TheHorse.com logo
Sign In or Create a Login
for access to 15,300+ articles
News and veterinarian-approved articles on
equine health care from The Horse magazine.



Go to Article #:
 
Adoptable Horse
Sponsored By Exclusively Equine


Get a DVM
Article Library

Please Note: We have put articles into topic categories only when they are focused on those topics, not just if they mention the topic once. If you are having trouble finding something, please use the search box above.

Skip Navigation LinksAll Horse Topics > Business/ Financial/ Legal > Legal Concerns/Legislation


Articles ( * = TheHorse.com members only )Date Posted
Free Equine Law Seminar for Horse Professionals
On Dec. 14 EquestrianProfessional.com will continue its horse business seminar series with "What Every Equine Business Person Needs to Know About the Law." The guest speaker will be renowned equine law expert and author Julie I. Fershtman, attorney at law. According to the seminar organizers, Fershtman is one of the most experienced and ... Read full story
 11/7/2009
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
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
Horse Fraud Trial: Winning the Selleck Case  *
Trial lawyer George Knopfler faced a number of unique challenges beyond simply proving the facts of his case when he represented actor Tom Selleck and his family in a lawsuit alleging fraud in the sale of a show horse. He had to educate a jury with little experience in the horse business about the ins and outs of the show horse world; he had to make ... Read full story
 10/19/2009
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
American Horse Council Reports 'No-Match' Rule Rescinded  *
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a final rule that will rescind the so called "no-match" rule. DHS originally issued the "no match" rule in August of 2007 in an attempt to crackdown on employers who "knowingly" hired undocumented workers. The rule required an employer that received a "no match" letter from the Social Security Administration ... Read full story
 10/8/2009
Commentary: Animal Guardianship and Horses  *
Imagine that overnight a new state law goes into effect declaring that from now on you do not own your animals but rather you are their "guardian." Does this sound farfetched? Some local communities have already made this change The first legal step on this road has been the addition of "owner-guardian" language to local ordinances, then changing the ... Read full story
 10/5/2009
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
Scenic Trail Act Could Expand Equestrian Access   *
The Complete America's Great Trails Act (HR 1912) has found support from the American Horse Council. This bill was introduced by Rep. Gerry E. Connolly (D-VA) and Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) On April 9, 2009. Hundreds of thousands of Americas enjoy recreational riding. Whether these recreational riders participate in short trail rides or much longer ... Read full story
 9/22/2009
Former Lab Tech Suing Polo Ponies' Supplement Maker   *
A former lab technician is suing the Florida company that produced a vitamin and mineral compound blamed for killing 21 polo horses in April on grounds that she lost her job after cooperating with authorities investigating the deaths. The horses died after receiving a selenium, vitamin B, and potassium compound prepared by Franck's Lab, Inc. State ... 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
Extended Suspension Means No Olympics for German Equestrian Ahlmann  *
For Christian Ahlmann, the four-month forbidden substance suspension that morphed into an eight-month suspension has its own "long tail"--in Ahlmann's case, a ban against competing in the 2012 London Olympic Games. Ahlmann was suspended prior to the individual jumping final at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong after his horse, Cöster, tested positive ... Read full story
 8/20/2009
FEI Completes Investigation into German Equestrian Federation   *
The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) isn't yet revealing its findings, but on August 14 it announced the completion of its investigation into doping allegations involving riders and officials of the German Equestrian Federation (German FN). The German FN disbanded its jumping, eventing, and dressage teams May 28 following a wave of suspensions ... Read full story
 8/19/2009
More H-2B Visas Available to Temporary Foreign Nonagricultural Workers  *
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reopened the FY 2009 H-2B visa petition filing period Thursday, Aug. 6, for temporary foreign nonagricultural workers, and it will immediately accept new H-2B petitions, reported the American Horse Council. On Jan. 7 USCIS announced that it had received enough H-2B petitions to meet the annual cap ... Read full story
 8/8/2009
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
Contaminated Feed Seized in Kentucky   *
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising horse owners to discard feed purchased at a Florence, Ky., feed store because it could be contaminated. The agency issued the advisory on Monday when U.S. Marshals seized $24,000 in livestock food products from the Bi-County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association Inc. The FDA inspectors discovered ... Read full story
 7/21/2009
Horse, Livestock Feed Seized from Kentucky Mill   *
U.S. marshals have seized horse and livestock feed stored under "filthy" conditions at the Bi-County Farm Bureau Cooperative Association Inc. in Florence, Ky., according to a statement released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bi-County manufactures feed and stores commercial feeds. "The FDA will not tolerate a company's failure to adequately ... Read full story
 7/20/2009
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
Lawsuit Claims Racehorse 'I Want Revenge' Injury Not Disclosed  *
IEAH Stables has filed court documents claiming that David Lanzman failed to disclose injuries to I Want Revenge that eventually led to the 3-year-old colt being scratched on the morning of the Kentucky Derby, for which he was the morning-line favorite. IEAH purchased 50% interest in the son of Stephen Got Even on March 25 for $3,175,00, and on April ... Read full story
 7/16/2009
Horse Incentive Fund Bill Signed by Texas Governor  *
All American Quarter Horses, American Paint Horses, and Appaloosas conceived by mares and stallions living in Texas during 2009 are eligible to be nominated to the new Texas Equine Incentive Fund. House Bill 1881, which was signed by Gov. Rick Perry on June 19. It becomes law Sept. 1. The bill creates a voluntary monetary incentive program to keep ... Read full story
 7/2/2009
Riding Land Conservation Efforts Get Boost from AQHA   *
Land conservation projects will get a helping hand from the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), after that group signed a memorandum of understanding to work together with the USDA Forest Service. The Forest Service is a federal agency dedicated to the management of National Forest System lands for a variety of uses and activities, including ... Read full story
 6/30/2009
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
Kentucky Horse Industry Rally Draws Nearly 1,000  *
Nearly a thousand people traveled to Kentucky's state capitol in Frankfort June 17 to rally for a cause they have stood behind for years: to boost the horse racing industry by way of expanded casino gaming. With a special session currently underway that could pass a bill that would allow video lottery terminals at Kentucky racetracks, the Kentucky ... Read full story
 6/17/2009
House Funding Bill Excludes Animal Identification System   *
The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) will receive no new funding under a 2010 spending bill proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA appropriations subcommittee. Chairwoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Ct.) announced bill details on June 11. The NAIS is a nationwide livestock database designed to help ... Read full story
 6/16/2009
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
Kentucky Horse Industry Plans Rally at Capitol   *
The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) is organizing a rally June 17 in the Capitol Rotunda to drum up support for legislation that would financially assist the horse industry. The rally begins at 10 a.m. EDT on the third day of a special legislative session in Frankfort, the state capital. On the call for the session is legislation to authorize ... Read full story
 6/11/2009
German Equestrian Teams Go Kaput in Wake of Drug and Med Scandals  *
Want to become a member of the German jumping, eventing, or dressage team? Even if you have a medal on your mantelpiece, you'll have to reapply for consideration by the German Olympic Sports Federation. That's because, as of May 28, there are no German teams for the three Olympic equestrian disciplines. The German Equestrian Federation (aka the German ... Read full story
