strange. They were not quite lame, but they certainly were not moving normal. Then, as they got ... Read full story
 1/1/2009
Saving a Starving Horse: Part 2  *
Editor's Note: This is the second and final part in a series on saving Freeway, a horse that was rescued from starvation and neglect by passer-by Sue Thompson of Clayton, Calif., on Dec. 28, 2007. See also Part 1 of this story. "That weekend a big storm hit the Bay Area," said Thompson, referring to the weekend after she brought Freeway home, ... Read full story
 1/1/2009
Saving a Starving Horse: Part 1  *
She could've just kept driving. But instead of dismissing the idea of intervention as someone else's sad responsibility, Sue Thompson last year saw a chance for helping a nearly skeletal, weak, neglected brown horse that was standing in a muddy pasture visible from the freeway. Freeway in his first weeks at Thompson’s farm. Thompson lives in ... Read full story
 12/31/2008
Grassroots Effort Helps Feed Oregon Horses   *
Financially strapped horse owners in Central Oregon are getting help feeding their horses this winter thanks to a hay donation program established by a Bend couple. The program distributes bales of hay, either donated by individuals or purchased with cash contributions, free of charge to horse owners caught short. "The rescues here are all full, ... Read full story
 12/31/2008
Charges Filed in Pennsylvania Pony Abuse Case   *
A Pennsylvania man accused of mistreating 11 ponies and one donkey has been formally charged with 38 counts of animal cruelty. Joseph Mayer was charged with 12 counts of inadequate sustenance, 13 counts of unsanitary confinement, and 13 counts of lack of veterinary care during a Dec. 29 appearance in Northampton County District Court. The PSPCA seized ... Read full story
 12/30/2008
South Carolina Horse Abuse Case Remains Unresolved  *
Last February, the Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA) of Columbia, S.C., seized 45 allegedly malnourished and neglected horses from Hazelene, James, and Terry Trexler. Nearly one year later, the horses remain in foster care and the Trexlers each face multiple animal cruelty charges, but no court date for the case has been ... Read full story
 12/29/2008
Freed! British Columbia Horses Trapped in Snow Rescued  *
Two horses trapped in the harsh winter snows of interior British Columbia since September were freed on Christmas Eve. It took more than a week for a large group of volunteers to dig out the horses, but the mare and gelding are expected to live. The first article on the attempted rescue of these horses can be found in TheHorse.com article "Group Effort ... Read full story
 12/26/2008
Iowa State Veterinary Students Excel in Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment  *
Iowa State University veterinary medicine students took high honors at the Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment Competition recently. ISU-UNL second-year student Jennafer Glaesemann, Fairbury, Neb., placed first in the individual competition, and Iowa State's team placed second in the veterinary college competition. The American Veterinary Medical ... Read full story
 12/25/2008
Remember Working Equids this Holiday Season   *
As Christmas cards arrive in the mail, the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) asks horse owners around the world to remember the "cards" received by many working animals. According to SPANA, many working horses and donkeys in the West African country of Mauritania never get to eat straw or grass as it simply costs too much for their ... Read full story
 12/24/2008
Group Effort to Rescue Horses Trapped in Snow Ongoing   *
Residents of British Columbia, Canada, have banded together to free two horses trapped by snow in the mountains near the community of McBride. Snowmobilers discovered the horses last week near Mount Renshaw. The animals are extremely thin. According to Kent Kokoska, special provincial constable for the British Columbia Society for the Prevention ... Read full story
 12/23/2008
New York Laws Designed to Protect Carriage Horses  *
During the busy--and very often cold--holiday season, carriage horse rides seem to be a staple of tourist activity in New York City. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) would like the public to be aware of some of the laws designed to protect the carriage horses and which agencies are responsible for enforcing those ... Read full story
 12/22/2008
New Charges for Pennsylvania Stable Owner  *
A Pennsylvania man who has previously been prosecuted for animal abuse faces 38 new animal cruelty charges in connection with the neglect of 11 ponies and a donkey. Joseph Mayer, owner of Hallo Stables in Easton, Pa., is accused of failing to provide adequate food, water, and veterinary care for the animals living on the property. Pennsylvania Society ... Read full story
 12/19/2008
RSPCA Tracks Public Opinion of UK Animal Welfare   *
Eight out of 10 people believe that animal welfare is a key priority for a civilized society, according to new figures produced by the RSPCA--compared to five out of 10 who believed it two years ago. David Bowles, Head of External Affairs at the RSPCA, said the figures were part of an annual study conducted by the charity. "These figures are extremely ... Read full story
 12/18/2008
Restitution Set in Finger Lakes Horse Abuse Case   *
Geraldine Trupia, the Troupsburg, N.Y., breeding farm owner who pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty for allegedly starving 82 horses in her care, was ordered to pay $45,000 to cover expenses for the horses seized by Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) authorities last August. The payment was ordered ... Read full story
 12/18/2008
AAEP Racing Task Force Puts the Horse First   *
"We have a crisis in Thoroughbred racing," stated Scott Palmer, VMD, of New Jersey, a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) and head of the AAEP Racing Task Force. The AAEP Racing Task Force was conceived in Austin, Texas, at the organization's Focus meeting because of the country's outcry following the catastrophic ... Read full story
 12/17/2008
Horses Starving in British Columbia Owned by Veterinarians  *
Five horses allegedly found starving at a ranch in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, were seized on Friday (Dec. 10), according to a report on ctvbc.ctv.ca. One horse was euthanized after the owners tried to use the emaciated horse to pull a stuck car out of a ditch. The local Society for the Prevention of Cruety to Animals stated that the owners ... Read full story
 12/13/2008
Nearly 2,000 Wild Horses To be Rounded Up in Nevada  *
An Associated Press article from Friday, Dec. 12, stated that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) employees have begun removing 1,480 horses from Battle Mountain rangelands in Nevada, and the federal group in January will remove 450 mustangs from rangelands near Gerlach, Nev. Extremely limited forage for winter was cited by BLM as the reason for the ... Read full story
 12/13/2008
MSPCA Seeks Donor Aid for Horse Care  *
Horse surrenders continue to climb as economy declines The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) recently requested community-based financial assistance to help cover the cost of medical assistance and daily care for the extraordinary number of horses being surrendered to the nonprofit's Equine Center at Nevins Farm. ... Read full story
 12/10/2008
Free Vaccines for Some Unwanted Horses  *
Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Dec. 8 unveiled the Unwanted Horse Veterinary Relief Campaign (UHVRC), a nonprofit program that will provide free equine vaccines to qualified equine rescue and retirement facilities across the United States. "At Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, ... Read full story
 12/9/2008
Shot New Mexico Horse Gets New Home   *
Miracle, the 24-year-old mare who survived a trek in the New Mexico desert after suffering multiple gunshot wounds to the head, has a new home and could soon join a new adoptive family. Miracle arrived at The Horse Shelter in Cerrillos, N.M., on Dec. 4 after spending six months in recovery from surgery to remove bullets logged in her head. The horse ... Read full story
 12/8/2008
Massachusetts Euthanasia Case to Trial in February   *
A long-standing Massachusetts animal cruelty case drew closer to its resolution on Thursday when Worcester Central District Judge Thomas Sullivan slated the jury trial of Elliot Saffran for Feb. 5. Saffran, of Milford, Mass., is accused of animal cruelty for refusing to euthanize his aged and ailing mare, for Feb. 5. Saffran was charged with animal ... Read full story
 12/5/2008
Horse Council Recognizes Contributors to Kentucky Horse Industry  *
The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) has announced the recipients of its annual awards, recognizing individuals and organizations that go beyond the call of duty to enrich the horse community. The awards were presented at the group's annual conference on Nov. 22. Cindy Rullman, who works in public relations and marketing at the Kentucky Horse Park, was ... Read full story
 12/5/2008
Training Centers, Equipment Changes Discussed at Kentucky Racing Meeting  *
The possible regulation of training centers in Kentucky was the focal point of discussion Dec. 1 during a meeting of the safety and welfare committee of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC). While training centers are subject to an on-site visit by a KHRC staff member before being approved to have workouts from their facilities officially ... Read full story
 12/2/2008
Walking Horses Get WEG Participation Nod  *
The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association will get a chance to show the world that their horses are versatile and sound now that officials with the World Equestrian Games Foundation have decided to allow them to perform in exhibitions at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Lexington, Ky. WEG previously rejected a Tennessee ... Read full story
 12/2/2008
Help Equine Rescues Win Cash and Feed More Horses  *
Do you want to help a horse rescue win prize money in your state? Or even feed more hungry horses? You can by helping shelters receive grants through TheAnimalRescuesite.com. There is a national contest, as well as ongoing charitable giving. One of the hosts of this contest is PetFinder.com. You will notice our Adoptable Horse link on the left-hand ... Read full story
 11/29/2008
Rescued Horses Cared for by New York College Students and Staff  *
Eighty horses were rescued in late summer by the Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York. They needed help from day one, so they called on faculty and students from Alfred State College's veterinary and agricultural technology programs. Students began by making sure the horses had food and water while veterinarians ... Read full story
 11/29/2008
World Horse Welfare Describes Efforts in Lesotho  *
World Horse Welfare's (formerly known as the International League for the Protection of Horses) International Training team recently completed its second year of training activities, and the group is pleased to announce its success in improving working horse welfare in Lesotho. Training Courses World Horse Welfare's farriery and saddlery courses ... Read full story
 11/27/2008
N.C. Horse Dies of Gunshot Wound  *
Authorities have questioned a group of Marines after a horse was shot in his paddock in early November near Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, in Onslow County, N.C. The horse died of his wound on Nov. 21. Owner Elizabeth Kachmor said she is "furious" that this happened to her animal, a 7-year-old Canadian Sport Horse named Alderbaran. According to ... Read full story
 11/25/2008
Shot Horse Gets New Home and Name   *
Trooper, the 6-year-old Arabian gelding shot in the head and abandoned in the Deschutes National Forest in Oregon now has a new home, a new name, and a future helping kids in need. Watch the Ryder Report horse health news video for further coverage of this story.Play videoThe horse, renamed Hero, arrived at the Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch in Bend, ... Read full story
 11/24/2008
More Owners Surrendering Horses to MSPCA   *
The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) is requesting community-based financial assistance to help cover the cost of medical assistance and daily care for the extraordinary number of horses being surrendered to the non-profit's Equine Center at Nevins Farm. This weekend the Nevins Farm facility will have 30 horses ... Read full story
 11/21/2008
Horse Owners Utilize Low-Cost Euthanasia Service; Castration Clinics Also Planned   *
How would Northern California horse owners respond to a low-cost euthanasia clinic? That was a question Tawnee Preisner, operator of NorCal Equine Rescue in Oroville, Calif., asked herself earlier this year when she offered to organize $25 professional euthanasia and carcass removal services for horse owners who could no longer care for their animals. ... Read full story
 11/20/2008
Breeder Offers to Establish Wild Horse Preserve   *
Wild horses residing in U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) holding facilities could get help from an influential friend if the agency accepts Madeleine Pickens' offer to establish a lifetime sanctuary for the 30,000 unadoptable horses otherwise in danger of euthanasia. Pickens is a Thoroughbred horse breeder, and is the wife of Texas billionaire ... Read full story
 11/19/2008
Government Delays Decision on Euthanizing Wild Horses  *
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will round up fewer wild horses and try to shuffle funds within the agency to hold off for now on euthanizing large numbers of the animals in an effort to control herds and spiraling costs, an official said Monday. Deputy Director Henri Bisson said maintaining the wild horse and burro program for another year will ... Read full story
 11/18/2008
Unwanted Horse Survey Available Online  *
The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) is performing further research into the issue of unwanted horses, with help from participants in the equine industry. The first step in this effort is an online survey, available at Survey.ictgroup.com/uhcsurvey Although some say the number of unwanted horses is on the rise, there are few documented facts about ... Read full story
 11/17/2008
Standardbred Breeding Farm to Receive AAEP Welfare Award  *
Hanover Shoe Farms, the world's most prolific Standardbred breeding farm, will be honored with the American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) 2008 award for outstanding service in equine welfare, the Lavin Cup. The Lavin Cup, named for former AAEP President A. Gary Lavin, VMD, will be presented to a representative of Hanover Shoe Farms ... Read full story
 11/17/2008
New York Farm Operator Sentenced   *
Geraldine Trupia, the operator of a New York breeding farm from which authorities seized a herd of horses in August, appeared in Troupsburg Town Court for sentencing this week. Now she's speaking out on the circumstances of her case. Trupia was charged in September with five misdemeanor animal cruelty counts after Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention ... Read full story
 11/15/2008
Suffolk Downs Bans Five Trainers Under Anti-Slaughter Rule   *
Holding fast to its zero tolerance policy toward horse slaughter, Suffolk Downs decided to ban five trainers who were involved--although all claim unknowingly--in an incident that violated the new code. Chip Tuttle, chief operating officer for East Boston, Mass., racetrack, said Nov. 13 officials received a call from an anonymous source a couple ... Read full story
 11/14/2008
Drug Protocol Turns Rescued Mares into Nurse Mares  *
A medication protocol that can induce lactation in "open" mares has changed the way prominent Kentucky Standardbred nursery, Walnut Hall Ltd., manages its nurse mare herd, while giving more than 20 rescued mares a new Walnut Hall's vet, Joe Lyman, DVM, based the technique on presentations by Peter Daels, DVM, PhD, and John Steiner DVM, Dipl. ACT. ... Read full story
 11/13/2008
Government's Wild Horse Euthanasia Advice Not Unexpected  *
Wild Horse advocate Karen Sussman said she wasn't surprised that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommended euthanasia as an option of last resort for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wild horse and burro management problems. But she doubts the BLM will be able to exercise it without a fight. "U.S. citizens will rise up against ... Read full story
 11/12/2008
Former Rescue Operator Pleads Guilty to Animal Cruelty   *
Former equine rescue operator Dean Solomon pleaded guilty to four counts of second degree animal cruelty under a plea agreement entered during her King County, Wash., Superior Court appearance on Nov. 6. Solomon operated the Pacific Equestrian Center and the Washington Thoroughbred Transitional Facility. She was charged with cruelty last spring after ... Read full story
 11/7/2008
Appeals Court Date Set in Grass Lake Horse Abuse Case   *
Lawyers on both sides of a long-running and controversial Michigan horse abuse case will argue whether or not felony charges against Matt Mercier and James Henderson, Jr., should be reinstated when they appear before the Michigan Court of Appeals on Jan. 13. In March 2007, Henderson and Mercier were each charged with three counts of felony animal ... Read full story
 11/4/2008
Reward Offered for Information in California Horse Shooting Case   *
Michael and Marianne Rountree, the owners of a pair of tobiano Paint horses found shot and killed in their pasture, are offering a $20,000 reward to anyone with information leading to the capture of the horses' assailant. The couple discovered their horses, Lucky and Choctaw, dead in the pasture at their ranch on Collier Canyon Road in Livermore, Calif., ... Read full story
 11/3/2008
Keeneland Thoroughbred Sale Faces Economic Hurdles   *
Consignors are steeling themselves and their clients for a significant downturn in the market at Keeneland's breeding stock sale, which starts Nov. 3 in Lexington and runs for 15 days. But they also are hoping that the drop in prices will bring out the bargain hunters, who could help reduce the severity of the setbacks, which seem inevitable during ... Read full story
 11/2/2008
Unwanted Thoroughbreds: A Challenge for Sellers  *
With the economy struggling and the buy-back/no bid rates at Thoroughbred auctions rising, the issue of unwanted horses is a growing concern. Antony Beck, president of Gainesway Farm in Lexington, decided to try to do something about it, by sponsoring an adoption service on the Web site of The Blood-Horse's sister publication, The Horse. The site ... Read full story
 11/2/2008
Thoroughbred Adoption Service Launched for FREE Horses  *
Thoroughbreds are great athletes, and they also are great pleasure and companion animals for those who love horses. Bloodhorse.com and TheHorse.com are teaming up to bring Thoroughbreds in need of homes to the attention of hundreds of thousands of horse owners across the United States. Creating this database was the brainchild of Antony Beck of Gainesway ... Read full story
 11/1/2008
The Next Step  *
What does the rest of the country think about horse owners--and the horse industry--about now? Probably not too highly, would be my guess. A call from CBS radio network reporter Stephan Kaufman out of Washington state asked if I would comment on the plight of starving horses in the United States. Ouch! If national news media think that horses being ... Read full story
 11/1/2008
Wrangler Charged in Oregon Horse Shooting   *
A former employee of an Oregon youth camp faces multiple criminal charges in connection with the shooting and abandonment of Trooper, a 6-year-old Arabian gelding discovered wandering in the Deschutes National Forest with a gunshot wound to the head. According to a press release from the Deschutes County Sheriff's Department, Russell Willeford, 27, ... Read full story
 10/31/2008
Readers Weigh in on Low-Cost Euthanasia Clinics   *
More than 2,370 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "Do you think low-cost equine euthanasia clinics should be widely available?" Results were as follows: Yes: 89.08% (2,112) No: 5.69% (135) I don't know: 5.23% (124) Read more about a planned low-cost euthanasia clinic. Results of weekly polls from TheHorse.com ... Read full story
 10/30/2008
Effort to Match Seized New York Horses, Owners Continues   *
Eight weeks after seizing 85 allegedly malnourished Thoroughbred horses from a Troupsburg, N.Y., breeding farm, authorities with the Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) are still trying to match the horses with their rightful owners. SPCA Investigators seized the horses from Norcrest/Middle Creek Farm, operated by ... Read full story