 6/10/2009
Florida Governor Signs Youth Equestrian Helmet Law   *
Florida Governor Charlie Crist yesterday signed HB 169, a bill that mandates the use of protective helmets by young equestrians when riding on public property or roads. Sponsored by Rep. Joseph Abruzzo and Sen. Dave Aronberg, the law applies to children age 16 and younger who are: Riding on a public roadway or right-of-way; Riding on a public ... Read full story
 6/9/2009
Mixed Results on Slaughter Bills as State Legislatures Adjourn   *
The sponsor of Tennessee legislation promoting horse processing plant development in that state is not giving up on the bill, although it's now stalled in the state's Senate Commerce Committee. Sponsored by Rep. Frank Niceley, HB 1428 would allow private investors to develop a horse slaughter plant in the state. It would also insulate prospective ... Read full story
 6/2/2009
Vet in Cobra Venom Case Sues Racing Commission  *
Rodney Stewart, DVM, who was suspended five years by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission for violating various medication violations including possession of cobra venom, has filed a suit in Franklin (Kentucky) Circuit Court alleging that the action was "not supported by substantial evidence, is arbitrary and capricious, and/or an abuse of discretion." ... Read full story
 6/1/2009
Obama Suspends Recent H-2A Agricultural Worker Rule Changes  *
According to an update from the American Horse Council (AHC), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has suspended the recent changes to the H-2A program made by the Bush Administration in December 2008. On Dec. 18 DOL adopted a final rule outlining new procedures for the administration of the H-2A temporary agricultural alien worker program. Many horse ... Read full story
 5/31/2009
Oklahoma Equine Dentistry Bill Remains Controversial  *
Oklahomans who are not veterinarians will soon be able to float horses' teeth without risking felony charges, now that Gov. Brad Henry signed SB 452 into law on Thursday. SB 452 strips an amendment to the state's Veterinary Practice Act of a 2008, which called for felony penalties against individuals without a veterinary license who float or extract ... Read full story
 5/23/2009
Oklahoma Governor Reverses Equine Dentistry Law   *
Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry today signed a bill that reverses a state law enacted last November that turned lay equine dentists into felons, according to a statement released by the Institute for Justice. Under the reversed law, lay dentists risked felony penalties that included fines of up to $10,000 and jail for up to four years. Gov. Henry's action ... Read full story
 5/21/2009
Oklahoma Legislators Back Lay Equine Dentists  *
Oklahoma legislators have approved a measure that allows individuals who are not veterinarians to float horses' teeth without risking felony charges. SB 452 strips an amendment from the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act of 2008 that allowed felony charges against anyone accused of practicing veterinary medicine without a license. The Oklahoma House ... Read full story
 5/15/2009
AHC Working to Preserve Recreational Trails Program  *
The American Horse Council is working to preserve the Federal Highway Administration's Recreational Trails Program (RTP). If Congress does not take action this year this program could be eliminated, thereby impacting recreational riders. The RTP provides funding directly to the states for recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both ... Read full story
 5/8/2009
Montana Slaughter Law Could Face Challenges   *
A new Montana state law invites private investors to develop horse slaughter facilities in that state. But opponents say compliance and court challenges might discourage prospective investors from ever breaking ground on plant projects. HB 418 insulates plant developers from permit and licensing challenges on environmental and other grounds, and ... Read full story
 5/6/2009
Montana Horse Slaughter Bill Becomes Law  *
A measure promoting privately-owned horse processing plant development in Montana became law on Friday when Gov. Brian Schweitzer allowed the bill to lapse into law. HB 418 insulates prospective plant developers from permit and licensing challenges on environmental and other grounds, and awards attorney and court fees to plaintiffs in cases District ... Read full story
 5/4/2009
Equine Lobbyist: Horse Industry Must Be Diligent in D.C.   *
There's a new president in town, and a Congress even more dominated by Democrats, but one of the nation's top lobbyists for equine interests said April 30 that the horse industry must be ever-diligent about protecting and advancing its positions in Washington, D.C. American Horse Council president Jay Hickey, who was speaking at the 24th National ... Read full story
 5/1/2009
Horse and Farm Insurance  *
Choose a knowledgeable insurance agent with a reputable company that understands horses and the horse industry. Everyone is feeling the effects of the struggling economy, and many of us are trying to trim expenses. One place you might look to trim--or cut entirely--is insurance. It is one of those complicated, often misunderstood topics that most ... Read full story
 5/1/2009
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
Arkansas Slaughter Resolution Goes to Governor   *
A resolution instructing Arkansas' Congressional delegation to vote against a bill that would prohibit the export of horses to slaughter facilities in Mexico and Canada is now before that state's governor for his signature. HCR 1004 was sent to Gov. Mike Beebe on April 3 after passing the full Arkansas General Assembly. The resolution instructs Arkansas ... Read full story
 4/20/2009
Kentucky Law Addresses Deadbeat Horse Boarders  *
Horse owners who fail to pay boarding fees can and do create real hardship for farm owners. Legislation was recently signed into law that will dramatically improve the outlook for boarding operations left in the lurch by non-paying horse owners. Ginny Grulke, Executive Director of the Kentucky Horse Council (KHC), testified before the Kentucky House ... Read full story
 4/17/2009
Slaughter Bills Before Montana, North Dakota Governors   *
A bill that would facilitate the development of a private sector horse processing plant in Montana is on its way back to Gov. Brian Schweitzer's desk now that the state's full legislature has rejected his amended version of the measure. In its original form, HB 418 prohibited Montana courts from granting injunctions to stop or delay horse processing ... Read full story
 4/16/2009
Oklahoma Legislature Passes Cloning Bill  *
The Oklahoma legislature on April 7 approved a bill that prohibits cloned horses or the offspring of cloned horses from participating in races at tracks in Oklahoma. The bill provides that neither clones nor the offspring of clones would be permitted to race even if they are registered by a national breed registry. Sponsored by State Sen. Joe Sweeden ... Read full story
 4/12/2009
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
Montana House Rejects Slaughter Bill Amendments   *
The Montana House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected gubernatorial amendments to a bill that would facilitate the establishment of privately owned horse processing plants in that state. In its original form, HB 418 prohibited state courts from granting injunctions to stop or delay construction of horse slaughter or processing facilities based ... Read full story
 4/9/2009
Vet's Suspension Upheld in Cobra Venom Case   *
A hearing officer has ruled that the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission acted properly when it handed a five-year suspension to veterinarian Dr. Rodney Stewart after cobra venom and other prohibited substances were found in a barn and in his truck at Keeneland in June 2007. Hearing officer Robert Layton, who conducted a two-day hearing in December ... Read full story
 4/8/2009
Join the AHC's Annual Congressional Ride-In  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) is holding its annual Congressional Ride-In on Wed., June 17, in Washington, D.C. The Ride-In will take place as part of the AHC National Issues Forum, which will focus on "The Welfare of the Horse" this year. All interested members of the horse community are encouraged to participate. There are many federal issues ... Read full story
 4/4/2009
Montana Governor Vetoes Slaughter Bill, Suggests Changes   *
Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer vetoed a bill that would encourage the horse processing industry to establish itself in that state on grounds that it insulates the industry from future legal challenges. HB 418 prohibits Montana courts from granting injunctions to stop or delay horse processing plant construction based on permit or licensing challenges, ... Read full story