 10/30/2008
Second Sound Horse Conference Planned for March 2009  *
Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) has announced the details of the second national conference on ending soring of Tennessee Walking Horses and all gaited horse breeds. The conference will be held March 20 and 21, 2009, at the Paramount Plaza Hotel in Gainesville, Fla. The purpose of the conference is to bring together a wide complement of experts, research ... Read full story
 10/30/2008
British Horse Welfare Group Reports Record Pleas for Assistance  *
The Horse Trust, a British equine charity, has recorded unprecedented searches for homes for unwanted horses and ponies, confirming speculation that the credit crunch is hitting horse owners in the United Kingdom hard. In the past three weeks, as the financial crisis there has resulted in repossessions, job losses, and cash shortages, more than ... Read full story
 10/28/2008
Trial Date Set in Pack Horse Cruelty Case   *
Two men each charged with four counts of animal cruelty will begin their trial on Jan. 27 in Hamilton, Mont. Craig Heydon, 71, and his son Curtis Heydon, 37, both from the Atlanta, Ga., area, were not present at their pretrial hearing on Oct. 9. They requested a jury trial, which was granted. The Heydons' animal cruelty charges stem from an incident ... Read full story
 10/28/2008
Non-Race Breeds Protected Under Kentucky Incentive Fund  *
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) voted today to recommend revised regulations designed to protect non-race breeds participating in a breeders' incentive fund. Under the new rules, no one who violates the federal Horse Protection Act would receive an incentive payment from the Kentucky Horse Breeders' Incentive Fund. The fund provides payments ... Read full story
 10/27/2008
New York Breeding Farm Cruelty Case; Additional Charges Possible  *
An animal cruelty case that resulted in the seizure of 82 allegedly malnourished horses might see new charges filed against additional individuals, according to an article on steubencourier.com. Geraldine Trupia, the operator of a New York breeding farm where authorities seized a herd of malnourished horses in August, plead guilty to two counts of ... Read full story
 10/25/2008
Six Horses Among More Than 60 Animals Seized in Texas  *
More than 60 animals were seized from a farm near McKinney, Texas, when the owners said they could not afford to feed them any longer, according to an article on courier-gazette.com. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Texas took charge of the seized animals, according to the article. It was reported that one horse was found ... Read full story
 10/25/2008
BLM Gather Draws in Mix of Wild Horses   *
A low-flying helicopter flew in the cold morning air on a recent Saturday, the dull thud of its rotors growing louder as it moved across the horizon at Sand Wash Basin, west of Craig, Utah. Beneath the helicopter, a herd of North American bred wild horses--banded in colors of white, black, gray, pinto, red and blue roan, bay, and sorrel--stampeded ... Read full story
 10/25/2008
Oregon Summit Reviews Abandoned Horse Issues   *
U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer Fred Perl came face-to-face with the plight of unwanted horses on Oct. 17 when he assisted in the rescue of Trooper, a 6-year-old Arabian gelding that had been shot in the head and abandoned in the Deschutes National Forest near Sisters, Ore. Three days later, on Oct. 21, Perl was among 25 law enforcement ... Read full story
 10/24/2008
Swiss Animal Protection Law Includes Horse Management Guidelines  *
While the intention behind Switzerland's revised animal protection law is educate horse owners, critics say the law doesn't go far enough to protect horses from abuse. There is also some question as to whether the rules were based on scientific evidence or just a perceived benefit for horses. The law, which came into effect Sept. 1, now includes ... Read full story
 10/24/2008
Reward Offered for Information on Shot, Abandoned Horse  *
An unidentified resident of Deschutes County, Ore., is offering a $1,000 reward for information about the shooting and abandonment of Trooper, a 6-year-old Arabian gelding. Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer Fred Perl and a volunteer group of local horse owners brought Trooper out of the Deschutes National Forest near Sisters, Ore., on Oct. 17. ... Read full story
 10/23/2008
California Family Pleads Not Guilty in Horse Abuse Case  *
Members of the California family accused of mistreating horses at their Ventura County Ranch pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of felony animal abuse/neglect at their Oct. 16 arraignment in Ventura Superior Court. Wendy Macfarlane, senior deputy district attorney in the Special Prosecutions Unit for the Ventura County District Attorney's office, said ... Read full story
 10/21/2008
Calgary Trailer Accident: Surviving Horses Returned to Origin  *
After 12 horses died Friday following a stock trailer accident in Calgary, Alberta, the remaining 32 horses have been returned to their point of origin in Bonnyville, according to Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada Chair Bill desBarres. "We recommended they be returned to where they came from so they could be returned to a recuperative state," said ... Read full story
 10/21/2008
NTRA Announces Racing Safety Reforms, Independent Monitor  *
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) officially unveiled a series of equine health and safety reforms Oct. 15 that will be overseen by an independent monitor. During the news conference in New York City, less than two weeks before the Breeders' Cup World Championships in California, the organization announced former four-term Wisconsin ... Read full story
 10/15/2008
52 Horses Seized from California Ranch, Multiple Felony Charges Handed Down   *
Three members of a California family have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of felony animal abuse in connection with the alleged mistreatment of horses at their Ventura County ranch. Jane Bor, her son Ernie, and daughter-in-law Cecelia are free on $10,000 bond each. They were arrested Oct. 8 after authorities took custody of 100 horses ... Read full story
 10/15/2008
Horse Rescue Offers Low-Cost Euthanasia Clinic  *
NorCal Equine Rescue in Oroville, Calif., will offer a low-cost euthanasia clinic on Dec. 17 for owners who, due to economic or other reasons, are unable to care for their horses. Owners will be charged $25 for the euthanasia service, which will be performed by veterinarians. Clinic participation requires owners to sign a release allowing the rescue ... Read full story
 10/15/2008
Jury Trial for Massachusetts Euthanasia Case   *
Elliot Saffran, the Milford, Mass., man accused of animal cruelty for refusing to euthanize his mare, appeared in Uxbridge District Court on Oct. 14 and requested that his case be transferred to another court for trial before a jury. "He will appear in Worcester Central District Court on Dec. 4 when a judge will set a trial date," said Tim Connolly, ... Read full story
 10/14/2008
Herd of 100 Seized Horses Placed in Permanent Homes   *
In late February 2008, officials from the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized a herd of more than 100 horses and other animals from a ranch near Edmonton, Alberta. A group of concerned horse people led by Arabian breeder and trainer Susan Fyfe formed the Rescue 100 Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to rehabilitating ... Read full story
 10/9/2008
SPCA Uses Public Education to Garner Horse Abuse Tips  *
New York's Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) rarely receives more than seven tips relating to horse cruelty per month. But after the agency seized five allegedly malnourished horses from a barn in Central Islip on Sept. 28, the number of horse cruelty reports spiked. President and Chief Executive Director Roy Gross ... Read full story
 10/7/2008
Owners React to N.Y. Abuse Plea Deal  *
When she learned that Geraldine Trupia pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty for neglecting horses at her Steuben County, N.Y., breeding farm, Quakertown, Pa., horse owner Virginia Stack was too focused on bringing her Thoroughbred mare Sharp Gal home to give the development much thought. "The real news was that I could bring my horse back ... Read full story
 10/4/2008
Plea Deal Accepted in New York Breeding Farm Case   *
Geraldine Trupia, the operator of a New York breeding farm where authorities seized a herd of malnourished horses in August, plead guilty to two counts of Class A misdemeanor animal cruelty under a plea agreement unveiled during her appearance in Troupsburg Town Court on Oct. 1, according to Vicki Mosgrove, director of the Finger Lakes Society for ... Read full story
 10/3/2008
Colorado Rescue Operator Sentenced to Service, Probation   *
Alesha Matchett, the Colorado woman who pleaded guilty in August to one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty for neglecting horses at a rescue ranch she operated, was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and four years supervised probation during an Oct. 1 appearance in Larimer County District Court. Matchett was charged with multiple counts ... Read full story
 10/2/2008
The Wild Horse Dilemma  *
Thirty-seven years ago Congress passed the Free-Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act with good intentions. When populations had tripled and it became apparent that these animals needed management, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) created Adopt-A-Horse to handle the "surplus." The costly program worked for several years, but the BLM ran out of adopters. ... Read full story
 10/1/2008
Teacher to the End  *
Years ago my family became the owners of a beautiful, older Arab mare named Danza Mia. She’s been mentioned in this column several times, including a couple of years ago when we had to make the decision for euthanasia. Based on her necropsy, it was the right decision. She had a basketball-sized melanoma in her gut and other smaller melanomas (see page ... Read full story
 10/1/2008
U.K. Welfare Group Launches Petition to Support Working Animals  *
South African cleric and activist Desmond Tutu has backed a new initiative by one of the world's oldest animal charities, which has been launched to coincide with World Animal Day Oct. 4. An online petition created by the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) highlights the neglected but critical role played by working animals in providing ... Read full story
 9/30/2008
Men Face Charges in Pack Horse Cruelty Case   *
Four horses are recovering in the care of the Bitter Root Humane Association of Hamilton, Mont., after they were found alongside a trail and stabled at a storage facility along the Montana-Idaho border in August. Meanwhile, two men, each charged with four counts of animal cruelty associated with these horses, await their pretrial hearing set for Oct. ... Read full story
 9/24/2008
Authority Approves New Whip Rule for Harness Racing  *
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approved a statewide ban on certain kinds of whips in harness racing. The commission on Monday unanimously approved the ban on whips and riding crops that have strands of material at the end called a snapper. Snappers have been known to leave severe welts on horses. The ban does not apply to Thoroughbred racing. ... Read full story
 9/23/2008
Owner Learns Mare Seized from Breeding Farm was Euthanized  *
Pennsylvania horse owner Anne Maria Cray has feared the worst since learning her mare WeWe C was among 82 allegedly malnourished horses seized by authorities from a Troupsburg, N.Y., breeding farm in August. Last Friday, Cray learned her mare was the fifth horse to be euthanized since the seizure. "Her condition was too bad to save her," said Cray. ... Read full story
 9/22/2008
Charges Filed in Breeding Farm Cruelty Case   *
The woman in charge of the Troupsburg, N.Y., breeding farm from which a herd of allegedly malnourished horses were seized last month has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty. Geraldine Trupia was charged with five counts of Class A misdemeanor animal cruelty on Sept. 18 for allegedly neglecting horses in her care at Norcrest Farm, ... Read full story
 9/22/2008
Horse Owner Unsure Whether Seized Mare is Dead or Alive  *
Horse owner Virginia Stack of Quakertown, Pa., wasted no time responding to requests for identification information about her Thoroughbred mare, Sharp Gal. The mare was residing at Norcrest Farm in Troupsburg, N.Y., when authorities with the Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) seized 82 allegedly malnourished horses ... Read full story
 9/18/2008
Maryland Bans Racehorse Steroids  *
The Maryland Racing Commission has approved a ban on anabolic steroids for racehorses, following the lead of other racing states including Kentucky, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The issue of steroids in horse racing saw increased public scrutiny this spring after Rick Dutrow Jr., the trainer of Big Brown, acknowledged using the anabolic steroid ... Read full story
 9/17/2008
Racetrack Injury Database Could Face Resistance  *
A new national racetrack injury database will have problems achieving widespread compliance without a large measure of anonymity and confidentiality, a Kentucky racetrack veterinarian said Sept. 15. "I think there is going to be a ton of resistance" to reporting injuries as long as the horse's name is included on the report, Foster Northrup, DVM, ... Read full story
 9/16/2008
Horse Owner Searches for Mare Seized in Breeding Barn Welfare Case  *
When horse owner Anne Maria Cray of Grantville, Pa., started spreading the word that her 5-year-old Thoroughbred mare, WeWe C, was available for a breeding lease, she never imagined that the horse would end up in the middle of a welfare case. WeWe C is one of the 82 allegedly malnourished horses removed from Norcrest (also called Middle Creek) Farm ... Read full story
 9/9/2008
Horse Rescue Organizations: Questions to Ask   *
Horse rescue organizations perform an important role, offering a bright future to animals in need of a new home when their owners can't keep them or when they are no longer suited for their current use. However, as in any business, some groups do a better job than others. That's why it's important for anyone who is adopting from a rescue organization ... Read full story
 9/8/2008
78 Horses Removed from New York Farm  *
Seventy-eight allegedly malnourished horses are currently residing in foster homes after animal welfare authorities removed them from their former home last week. According to Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Investigator Scott Mazzo, these horses are among 82 that had resided a property in Troupsburg, N.Y. Four ... Read full story
 9/5/2008
Commentary: The Future of Racehorse Injury Prevention  *
I testified as part of the "Breeding, Drugs, and Breakdowns: The State of Thoroughbred Horseracing and the Welfare of the Thoroughbred Racehorse" Congressional hearing June 19. It was both disillusioning and enlightening. I naïvely thought I was invited along with three other veterinarians to talk about all the issues influencing fatal injuries in ... Read full story
 9/4/2008
California Horse Abuse Case Concludes After Three Years   *
Nearly three years after his 35 horses were seized by county authorities, James DeNoyer is on track to get four of the horses back after pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of improper disposal of a dead animal during proceedings in Mendocino County, Calif., Superior Court on Aug. 27. DeNoyer was charged with 35 counts of felony animal neglect ... Read full story
 9/3/2008
National Humane Group Files Brief in Michigan Horse Abuse Case  *
The American Humane Association (AHA) has filed an amicus brief with the Michigan Court of Appeals in connection with a controversial animal cruelty case involving Matt Mercier and James Henderson Jr., of Grass Lake, a move that is designed to provide background information or perspective that might contribute to a court decision. Mercier and Henderson ... Read full story
 8/26/2008
Safety Net for California's Ex-Racehorses in the Works  *
Look in the winner's circle after any offspring of Unusual Heat wins a race and you'll likely see a petite, brown-haired woman hugging the jockey, high-fiving the trainer, or congratulating the owner. Madeline Auerbach fiercely champions her former racehorse-turned-stallion, and she, along with trainer Barry Abrams, has been his biggest booster. Now, ... Read full story
 8/19/2008
Thoroughbred Industry Round Table Focuses on Drug Testing, Safety  *
Calls to action aren't new to The Jockey Club Round Table conference, but at this year's meeting Aug. 17 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., there appeared to be a sense of urgency. Public perception and the threat of federal intervention have a way of moving things along. In what a few attendees called the best Round Table in years, Thoroughbred industry ... Read full story
 8/18/2008
Rescue Operator Pleads Guilty to Cruelty Charge   *
Alesha Matchett, the woman accused of starving 16 horses at the Colorado animal rescue she once operated, has plead guilty to one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty under a plea agreement entered in Larimer County District court last week. According to Linda Jensen, public information officer for the court, Matchett will undergo psychiatric counseling ... Read full story
 8/18/2008
Endangered Mares Removed From Feed Lot  *
Following more than a week of difficult negotiations, 36 pregnant Thoroughbred mares and one stallion were removed from a Phoenix, Ariz., feedlot Aug. 15 and are now at two safe locations in the state, eventually bound for new homes. That's the word from an exhausted Priscilla Clark, president of the horse retirement facility Tranquility Farms of ... Read full story
 8/17/2008
Forensic Study Reveals Some Trexler Horses Starved to Death   *
Three horses exhumed from Richland, S.C., properties once belonging to the Trexler family died from starvation, according to a preliminary report issued by Melinda D. Merck, DVM, senior director of veterinary forensics for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Investigators exhumed the remains of several horses. The ... Read full story
 8/15/2008
Attorney Seeks Dismissal, Evidence Suppression in 'Quincy' Euthanasia Case  *
The attorney representing Elliott Saffran, the Massachusetts man accused of animal cruelty for refusing to euthanize Quincy, his aged, infirm horse, has filed motions to either dismiss the case against Saffran or suppress evidence pertinent to it. According to Tim Connolly, spokesman for the Worcester County, Massachusetts District Attorney's Office, ... Read full story
 8/14/2008
New Soring Inspections Beef Up Celebration Plan  *
Exhibitors at the 70th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration will be scrutinized more closely than ever before. Officials and organizers have adopted new inspection measures to send the message that Horse Protection Act (HPA) violations will not be tolerated at the event. "We're aiming for 100% compliance," said Celebration Chief Executive ... Read full story
 8/13/2008
Petition Calls for End to Soring   *
An Illinois-based equine welfare organization has launched a Web-based petition campaign aimed at creating pressure to abolish the practice of soring in the gaited horse industry. "Our goal is to submit the petition to government representatives from Tennessee and Kentucky to increase the United States Department of Agriculture budget for inspections ... Read full story
 8/12/2008
Horse at Center of Controversial Abuse Case Dies  *
Quincy, the aged mare at the center of a Massachusetts cruelty case, died Aug. 10, just two days before her owner is to appear in a Massachusetts court to face animal cruelty charges. "She's gone, but we want the case against her owner to go forward," said Jane Belleville, owner of a barn where Quincy was formerly boarded. Massachusetts animal ... Read full story
 8/11/2008
Cruelty Stats Bill Draws Mixed Reaction  *
A measure aimed at collecting and making animal cruelty crime data public is drawing praise from animal welfare advocates as a means to raise awareness of animal cruelty crime. "For one thing, it would legitimize the data, so law enforcement wouldn't have to take a rescue's word for it when it comes to the volume of crimes," said Sara Isaacson, president ... Read full story
 8/11/2008
HSUS Applauds AAEP White Paper on Horse Soring   *
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) today applauded recommendations set out in the American Association of Equine Practitioners' newly released white paper, "Putting the Horse First: Veterinary Recommendations for Ending the Soring of Tennessee Walking Horses." The Association's recommendations include: immediate implementation of a drug ... Read full story
 8/8/2008
Endangered Thoroughbreds on the Way to Being Rescued  *
Forty-six Thoroughbreds that wound up on a feedlot in Phoenix, Ariz., are on their way to being rescued, according to the president of a Southern California horse retirement farm who has spearheaded the effort to save the animals. "I'm feeling pretty good today," said Priscilla Clark, president of Tranquility Farm in Tehachapi, Calif. Aug. 6. "It's ... Read full story
 8/7/2008
AAEP Issues White Paper on Ending Soring  *
The American Association of Equine Practitioners' (AAEP) Tennessee Walking Horse Task Force has issued a white paper on ending soring of the breed’s show horses. The practice of inflicting pain on a horse’s forelegs to induce a higher-action gait has been illegal since the Horse Protection Act was passed by Congress in 1970. However, welfare and industry ... Read full story
 8/7/2008
Largest Wild Horse, Burro Show to be Held in Reno  *
The largest wild horse and burro show in the country is coming to Nevada later this month at a time organizers say it is important to educate the public about the animals and their fate on the range. The National Wild Horse Center will host the Western States Wild Horse and Burro Expo at the Reno Livestock Events Center Aug. 15-17. The event has ... Read full story
 8/6/2008
Effort to Identify Horses in Seized Herd Continues  *
Last February, the seizure of 45 allegedly malnourished Arabian horses from a South Carolina family made national headlines. As court proceedings against defendants Hazelene, James, and Terry Trexler about to move forward, the effort to sort out the horses' histories goes on. "We've gotten calls from many possible previous owners," said Kelly Graham, ... Read full story
 8/4/2008
House Subcommittee Hears Slaughter Testimony  *
Animal rights advocates are urging lawmakers to pass a bill banning the slaughter of U.S. horses for consumption abroad, arguing the practice is inhumane. Opponents of the proposal say it would actually increase cruelty in the form of abandonment, abuse and neglect. Witnesses at a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing Thursday recounted graphic stories ... Read full story
 7/31/2008
Horse Tripping Ban a Tough Sell in Some States  *
Nebraska's ban on horse tripping for sport went into effect July 18, but even as that state's authorities gear up to enforce the measure, similar legislation died on Arizona's Senate floor . "We had nearly unanimous support all the way through the state House and in the Senate," said Pat Haight, PhD, president of the Conquistador Equine Rescue and ... Read full story
 7/29/2008
Eventer Hoy Cleared on Abuse Charges   *
Three-time Olympic equestrian gold medalist Andrew Hoy was cleared July 24 on charges of abusing a horse. The Australian and Dutch eventer Madeleine Brugman, whom he trains, had been accused by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) of using illegal spiked boots on a horse at a competition in Barroca d'Alva, Portugal, in March. But a tribunal ... Read full story
 7/25/2008
Welfare Groups Meet to Discuss At-Risk Horses   *
Twenty five national and state-based equine-protection, placement, and rescue organizations gathered Tuesday for the second Homes for Horses Coalition Conference to discuss the re-homing of at-risk horses in America. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the Animal Welfare Institute jointly sponsored the conference. The coalition, ... Read full story
 7/24/2008
Federal Ban on Equine Transport via Double-Decker Introduced   *
The use of double-decker trailers to transport horses for any purpose would be banned nationwide if a new bill recently introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives becomes law. But some equine welfare advocates say the bill is flawed. Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), H.R. 6278, the Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2008, would amend ... Read full story
 7/18/2008
House Leader Opposes Proposal to Euthanize Wild Horses  *
A House leader has come out against a federal proposal to euthanize wild horses and asked a federal agency to delay a decision on the animals' fate. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, urged the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to refrain from action until after the scheduled September release of a General ... Read full story
 7/13/2008
Walking Horse Exhibitors Withdraw from Show   *
Hundreds of trainers withdrew their horses from competition at a major Tennessee Walking Horse show last weekend after USDA inspectors arrived on the scene to examine horses for violations of the Horse Protection Act. According to Earl Rogers Jr., president of the Kentucky Walking Horse Association, the four-day Owingsville Lions Club Horse Show ... Read full story
 7/10/2008
Readers Respond: Herd Management  *
More than 2,700 readers of TheHorse.com responded to a poll asking, "Should wild horses be euthanized to help control their population growth in the Western United States?" Results were as follows: No: 80.72% (2248) Yes: 18.28% (537) Read coverage of the issue. Readers shared their thoughts and suggested alternative solutions ... Read full story
 7/9/2008
Iowa State to Co-Host International Symposium on Animal Welfare and Epidemiology  *
Iowa State University will hold a first-ever conference on animal welfare and epidemiology July 14-16. "Welfare and Epidemiology Conference: Across Species, Across Disciplines and Across Borders" will be held at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames. The meeting will bring together scientists from different disciplines to offer their experiences ... Read full story
 7/7/2008
Rescue Horse's Story Illustrates Importance of Estate Planning   *
Hapsirishpub is a Thoroughbred whose good fortune changed the day his first owner died. Passed from owner to owner, he was recently taken in by Shelly Price of Speak Up for Horses, a Kentucky-based equine rescue and rehabilitation organization. The namesake of his owner/breeder's favorite Cincinnati watering hole, "Haps" accumulated over $16,000 ... Read full story
 7/5/2008
Horse Owners, Neighbor Indicted in Missouri Horse Shooting  *
A Missouri man has been charged with animal abuse for allegedly shooting four horses, while the horses' owners are facing identical charges for allegedly failing to restrain the animals. On June 26, a Callaway County, Mo. grand jury indicted Daniel J. Iffrig of Williamsburg, Mo., on misdemeanor animal abuse charges for "purposely causing injury" ... Read full story
 7/1/2008
Transcript: Talkin' Horses with Welfare Advocate Alex Brown  *
Alex Brown has worked in horseracing on-and-off in North America for 20 years. He spent most of this time at the Fair Hill Training Center. Alex also runs alexbrownracing.com, a site that initially focused on Barbaro's recovery shifted its focus to address Barbaro's ongoing legacy, particularly horse racing issues, horse rescue, and horse slaughter. ... Read full story
 6/27/2008
Police in Scotland Investigating Horse Mutilations  *
While owners keep a close eye on the horses in their pastures, police in Scotland are investigating a series of attacks that have resulted in the mutilation of five horses. One horse was euthanized as a result of its injuries. According to a Central Scotland Police press release, three horses stabled at different locations in the Bonnybridge area ... Read full story
 6/27/2008
Suspended Jockey Responds to Whipping Incident   *
Jockey Jeremy Rose was suspended for six months following a stewards' hearing the morning of June 24 for whipping his mount Appeal to the City in the face during the third race at Delaware Park June 23. (For more on this see "Jockey Suspended for Using Whip on Horse's Face." ) In the official ruling, Delaware Park stewards contended that Rose "engaged ... Read full story
 6/26/2008
Jockey Suspended for Using Whip on Horse's Face  *
Jockey Jeremy Rose was suspended for six months following a stewards' hearing the morning of June 24 for whipping his mount Appeal to the City in the face during the third race at Delaware Park June 23. In the official ruling, Delaware Park stewards contended that Rose "engaged in extreme misuse of the whip during the stretch run while on the horse ... Read full story
 6/25/2008
Animal Welfare Group Tours Hong Kong Olympic Stables   *
Representatives of the Animal Welfare Advisory Group (AWAG) visited the Sha Tin and Beas River Olympic equestrian facilities in Hong Kong June 24. "It's very impressive," said AWAG spokesperson Chan Pui-tin. "Before I came here I had a lot of reservations, but now I've seen the facilities my confidence has increased dramatically. The welfare of the ... Read full story
 6/25/2008
Delaware Racing Group Makes Progress on Padded Whips  *
Approximately two and a half years ago, the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission began experimenting with changing jockeys' whips to a more humane variety with an extended and padded "popper," the portion of the whip that makes contact with the horse. The whips were introduced upon advice of Delaware Thoroughbred Commissioner, W. Duncan Patterson, ... Read full story
 6/24/2008
AAEP Supports Thoroughbred Safety Recommendations   *
The AAEP has endorsed the three initial recommendations of The Jockey Club's Thoroughbred Safety Committee. The committee announced its recommendations June 17, including the elimination of steroids in race training and racing, a ban on toe grabs, and a series of whip-related reforms, all aimed at improving safety and integrity in Thoroughbred racing. ... Read full story
 6/24/2008
Horse Found Shot in Head Recovering  *
A 20-year-old mare found wounded and wandering in the New Mexico desert on June 9 is recovering from surgery to remove a bullet lodged in her jaw. A second bullet lodged close to an artery remains in her jaw. The horse--which Doña Ana County investigators named Miracle--suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Miracle is now in foster care. According ... Read full story
 6/23/2008
Racing Groups Have Say Before Washington Hearing  *
As the House Subcommittee on Commerce and Consumer Protection prepared for a June 19 hearing on the horseracing industry, groups continued to weigh in on various issues, including use of anabolic steroids in racehorses. On June 18, the Lexington-based Association of Equine Racetrack Veterinarians said it supports recommendations by The Jockey Club ... Read full story
 6/19/2008
USDA, Horse Council Hold Unwanted Horses Forum   *
It tends to get lost in the shuffle because it's not as sexy as anabolic steroids, race-fixing, or catastrophic breakdowns from a media perspective. But talk to people who work in the horse industry every day, and they'll tell you the issue of unwanted horses is serious and so broad it impacts the entire United States, not just the horseracing industry. ... Read full story
 6/19/2008
Alabama Woman Charged in Horse Insurance Fraud Case  *
An Alabama woman who claimed her Belgian Warmblood cross mare died in a barn fire now faces insurance fraud charges in connection with the horse's death. Flomaton, Ala., Police Chief Mike Lambert said Brenda Gradia, 41, is accused of shooting the mare then setting her barn ablaze in an attempt to collect a $100,000 insurance claim for the horse and ... Read full story
 6/18/2008
Horses Seized from California Sanctuary  *
Nearly 90 horses remain under veterinarians' care at undisclosed locations after officials removed them from the Equus Sanctuary in Pearblossom, Calif. "They were desperately in need of food and water," said Michelle Roache, deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control. "We're still evaluating their condition." ... Read full story
 6/18/2008
Special Report: Catastrophic Injuries  *
Following the euthanasia of the filly Eight Belles, who suffered catastrophic injuries to both front legs a quarter-mile after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby, members of every sector of the Thoroughbred industry have banded together to proactively address safety and welfare issues. The Horse: Your Guide To Equine Health Care is proud to present ... Read full story
 6/17/2008
Michigan Horse Abuse Case Heads to Appeals Court  *
The long-running and controversial horse abuse case in Jackson County, Mich., took yet another turn Thursday, when the Michigan Court of Appeals agreed to hear arguments about whether the felony charges against defendants Matt Mercier and James Henderson, Jr. should be reinstated. "The Michigan Court of Appeals has the right to agree with the lower ... Read full story
 6/13/2008
U.K. Groups Introduce National Equine Welfare Protocol   *
Several U.K. equine welfare groups today became signatories to the new National Equine Welfare Protocol. The protocol sets out guidelines for how cases of equine neglect and abuse should be reported and handled, and what the relevant organizations can do to reduce the incidence of equine welfare problems. According to a statement released by the ... Read full story
 6/12/2008
HSUS Opening Oregon Horse Sanctuary and Rescue Facility  *
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) will open a new 1,120-acre horse sanctuary and rescue facility in Douglas County, Ore. This will be the organization's fourth major animal care facility. The new Duchess Sanctuary is made possible thanks to a $3.5 million donation from the Roberts Foundation, the Ark Watch Foundation, and its founder ... Read full story
 6/10/2008
AVMA Adds Animal Welfare Page to Web site   *
To help veterinarians and the general public understand the complexity and passion behind animal welfare issues, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has launched its first Web section devoted entirely to animal welfare information. The new area of the AVMA site went live June 4. It offers links to brochures, policy statements, commentary ... Read full story
 6/10/2008
Helping Hoarders: Rescuers, Therapists Ponder Options   *
Last week a court in Humboldt County, Calif., sentenced Elsie Smith, 69, to three years of probation for animal neglect. Authorities seized 40 horses from her property on April 1. Although Smith is forbidden to own horses during her probation, one of the rescuers who helped look after the seized herd said she's worried about what Smith will do in the ... Read full story
 6/8/2008
Dead Horses Found on Minnesota Farm, Survivors Removed  *
Nine allegedly starving horses were removed May 28 from a farm in Hewett, Minn., after Todd County sheriff's deputies discovered them, along with the carcasses of 19 other horses. "The horses had been dead for a long time," said Wade Hanson, investigator for the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley, Minn. The surviving horses had body conditions ... Read full story
 6/6/2008
Animal Advocates Contemplate Remedial Horse Care Classes  *
Sara Isaacson of California's Heart of the Redwoods Horse Rescue has seen her share of abused and neglected horses. But since looking after a herd of horses connected with an animal neglect case in Humboldt County, Calif., Isaacson said she might have a way to reduce recidivism among horse abusers, and possibly keep some horse owners out of court in ... Read full story
 6/4/2008
Horse Neglect: What to Do?  *
Experienced horse people who notice neglect should contact the proper authorities to ensure the best outcome for the horse involved. Every morning on the way to work, you drive by a small pasture that contains seven horses. It is winter and the ground is frozen and covered with snow. There is no hay on the ground, and the horses appear to be thin ... Read full story
 6/1/2008
Horses Seized in California Ready for New Homes   *
Ten horses seized in a California abuse case have been released to go to new homes now that their former owner pleaded no contest to the charges against her. "We will either auction the horses or sell them to a third party who already has some of the other horses involved in this case," said Lt. Steve Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. ... Read full story
 5/30/2008
Illinois Passes 'Good Samaritan' Measure for Animal Rescuers   *
The Illinois Senate recently passed HB 5076, sending the bill into the hands of Governor Rod Blagojevich. The legislation contains "Good Samaritan" provisions to protect rescuers, including veterinarians, from being sued if they rescue or provide care for injured animals in emergencies or disasters. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty ... Read full story
 5/30/2008
Rescues Consider Cost of Equine Welfare Cases   *
In February the Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA) in Columbia, S.C., seized 45 horses. Four months and thousands of dollars later, the criminal cases against the animals' owners, Hazelene, James and Terry Trexler, are nowhere near resolution, but the cost of supporting the herd continues to mount. "We have spent, $45,000 ... Read full story
 5/30/2008
Options for Ex-Racehorses   *
Only a handful of racehorses continue racing for more than a few years. The most talented runners are retired to stud or join a broodmare band, but often horses must move out to make room for new prospects. The problem of what to do with ex-racehorses is ongoing, and several organizations have been created to help resolve this. Thoroughbred Retirement ... Read full story
 5/26/2008
Congress Wants Info on Injuries, Drugs  *
A congressional subcommittee has demanded information from state racing commissions about racehorse injuries, drug use, and breeding. The United States House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection sent a letter to the Lexington-based Association of Racing Commissioners International, which represents state racing commissions in ... Read full story
 5/24/2008
Rescue Highlights Danger of 'Free Horse' Offers   *
Dennis Rutherford of Elma, Wash., had the best of intentions when he offered his pair of retired Thoroughbred racehorses free to good homes on a popular giveaway Web site. Now he's warning other horse owners it's dangerous to offer something for nothing. "People should never offer a horse free of charge," said Rutherford, a soldier whose horses needed ... Read full story
 5/23/2008
FEI Investigates Alleged Abuse by Hoy Student   *
Three-time Olympic equestrian gold medalist Andrew Hoy appeared at hearing Thursday to answer accusations of horse abuse. Hoy and Dutch eventer Madeleine Brugman, whom he trains, appeared before a three-member panel from the sport's governing body. Both deny the charges, and the hearing will resume next week. Brugman is accused of using spiked ... Read full story
 5/23/2008
Attacked Arkansas Horses Healed and Rideable, Five Years Later   *
Two Quarter Horses that were severely injured in a brutal attack five years ago are thriving after a long recovery. "They're tough," said Patrice Swan, the horses' owner. "They never gave up, and now they're running around like babies." In August 2003 Quarter Horses Puddin' and Fat Girl were restrained in their Guy, Ark., paddock and severely beaten ... Read full story
 5/23/2008
Event Horse Dies on Cross-Country at French CCI***   *
Nullabor, an 11-year-old Irish sport horse ridden by Clayton Fredericks of Australia, died Saturday while competing at the Saumur CCI*** in France, according to a statement on the event organizers' Web site. Fredericks told Britain's Horse and Hound the accident occurred while the horse was galloping between fences on the cross-country course. "It ... Read full story
 5/20/2008
Prosecutors Planning to Appeal Seized Horse Reimbursement Ruling   *
An attorney with the Jackson County, Mich., prosecutor's office said Monday he will appeal a Circuit Court ruling that horses at the center of a controversial animal cruelty case were improperly seized, and that their former owner be reimbursed for their value. "We're going to appeal (Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Wilson's) decision," Chief Appellate ... Read full story
 5/19/2008
Michigan County to Reimburse Abuse Defendants for Seized Horses  *
A Jackson County, Mich., judge ruled on Friday that James Henderson Jr. was improperly forced to forfeit 69 horses during a controversial animal cruelty case, and that he should be reimbursed for their value. According to Ronald J. Fabian, attorney for Matt Mercier, the horses' caretaker, Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Wilson ruled that there were ... Read full story