 4/3/2009
Bankruptcy: Can I Keep My Horse?   *
The stock market is down, money and credit are tight, bills aren't getting paid, and creditors are calling--what's a person to do? Horse owners are not immune from the current economic crisis, and for some people bankruptcy might be the best, or only, option. But what happens to the horses if their owner declares bankruptcy? Bankruptcy serves two ... Read full story
 4/2/2009
'Mad Cow' Regulation Affects Equine, Rendering Industries   *
The equine and rendering industries are anticipating a pinch from a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation intended to prevent the proliferation of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, or "mad cow disease"). The regulation on the 1997 legislation prohibits the use of most mammalian proteins in feed for ruminant (cud-chewing) animals. ... Read full story
 3/30/2009
Senate Bill Tackles Horse Slaughter Issue   *
Two U.S. Senators have introduced legislation to prohibit the transport of horses for slaughter in Mexico and Canada. Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.) introduced S 727, the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act into the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 26. S 727 would prohibit the transport, sale, delivery, or export of horses ... Read full story
 3/27/2009
Montana, North Dakota Horse Slaughter Bills Advance   *
Legislation to establish privately owned horse processing plants in the United States advanced this week in two Western states. On March 24, the North Dakota State Senate approved HB 1496, authorizing a $50,000 study to evaluate potential legal challenges to slaughter plant development in that state. The bill will return to the North Dakota House ... Read full story
 3/26/2009
Update on State Slaughter Resolutions; Idaho Joins Debate   *
Idaho has joined the list of states pondering legislation aimed at maintaining control of equine transport and re-establishing the horse processing industry in the United States. Introduced into Idaho's House State Affairs Committee this week by State Rep. Thomas F. Loertscher, HJM 005 instructs Idaho's congressional delegation to vote against the ... Read full story
 3/12/2009
Oklahoma Equine Dentist Faces Felony Charges   *
Professional rodeo rider Bobby Griswold is facing felony charges in Oklahoma for practicing equine dentistry without a veterinary medical license. Griswold is not a veterinarian, but he graduated from an equine dental school. He was arrested March 4 in Oklahoma City by an Oklahoma Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners investigator and Oklahoma City ... Read full story
 3/11/2009
BLM Horses: What's Their Future?  *
What are the problems with managing BLM horses, and what solutions are agencies and advocates presenting? In October 2008 wild horse protection advocates, scientists, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Deputy Director Henri Bisson gathered at the Wild Horse and Burro Summit in Las Vegas, Nev., to strategize a solution to the BLM's excess horse problem. ... Read full story
 3/1/2009
Kentucky Bills Boost Barn Operators, Rescues  *
Kentucky's House Agriculture and Small Business Committee last week approved two bills intended to help boarding barn operators and horse rescues cope with the negative economy. Sponsored by Rep. Dwight Butler, HR 418 expands local government authority to collect stray or abandoned horses and place them with caretakers. It also allows caretakers ... Read full story
 2/20/2009
List of States Introducing Slaughter Legislation Grows  *
Twelve state legislatures are now considering measures to express their support of or actively encourage the reestablishment of U.S. horse processing plants. Resolutions indicating opposition to HR 503, the federal Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, which would eliminate horse slaughter nationwide and prohibit the export of horses to ... Read full story
 2/19/2009
House Committee Gets New Mustang Bill   *
Wild horses and burros could get more room to roam under a bill introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee on Thursday by Committee Chairman Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands. The Restoring Our American Mustangs Act ... Read full story
 2/13/2009
Montana Lawmakers Ponder Slaughter Plant Legislation   *
Legislators in Montana are considering a proposed measure to encourage private investor horse slaughter plant development in that state. The bill's author says the measure is intended to both create jobs in Montana, and address the state's economy-driven unwanted horse problem. Sponsored by Rep. Edward B. Butcher, HB 418 prohibits state courts from ... Read full story
 2/12/2009
States Ask to Retain Control of Equine Transport, Slaughter   *
Lawmakers in two Western states have sponsored resolutions urging Congress to let state legislators make up their own minds about horse slaughter issues within their lines. Wyoming's House Joint Resolution (HJR 8) and Utah's House Joint Resolution (HJR 7) both argue the federal Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act (HR 503) interferes with ... Read full story
 2/12/2009
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
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
Horse Licensing Bill Scrapped after Protest   *
A New Hampshire lawmaker scrapped mandatory horse licensing legislation after angry horse owners protested the measure on grounds that it would be financially burdensome. The bill, HB 427, required owners to obtain licenses for each of their horses age 4 months and older at a cost of $25 per horse. Proof of rabies vaccination by a licensed veterinarian ... Read full story
 1/29/2009
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
Horse Transport Bill Reintroduced   *
A bill before the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee would prohibit the use double-decker trailers for transporting horses across state lines. Specifically, HR 305, or the "Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2009," prohibits the interstate transport of horses in a motor vehicle containing two or more levels ... Read full story
 1/18/2009
Horse Slaughter Legislation Reintroduced  *
New legislation aimed at stemming the export of horses for slaughter in Mexico and Canada was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee on Jan. 14. Sponsored by Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich) and Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) HR 503, the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, prohibits the transport, sale, ... Read full story
 1/16/2009
New Congress, Same Issues for Equine Industry   *
The 111th Congress has convened and the Democrats have picked up seats in both the House and Senate. The country also has a new President, Barack Obama, who will take office Jan. 20, 2009. Many are wondering what these changes will mean for the horse industry. "For the most part, issues affecting the horse industry are not partisan," noted American ... 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
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
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
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
Ireland's Miniature Horses to Get Official Studbook, Passports   *
The owners of Ireland's smallest equines have big cause for celebration, as that country's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food last week officially recognized the Miniature Horse and Pony Society of Ireland (MHPSI). As a result, the Irish Horse Register will maintain a studbook and issue equine passports for Irish Miniature Horses and ponies ... Read full story
 12/1/2008
A Need for Compounding  *
Veterinary compounding is an alternative source of medications when there are no commercially available products that meet the needs of a particular patient. Compounding, by definition, is tailor-made preparation of a drug to meet the needs of a specific patient when an approved drug can't fit the bill. This can be done by modifying an approved product ... Read full story
 12/1/2008
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
Horses Grab Headlines in Kansas Financial Dispute   *
A group of 59 horses became the subject of a Jackson County, Kan., police investigation this week after they were reported stolen, then recovered, and then revealed to be collateral in a financial dispute between a Meriden, Kan., farm owner and the woman who leases his property for horse boarding. Tammy Blase of Topeka leases Mount Bethel Farm from ... Read full story
 11/7/2008
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
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
Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act will Speed Approval Process  *
Earlier this year, President Bush signed legislation reauthorizing the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) and authorizing the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act (AGDUFA), which will provide for additional funds and resources to review generic animal medications. User fees are to be paid by drug sponsors during the FDA application process. "The AGDUFA ... Read full story
 10/29/2008
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
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
Motions Aims to Halt Curlin Sale  *
Although Keeneland has announced it has been retained to market the 20% minority interest in reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, a pending motion in a Kentucky court is asking for the current sale process to be halted. Keeneland announced Oct. 15 it had been retained by a court-appointed receiver to market the minority interest. On Sept. 25, Franklin ... Read full story
 10/16/2008
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
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
Horse Slaughter Bill Moves on to House   *
The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has passed H.R. 6598, a measure known as the "Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008." This bill prohibits transport, sale, delivery, or export of horses for slaughter for human consumption. It also criminalizes the purchase, sale, delivery, or export of horsemeat intended for human consumption. ... Read full story
 9/24/2008
Breeding Farm Operator Pleads Not Guilty to Cruelty Charges  *
Geraldine Trupia, operator of Norcrest Farm in Troupsburg, N.Y., pleaded not guilty to five counts of Class A misdemeanor animal cruelty during her arraignment in Troupsburg Town Court Sept. 24. The charges stem from the seizure of 82 horses from Norcrest Farm (also known as Middle Creek) by Finger Lakes Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ... Read full story
 9/24/2008
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
Kentucky Governor Bans Steroids in Racehorses  *
Testing for anabolic steroids in racehorses in Kentucky will begin with the start of the Keeneland fall meet under emergency regulations signed by Gov. Steve Beshear Sept. 5. The regulations, approved by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission in August, are now in effect under the Beshear order. The regulations pertain to the commonly used steroids ... Read full story
 9/6/2008
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
Nebraska City Council Votes to Evict Horse  *
This one-horse town is looking like becoming a no-horse town. The owner of a 32-year-old horse named Peter Rabbit wasn't able Tuesday to buck a local ban on livestock within the city limits of Hickman, Neb. After widespread publicity of the ban that threatened to kick Peter Rabbit off the pasture where he was born, the Hickman City Council considered ... Read full story
 8/27/2008
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
Nebraska Town Officials Give Horse Eviction Order  *
Talk about your one-horse town. Hickman, Neb., a burg of 1,084 residents, is just that. But some folks don't want that distinction. They want an aging horse named Peter Rabbit, who lives in a pasture in town, gone for good. Other folks say the horse should stay, despite an ordinance that bans livestock inside city limits. "I feel bad for the ... Read full story
 8/14/2008
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
Court Hearing Coming Up in Equine Massage Case  *
Mercedes Clemens is certified to massage humans, but she claims the state of Maryland is keeping her from her first love: Massaging horses. She shut down her equine massage practice in a Washington suburb after state officials told her state law only allows veterinarians to perform such services. Now she's suing two state agencies, saying regulators ... Read full story
 8/11/2008
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
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
Staying Legal on the Road  *
You've checked the horse, trailer, truck, and equipment, but are you even legal to be on the road? There's not a cloud in the sky as the sun brightens the horizon, and it appears to be a fine day for a drive. Your truck and trailer stand gleaming in the driveway, hitched and waiting. At your command, your horse clomps into the trailer and busies himself ... Read full story
 8/1/2008
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
Veterinary Group Opposes New Slaughter Legislation   *
U.S. House Judiciary Committee hearings on new anti-slaughter legislation will begin July 31, and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has gone on record opposing the bill. In a written statement (posted in its entirety below), the AAEP rejected H.R. 6598--the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008--because it eliminates what is ... Read full story
 7/30/2008
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
New Federal Horse Slaughter Bill Introduced   *
Legislation introduced July 23 to the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee addresses the horse slaughter issue by linking the practice to animal cruelty and leaving enforcement to federal authorities. According to some animal welfare advocates, the proposal represents the best chance for enacting federal anti-slaughter laws since the ... Read full story
 7/25/2008
California Governor Approves Horse Trust Bill   *
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-Los Angeles) yesterday signed into law a bill aimed at protecting animals after the deaths of their owners. Senate Bill 685, authored by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), is expected to reduce the burden on pet shelters, conserve public services and funds, protect animals, and guarantee that people's ... Read full story
 7/23/2008
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
Stallion Reported Stolen is Focus of Ownership Dispute  *
Capone 1, the Holsteiner show jumping stallion reported as stolen in Washington State, is the focal point of a civil lawsuit concerning his ownership, according to attorneys representing both sides of the dispute. According to terms of a lawsuit posted on its Web site, exitpointstallions.com, syndicate Exitpoint Stallions Limiteé claims to be the ... Read full story
 7/14/2008
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
California Considers Enforceable Horse Trusts  *
In California, legislation that provides for the judicial enforcement of trusts created by owners for the continued care of their horses has made its way to Governor Schwarzenegger's desk. SB685, sponsored by the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SFSPCA), would repeal current law allowing trusts for domesticated or pet ... Read full story
 7/10/2008
USDA Ordered to Release NAIS Data  *
Agricultural journalist Mary-Louise Zanoni has succeeded in keeping the USDA from applying Privacy Act safeguards to information it has collected from livestock owners as part of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). These safeguards would have restricted access to the information by journalists as well as the livestock owners whose information ... Read full story
 7/9/2008
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
States of Confusion: Regulation of Complementary Therapies   *
Not too many years ago, proponents of massage therapy, acupuncture and acupressure, chiropractic, and other complementary or alternative therapies for animals often were dismissed as part of the lunatic fringe. Today, with apologies to Bob Dylan, the times they are a changing. According to a 2005 survey conducted by the North Carolina Horse Council, ... Read full story
 6/27/2008
Stolen Stallion Update: Capone Still Not Home   *
It's been a long and frustrating six weeks for horse trainer Douglas Spink and the syndicate who own show-jumping stallion Capone 1. The stallion was allegedly stolen from his stable in Bellingham, Wash., on May 16. While Spink says the horse has been located and that one of the horse's former managers admitted to law enforcement officials that she ... Read full story
 6/25/2008
CEM Rule Amended for Entertainment Horses  *
The USDA has amended its import rules to allow noncompetitive entertainment horses to be temporarily brought into the U.S. from countries affected with contagious equine metritis (CEM), a venereal disease of horses. The final rule, titled "Temporary Importation of Horses: Noncompetitive Entertainment Horses From Countries Affected with Contagious Equine ... Read full story
 6/25/2008
Rhode Island General Assembly Passes Equine Transport Measure   *
The Rhode Island General Assembly has passed legislation to ban the use of double-decker trucks to transport horses in the state. Sen. Dominick Ruggerio, D-Providence, and Rep. Amy Rice, D-Portsmouth, introduced the legislation in response to an accident that occurred last year in Illinois. That accident resulted in the death of 18 young Belgian draft ... Read full story
 6/24/2008
Minnesota Equine Tooth Floaters Lose First Round  *
The Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine can continue to regulate the floating of horses' teeth as the practice of veterinary medicine, according to the Fourth Judicial District Court for Hennepin County. In a 51-page decision rendered June 20, 2008 (Johnson v. Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine), the Court found a rational basis for state regulation ... Read full story
 6/24/2008
'People's Court' Decides Horse Dispute  *
"The People's Court," a television court show featuring real litigants, real cases, and real justice, was the setting for two Philadelphia Park Casino & Racetrack trainers to settle their dispute over an unpaid board bill in an episode that aired in the Philadelphia area June 20. Plaintiff Catherine LaRose, a former trainer and farm owner from ... Read full story
 6/22/2008
Hearing Shows Thoroughbred Racing at Critical Point   *
Drugged equines, grisly catastrophic injuries, greedy breeders, damaged racehorses with nowhere to go, inaction and confusion, and industry leaders more concerned with holding onto power than doing the right thing--a congressional subcommittee heard it all June 19 during a hearing in Washington, D.C. An observer easily could come to the following ... Read full story
 6/20/2008
Excerpt from The Complete Equine Legal & Business Handbook: Trusts  *
Various kinds of trusts can be valuable estate planning tools, although trusts probably are not the cure-all for probate problems they sometimes are advertised to be. Revocable Trusts Revocable trusts also are known as "living" trusts. Such trusts take effect during the lifetime of the maker of the trust. They can be modified or completely revoked ... Read full story
 6/19/2008
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
Congress Debates Intervention into Racing Safety  *
Congress chided Big Brown's trainer for a lack of manners and the horse racing industry for failing to do enough to regulate itself. Then it threatened to pass legislation that would make the sport safer. Rick Dutrow's no-show did not sit well at Thursday's hearing on thoroughbred racing safety held by the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer ... Read full story
 6/19/2008
Supreme Court Horse Slaughter Decision: What Does This Mean?  *
The Supreme Court of the United States on June 16 denied certiorari in Cavel International, Inc. v. Madigan (No. 07-962), leaving in place a decision by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals upholding a ban on slaughter of horses for human consumption in Illinois. In May 2007, the Illinois Horse Meat Act was amended to make it illegal for anyone in ... Read full story
 6/17/2008
Court Rejects Appeal to Illinois Horse Slaughter Ban   *
The Supreme Court has declined an appeal from the owners of a horse slaughtering plant who challenged an Illinois law prohibiting the killing of horses for human consumption. Cavel International Inc. closed its plant in DeKalb, Ill., last year after a federal appeals court upheld the ban. The company urged the justices to step in to allow the facility ... Read full story
 6/16/2008
Industry Debates Animal Identification System's Impact on Horses  *
Despite considerable opposition from groups who say the program is unworkable or an invasion of privacy, the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is making inexorable inroads into the lives of horse owners. Jim Morehead, DVM, president of the Equine Species Working Group (ESWG), an independent body composed of representatives from over 30 ... Read full story
 6/14/2008
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
Maryland Veterinary Practice Act Under Fire   *
Mercedes Clemens is a licensed massage therapist who lives in Rockville, Md. Her patients included both humans and animals (primarily horses) until February, when she received a cease and desist order from the Maryland Board of Chiropractic Examiners threatening her license to practice on humans if she continued to work on animals. Clemens abandoned ... Read full story
 6/13/2008
Congress Calls June 19 Hearing on Racing   *
The United States House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection has scheduled a hearing--"Breeding, Drugs, and Breakdowns: The State of Thoroughbred Horseracing and the Welfare of the Thoroughbred Racehorse"--for June 19 in Washington, D.C. According to a June 11 release from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the hearing ... Read full story
 6/12/2008
European Union to Require Horse Passports, Microchips  *
According to a June 9 statement on the European Union (EU) Web site, all equidae will now have to acquire individual passports within six months after birth. At the time the passport is issued, the animal will be tagged with a matching electronic chip. "The current system of identifying horses is outdated," said EU Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou. ... Read full story
 6/10/2008
Excerpt from The Complete Equine Legal & Business Handbook: Records  *
The paperwork requirements for starting a business vary from almost none (a sole proprietorship) to extensive (a corporation). And once the business is up and running, the owner or owners must maintain a variety of records. Record keeping can be a lot of work even for a simple business, and it may be tempting to let the task slide in favor of more ... Read full story
 6/2/2008
No Date Set for House Hearing on Racing   *
The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection continues to maintain it will hold a June hearing on horse racing, but no date had been set as of June 2. The subcommittee is headed by U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois and U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky. Kristin Walker, Whitfield's press secretary, said June 2 there could be ... Read full story
 6/2/2008
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
Congress Could Call June Hearing on Racing  *
A congressional subcommittee could schedule a hearing as early as June to examine breakdowns, medication use, and breeding practices in Thoroughbreds. The United States House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection sent letters May 22 to Ed Martin, president of the Association of Racing Commissioners International; Ogden Mills Phipps, ... Read full story
 5/27/2008
Mexican Donkey Freed from Jail   *
A Mexican donkey has been freed from jail after doing time for assault and battery. The Televisa network on Wednesday showed "Blacky" gobbling food from a bucket after spending three days in a jail that normally holds people for public drunkenness and other disturbances. Blacky was jailed for biting and kicking two men near a ranch outside Tuxtla ... Read full story
 5/22/2008
Congress Overrides Farm Bill Veto; Equine Equity Act Passed   *
Members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives voted May 22 to override a presidential veto of the 2007 Farm Bill exercised by George W. Bush May 21. As a result, the 2007 Farm Bill is now law. The bill includes the Equine Equity Act, a provision that amends the depreciation schedule for racehorses to a uniform three years. Under ... Read full story
 5/22/2008
More Questions Than Answers on Racehorse Steroids  *
The complicated nature of regulating anabolic steroids in racehorses came to light May 20 when discussion among members of the Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council and others seemed to indicate the easiest route is an all-out ban on the substances. Or is it? "This is a complicated subject," said David Nash, DVM, executive director of the Equine ... Read full story
 5/21/2008
Mexican Donkey Jailed for Ornery Behavior  *
A donkey is doing time in southern Mexico for assault and battery. The animal was locked up at a local jail that normally holds people for public drunkenness and other disturbances after it bit and kicked two men near a ranch in Chiapas state, police said Monday. Officer Sinar Gomez said the donkey will remain behind bars until its owner agrees ... Read full story
 5/20/2008
Family of Rider Killed During Event Files Suit   *
The parents of a 17-year-old girl who died after she fell off her horse during an equestrian event two years ago have sued her former trainer, the sport's governing body, and others, claiming her death was caused in part by a dangerous course and a horse unfit to ride. The suit filed May 6 in Riverside County, Calif., Superior Court alleges negligence, ... Read full story
 5/19/2008
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
Texas Stops Shipments of Horsemeat   *
Shipping horsemeat through Texas that's destined for diners elsewhere is illegal, according to an opinion issued this week by Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Texas already bans sale or possession of horsemeat for human consumption. Abbott said the prohibition also extends to transporting horsemeat that would be eaten by people. Rep. Warren ... Read full story