 5/18/2008
Gallup Poll: Significant Minority Support Horse Racing Ban  *
In the wake of Eight Belles' euthanasia after sustaining catastrophic injuries in the May 3 Kentucky Derby, a recent Gallup poll reveals that a significant minority of respondents support a ban on horse racing. Almost four in 10 Americans (38%) said they would favor altogether discontinuing sports that involve competition between animals. "We need ... Read full story
 5/16/2008
First Grade Students Raising Money for Horse Fund   *
First grade students at the Seton Catholic School are fundraising to help hungry horses. All funds raised by the children will be donated to the Kentucky Horse Council's Save Our Horses fund. At a recent kickoff event the students met Kentucky Horse Council Executive Director Ginny Grulke and her horse Mandy to learn about the problem of neglected ... Read full story
 5/15/2008
Eight Belles' Necropsy Report Released  *
Eight Belles, the filly who suffered a catastrophic injury after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs May 3, had compound fractures of both front legs at the fetlock joints, a necropsy report released May 15 concluded. The necropsy, ordered by the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority, found no pre-existing bone abnormalities, said ... Read full story
 5/15/2008
Horse Auction Operators Deal with Down Market  *
In a glutted market where some horses can be had for as little as $2, auctioneer Tim Jennings is trying to convince horse owners it's still a good time to sell their animals. "We're telling people to compare how much they're spending on the horse with the potential sale price," said Jennings, president and director of marketing for Professional Auction ... Read full story
 5/14/2008
AVMA Amends Horse Transport Policy   *
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has reinforced its opposition to the use of double-deck trailers to transport horses and other equines by approving a new policy on the humane transport of equines. The policy, which was proposed by the AVMA animal welfare committee and approved by the executive board on April 12, 2008, states that ... Read full story
 5/12/2008
NTRA Calls for 'Urgency' In Addressing Safety Matters  *
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association continues to coordinate equine health and safety initiatives in response to the death of the filly Eight Belles, and on May 9 called for "urgency" and an end to the "status quo." The NTRA board of directors, during the special meeting, reviewed current Thoroughbred industry policies and communication programs. ... Read full story
 5/10/2008
Horse Industry: Don't Discount Animal Rights and Welfare Groups  *
Although their views and actions may at times be considered extreme and bizarre by some, animal rights and welfare groups have a large constituency, have proven effective at making their point, and shouldn't be disregarded when they seize on an issue, officials said. Two organizations--the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical ... Read full story
 5/9/2008
HSUS Offers Reward for Info on Pony Dragging Death  *
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or people responsible for dragging a blind 10-year-old pony to death April 30 in Shenango Township, Pa. Mercer County Humane Society officers stated that on Apr. 30, Tory Morgan found the remains ... Read full story
 5/9/2008
Derby Death Spurs Action by Thoroughbred Groups  *
In the wake of the fatal injury sustained by filly Eight Belles in the May 3 Kentucky Derby, The Jockey Club has commissioned a seven-member Thoroughbred Safety Committee, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) board of directors has scheduled a special meeting May 9 to discuss a course of action. Jockey Club chairman Ogden Mills ... Read full story
 5/8/2008
Eight Belles Wristbands Benefit Rescue  *
Six days after Eight Belles' catastrophic injury in the Kentucky Derby Presented, owner Rick Porter of Fox Hill Farms approved a wristband manufactured in memory of the gallant filly, with proceeds to benefit Midlantic Horse Rescue. According to Fox Hill spokesperson Victoria Keith, the idea was inspired by the fans who frequent Porter's Rockport ... Read full story
 5/8/2008
Massachusetts Horse Cruelty Case Continued Again   *
While her owner ponders his legal options, Quincy, the lame 29-year-old mare at the center of a controversial animal cruelty case, remains in the care of an unnamed Massachusetts equine clinic. "She's as well as can be expected," said Richard LeBlond, deputy chief of law enforcement with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to ... Read full story
 5/7/2008
Racing Authority Responds to Animal Rights Groups' Objections  *
The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority released a statement May 5 regarding Eight Belles, who was injured and subsequently euthanized after the May 3 Kentucky Derby. It followed demands by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals for changes in the horseracing industry. "We are saddened by the loss of Eight Belles during the 134th running of the Kentucky ... Read full story
 5/6/2008
Animal Rights Groups Target Eight Belles' Injury   *
In the wake of the death of the filly Eight Belles as she galloped out after the May 3 Kentucky Derby, animal rights organizations are publicly calling for changes--some of them drastic--for the horseracing industry. The group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, commonly referred to as PETA, has asked the racing industry to "stop racing ... Read full story
 5/6/2008
PETA Demonstrates; Could Pursue Charges   *
A spokeswoman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which staged a peaceful demonstration May 6 in front of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority office near Lexington, said similar demonstrations are planned for upcoming Triple Crown events. Meanwhile, the organization said it may attempt to get cruelty charges filed against the connections ... Read full story
 5/6/2008
Ohio Horse Rescues Planning Mothers' Day Event   *
Horse enthusiasts will have the opportunity to both honor their mothers and contribute toward securing draft horses otherwise bound for an uncertain fate through a Mothers' Day effort organized by two Ohio horse rescue operators. On May 9, Lisa Gordon, president and founder of Frog Pond Farm Draft Horse and Pony Rescue, in Cambridge, Ohio, will purchase ... Read full story
 5/2/2008
Felony Charges in Michigan Horse Abuse Case Dismissed   *
A judge yesterday dismissed the felony animal torture charges leveled against two Grass Lake, Mich., men in a case that began more than one year ago. According to attorney Ronald J. Fabian, who represents defendant Matt Mercier in the case, Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Chad C. Schmucker dismissed three counts of felony animal torture against ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
Conscientious Ownership  *
In recent months, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and The Denver Post have reported on the apparent increase in the number of unwanted, neglected, or abandoned equines across the country. Additionally, other print, electronic, and television media outlets have reported that state agencies and ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
Eventing Safety: Joint Letter from USEF and USEA Leaders   *
David O'Connor, president of the U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF), and Kevin Baumgardner, president of the U.S. Eventing Association (USEA), released April 29 a letter concerning safety in eventing. The authors invited all members of the equestrian community to attend a USEF/USEA Safety Summit to be held in Lexington, Ky., June 7-8, and to e-mail ... Read full story
 4/30/2008
Animal Welfare Judging Competition Adds Veterinary Student Division  *
For the first time, veterinary students participated in the Intercollegiate Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment Competition, highlighting the increased attention veterinarians are receiving for their role in ensuring animal welfare. Now in its seventh year, the Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment Competition was originally created to help students ... Read full story
 4/30/2008
Equine Summit Tackles Competitive Horse Health Care   *
The Well-being of the Competitive Horse was one of three major industry issues addressed during the Kentucky International Equine Summit. Today's summit agenda was comprised of panel discussions entitled: The function requirements for competition, Biomechanics and equine locomotion, Surface technologies in equine sports, and The initial ... Read full story
 4/29/2008
Horses Removed from California Ranch 'Thriving'   *
While their former owner faces animal neglect charges, most of the 40 horses seized from a Humboldt County, Calif., ranch are thriving, according to Sara Isaacson of Heart of the Redwoods Horse Rescue. "They've turned the corner," said Isaacson, who has been the horses' caretaker. "They're gaining weight and getting lots of attention." Acting on ... Read full story
 4/29/2008
Washington Horse Rescue Operator Charged with Cruelty  *
The operator of two Washington State horse rescues will be arraigned in King County, Wash., Superior Court on animal cruelty charges April 29. Dean Solomon, operator of both the former Pacific Equestrian Center and the Washington Thoroughbred Transitional Facility, has been charged with four counts of second degree animal cruelty, said King County ... Read full story
 4/24/2008
Trial Date Set for Colorado Rescue Abuse Case   *
A Colorado woman accused of starving more than 20 horses at a rescue facility pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges during an appearance in Larimer County District Court yesterday. According to Linda Jensen, public information officer for the Larimer County, Colo., district attorney's office, rescue operator Alesha Matchett pleaded not guilty ... Read full story
 4/23/2008
Alliance Formed at Sound Horse Conference  *
At the recent Sound Horse Conference, leading animal welfare organizations joined with Tennessee Walking Horse industry groups to announce the formation of the new Alliance to End Soring. The conference took place April 11 and 12 in Columbus, Ohio. Generally used in the Tennessee Walking Horse and other gaited breeds, soring is the use of pain-causing ... Read full story
 4/22/2008
Prepare for a Reduced Hay Crop in 2008   *
The USDA has released several crop reports that indicate the number of hay acres will be down in 2008. The department also reported that the existing hay supply is lower than previous years. This information, combined with higher input costs (fuel, fertilizer, land rent) and higher grain prices (corn, soybean, wheat), will likely lead to increased ... Read full story
 4/22/2008
Horse Council, USDA Hosting Unwanted Horse Forum   *
The American Horse Council and the USDA are co-sponsoring a forum called "The Unwanted Horse Issue: What Now?" The all-day forum will be held June 18 at the Department's Jefferson Auditorium in Washington, DC. The forum will piggy-back onto the AHC's 2008 National Issues Forum, which will be in D.C. June 16-18. "The Unwanted Horse Forum is open ... Read full story
 4/21/2008
Industry Members Discuss Imaging Technology at Soring Conference   *
Animal welfare advocates, breed association representatives, and veterinarians gathered at the first Sound Horse Conference, held April 11 and 12 at The Ohio State University, to brainstorm ways to eradicate the practice of soring. Generally used in the Tennessee Walking Horse and other gaited breeds, soring is the use of pain-causing caustic chemicals, ... Read full story
 4/17/2008
Former Owners Relieved to Find Seized Mare Alive   *
In the five years since selling Promise, breeders Eppie Ferry and daughter Terry Vince of Middlesex, N.C., worried about the Arabian broodmare's welfare. Promise and filly Kizzmee, when owned by Ferry and Vince. So when they learned that the man who had bought the mare, Terry Trexler, had been accused of animal abuse in South Carolina, the pair ... Read full story
 4/17/2008
Owner of Dogs that Killed Horse Fined, Jailed  *
A judge has given a 30-day jail sentence to a Livingston County, Mich., man whose pit bulls fatally attacked a horse. District Judge Carol Sue Reader on Tuesday also ordered 44-year-old David McGalliard to pay $221,951 and serve two years' probation. He's from Handy Township, about 55 miles west-northwest of Detroit. A sheriff's deputy fatally ... Read full story
 4/16/2008
Mare Seized in South Carolina Abuse Case Delivers Healthy Foal  *
Caretakers of the horses seized in a recent South Carolina abuse case got some good news last month, when one of the mares delivered a full-term foal. "She's just beautiful," said Kelly Graham, director of public relations for the Richland County, S.C., Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "And she's completely healthy." Born ... Read full story
 4/14/2008
31 Dead Horses Found on Kentucky Farm: No Additional Charges Yet  *
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has filed charges against a Rowan County man after state and local authorities discovered 31 dead horses on his farm. Don Miller of Rowan County was charged on Wednesday with one count of violating state law regulating the disposal of animal carcasses, according to Bill Clary, director of public relations for ... Read full story
 4/10/2008
Welfare and Safety Summit Racehorse Injury Numbers Revised   *
The catastrophic injury rates presented by Mary Scollay, DVM, at the March 17 Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit have been revised after a thorough review. The review established that the catastrophic injury reports actually covered longer periods of time with more races and total starts than was previously reported. In addition, further ... Read full story
 4/10/2008
31 Dead Horses Found on Kentucky Farm; Improper Disposal Charges Filed   *
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) has filed charges against the owner of a Rowan County, Ky., farm where state and local authorities found 31 dead horses on Tuesday. Farm owner Don Miller is charged with violating state law regarding the disposition of animal carcasses. Investigators with the Rowan County Sheriff's Department and the KDA's ... Read full story
 4/9/2008
Illinois House Passes Equine Transport Bill   *
A proposed measure to prohibit the transport of horses in double-decker trailers in Illinois took a step toward becoming law on Tuesday when the state House of Representatives passed HB4162. The vote was 80 to 29. The approved bill moves forward without a controversial amendment that would have allowed horse transport in double-decker trailers specifically ... Read full story
 4/9/2008
Controversial Massachusetts Horse Case Pushed Back to May Date   *
The controversial Massachusetts animal cruelty case involving a geriatric mare that some animal welfare advocates maintain should be euthanized was continued to May 6 during a pre-trial hearing today in Uxbridge District Court. "We're pressing forward with the case," said Tim Connolly, spokesman for the Worcester County District Attorney's Office. ... Read full story
 4/8/2008
Decision to Euthanize Horse Could Bring End to Controversial Case  *
A controversial Massachusetts horse cruelty case might be resolved in court April 8 if the horse's owner agrees to euthanize the mare in question. According to Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' (MSPCA) Deputy Chief Law Enforcement Officer Richard LeBlond, felony animal cruelty charges against horse owner Elliot Saffran, ... Read full story
 4/7/2008
74 Horses Removed from Kentucky Farm Recovering   *
A week after animal welfare officials removed 74 horses from a Jessamine County, Ky., farm, the animals are gaining strength and acclimating to their new surroundings. "When they first came off the trailer, they were listless," said Kim Hurst, president of the Jessamine Humane Society, the group currently looking after the horses. Officials seized ... Read full story
 4/3/2008
One Year Later, Horses Seized in Indiana Faring Well   *
Nearly a year after Indiana Horse Rescue (IHR) Southwest took over the care of more than 100 horses on a Gibson County, Ind., farm, the animals continue to improve, and many have been adopted into new homes. Between seized animals and a large number of horses that were voluntarily surrendered, a total of 121 animals from the farm were placed in the ... Read full story
 4/2/2008
ASPCA Awards 10 Equine Grants   *
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) recently announced the recipients of equine grants for the first quarter of 2008. At a time when hay prices are at a record high and many areas of the country have experienced record snowfalls, the ASPCA has donated a total of $77,000 to rescue groups and humane organizations across ... Read full story
 4/1/2008
HSUS Soring Hotline Heats Up  *
Just days after advertisements appeared in Middle Tennessee newspapers offering cash for information about violators of the state's anti-soring law, phones at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) began to ring. "We received more than 20 tips from that first round of ads," said Keith Dane, director of equine protection for the HSUS. Soring ... Read full story
 3/31/2008
Market for Mare Milk Gives Rise to Equine Dairy Industry   *
Nearly a dozen velvety black Ariègeois broodmares and an approved stallion roam and graze freely across a 120-acre pasture in the French Massif Central hills. These horses are the foundation of Nathalie and Xavier Niaux's Domaine de Merens de Bibracte, an equine dairy, where up to 3,000 liters (750 gallons) of mare milk are produced for human consumption ... Read full story
 3/29/2008
Second Man Sentenced in Texas Horse Killing   *
A former Texas A&M student has been sentenced to 120 days in jail for the killing of a show horse near a Bryan, Texas, apartment complex. Walter Williams, who was sentenced Wednesday, pleaded guilty to cruelty to an animal. Prosecutors said the 22-year-old was not the main aggressor in the October 2006 killing. Both Williams' defense attorneys ... Read full story
 3/28/2008
Trexlers Face Felony Charges in S.C. Abuse Case  *
A Richland County, S.C., grand jury handed down indictments last week for brothers James Trexler and Terry Trexler and for their mother, Hazelene Trexler, in connection with an ongoing case of animal abuse involving horses. The indictments add felony charges of ill treatment of animals to existing charges against the family stemming from the last month's ... Read full story
 3/22/2008
100 Horses Seized from Alberta Farm, Recovering   *
Officials removed a herd of 100 horses from a farm near Edmonton, Alberta, Feb. 26, after the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) received complaints about the animals allegedly being without food or shelter. The animals are recovering in the care of area volunteers and veterinarians. According to Morris Airey, director ... Read full story
 3/20/2008
Monitoring Cruelty: Online Database Tracks Cases  *
The recent case of alleged horse abuse in South Carolina underscores the need for a way to track convicted horse abusers nationwide, according Carol Darnell, a former Arabian horse breeder and longtime rescuer. "We have to vet the people to whom we're selling horses," said Darnell, who currently owns and operates Arendal Arabians and Sanctuary in ... Read full story
 3/20/2008
Sponsor Tables Illinois Horse Transport Bill Amendment   *
The sponsor of a proposed Illinois measure designed to enhance horse transport safety has tabled a controversial amendment that equine advocates denounced as unacceptable. "We're going to go back to the original bill," said Ill. Rep. JoAnn Osmond, sponsor of HB4162. HB4162 would revise Illinois' Humane Care for Animals Act to prohibit the transport ... Read full story
 3/19/2008
Kentucky Horse Council to Host Equine Rescue Networking Meeting  *
The Kentucky Horse Council is facilitating a meeting for all Kentucky Equine Rescue Organizations on March 25 in Lexington, Ky. This is an opportunity for all Kentucky equine rescues to network and learn about other organizations throughout the state. Everyone involved with equine rescue efforts is invited to attend. The meeting is part of the ongoing ... Read full story
 3/17/2008
Illinois Horse Trailer Rollover Accident Case Continued   *
The case against the former owner of horses involved in a rollover trailer accident in Lake County, Ill., last October has been continued for a pre-trial hearing on April 14, according the clerk for Lake Circuit Court Judge Patrick N. Lawler. On Monday, March 3, Keith O. Tongen, 49, pleaded not guilty to four Class A misdemeanor charges of animal ... Read full story