 5/9/2008
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
Florida House Passes Bill Requiring Children to Wear Helmets While Riding Horse  *
A Florida bill that would require children under 16 to wear a helmet while riding a horse on public trails and roads has passed the House. But it would need to be taken up by Senate lawmakers to move forward. The bill is named for Nicole Hornstein, a 12-year-old from Palm Beach County who died in 2006 after being thrown from a horse she was riding. ... Read full story
 5/3/2008
Equine Law Conference: Review of Pending Horse Bills   *
American Horse Council president James J. Hickey Jr. briefed attorneys May 1 on legislative actions in Congress during the 23rd National Conference on Equine Law, but he also handicapped the immediate passage chances of a couple of them as remote. Hickey, whose group is a prominent lobbying arm for the horse industry in Washington, D.C., told an ... Read full story
 5/2/2008
Equine Law Conference: Estate Planning for Horsemen   *
An attorney specializing in estate planning says now is a good time for horsemen and others to establish tax-friendly programs that pass along assets to descendants--but warned that time was of the essence in organizing such efforts. Louisville attorney Turney P. Berry made the assessment to those assembled for the 23rd National Conference on Equine ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
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
The Steroid Debate  *
"Steroid" use has made headlines because of abuse in human athletes for the past decade, from Major League Baseball to track and field events. The topic has also become hot in the horse industry, from steroid use for bulking up young horses in sales, to attempting to enhance performance of show horses and racehorses. However, not all steroids are the ... Read full story
 5/1/2008
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
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
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
Australia Equine Flu Inquiry Wraps Up  *
Leaders of an inquiry into Australia's billion-dollar equine influenza outbreak finished taking evidence Thursday after five months and testimony from 200 witnesses. Former High Court judge Ian Callinan, who will issue his report by April 25, heard evidence from senior personnel at the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, which was criticized ... Read full story
 4/3/2008
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
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
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
Equine Association Risk Management Class to be Offered by the Kentucky Horse Council  *
As part of its ongoing series targeted to equine leaders in Kentucky, the Kentucky Horse Council is offering a class titled "Risk Management for Equine Organizations including Insurance Protection." The class will be offered on April 8 at the Kentucky Horse Park. This two-hour class includes an overview of the types of exposures and risks that commonly ... Read full story
 3/17/2008
California Racing Group to Turn Over Necropsy Results  *
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) has agreed to pay owner Jerry Jamgotchian $19,440 in attorney fees and costs, as well as turn over necropsy submission forms for horses that died on California racetracks in 2006 and part of 2007, following an order by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge. Jamgotchian's open records request, initially made June ... Read full story
 2/29/2008
Congressman Criticizes Racehorse Drug Policy   *
U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky opened a Feb. 27 congressional hearing on the use of steroids in sports by claiming leaders of horse racing have repeatedly failed on promises to self-regulate medication issues. Whitfield, a Republican from Hopkinsville, spoke during a televised hearing entitled, "Drugs in Sports: Compromising the Health of Athletes ... Read full story
 2/27/2008
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
Steroids Investigation to Include Horse Racing  *
The president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association will testify before Congress this month as part of its investigation into steroids in sports. Alexander Waldrop has been asked to appear Feb. 27 before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's panel on commerce, trade and consumer protection. Also appearing will be representatives from ... Read full story
 2/15/2008
AVMA President Testifies on Looming Vet Shortage  *
The president of the nation's largest veterinary association appeared before a Congressional subcommittee Feb. 7 and urged the United States Department of Agriculture to implement a long-standing but dormant program that would help address a critical shortage in the number of veterinarians. Gregory S. Hammer, DVM, president of the American Veterinary ... Read full story
 2/8/2008
Australia Flu Inquiry Leaders Searching for Quarantine, Outbreak Link   *
Investigations into the chain of events leading to the ongoing equine flu influenza outbreak in Australia have now entered their fifth month in the New South Wales (NSW) capital city of Sydney. Recent testimony continues to reveal questionable biosecurity practices from both quarantine centers and private equine professionals, according to published ... Read full story
 2/6/2008
Police Force to Pay for Detaining Seized Horse  *
A police force in Britain will have to pay damages of £80,000 (around $157,000) for wrongfully detaining a seized horse, The Lancashire Evening Post reported. The Lancashire police seized the palomino Gypsy Cob stallion under the suspicion that he was stolen property, the Evening Post reported. Police held the horse in custody from April 21 to Aug. ... Read full story
 2/5/2008
Owners Sued by Woman who Struck Horse on Highway  *
The New Mexico state Transportation Department has been sued by a Rowe woman who said she was injured when her vehicle struck a horse on N.M. 34. Gina Bazan was driving near Rowe early Jan. 29, 2007, when she struck the animal ''running loose'' on the highway, causing her vehicle to move into the path of an oncoming vehicle, according to lawsuit ... Read full story
 1/6/2008
Both Sides Claim Victory in Walking Horse Registry Dispute   *
Both sides in a dispute over ownership of Tennessee Walking Horse registry information are claiming victory in a case that took two years to process through the legal system, despite one of the parties being found in violation of copyright laws and fined $31,000. The court contest began in December 2005 when the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and ... Read full story
 12/29/2007
Michigan Lawmakers Pass Bill to Increase Animal Cruelty Penalties  *
Michigan lawmakers recently passed legislation that will significantly strengthen penalties for the most severe cases of animal neglect. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) released a statement praising this action. The new law, which will go into effect on April 1, will increase penalties based on the number of animals neglected and the ... Read full story
 12/23/2007
Court OKs Compounding Pharmacy to Sell Controlled Substances to Vets   *
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit decided Dec. 11 that a veterinary compounding pharmacy does have the right to dispense compounded formulations of controlled substances to veterinarians, overturning an earlier action by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The court concluded that the DEA was wrong to revoke Wedgewood ... Read full story
 12/17/2007
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
Ohio Forms Horse Industry Advocacy Group  *
The Ohio horse industry, in an effort to make its voice heard around the Buckeye State, has formed a coalition similar to the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP), a horse industry advocacy group in Kentucky. Early members of the Ohio group are the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association, ... Read full story
 12/11/2007
AVMA: Local Governments Not to Regulate Veterinary Procedures  *
The Executive Board of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recently passed a new policy to keep local municipalities out of the business of regulating veterinary procedures. The policy also bolsters the authority of state bodies to guide and oversee veterinary medicine. The new AVMA policy states that: "State governments, rather than ... Read full story
 12/11/2007
Horse Talk Radio to Host Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Discussion Dec. 8  *
Horse Talk Radio, a weekly broadcast hosted by Jen Hegeman and broadcast on Park City, Utah's KPCW (91.9 FM), will again examine the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act tomorrow. Guests on the Dec. 8 show will include: AAEP Past President Robert D. Lewis, DVM; Dave Howells, chairman of the American Horse Council's State Horse Council Advisory Committee; ... Read full story