 3/12/2008
Charges in South Carolina Abuse Case Could be Upgraded  *
Animal abuse charges against James Trexler will be upgraded from misdemeanors to felonies if a Richmond County grand jury hands down an indictment in his case. According to Kelly Graham, spokesperson for the Richland County, S.C., Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA), Fifth District Assistant Solicitor Jill Andrews will ... Read full story
 3/12/2008
Horses Removed from Dilapidated Philadelphia Stables   *
Humane officials and horse owners worked well into the night on Thursday to remove horses from condemned buildings in Philadelphia's Strawberry Mansion in advance of the structures' scheduled demolition. "The horses are being removed as we speak," said Lisa Rogers, director of outreach for the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to ... Read full story
 3/7/2008
South Carolina Abuse Investigation: Horses Impounded in Georgia Found  *
Georgia officials visited Richland County, S.C., on Monday to attend court proceedings connected with the ongoing horse abuse case there. But before they left, they discovered that a total of 25 horses formerly under quarantine in Georgia had found their way to South Carolina. Hazelene E. Trexler, 70, and her son Terry A. Trexler, 44, each face 30 ... Read full story
 3/6/2008
Forensic Veterinarian Joins South Carolina Abuse Probe   *
A forensic veterinarian has joined the investigation to multiple alleged incidents of horse abuse in South Carolina. Melinda D. Merck, DVM, senior director of veterinary forensics for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and a consultant for the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Atlanta, arrived in Richland County, ... Read full story
 3/2/2008
Tough Times for Romania's Horses: Cart Ban, Hay Shortage Cited   *
New transportation laws and a drought-induced hay crisis might be at the root of a recent reversal in equine welfare progress in Romania. More animals are reportedly being abandoned or malnourished than in previous years, according to numerous accounts coming from within the Eastern European nation. Despite the presence of two international animal ... Read full story
 3/1/2008
South Carolina Ag. Official Charged with Horse Abuse  *
A top South Carolina agriculture official and two of his relatives are accused of mistreating dozens of horses in South Carolina and in Georgia, where authorities described some of the animals as looking like someone "draped a hide over bones." James Trexler, one of South Carolina's three assistant agriculture commissioners, was charged this week ... Read full story
 2/29/2008
More Charges in Georgia for Two South Carolina Horse Abuse Defendants   *
A mother and son each charged with more than 20 counts of ill treatment of animals in South Carolina are facing extradition to Georgia where similar counts have been filed against the pair. Hazelene E. Trexler, 70, and her son Terry A. Trexler, 44, each face 30 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty by starvation charges in Jefferson County, Ga., according ... Read full story
 2/29/2008
23 Horses Seized from South Carolina Farm  *
One day after seizing 23 allegedly malnourished horses from an Eastover, S.C., pasture, investigators with the Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA) were compiling paperwork to seek legal ownership of the horses. "We haven't got a court date yet," said Kelly Graham, director of public relations for HSPCA in Columbia, S.C. ... Read full story
 2/26/2008
Kentucky Horse Owners' Help Hotline Launched  *
A network to connect resources, including hay, feed, veterinary care, and rescue facilities, with Kentucky horse owners in need was recently launched by several equine groups in the state. Designed as a tool for all horse enthusiasts, the hotline is a centralized hub of information that collects and shares all types of equine resources. The hotline ... Read full story
 2/25/2008
Court Date for Owner of Horses in Illinois Trailer Accident  *
The former owner of 59 horses involved in a semitrailer rollover accident last October in Wadsworth, Ill., is slated to appear in Lake County Circuit Court on March 3 according to a spokesperson for the Lake County, Ill., County Clerk. Keith O. Tongen, 49, of Minnesota faces four Class A misdemeanor animal cruelty charges and one Class B misdemeanor ... Read full story
 2/17/2008
Illinois Offering Horse Rescue Licensing Option  *
When Colleen O'Keefe, DVM, approached Illinois legislators about licensing horse rescue and shelter facilities around the state, the lawmakers were surprised. "Usually, industries don’t want to be regulated," said O'Keefe, Division manager for food safety and animal protection for the Illinois Department of Agriculture. "But this initiative came ... Read full story
 2/16/2008
ASPCA Investigating New York Carriage Horse Death  *
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), in looking into the Feb. 7 death of a carriage horse in his stable, has been asked to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the New York City Department of Health, in order to obtain the horse's veterinary and other records. "ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement agents ... Read full story
 2/11/2008
Kentucky Teens Sentenced in Horse Shooting Incident  *
Two Pike County, Ky., teenagers are behind bars for charges connected with a 2007 shooting spree that left three horses dead and another eight injured. The pair appeared in court in Pike County on Jan. 31 after their attorney and attorneys for the Commonwealth struck a plea deal in the case that was slated to go to jury trial on Feb. 4. (For more on ... Read full story
 2/1/2008
Horses Seized from Another Colorado Rescue   *
Operators of another Colorado horse rescue have been accused of animal cruelty, less than a month after a similar case occurred in the state. Now, one rescue industry operator in that state says the two seizures illustrate the plight of well-intentioned rescuers who become overwhelmed when their herds significantly increase. "We've had problems with ... Read full story
 1/23/2008
Michigan Horse Cruelty Case Stretches to Autumn 2008   *
Two Michigan men accused of animal cruelty and torture in a highly publicized equine welfare case are slated to appear in Jackson County Circuit Court on Sept. 30, 2008, according to a spokesperson for the Jackson County 12th District Court Criminal Division clerk's office. The new court date will come about a year and a half after Jackson County ... Read full story
 1/21/2008
Soring Suspension List Now Posted on FOSH Web Site   *
Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) has developed a Web site for reporting all current Horse Protection Act suspensions. Under the USDA Horse Protection Operating Plan for 2007-2009, signed in mid-2007 by most of the horse industry organizations (HIOs) with USDA-certified inspection programs, all signatories agreed to provide their most recent list, or ... Read full story
 1/14/2008
Rescue Operator Seeks Hearing to Retain Custody of Seized Horses  *
An attorney for a Colorado woman whose horses were seized by Larimer County authorities is seeking a bond hearing to recover custody of the animals. The seizure took place on Dec. 29 when Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden ordered the removal of 27 animals, including 16 allegedly malnourished horses, from the Animal Angels Horse Rescue ranch operated ... Read full story
 1/9/2008
Charges against Colorado Horse Rescue Operator Pending   *
A Colorado woman could face multiple criminal charges after Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden seized animals, including 16 allegedly malnourished horses, from her Animal Angels Horse Rescue ranch near Fort Collins on Dec. 29. According to Larimer County Sheriff's Office Investigator Rita Servin, 12 counts of animal cruelty are pending against Alesha ... Read full story
 1/8/2008
Kansas Man Arrested in Horse Deaths  *
A Reno County, Kan., man has been arrested on multiple animal cruelty charges after two horses died on his farm. Sheriff's officials launched an investigation of 43-year-old Dwayne Pike in November after a deputy spotted several horses on his property in Arlington that appeared malnourished. Two days later a neighbor spotted a dead horse on the ... Read full story
 1/5/2008
Equine Welfare Fund Formed by Kentucky Horse Council   *
The Kentucky Horse Council (KHC) has established a fund to support programs that promote the health and welfare of all horses in the state. As a part of the continual work to find second careers for unwanted horses and evaluate and improve Kentucky's animal abuse statutes, as they apply to horses, the Save Our Horses Fund (SOHO) fund allows horse ... Read full story
 1/4/2008
Have We Learned?  *
How can we apply what we know today to make the lives of horses better in the next 25 years? There's always more to learn, but sometimes we forget to give ourselves credit for what we have learned and to try and figure out how to apply that knowledge to make our lives--and the lives of our horses--better in the long run. This is the 25th year ... Read full story
 1/1/2008
Alabama Man Found Guilty of Cruelty; Ownership of Horses Uncertain  *
An Algiers, Ala., man has been found guilty of 10 counts of animal cruelty after being accused of keeping horses on his property with limited food and water, a prosecutor said. A criminal District Court commissioner last week found Dave Williams guilty of 10 of the 23 counts of cruelty to animals he had faced, prosecutor Aubrey Harris said. William ... Read full story
 12/26/2007
Horse Associations Meet to Discuss Direction of Western Pleasure  *
They came to discuss one of the oldest and most traditional classes offered by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and National Snaffle Bit Association(NSBA). And discuss they did. By the time the group of nearly 70 professionals, who came from as far away as Virginia, Kansas, Ohio, and Florida, were finished talking about western pleasure, ... Read full story
 12/22/2007
More Horses, Fewer Donors Challenge Equine Rescue Groups   *
Two years ago, the directors of Maryland's equine rescue organizations got together to brainstorm ways to polish up their administrative skills and cultivate public support for their work. Back then, the Maryland Association of Rescue Equine Societies (MARES) was an informal coalition. These days, according to Kathleen Schwartz Howe, executive director ... Read full story
 12/20/2007
U.S. Senate Approves Farm Bill  *
The United States Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill Dec. 14 by a vote of 79 to 14. Included in the legislation is the Equine Equity Act, which would reduce the capital gains holding period for horses from two years to one and accelerate and make uniform the depreciation for racehorses over a three-year period. The Equine Equity Act had bipartisan ... Read full story
 12/16/2007
California Fund for Retired Horses Passed  *
California took a first step toward helping more horses after their racing years with the final approval of a new fund to support the state's equine retirement facilities. During a meeting held Dec. 14 in Inglewood, the California Horse Racing Board approved the creation of the California Retirement Management Account. Under a plan backed by the ... Read full story
 12/16/2007
Introduced Legislation Sets Guidelines for Tracking Animal Cruelty Crimes  *
New legislation in the U.S. Senate, introduced by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), directs the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to include animal cruelty crimes as a separate category in the agency's crime data reporting system. "Having the ability to track animal cruelty cases anywhere in the country is a long overdue step that would not only ... Read full story
 12/15/2007
Give the Gift of Veterinary Care for Working Animals this Holiday Season  *
Bring the spirit of the holiday season to those who cannot help themselves with a gift of veterinary care for animals in need. The American Fondouk, a charitable, U.S.-run animal hospital in Morocco, has been providing free veterinary care to the working animals of Morocco for 80 years. Operated by the Boston-based Massachusetts Society for the ... Read full story
 12/12/2007
Horse Health News Video: Ryder Report for Dec. 12  *
Watch the Dec. 12 edition of the Ryder Report. Included in this report is a wrap-up of the 53rd Annual Convention of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, including a preview of upcoming video interviews and print coverage. Other topics include new veterinary exams to prevent abuse in the upper echelons of show jumping competition, and ... Read full story
 12/12/2007
Michigan Horse Seizure Affecting County Budget  *
Jackson County, Mich., is taking a budget hit after tending to horses seized last spring in an animal cruelty investigation. As of Nov. 30, overtime wages for county animal control employees had come to nearly 400% of the amount budgeted for 2007, officials said. Food and medical expenses also were inflated. County commissioners on Tuesday were ... Read full story
 12/10/2007
ASPCA Supporting Proposed Ban on NYC Horse Carriages  *
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) will support Councilman Tony Avella's proposed bill to ban carriage horses from New York City streets. The bill is scheduled to be introduced at a meeting of the city council next Tuesday, December 11. "As the primary enforcer of New York City's carriage horse laws, the ASPCA can ... Read full story
 12/10/2007
New York City Ban on Carriages Will Be Proposed  *
The horse-drawn carriages that clip-clop around Central Park in New York City could be banned under City Council legislation to be introduced at the urging of animal advocates who say the horses are treated inhumanely. Councilman Tony Avella, who planned to introduce the bill on Wednesday, said the horses were exposed to cruel conditions and were ... Read full story
 12/8/2007
Horse Race Fixing Alleged at Delaware Park  *
A small sponge was inserted in the nostril of a horse at Delaware Park in an attempt to fix a race in October, State Police said. Detectives are investigating the incident in which a small sponge was found in the nostril of 2-year-old filly Marens Meadow, Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh, a state police spokesman, said Wednesday. The sponge would hamper a horse's ... Read full story
 12/6/2007
Animal Welfare Group Blocked from Attending Paris Horse Expo   *
The anti-hippophagy campaign of the France-based Foundation Brigitte Bardot (FBB), a non-profit organization which aims to prevent animal cruelty worldwide, has led to its exclusion from a Parisian horse show and exposition. Hippophagy, or the consumption of horsemeat, results in the slaughter of an estimated 20,000 horses in France every year. The ... Read full story
 12/6/2007
Nebraska Humane Society Calling for Ban on Horse Tripping  *
The Nebraska Humane Society has called for a ban on Mexican rodeo events, saying the sports can cause traumatic injury to the animals. Armando Pliego, treasurer of the Omaha-based rodeo club Charros Las Amistad, said the rodeo--called a charreada--is a time-honored tradition similar to American rodeos. His group has performed the Mexican sport, including ... Read full story
 12/3/2007
Thoroughbred Adoption Program to Receive AAEP Equine Welfare Award   *
The Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program (FLTAP) in Farmington, N.Y., is the 2007 recipient of the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ Equine Welfare Award, the Lavin Cup. Named for AAEP Past President A. Gary Lavin, VMD, the award is presented to a non-veterinary individual or organization that has demonstrated exceptional compassion ... Read full story
 12/3/2007
Two Horses Dragged; Officials Say Charges Unlikely  *
Two horses in rural Owyhee County, Idaho, were dragged to death last weekend, after the driver of a pickup truck left a team-roping competition without realizing they were tied to the back of his trailer. Sheriff Gary Aman says the deaths of the quarter horses appears to be an accident. The driver told him that he'd had a couple of beers, fell asleep ... Read full story
 12/1/2007
Rescue Group Awarded Custody of Seized Horses  *
A horse rescue group will care for seven starving horses removed this month from a Clarke County, Va., farm. A Clarke County General District Court judge ruled Thursday that the animals should be given to the U.S. Equine Rescue League. Eight horses were found on Nov. 16 with body conditions ranging from extremely emaciated to thin. The judge will ... Read full story
 12/1/2007
Neighbors Helping Alabama Man Care for Malnourished Horses   *
Authorities charged a Limestone County, Ala., man with animal cruelty after four allegedly starving horses were found on about an acre of property in the Piney Chapel community. Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely said two mares and one colt were malnourished but able to stand Monday, while the other colt, its bones protruding through its hide, ... Read full story
 11/27/2007
Abandoned Horses Pose Dilemma for Ranchers  *
Ranchers in the old West saw their horse herds depleted by rustlers. Today people are abandoning unwanted domestic horses on ranches and public lands, noted a story on TheWorldLink.com originating from La Grande, Ore. High hay prices and the closure this fall of the nation's last domestic horsemeat processing facility in Illinois may be partly to ... Read full story
 11/23/2007
Horse Lovers Are Everywhere  *
Musicians Present Happy Hour for Horses Benefit Show www.68caliber.com, a paintball "addict" site, wanted its members to know about an upcoming musical benefit for Refuge RR for Horses, "a registered charitable organization that rescues, rehabilitates and provides homes for abused, neglected or abandoned horses. "It is the only large-animal rescue ... Read full story
 11/23/2007
International Welfare Team Helping Animals Affected by Mexico Flooding   *
A coalition of international animal welfare organizations, including Humane Society International, are responding to the needs of animals in the wake of massive floods that left approximately 80% of Tabasco, Mexico underwater. Villahermosa, the capital of the state, had the greatest concentration of companion animals with approximately 40,000 owned ... Read full story
 11/20/2007
Southeastern Drought Affecting Feed Prices, Horse Sales   *
Some horse owners are looking toward a dire winter as hay prices soar, and rescue workers worry about animal neglect and abandonment in the coming months. Both groups blame the drought, which wiped out hay crops across the South and affected pasture land that horses would normally graze through November. "I'm just trying to hold out and maybe make ... Read full story
 11/19/2007
Rescued Horse Goes From Fearful to First Place  *
The pony cowered in the corner whenever Colin Mensch walked into her stall. Beneath her fuzzy winter coat, the filly, called Color of Faith, was about 50 to 100 pounds underweight, the teenager remembered. Her hooves were long and cracked, the result of neglect by her previous owner. She couldn't stand properly, and the strain could damage her tendons. ... Read full story
 11/17/2007
Some Illinois Trailer Accident Survivors Moved to New Homes   *
Eight of the horses that survived last month's semitrailer rollover accident in Wadsworth, Ill., have been placed in new homes, and four more are scheduled to be adopted within days, according to Donna Ewing, president of the of the Barrington, Ill.-based Hooved Animal Rescue and Protection Society, the organization coordinating the horses' adoptions. ... Read full story
 11/16/2007
Unwanted Horse Group Asks Industry to Advocate Responsible Ownership   *
The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) is asking breed registries, equine organizations, state associations and individual horse owners and service providers to spread the word to "Own Responsibly." That was the message delivered by Coalition representatives Katy Carter, UHC Coordinator, Sally Baker of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, ... Read full story
 11/14/2007
Minn. Girl to Receive Replacement for Pony that was Killed  *
An 11-year-old Long Prairie, Minn., girl will receive a new pony to replace the one that was killed in a pasture outside her home. Katie Symalla will receive the 8-month-old filly today (Nov. 10). A Long Prairie woman, Sue Wenzel, is turning the horse, named Rajah Sweet Lady, over to Katie. Katie's pet horse--Savannah--was found dead and mutilated ... Read full story