 12/7/2007
Hay Prices Highest Since Records Began; Officials Warn of Scams  *
Agriculture experts around the country are warning hay farmers and buyers to watch for scams amid a feed shortage and resulting high prices. In Washington, hay prices have passed $200 per ton in some areas, and winter is still weeks away. The state Department of Agriculture has already fielded 42 complaints about hay quality or nonpayment, with the ... Read full story
 11/30/2007
Michigan OKs Composting Horse Carcasses  *
Dairy farmer Ken Nobis reaches into a tall mound of what looks like topsoil and grabs a clump, which he looks over and quickly sniffs before crumbling it. The 10-foot-high, 50-foot-long heap that he's examining is a compost pile. Its humus is dark, rich and virtually odor-free--which is surprising, given that much of it consists of cow manure and ... Read full story
 11/16/2007
Vermont Woman Suing to Keep Miniature Horse in Apartment   *
Patty Cooper's landlord normally welcomes tenants who use animals to help them get around, such as guide dogs for the blind. So after the disabled woman bought a 32-inch-tall miniature horse to pull her wheelchair, she asked to keep the animal in her home. When her landlord rejected the request, she filed a human rights complaint. Cooper, 50, paid ... Read full story
 11/13/2007
Update on Legislation Important to Horse Owners   *
During the Nov. 2 American Horse Council (AHC) Issues Forum held in Lexington, Ky., AHC President Jay Hickey reviewed legislation and regulations pending at the federal level that could affect the horse industry. Riding on Public Lands Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced Preserving our Equine Heritage on Public Lands Act (S. 2238) on Nov. 1. Senator ... Read full story
 11/11/2007
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
Bill to Preserve Equestrian Access to Public Land Introduced in Senate   *
Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced Nov. 1 the Preserving our Equine Heritage on Public Lands Act (S. 2238). This bill is similar to the so-called "Right-to-Ride" bill that Crapo introduced in the last Congress. "Senator Crapo has been a champion of preserving riders' access to public lands," said American Horse Council (AHC) President Jay Hickey. ... Read full story
 11/7/2007
Equine Industry Issues Discussed at the American Horse Council Forum  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) held a day-long Issues Forum at Keeneland Racetrack in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 2. This is the second such forum held outside the AHC's base in Washington, D.C. Topics covered included: Preserving Our Land and Use--Conservation Easements, by attorney Margaret M. Graves, a board member of Bluegrass Conservancy, ... Read full story
 11/5/2007
Champion Jockey Fallon on Trial for Race-Fixing   *
Champion jockey Kieren Fallon has gone on trial on charges of conspiring to fix races in Britain--a day after winning Europe's most prestigious race. Fallon and five other defendants are accused of conspiracy to defraud customers who used the online betting exchange Betfair. They are accused of interfering with the running of horses to ensure they ... Read full story
 10/8/2007
Equine Dentists Challenge Texas Law  *
A showdown is looming in Texas between a group of equine dentists and the Texas State Board of Veterinary Examiners over who should be allowed to work on a horse's teeth. The State Board fired the first shot in the exchange earlier this year by sending out cease and desist orders instructing several dentistry practitioners to close their practices ... Read full story
 8/29/2007
Vet Suspended from Tracks for Noncompliance in Venom Investigation   *
Dr. Rod Stewart, a veterinarian for racehorse trainer Patrick Biancone, was suspended by the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority for failing to comply with an order to turn over his computer and records to state stewards. Stewards requested the computer and records in connection with the ongoing investigation relating to cobra venom, a substance used ... Read full story
 8/23/2007
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
Excerpt from The Complete Equine Legal & Business Handbook: Private Sales  *
The Complete Equine Legal & Business Handbook This comprehensive handbook covers areas of possible conflict for all horse owners and equine businesses, no matter the size, breed, or discipline. Topics covered include: Legal status of animals as property Insurance and liability Types of business ownership Dispute resolution Estate ... Read full story
 7/12/2007
Slaughter: Cavel Challenge Dismissed; Appeal Possible  *
The last United States plant that slaughtered horses for human consumption will remain closed after a federal judge July 5 dismissed its challenge to the state law that shut it down. The Belgian-owned Cavel International Inc. plant in Illinois closed after a U.S. District Court judge denied its request to continue operating while the case was being ... Read full story
 7/6/2007
Cavel Horse Slaughter Facility to Close, Again   *
A federal judge Thursday refused a request from the nation's last operating horse slaughterhouse to remain open, but a legal dispute over a state ban on killing horses for food isn't over. Cavel International Inc.'s site in DeKalb, Ill., was set to close at midnight Friday, when a temporary court order allowing it to stay open was to expire, according ... Read full story
 6/29/2007
Immigration Bill Appears Dead--Indefinitely   *
The United States Senate postponed action June 28 on comprehensive immigration reform--perhaps until after the 2008 November election--when an effort to limit debate on the Senate floor failed to garner enough votes. In all, 46 senators voted to cut off the debate, but 60 votes were needed. The bill prompted a torrent of calls to Senate offices; ... Read full story
 6/28/2007
Immigration Bill Survives Senate Vote  *
The United States Senate voted June 26 to revive broad legislation to overhaul the country's immigration system. The measure was thought to be dead earlier in the month. Under Senate rules, at least 60 votes from the 100-seat chamber were needed to move the bill forward. The pivotal procedural vote was 64-35 to revive the divisive legislation and ... Read full story
 6/26/2007
Horse Slaughter and the Commerce Clause  *
When United States District Judge Frederick Kapala extended a temporary restraining order allowing an Illinois horse slaughterhouse to continue operating through June 28, the decision was characterized by many people as a statement on the morality of horse slaughter. In fact, the litigation raises a more fundamental legal question: What are the limits ... Read full story
 6/23/2007
Excerpt from The Complete Equine Legal & Business Handbook: Animals as Property   *
The Complete Equine Legal & Business Handbook This comprehensive handbook covers areas of possible conflict for all horse owners and equine businesses, no matter the size, breed, or discipline. Topics covered include: Legal status of animals as property Insurance and liability Types of business ownership Dispute resolution Estate ... Read full story
 6/7/2007
Conservation Easements  *
Undeveloped real estate always has been a prized commodity. The great land rushes of the 1870s and 1880s displaced entire tribes of Native Americans and sent hundreds of thousands of settlers, prospectors, and land speculators spreading across the American frontier. That massive influx of people led to the settlement of towns like Guthrie, Okla., in ... Read full story
 6/1/2007
Appeals Judge Upholds Ruling in Funny Cide Case  *
The Florida District Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the Miami Herald in a defamation case filed by the owners of Funny Cide, winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby. The case centered around the Herald’s false allegations--later retracted by the paper--that jockey Jose Santos used an electronic device to prod Sackatoga Stable’s gelding during the ... Read full story
 5/19/2007
Federal Bill Seeks To Strengthen Animal Welfare Act   *
Legislation introduced earlier this week would prohibit the use of live animals in sales and marketing demonstrations of medical devices and products. U.S. Representatives Steve Israel (D-NY) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) introduced the Animal Welfare Accountability Improvement Act, which would amend the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The amendment was prompted ... Read full story
 5/13/2007
Oregon Animals to be Included in State Disaster Plans  *
Oregon's pets, service animals, and farm animals will now be included in state disaster plans. Governor Ted Kulongoski signed the bill into law on May 7. The "Animals in Disaster" legislation (S.B. 570) passed the state House 53-5 in favor and the state Senate 25-3. The new law requires the Oregon Office of Emergency Management to prepare a written ... Read full story