 11/10/2007
Reward Offered for Information on Minnesota Horse Mutilation   *
The Humane Society of the United States offered a $2,500 reward on Thursday for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the recent mutilation of girl's pet pony. The palomino pony was found dead and mutilated in a Long Prairie pasture last weekend. Law enforcement authorities initially thought it was mistaken for ... Read full story
 11/9/2007
Illinois Accident Horses Nearly Ready for Adoption   *
A veterinarian who has been caring for the 42 equine survivors of an Oct. 27 semitrailer rollover accident in Wadsworth, Ill., says the animals are mending and are nearly ready to go to new homes. Placement coordinators for the horses are in the process of reviewing adoption applications for the herd members. Kevin Nelson, DVM, of Bristol Veterinary ... Read full story
 11/9/2007
Vet Says Minnesota Horse Mutilation Not a Hunting Accident   *
A veterinarian who exhumed and examined a palomino pony found dead and mutilated in a Long Prairie, Minn., pasture last weekend said Wednesday that the pet horse was not killed in a hunting accident. "It clearly wasn't a hunting accident," said Charles Moberg, DVM. "There was no evidence of trauma caused by a bullet." Moberg's finding came the ... Read full story
 11/8/2007
Trailer Accident: Proposed Law Would Ban Illinois Double-Deckers  *
Less than week after a double-decker trailer rollover caused the death of 17 horses, a member of the Illinois General Assembly introduced legislation that would ban the use of such trailers to transport horses for any reason. Ill. State Rep. Robert S. Molaro (D-25th) introduced HB4166 on Nov. 2. The measure amends section 5 of Illinois’ Humane Care ... Read full story
 11/4/2007
Trainer Finds a Better Way to Break Horses   *
There's nothing like breaking a few dozen bones and losing half your teeth to convince you that there's got to be a better way. That was the conclusion of longtime horse trainer Blaine Prieur after years of training horses "the old way." "The old way was that you got on a horse that had never been ridden and you got bucked off," Prieur said. "You ... Read full story
 11/4/2007
Idaho Authorities Say Rising Feed Costs Causing Surge in Neglect Cases   *
Authorities in northern Idaho who recently found four dead horses and eight others that were malnourished say high feed prices could lead to more such cases. "We all know that hay and feed prices are skyrocketing and that causes some people to not properly nourish their animals," said Kootenai County sheriff's Capt. Ben Wolfinger. "We need to hear ... Read full story
 11/2/2007
Texas Horse Cruelty Case Motivates Legislative Change  *
A 22-year-old Texas man will serve nine months in jail for torturing and killing a yearling filly named Cowboy Chic in her pasture last October. A jury convicted Kenneth Ryan Peterson of animal cruelty and felony criminal mischief in 11 minutes of deliberation. This case and a series of other attacks on Texas horses in 2005 and 2006 motivated a ... Read full story
 10/29/2007
Texas Man Sentenced to 9 Months for Horse's Torture, Death  *
A 22-year-old former Texas A&M University student will serve a total of nine months in jail for torturing a horse to death following a heavy night of drinking. Kenneth Ryan Peterson was found guilty Thursday of cruelty to animals after less than 15 minutes of jury deliberations. The same jury was set to decide his sentence, which could have ... Read full story
 10/21/2007
Seized Georgia Horses to be Auctioned Oct. 20   *
The remainder of the horses impounded from a Pike County farm in February will be offered for sale Saturday, Oct. 20 in an auction run by the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) at the Mansfield Equine Impound Facility in Jasper County. For more information on this case, click here. A color catalog featuring the 34 available horses is available ... Read full story
 10/18/2007
A Horse Industry  *
Ownership, stewardship, and the roles horses play in our lives. Some of the dinner conversations we share with friends are typical, no matter your breed or discipline--good horses, injuries, good shows, colic, funny things that happened with the horses, lameness, and so on. In other words, at a party, the horse people tend to end up in one corner ... Read full story
 10/1/2007
BLM Closes Corral After Horse Deaths  *
Federal officials temporarily shut down the National Wild Horse and Burro Center in northern Nevada on Wednesday, where 130 horses have died from health problems that could pose a threat to workers and visitors. The voluntary closure of the center about 20 miles north of Reno is a preventive measure because the salmonella bacteria found in some of ... Read full story
 9/27/2007
Mistrial Motion Delays Horse Killing Case Verdict   *
The trial of two Pike County, Ky., teenagers accused of killing three horses and torturing several others was put on hold Sept. 11 when presiding Pike County Circuit Judge Eddy Coleman declared a mistrial in the case. According to his spokesperson, Coleman granted Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Elizabeth Burchett's motion for a mistrial in the ... Read full story
 9/13/2007
Impounded Georgia Horses: Defendant Gets 5 Years, Fines  *
Superior Court Senior Judge Ben Miller sentenced Roger Lee Prater of Pike County, Ga., to five years after the defendant pled guilty to 31 counts of animal cruelty. Georgia Department of Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin declared an emergency on Prater's farm last February and impounded 99 horses and other animals. Prater will serve the first ... Read full story
 9/11/2007
AHC Releases Schedule and Provides Online Registration For National Issues Forum in November   *
The American Horse Council (AHC) has released a schedule, list of speakers and registration details for its National Issues Fall Forum to be held at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., on Friday, November 2, 2007. Complete details and online registration are now available on the AHC’s web site: www.HorseCouncil.org. The program highlights for the November ... Read full story
 9/8/2007
State of the Industry  *
The changing dynamics of the horse industry in the United States can be likened to the ocean tides. At high tide there were somewhere between 25 and 27 million equines in this country. At low tide, that number dipped to under four million. Today, the tide is rising again, and the number is somewhere between nine and 10 million. The forces that brought ... Read full story
 9/1/2007
Have You Helped?  *
The number of horses that can be helped is dependent on the number of horses the industry is willing to absorb. There's a commercial on television that gives various scenarios of what might have happened if individuals had donated money and skills to various charitable organizations and local benefits. Then it shows what happened when those individuals ... Read full story
 9/1/2007
Illinois Animals Now Covered Under Orders of Protection  *
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich recently signed into law a bill that will allow judges to include animals (including horses) in an order of protection. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) worked closely with legislators to implement this bill, which the Illinois Senate voted unanimously to pass in May of this year. Illinois ... Read full story
 8/22/2007
State of the Industry: Welfare Organizations  *
The Horse contacted more than 100 industry and welfare groups in North America from the list in The Horse Source industry directory to ask them specific questions regarding their organizations, how they serve the horse, and what they see as needs for their organizations and the industry. Following are the questions we asked, and some of the candid ... Read full story
 8/21/2007
Animal Cruelty Charges Filed Against Horse Trader  *
A Wanette, Okla., man has been charged with felony cruelty to animals after authorities confiscated more than 100 horses and mules from his property. Prosecutors allege 61-year-old Charles Edward Johnson failed to provide adequate food, drink, shelter, and veterinary care to 50 horses, 56 donkeys and mules and one llama last month on his rural property ... Read full story
 8/19/2007
Michigan Horse Abuse Debate Rages On  *
A Web site designed to refute allegations brought by Jackson County, Michigan, Animal Control authorities against Matthew Mercier and James Henderson Jr., both accused of felony animal torture in Grass Lake, Mich., is the latest twist in a case that has been embroiled in controversy since its onset. The site contains photos of the horses seized in ... Read full story
 8/4/2007
Horses and Ducks  *
Perhaps you've seen the ad: A freckle-faced little girl covers her face, so pleased she can't hold it in. Purina has a series of these cute and effective ads for its Equine Senior feed. At the bottom of the ads is this: "Horses Make Better People, We Make Better Horses." And Purina is not alone. Page through any horse magazine, including this one, ... Read full story
 8/1/2007
Changing the World  *
How many of us can say, "I have been forever changed by this experience."? How we see our world varies on where we live and the experiences we have. The Horse magazine brings you not only topics that are relevant to horses and their owners in the United States, but looks at how horses fit into the picture in North America and the world. Sometimes ... Read full story
 8/1/2007
Colorado Veterinarians Now Required to Report Suspected Abuse   *
Colorado veterinarians are now required to report suspected animal abuse or neglect, thanks to a state law that went into effect July 1. Supported by organized veterinary medicine, proponents say the statute is meant to encourage veterinarians to report suspected abuse, as well as protect them when they do. "Our hope is the law will give the veterinarian ... Read full story
 7/25/2007
ASPCA Releases Official Statement and FAQs on NYC Carriage Horses   *
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) July 12 released its official position statement on the use of carriage horses in New York City. The carriage horse industry came under fire earlier this month after a horse was injured in a traffic accident with a taxicab. The following is the ASPCA's official position on ... Read full story
 7/17/2007
Kentucky Equine Humane Center Draws Interest  *
The Kentucky Equine Humane Center held its inaugural open house June 23 at the organization's leased property in Nicholasville, Ky. Formed to facilitate adoption of unwanted horses in Kentucky and to provide humane treatment and shelter during the interim, the 85-acre center opened April 16 and runs under a directive and advisory board that includes ... Read full story
 7/7/2007
Jockey Suspended for Overuse of Whip  *
Jockey Frankie Dettori was suspended Thursday for 14 days for overuse of his whip while guiding Ramonti to victory in last month's Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. A disciplinary panel was told that Dettori struck his mount 25 times inside the final 500 meters of the race. The suspension is from July 13-26, allowing the jockey to ride English Derby ... Read full story
 7/5/2007
Program to Help Feed Horses Launched by Kentucky Group   *
The Kentucky Horse Council has announced a new program to assist horse owners who cannot provide adequate feed due to temporary financial setbacks. The Equine Safety Net program is designed to provide a 30-day supply of feed for horses when the owner is having temporary financial difficulties and is unable to supply adequate nutrition. This program ... Read full story
 6/29/2007
Working with Morocco's Horses: Journey's End  *
The article At Work in Morocco, published in The Horse magazine in June 2006, highlighted the conditions of working equids in the African nation. But it also performed an additional function, inspiring a third-year veterinary student at the University of Florida to travel halfway around the world for a veterinary externship unlike anything he's experienced ... Read full story
 6/25/2007
Commentary: Own Responsibly  *
I've worn many hats, figuratively and literally, in the course of a long veterinary career, and with each of them I have done my best to improve the quality of life for our equine friends. I'm wearing a new hat these days: chairman of the Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC). It's not so much that I needed to fill some spare time in my schedule, but rather ... Read full story
 6/21/2007
Horse Drowning: British Horse Group Calling for Changes at Fair   *
The British Horse Society is calling for changes to be introduced at Appleby Horse Fair after a horse drowned at this year's event. Around 1,500 horses were bought and sold June 7-13 at the horse fair in Appleby-in-Westmorland, U.K. The incident happened June 8. Horses and ponies are washed in the River Eden prior to being sold at the fair. According ... Read full story
 6/18/2007
New Zealand Animal Welfare and Bioethics Center to Collaborate with OIE  *
Massey University's Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre has been named a collaborating center of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE, or World Organization for Animal Health), and will provide scientific, bioethical, and educational advice for the OIE and its 169 member countries. The center is the first in New Zealand to be acknowledged ... Read full story
 6/13/2007
Starving, Neglected Horses Found in Oklahoma  *
Tulsa County sheriff's deputies have taken custody of several horses that were found allegedly starving and neglected on a Bixby couple's property (south of Tulsa, Okla.). Darrell and Roberta Christian have been accused in at least 13 felony complaints of animal cruelty. They were booked into the Tulsa Jail following their arrests on Wednesday and ... Read full story
 5/12/2007
Horse Abandonment  *
Any domestic horse in the United States that doesn't have an owner who is managing the horse on a regular basis is abandoned. All domestic horses start out life in the United States as the property of someone. Even the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) horses are "owned" by the government. Throughout the United States we're being faced with problems ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
The Kentucky Equine Humane Center Opens   *
Horses of all breeds in Kentucky who are currently in life-threatening situations will receive the gift of a second chance at the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC), which will officially opens its doors on April 16. “This is an opportunity for all of us to do the right thing and play a role in ensuring the welfare and humane treatment of horses ... Read full story
 4/15/2007
New Kentucky Shelter for At-Risk Horses Opens April 16  *
Horses of all breeds in Kentucky who are currently in life-threatening situations will receive the gift of a second chance at the Kentucky Equine Humane Center (KyEHC), which will officially open its doors on April 16. "This is an opportunity for all of us to do the right thing and play a role in ensuring the welfare and humane treatment of horses ... Read full story
 4/14/2007
Arkansas Legislature Considering Tougher Cruelty Laws  *
Arkansas animal activists are hoping companion animals and horses will soon be protected by harsher penalties for any person who tortures or cruelly kills them, or fails to provide sufficient care. Bills have been introduced in both houses of the state legislature that would make animal abuse a Class D Felony, rather than a misdemeanor as it now ... Read full story
 3/8/2007
Equine Welfare Organizations  *
From the Mustang protection issue to slaughter bills, equine welfare concerns are getting plenty of attention in the mainstream media. Behind these issues are equine welfare organizations working hard to make a change in horses' lives. Some of the organizations are well known, while others are more obscure. All, no matter how large or small, tackle ... Read full story
 3/1/2007
Ohio Sheriff Investigating Dead, Missing Horses  *
Several horses in Cherry Valley, Ohio, were found dead and 11 turned up missing at a farm that had been under surveillance by the county humane society because of reports that the animals were underfed. No charges have been filed in the investigation in this northeast Ohio community, the Ashtabula County sheriff's office said Friday. Only one pony ... Read full story
 2/24/2007
Georgia Neglect Case: Defense Team Questions Seizure   *
The debate over seizure of 99 horses from a Pike County, Ga., farm rages on. While a veterinarian and the Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture felt the seizure was the right thing to do, a family friend and the lawyer for the two people now charged with 201 counts of animal cruelty apiece are questioning the necessity of the Department of Agriculture's ... Read full story
 2/20/2007
Barbaro's Memory Spurs Retirement Program Donations   *
Soon after the death of Barbaro Jan. 29, horse racing enthusiasts and fans of the colt began contacting equine retirement organizations and making donations in his memory. "We've received at least a dozen donations from Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Canada," said Sara Polley of the New York office of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. ... Read full story
 2/7/2007
Ga. Horse Neglect Case: Officials Impounding Horses   *
Georgia agriculture officials said today (Feb. 2) they have found a private facility willing to house the 98 horses found in an alleged state of neglect in Pike County, Ga. The horses will be impounded as soon as final arrangements with the facility are made. "I've been commissioner for 38 years," Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin said yesterday. ... Read full story
 2/2/2007
Abandoned Horses  *
Along the scenic route to Prineville, Ore., you'll notice a sign: Redmond Tallow Company. As if the words don't say it all, a loitering buzzard evokes pensive consideration of the cycle of life. I've never had more than two thoughts about Redmond Tallow--best not to follow their trucks on an August afternoon, and that's who to call when there's a dead ... Read full story
 2/1/2007
Horse Welfare in EU Transport Still a Problem  *
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is giving only a cool welcome to the new European Union (EU) Regulation on live animal transport which came into force on Jan. 5, noted the following article in the Animal Air Transport Association e-news available at www.aata-animaltransport.org/publications.htm. "While it's a step ... Read full story
 1/7/2007
Slaughter Bill Ban On Wild Horses Introduced Today  *
A bill to restore the 34-year ban on the commercial sale and slaughter of America's wild, free-roaming horses and burros (H.R. 249) was introduced today (Jan. 5) by U.S. House of Representatives Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.). Similar legislation was passed unanimously last May as an amendment to the House Interior Appropriations bill, ... Read full story
 1/5/2007
Wild Horse And Burro Round-Up To Proceed  *
America's Wild Horse Advocates try to halt the BLM's herd management programA Las Vegas federal judge has refused to stop the U.S. Bureau of Land Management from rounding up wild horses and burros Tuesday in the Spring Mountains west of Las Vegas. America's Wild Horse Advocates filed an emergency motion earlier this week and argued that the federal ... Read full story
 1/1/2007
North Dakota Man Enters Plea on Horse Mistreatment Charges  *
A man facing charges in North Dakota for mistreating his horses has been given a deferred sentence and fined in East Central District Court. Nicholas Paul Bergquist, 59, of West Fargo, entered an Alford plea on Tuesday (Dec. 26) to a charge of cruelty to animals and a citation for keeping animals in an unhealthy or sanitary manner. In an Alford plea, ... Read full story
 12/28/2006
Woman Abused Horses, Police Say  *
Poor shelter, medical care lead to 77 charges A woman who allegedly neglected dozens of horses on her western Maryland farm was charged Friday (Dec. 22) with 73 misdemeanor counts of animal abuse and four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. Defendant Barbara P. Reinken, 61, declined to comment on the charges, which came nearly three weeks ... Read full story
 12/26/2006
Animal Disaster Team Rides to Rescue  *
A horse rescue in Western Maryland involved the same Humane Society disaster team that responds to hurricanes, floods and forest fires. Seized horses feed on fresh hay Sunday, Dec. 3, at a farm near Sharpsburg, Md. Humane Society officials and Washington County sheriff's deputies have seized the property of a registered nurse accused of ... Read full story
 12/6/2006
Animal Control Needs Housing for 40 Seized Maryland Horses  *
Days End Farm Horse Rescue of Lisbon, Md., currently has 20 horses at its farm that were seized in the Washington County animal control case. Washington County Animal Control is looking for housing for an additional 40 horses. The best case scenario is one site to put all of the horses. The animals should not be in contact with other horses as the ... Read full story
 12/4/2006
Barbaro's Owners Honored at Record TCA Auction  *
Friday evening's (Dec. 1) Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) Stallion Season and Art Auction was the most successful and perhaps most unique in the 17-year history of the event. Held for the first time at Keeneland, the TCA auction raised a record $2.8 million while honoring Roy and Gretchen Jackson, as well as representatives of the New Bolton ... Read full story
 12/3/2006
Two Students Indicted in Texas Horse Killing  *
Two Texas A&M students have been charged with cruelty to animals and criminal mischief for killing a horse in Bryan, Texas, reports The Bryan-College Station Eagle. Kenneth Ryan Peterson, 21, and Walter Ray Williams, 20, were arrested two weeks ago, The Eagle reports. According to court documents, Williams told police the students were returning ... Read full story
 11/4/2006
Humane Society of Missouri Secures Ownership of Accident Horses  *
The Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO) announced this morning (Nov. 2) in a release that it has finalized an agreement that gives the organization ownership of the survivors of the Sept. 27 trailer accident in Franklin County, Mo. In the crash, a double-decker truck carrying 42 slaughter-bound horses overturned on Interstate 44 near Sullivan. Twenty-four ... Read full story
 11/2/2006
It's a Cruel World  *
What defines "cruelty"? The same question was asked of pornography, and the answer was that it's hard to describe, but you know it when you see it. Unfortunately, cruelty to horses has many faces, and not all are what they appear. Some things one person considers cruel, another considers that particular horse's job. And to those who don't know horses ... Read full story
 11/1/2006
Sixteen Horses Removed From Ohio Farm  *
Vindy.com, the online edition of The Vindicator, has reported that 16 malnourished horses have been removed from a boarding farm in Canfield, Ohio. Hubbard veterinarian Suzanne Wilcox, DVM, told the paper the horses were living in "unsafe and squalid conditions." COURTESY DR. SUZANNE WILCOX This weak, ataxic horse was one removed from a farm ... Read full story
 11/1/2006
Veterinarian Describes Missouri Trailer Accident Response  *
A veterinarian who responded to the deadly trailer accident on Sept. 27 has described his experience with The Horse and how it has impacted him. A truck carrying 42 horses bound for slaughter overturned early that morning on Interstate 44 in Franklin County, Mo. Seventeen horses died immediately or were euthanatized due to extensive injuries. The ... Read full story
 10/25/2006
Unwanted Horse Coalition Elects Chair, Names Coordinator  *
This week, the Unwanted Horse Coalition elected Tom Lenz, DVM, to serve as Chairman, and it named Katy Carter as the Coalition's Coordinator. A past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), Lenz is well known and highly regarded for his work in the veterinary and horse community. During his 30-year veterinary career, Lenz ... Read full story
 10/6/2006
Humane Concerns  *
What to do with unwanted horses? Unwanted by their owners for many reasons. Good, bad, old, lame, unmanageable, etc., all need new homes. Most find new owners with good, caring families, but some are taken to sales and are bought for under $300 by horse slaughter plants, because no one else would pay even that much for the horse. This category amounts ... Read full story
 10/1/2006
Soring Controversy Shuts Down Show   *
In the wake of controversy over soring violations at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tenn., in August, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association (TWHBEA) is aggressively pitching its plan to promote consistency in USDA inspections at horse shows. Friction over interpretations of USDA scarring ... Read full story
 9/20/2006
Over the Northern Border  *
In this month's issue of The Horse, certain parts of the Canadian horse industry are highlighted. While the industry is smaller in total horse numbers when compared to the U.S. horse population, it is no less active. Changes to certain segments of the industry, such as the reduction in the pregnant mare urine (PMU) ranches, have affected horse numbers ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Canadian Horse Welfare  *
The horse industry across Canada for the past couple of years has been a bit like a ship in stormy seas. It has been buffeted about, with some of the waves splashing over to its neighbor to the south, but it is now finding itself in calmer waters. In the eye of the storm has been the pregnant mare urine (PMU) industry, which has involved a large number ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Welfare Concerns  *
Because protecting the health and welfare of the horse is one of the American Association of Equine Practitioner's (AAEP) core missions, the association has a standing committee of equine veterinarians dedicated to continuously monitoring issues affecting horse welfare. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association's position on animal ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Shipping and Disease  *
The welfare issues of horses in the United States, and around the world, are of concern to all horse owners. Whether it's starving, neglected, or abused horses in our own county, or the plight of working burros and mules halfway around the world, we care. Sometimes we don't know how to put our caring into action. The first thing that we want, however, ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Unwanted Horse Coalition Folded Into American Horse Council  *
The Unwanted Horse Coalition, which started with an Unwanted Horse Summit during the American Horse Council’s (AHC) annual convention in April 2005, is being folded into the AHC. "The issue of 'unwanted horses' has faced this industry for some time," said American Horse Council Chairman Nick Nicholson, who is also president of Keeneland Association. ... Read full story
 8/1/2006
Arabian Found Abandoned Behind Orange County Home  *
WFTV.com of Orlando, Fla. yesterday (July 13) reported the discovery of a 30-year-old Arabian abandoned behind a home in east Orange County. The previous owner of the property left the chestnut horse behind several months ago when she sold the property, and "Moe" was left to fend for himself. According to the article, "the brush was so high and thick, ... Read full story
 7/14/2006
Unwanted Horse Coalition Folded into AHC  *
The Unwanted Horse Coalition, which started as the Unwanted Horse Summit during the American Horse Council's (AHC) annual convention in April 2005, is being folded into the AHC. American Horse Council Chairman Nick Nicholson made the announcement about the initiative today (June 27). "The issue of 'unwanted horses' has faced this industry for some ... Read full story
 6/27/2006
Congress Votes to Protect Wild Horses from Slaughter  *
Wild horses in the United States received a reprieve on May 19, when the House voted in favor of an amendment to prohibit the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from selling wild horses and burros to commercial entities. An amendment to the Interior Appropriations bill bars the BLM from using funds to sell wild horses or burros at auction, which, in ... Read full story
 6/21/2006
At Work in Morocco  *
Officials in Morocco say there are an estimated 100 million working horses, donkeys, and mules in developing countries, 27 million of which are in Africa. In the Kingdom of Morocco in Northern Africa, there are more than 1.5 million working donkeys and mules, plus nearly 160,000 purebred or crossbred horses. Most of the purebreds and crossbreds are ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
The World's Horses  *
In the country they transport clean water and firewood and are the power for the plow or the cart to market. In the cities they serve as the builder’s van, the taxi, and the refuse collection service. Most of the horses, donkeys, and mules on this planet lead lives intimately linked to those of some of the poorest people. According to recent estimates, ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
Equality or Survival  *
How can we help? That was the question asked over and over by myself, veterinarians, and other visitors as we helplessly walked by stall after stall of sick and injured working mules and donkeys at the hospital run by the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) in Marrakech, Morocco. A pair of inquisitive burros that had been rescued from ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
American Horse Council Considers Unwanted Horse Coalition Proposal  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) board of trustees is considering a proposal that would place under the organization's umbrella a coalition working on the issue of unwanted horses. At the AHC issues forum in April 2005, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) held an "Unwanted Horse Summit" to bring industry representatives together ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
USDA Announces Method for Enforcing Horse Protection Act  *
The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced on April 14 the use of gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to enforce the Horse Protection Act. The method will detect horses that have been subjected to soring, a practice used to accentuate a horse's gait. Since 2004, APHIS' animal care program has held public meetings ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
Analysis of Soring Data from 2002-2005   *
Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) has analyzed data from over 2,800 suspensions imposed by the USDA and Horse Industry Organizations (HIOs) under the Horse Protection Operating Plans since 2002. Horse Protection Act (HPA) violations that resulted in the suspensions include soring, scarring, pressure shoeing, and the use of foreign substances on horses' ... Read full story
 5/31/2006
Center Offers New Hope for Unwanted Horses  *
On May 3, members of the Kentucky horse industry announced that they have united to form the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, a new shelter and adoption service for unwanted horses of all breeds. According to the group, The Kentucky Equine Humane Center's mission is to provide humane treatment and shelter while working as a clearinghouse to seek adoptive ... Read full story
 5/9/2006
Found Horses--Missing Owners   *
According to Stolen Horse International, horses sometimes appear under mysterious circumstances. The animals could have been seized by authorities because of abuse, they might have been rescued, they could have escaped their fields, or perhaps they were abandoned after thieves changed their minds. The caretakers/owners of these "found" horses would ... Read full story
 5/9/2006
Stolen Horse International Announces Court Victories  *
Stolen Horse International Announces Court Victories for Missing Horse Case VictimsFrom California to Maryland Stolen Horse International (SHI) has resolved equine theft cases and has proven the justice system can prevail. For Rod Vilencia of California the victory was more than a decade in the making. And in the end, he not only got his mare back, ... Read full story
 5/4/2006
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
AHC Considers "Unwanted Horse" Coalition Proposal  *
The American Horse Council board of trustees is considering a proposal that would place under the organization's umbrella a coalition working on the issue of unwanted horses. At the American Horse Council issues forum a year ago, the American Association of Equine Practitioners held what was called the "Unwanted Horse Summit" to bring industry representatives ... Read full story
 4/5/2006
Hollywood Horses  *
Horses have been an integral part of movies since The Great Train Robbery debuted in 1903 as a silent film. That pioneer production opened the floodgates for the western movie, and horses began galloping across the screen in waves until the late 1960s and early 1970s, when westerns went into decline. Of course, other types of movies through the years ... Read full story
 3/1/2006
Wild Horse Shot in Outer Banks   *
Investigators are searching for information on the shooting death of a pregnant wild horse found Dec. 27, 2005, on the Outer Banks of Currituck County, N.C. A resident found the 2-year-old shot in the stomach, said the Currituck County Sheriff's Office. Donna and Gene Snow, former co-directors of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund (CWHF), mounted a search ... Read full story
 3/1/2006
Filly with Burned Tail Fully Recovered  *
A 2-year-old Spotted Saddle Horse filly near Fayetteville, N.C., has recovered completely from an attack last August in which her tail was set on fire and later had to be amputated. According to the horse's owner and veterinarian, a drainage tract at the site of the amputation has healed and a soft-tissue leg injury sustained in the attack has resolved. ... Read full story
 1/6/2006
Days End Farm Horse Rescue Honored with 2005 Equine Welfare Award  *
Days End Farm Horse Rescue, a non-profit, volunteer-based animal welfare organization, is the 2005 recipient of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) equine welfare award, the Lavin Cup. Named for AAEP past president A. Gary Lavin, VMD, the award is presented annually to a non-veterinary individual or organization that has demonstrated ... Read full story
 12/27/2005
Horse Facts Launched at AAEP Convention  *
In order to raise awareness about the vital role of animal research in advancing the health of horses, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Foundation and the Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) announced on Dec. 6 a new educational program entitled Horse Facts. At a media briefing held during the annual AAEP convention in ... Read full story
 12/7/2005
Filly Recovering from Tail Burning and Amputation   *
"I knew right away that it was definitely a burn," stated Brian K. Garrett, DVM, of Animal Hospital of Fayetteville in Fayetteville, N.C., Dixie's treating veterinarian. Trespassers maliciously burned the 2-year-old Spotted Saddle Horse filly's tail and legs during the night of Aug. 19 near Erwin, N.C. Officials from the Harnett County Sheriff's Office ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Unwanted Horse Summit   *
Representatives from 20 equine-related organizations that make up the unwanted horse coalition met Sept. 21 at the American Veterinary Medical Association headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill., to focus on the group's mission and to create a long-term organizational structure. The coalition's mission, "To reduce the number of unwanted horses and improve ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Louis Pomes Named White Horse Winner  *
Louis Pomes, who worked tirelessly to find and lead abandoned horses to safety in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, was named the 2005 winner of the White Horse Award Thursday afternoon at Belmont Park. The award was bestowed upon Pomes during the third annual Race Track Chaplaincy of America's White Horse Heroes Luncheon held in the Marquee tent near ... Read full story
 10/28/2005
Animal ID Moves Forward  *
United States Department of Agriculture officials announced at the ID/INFO Expo 2005 that they are pursuing an industry-funded animal tracking database to trace the movement of animals in the event of a disease outbreak. The privatization of the database raised concerns about funding and security among those in attendance. Agriculture representatives ... Read full story
 10/26/2005
Call Goes Out to Fund Testing Consortium  *
The Racing Medication and Testing Consortium expects to have enough money to carry it through 2006, but officials with the group indicated not all members are on the same page on how to fund the organization in the future. The consortium, which met Oct. 16-17 in Lexington, received about $2.5 million from founding organizations and members, including ... Read full story
 10/26/2005
Four Horses Shot and Killed in Idaho  *
According to ABC news affiliate KIFI Local News 8 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, four horses were shot Friday (Oct. 14) in Fremont County, Idaho, after wandering onto a neighboring property. Three of the horses died instantly, and the fourth had to be euthanatized. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they had identified a suspect in the shootings. ... Read full story
 10/19/2005
Event Celebrates Equine Volunteers at Lamar-Dixon  *
The scene at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center during the past five weeks has been all business. Veterinarians, veterinary students, and volunteers have dutifully cared for the facility's residents--Katrina's equine refugees that were rescued from their flooded or storm-torn homes. But for a few hours last night (Oct. 9), the pace slowed and a pair of hulking ... Read full story
 10/10/2005
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
Tweaking Tails   *
There is bucolic tranquility in the sight of two horses dozing in the sun, side by side, nose to tail, with their tails rhythmically swishing as they leisurely work at keeping flies off their bodies. That is the basic purpose of the equine tail as designed by nature--keeping pesky insects at bay. That's a pretty simple job, but the tail's usefulness ... 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
Filly Recovering after Tail Amputation  *
Dixie, the Spotted Saddle Horse filly had her tail amputated on Sept. 1, 2005, after trespassers ignited and burned her tail on Aug. 19. To see pictures of the tail amputation click here. CAUTION!! These pictures are very graphic. For more information on her original injuries click www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=6074. ... Read full story
 9/15/2005
Filly's Burned Tail Amputated  *
Dixie, the spotted saddle horse who was set on fire on Aug. 19, had to have her tail amputated, said her owner, Vonda Hamilton, of Erwin, N.C. Brian Garrett, DVM, had given Dixie a 60% chance of survival following the attack, but thought her tail would probably require amputation, given that 90% was gone or damaged. On Sept. 1, Garrett sedated Dixie ... Read full story
 9/7/2005
Texas Judge Rules Horse Meat Legal  *
On Aug. 25, U.S. District Judge Terry Means ruled that the possession of horse meat for sale for human consumption was not illegal under Texas law. The judge also issued a permanent injunction against Tarrant County, Texas, District Attorney Tim Curry to enjoin him from prosecuting the plaintiffs for violating chapter 149 of the Texas Agriculture Code. ... Read full story
 9/6/2005
CNN Airs Clip of Mini Horse Owners Impacted by Hurricane Katrina  *
Following the airing of a live Anderson Cooper CNN broadcast from Waveland, Miss., the American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) has been flooded with offers of help and support for some of its members featured on air who are trapped in this area. Drs. William and Judith Bradford and their three children have survived Hurricane Katrina, but are ... Read full story
 9/2/2005
Animal Aid Worker on Katrina:   *
The macabre images flashing on our television screens don't even begin to capture the grief, the chaos, and the stench that is being experienced by individuals in several Gulf Coast states as a result of deadly Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of horses have probably been impacted, but the current reality is that human welfare must be tended to first, ... Read full story
 9/1/2005
Texas Equine Rescue Group Helping Louisiana's Horses  *
Habitat for Horses/Lone Star Equine Rescue is organizing a massive relief and rescue effort to help the equines of southern Louisiana after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina forced millions to evacuate. A large number of horses, mules, and donkeys are now in danger of starvation, injury, and death if relief efforts are not immediately taken. The ... Read full story
 9/1/2005
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
TRF Saratoga Fundraiser Sets Record  *
With the horse racing industry clearly responding to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's (TRF) increased need to care for a rapidly increasing population of retirees, the charity raised $629,000 at its annual fund-raiser Monday night (Aug. 8) at the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The total topped the old record by more than ... Read full story
 8/10/2005
McCarron Chooses TRF Retirees for Racing Academy  *
Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron has entered into an agreement with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) to supply horses for the North American Racing Academy, a riding school McCarron will open later this year. McCarron's academy will be the first of its kind in this country and will mirror the many successful riding schools that have churned ... Read full story
 8/1/2005
Department of Interior Releases Plea for Help in Caring for Mustangs  *
The U.S. of the Interior sent the following letter to the press today requesting help with the ever-increasing populations of mustangs and burros that are exceeding the carrying capacity of Bureau of Land Management acreage. Additionally, the current number of mustangs and burros in the department's holding facilities is threatening to overwhelm resources ... Read full story
 7/28/2005
National Steering Committee Formed Following Unwanted Horse Summit  *
Industry groups to meet again in September Following closely on the heels of the nation's first-ever Unwanted Horse Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 19, a National Steering Committee has been named to perform the organizational work necessary to keep the project moving forward. In a conference call on June 8 involving all participants of the Summit, ... Read full story
 7/26/2005
Nygaard Going to Jail for Animal Cruelty  *
After showing up to her sentencing 20 minutes late on July 19, Kathleen Nygaard faces 90 days in jail, according to WLEX-TV. Nygaard is charged with seven counts of animal cruelty after humane officials were alerted to dead and starving horses in January on a Central Kentucky horse farm she had been leasing. Judge Joseph Bouvier also sentenced Nygaard ... Read full story
 7/19/2005
A Promising Future  *
When equine industry leaders gathered in Washington, D.C., on April 19 for the first Unwanted Horse Summit, it marked the start of an unprecedented effort by the horse community to address the care and fate of this country's “unwanted” horses. The recently coined phrase "unwanted horse" represents those horses within the domestic equine population ... Read full story
 7/1/2005
Ad-Painted Horse Causes Welfare Warning  *
Not many people think of using their horses as painted billboards, and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says you shouldn't. At least, they say, not with regular paint, as it could harm the horse. According to a story on Scotsman.com (http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=480752005), a horse was painted by a local professional ... Read full story
 7/1/2005
Split Verdict in Central Kentucky Horse Abuse Case  *
The two central Kentucky women charged with animal cruelty after authorities seized their 24 horses from a Lexington farm in January 2005 received a split verdict in court on June 8. After a two-day trial, the mother, Nancy Nygaard, was acquitted of all charges, while her daughter, Kathleen Nygaard, was charged on all seven counts of cruelty to animals ... Read full story
 6/17/2005
Summit Charts Course for Unwanted Horses   *
More than 25 equine-industry organizations and one U.S. congressman participated in the nation's first Unwanted Horse Summit on April 19 in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the Summit served as a catalyst for identifying long-term solutions designed to improve the quality of life of unwanted horses. ... Read full story
 6/1/2005
Unwanted Horse Summit Report  *
Unwanted Horse Summit April 19, 2005 – Washington, DC Background The attached list of organizations and officials were invited to attend a one day workshop for the purpose of determining if agreement could be reached regarding addressing the issue of unwanted horses in the United States. Those invited to the Summit were acknowledged to have differing ... Read full story
 6/1/2005
Advertisement-Painted Horse Causes Welfare Warning  *
Not many people think of using their horses as painted billboards, and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says you shouldn't. At least, they say, not with regular paint, as it could harm the horse. According to a story on Scotsman.com, a horse was painted by a local professional face painter on May 4 to promote the Lunderton ... Read full story
 5/16/2005
Churchill Downs Incorporated Receives TRF "Champion Award"  *
Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) today received the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation's (TRF) "Champion Award" for CDI's work on behalf of the non-profit organization and the humane retirement of racehorses in the states where CDI racetracks are located. The TRF, which helps retire and find new homes for Thoroughbred racehorses that do not have ... Read full story
 5/5/2005
Wild Horses Slaughtered at Cavel  *
According to an April 21 AP newswire story, six wild mustangs that were sold to a private owner in Oklahoma have been slaughtered at Cavel International in DeKalb, Ill. Celia Boddington, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), says the recent sale of the horses is being investigated. The transaction that occurred that allowed the horses ... Read full story
 4/22/2005
Summit Charts Historic Course for Unwanted Horses  *
More than 25 equine-industry organizations and one U.S. congressman participated in the nation's first-ever Unwanted Horse Summit on Tuesday, April 19, in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), the Summit served as a catalyst for identifying long-term solutions designed to improve the quality of life of ... Read full story
 4/20/2005
Pointing Fingers?   *
Originally the reason to cover the plight of working horses in Mexico was to open the eyes of U.S. owners to the fact that our horses don't have it too bad in this country, despite any disagreements we have on equine welfare issues. We also wanted to highlight the good work the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH) is doing in that ... Read full story
 4/1/2005
Recognizing and Responding to Neglect   *
Equine veterinarians are in a unique position to recognize neglect or the potential for neglect in horses. They have direct access to horses and horse property, and they get to know horses and their owners by providing care for many years. As regular outsiders, equine veterinarians might pick up on trends of which the horse's owner could be unaware. ... Read full story
 4/1/2005
U.S. Outreach Needed  *
There is a growing awareness in the equine community of unwanted, neglected, and mistreated horses. At the 2004 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) meeting, an entire session was devoted to a discussion of the "Unwanted Horse." In light of information presented there, one might be inclined to say that the challenge on the home front ... Read full story
 4/1/2005
Welfare in Mexico  *
Mexico is truly a land of enchantment. Pristine beaches in places with names like Acapulco and Cancun entice visitors, many of them very wealthy, from around the world. Scenic mountains tower over part of the land. Blue skies and balmy temperatures for much of the year erase memories of snow and cold in other parts of the world. But Mexico is also ... Read full story
 4/1/2005
Saddlebred to be Reburied at Kentucky Horse Park   *
The body of champion Saddlebred Wild Eyed and Wicked will be re-interred at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington after forensic study. Wicked, a two-time winner of the Saddlebred Triple Crown, was one of five Saddlebreds that were injected with a tissue-killing substance in the pasterns of their left forelegs during the summer of 2003 at the Double ... Read full story
 4/1/2005
Wild Horse Dispersal Under New Legislation  *
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has begun selling the wild horses and burros under its care due to the new stipulations of the amended 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act. The first group to benefit from the new legislation was Wild Horses Wyoming, LLC. The group purchased 200 mares on March 1. Ron Hawkins, ranch operations partner with Wild Horses ... Read full story
 3/21/2005
The AAEP Announces Unwanted Horse Summit Participants  *
Bringing together the equine industry's major organizations for the first time to address the issue of unwanted horses, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) will host a one-day Unwanted Horse Summit onTuesday, April 19 during the American Horse Council's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. "This unprecedented level of cooperation ... Read full story
 3/21/2005
Thoroughbred Breeders Look Out for an Old Friend  *
When Patricia and Richard Lenihan sold a horse they bred along with a partner at a 1998 2-year-old sale at Timonium for $80,000, they never forgot about the colt who would be named Holmdel. They watched with delight as he finished third in the 1998 Rushing Man Stakes at the Meadowlands and won allowance races at Aqueduct and Monmouth as his earnings ... Read full story
 3/17/2005
Care and Welfare   *
Twenty-four, seven--that's what caring for horses entails. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, horses are the responsibility of someone. And that's if they are young and healthy, turned out, and don't need special care. If they have physical or psychological problems, or if there are special needs that must be seen to, care can become time-consuming ... Read full story
 3/3/2005
U.S. Horse Abuse Cases in January   *
Numerous horse abuse cases have been reported during the month of January throughout the United States. Miami, Fla., humane officials are working with the unnamed owner of five malnourished horses removed from his property on Jan. 4. One of the horses was a 7-month-old foal that died from liver failure after eating a poisonous plant because it ... Read full story
 3/3/2005
All Horses Need Care   *
All of us believe we're responsible horse owners. We provide adequate care and nutrition, call the veterinarian when our horses don't seem quite right or need an annual examination, and in many cases treat them like members of our own families. Putting our horses first is a priority for everyone, right? Unfortunately, not all horses' owners feel ... Read full story
 3/1/2005
Rescue & Rehab Facilities   *
To most people, the aging process seems cruel. Your body becomes less dependable, you can't do things as quickly as you used to, and you take a long time to recover from illness and injury. For horses, all of this applies and, in many cases, to a greater extent. Young horses are useful for sport, while old horses are often too fragile for the show ... Read full story
 3/1/2005
Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Reintroduced to Congress  *
The Horse Slaughter Prevention Act has been reintroduced to Congress as bill H.R. 503. Congressman John Sweeney of New York is the lead sponsor of H.R. 503 and introduced the bill on Feb. 1 as "A bill to amend the Horse Protection Act to prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, or donation of horses ... Read full story
 2/3/2005
Bill Introduced to Restore Prohibition of Wild Horses to Slaughter  *
Congressman Nick Rahall of West Virginia introduced a bill (H.R. 297) to the House of Representatives on Jan. 25 that would restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros. In a speech to the 109th Congress, Rahall said, "My legislation is necessary because of 36 lines that were hidden away in the recently enacted ... Read full story
 1/26/2005
AAEP 2004: How to Manage Starved Horses and Effectively Work with Humane and Law Enforcement Officials  *
"The role of the veterinarian in the community is very important (in equine welfare cases)," said Julie Wilson, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, head of large animal medicine at the University of Minnesota's (UM) College of Veterinary Medicine. "We're perceived as the experts on horse health and advocates for the welfare of the horse. In an ideal scenario, horses ... Read full story
 1/20/2005
Owner of Central Kentucky Seized Horses Makes Statement  *
Amy Labbe, owner of the mare and foal seized by the Lexington Humane Society (LHS) in Lexington, Ky., on Jan. 5 and brought to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute (HEMI) because of their malnourished condition, comes to the defense of Nancy and Kathleen Nygaard, caretakers of the horses. "First, Nancy Nygaard has nothing to do with this. She is 62 years ... Read full story
 1/18/2005
Tsunami's Effects on Horses Unclear; Work Animals Likely Affected   *
No one has ventured to guess the extent of devastation to horses in tsunami-ravaged areas in Asia. The initial disaster and the resulting shortages of food and clean water could affect many work animals in regions of southern India areas and in areas where horses are integral to daily life. Internationally, animal welfare groups are analyzing the immediate ... Read full story
 1/10/2005
Malnourished Horses Seized in Kentucky  *
Twenty-four horses have been confiscated from a Lexington, Ky., farm by the Lexington Humane Society (LHS) after one dead horse was found in a pasture. Four of the horses were in acute condition from starvation and were transported to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute (HEMI). STAFF PHOTO Dr. Kristy Amer examines a mare and foal which were ... Read full story
 1/10/2005
Thoroughbred Industry Establishes Fund for Tsunami Relief Effort   *
Donations will be accepted at Keeneland's January Sale As the devastating toll of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami continues to mount, members of the Thoroughbred industry are establishing a fund for the relief efforts. The Keeneland Foundation will coordinate and administer the fund. Proceeds will be given to Action Against Hunger and Direct ... Read full story
 1/7/2005
AAEP Announces Unwanted Horse Summit  *
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has announced plans for hosting an Unwanted Horse Summit. The Summit, a one-day conference bringing equine industry leaders together to address the problem of unwanted horses, will take place Tuesday, April 19, 2005, during the American Horse Council's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. "Just ... Read full story
 12/17/2004
Hild Pleads Innocent to Animal Cruelty Charges  *
According to an AP story on Bloodhorse.com, racehorse trainer Glenn Hild pleaded innocent Dec. 7 to misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty. Hild, former owner of Broken Word Farm, near Hots Springs, Ark., is "charged in Hot Springs District Court with 17 counts, and is scheduled to go to trial Feb. 3." Seventeen horses were seized on Nov. 17 from ... Read full story
 12/14/2004
Bill Rider Makes Wild Horses Eligible for Slaughter  *
Some feral horses and burros rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are now eligible to be sold at public auctions to the highest bidder. The appropriations bill for 2005 (H.R. 4818) was made public law on Dec. 7. This bill had a rider attached to it on Nov. 20, 2004, by Sen. Conrad Burns of Montana that concerned the wild horse and burro ... Read full story
 12/13/2004
Ban Passed on U.K. Hunting with Hounds  *
According to www.equine-world.co.uk, the U.K. House of Commons on Nov. 18 used the Parliament Act to force through the a bill to ban hunting with hounds. "Following disagreement between the Commons and the Lords, the Parliament Act was invoked for only the fourth (time) since 1949 to force a Bill through," said the article. The British Horse Society ... Read full story
 12/7/2004
Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Needs Help  *
A "wish list" has been put together by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) of needed items for its new Maker's Mark Secretariat Center at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky. The Secretariat Center was designed to showcase Thoroughbreds that are sound and ready for another career to the thousands of horse owners who come through the Kentucky ... Read full story
 11/17/2004
Arkansas Trainer Charged With Animal Cruelty   *
An arrest warrant was issued yesterday (Nov. 16) for Arkansas trainer Glenn Hild on 17 charges of animal cruelty, according to Mary Ann Taft, Arkansas State Humane Officer. The 17 Thoroughbreds Hild allegedly mistreated and neglected are in the process of being taken from his former Broken Word Farm near Hot Springs, Ark. The horses will be taken to ... Read full story
 11/17/2004
Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities Released by the AAEP  *
Because of the vital services provided to unwanted and neglected or abused horses by equine rescue and retirement groups, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has developed a new resource guide titled "Care Guidelines for Equine Rescue and Retirement Facilities." The guide is designed to help the non-veterinary caregiver successfully ... Read full story
 11/15/2004
NAERIC Foals Arrive at Ryerss for Sixth Annual Foal Adoption  *
The arrival of the North American Equine Ranching Information Council (NAERIC) foals at Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines for this year's Sixth Annual Foal Adoption Program has been nothing less than energizing for the staff at Ryerss and the nearly 100 aged horses it cares for every day. The entire farm is infused with a whole new level of excitement. PHOTO ... Read full story
 10/4/2004
Trailer Accident Survivors Doing Well  *
The surviving horses from a trailer accident occurring in Indiana on Sept. 15 are all doing well according to Rusty Ford, equine programs manager for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA). Ford said, "I have spoken with Mr. Jodi Ramey on the telephone (on Sept. 22), and he said the horses are showing improvements (from their injuries). I also ... Read full story
 9/24/2004
Welfare is Your Concern   *
For a veterinarian, one of the most important oaths taken is to protect the health and welfare of the animals in your care. For an organization like the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), which is the largest professional association of equine veterinarians in the world, one of its most important roles is addressing welfare issues ... Read full story
 9/1/2004
Birth Control For Rescue Horses  *
This summer, Habitat for Horses, a non-profit equine rescue center in Hitchcock, Texas, began giving mares the porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine, an animal form of birth control. Since HR 857, a bill that would eliminate the slaughter of horses in and from the United States for human consumption, was put into sub-committee, horse rescue groups are ... Read full story
 8/23/2004
Future of Wyoming Wild Horses  *
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will remove up to 1,400 excess wild horses from six herd management areas in the southwest and south-central Wyoming rangelands, according to The Casper Star Tribune. The BLM's appropriate management level, set forth by the state, is about 3,263 horses. In recent years, the wild horse population in Wyoming has reached ... Read full story
 8/23/2004
Horses Lost In Hurricane Charley  *
Three horses were euthanized in Florida due to injuries sustained from flying debris during Hurricane Charley, according to Alan Schwartz of Days End Farm Horse Rescue of Lisbon, Md. Friday, Aug. 13, was in fact a bad luck day, as winds up to 145 miles per hour ripped across Florida. Code 3 Associates, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), ... Read full story
 8/20/2004
More Than a War of Words   *
More than a half-century ago, noted science fiction author Isaac Asimov began his acclaimed series of Robot novels, examining increasingly complex interactions between humans and robots in a future world. Asimov's underlying premise for the books was that robots had advanced sufficiently to become sentient beings. Questions raised by this development ... Read full story
 5/1/2004
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
Welfare Involvement at Local Levels   *
A Pike County, Ohio, resident reported suspected abuse in a 52-horse herd in mid-December 2003 to a veterinarian, who asked local law enforcement officials to have the horses examined. By Jan. 9, the horses in question had been examined by three veterinarians , were monitored, then were seized by local authorities. In the meantime, People for the Ethical ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
Vet's Work with Retirement Group Garners February "My Vet Matters" Award  *
Stephen H. Bokman, DVM, MS, of En