 5/9/2007
Jockey, Backstretch Worker Insurance Bill Introduced  *
Two congressmen introduced legislation May 4 that would provide injury insurance for jockeys and others who work in horse racing. Republican U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky and Democratic U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan introduced the measure, which would provide insurance for jockeys, trainers, and backstretch workers. The legislation was first ... Read full story
 5/7/2007
Equine Equity Act Introduced by McConnell  *
U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky introduced legislation April 30 designed to promote investment in the horse industry by removing unfair provisions of federal law that favor other investments. The Equine Equity Act of 2007 would reduce the capital gains holding period for horses and allow horse owners to depreciate all racehorses over the same ... Read full story
 5/1/2007
Oregon Lawmakers Approve Bill to Include Animals in Disaster Planning   *
The Humane Society of the United States has praised the work of the Oregon Senate and House in passing Oregon's Animals in Disaster legislation (S.B. 570) yesterday (April 16). The House voted 53 to 5 in favor of the bill. The HSUS is now urging Governor Ted Kulongoski to pass S.B. 570, which would make Oregon the 13th state to include pets, service ... Read full story
 4/17/2007
Thoroughbred Owner Files Suit Over Heel Nerving Disclosure  *
Trainer Richard Mandella and owner B. Wayne Hughes have been named as defendants in a lawsuit brought by a Thoroughbred owner in Arizona for allegedly failing to disclose that a surgical procedure had been performed on a horse claimed from Hughes and Mandella by the plaintiff. Arizona-based owner Leslie W. Blake brought the action in Los Angeles Superior ... Read full story
 4/6/2007
England's Animal Welfare Act Coming into Force  *
The Animal Welfare Act comes into force in England April 6. The British Horse Society calls the legislation "the most significant piece of welfare legislation for nearly a century," and said it should help to protect the welfare of all horses and other equines. Under the Act a person responsible for an animal, whether on a permanent or temporary ... Read full story
 4/5/2007
HIPPA Legislation for Recreational Riders Introduced in Congress   *
Representatives Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) recently introduced "The HIPAA Recreational Injury Technical Correction Act" (H.R. 1076). HIPPA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. This bill would bar employers from discriminating against those who take part in legal recreational activities such as horseback ... Read full story
 3/19/2007
CHC Pushing Domestic Violence Animal Protection Legislation  *
The Connecticut Horse Council has been working on legislation that will assist victims of domestic violence by allowing judges to include animals in restraining and protective orders, as domestic violence victims might be unable to leave the abusive situations because of their fears for their animals. Senate Bill 284 was introduced by Senator Andrew ... Read full story
 3/8/2007
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
Virginia to Regulate Equine Dentists  *
There are perhaps 300 people in the nation, and a few dozen in Virginia, who claim the title of "horse dentist," in the obscure trade that dates to at least the 13th century. Normally known only to horse owners and veterinarians, it has been in the political spotlight of late. Last week, Virginia joined the growing number of states that have passed ... Read full story
 3/5/2007
Texas Horse Slashings Motivate Legal Change  *
A series of attacks on horses in Texas has motivated equine welfare activists to seek a change in the legal status of Texas horses in order to subject abusers to stiffer animal cruelty penalties. On Feb. 12, the Greater Houston Horse Council (GHHC) voted to support an initiative to remove horses from the livestock and farm animal exemption to Texas ... Read full story
 2/16/2007
State Horse Owners Fighting Proposed Trail-Riding Limits   *
A proposal to limit horseback riding on state-owned trails is not sitting well with Connecticut's thriving horse-riding community. The state Department of Environmental Protection wants to limit horseback riding only to posted areas on state-owned trails, a change that horse owners say caught them by surprise and would treat them differently ... Read full story
 2/10/2007
Texas Court Rules Against Slaughter  *
A federal appeals court in Houston has ruled that horse slaughter is illegal in Texas, home to two of the nation's three processing plants. The decision, issued on Jan. 19th by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, overturns a lower federal district court's 2006 ruling on a 1949 Texas law that banned horse slaughter for the purpose ... Read full story
 1/20/2007
Corolla Wild Horse Fund Members Concerned About Va. Mustangs  *
Keepers of the wild horse herd in Corolla, N.C., are worried about a Spanish mustang fund proposed in Virginia and the competition it could create. Legislation submitted this week in Richmond would establish a fund to pay for containing and recapturing wild horses roaming from North Carolina. Karen McAlpin, director of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, ... Read full story
 1/13/2007
Senate Unable to Vote on Slaughter Ban   *
Horse slaughter opponents will have to start from scratch next Congressional session despite last-minute efforts asking for a Senate vote on the issue. The 109th Congressional session adjourned for the holidays on Dec. 8 without taking action on the bill (S.1915). With newly elected officials taking their seats for the 110th Congressional session ... Read full story
 12/13/2006
House Passes Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act  *
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the "Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act" (S. 3880) by voice vote on November 13. The bill clarifies that it is a crime to damage or interfere with a legitimate, legal animal enterprise. As defined by the bill, "animal enterprise" includes commercial and academic enterprises that use or sell animals or animal ... Read full story
 11/16/2006
Consent Decree Filed in Compounding Case Against BET Pharm, LLC   *
On Sept. 25, Judge Forester of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky entered a Consent Decree between the United States and BET Pharm, LLC, resolving a dispute over compounded drug products for use in horses. The U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky seized these compounded drug products on August 12, 2004. The ... Read full story
 10/9/2006
Internet Gambling Bill Passes; Racing Exempted   *
Racing's right to offer account wagering under the amended 1978 Interstate Horseracing Act was reaffirmed in Internet gaming legislation passed early Saturday morning by the U.S. House and Senate. The measure bans other forms of Internet wagering and sets harsher penalties for wagering companies that use credit cards or fund transfers, including ... Read full story
 10/3/2006
Teeth Floater Files Suit Against Veterinary Group  *
Jim Johnson has been floating horses' teeth in Minnesota for some 20 years. His son, Christopher, would like to join the family business, but he cannot do so without violating state law. Enacted a year ago, Minnesota Statute § 156.075 defines "equine teeth floating" as the use of handheld and non-motorized equipment to remove enamel points from teeth, ... 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
House Votes to Ban Horse Slaughter  *
In an act that went against the recommendations of the Secretary of Agriculture and two prominent veterinary groups, on Sept. 7 Congress voted 263-146 to end horse slaughter in the United States. House members also defeated two amendments that were added to the bill by members of the Agricultural Subcommittee. “Americans have long had a love affair ... Read full story
 9/8/2006
House Subcommittees Hear Slaughter Bill  *
In late July, two House subcommittees heard testimonies from horse industry leaders on H.R. 503, a bill to ban horse slaughter. On July 27, Agricultural Subcommittee members voted 37-3 to send the bill to the House floor and strongly recommended against its passage. Before casting their votes, several legislators proposed what Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), ... Read full story
 9/1/2006
Calif. Owner to Sue Trainer Over Drug Positive  *
In a lawsuit that is believed to be unprecedented, the owner of a horse disqualified for a drug positive is suing his trainer for the redistributed purse money. Los Angeles-based attorney Alan Klein, whose Ellenay Racing owned Dyna Da Wyna when she won a maiden race at Santa Anita Park January 26, 2003, was ordered by the California Horse Racing Board ... Read full story
 8/18/2006
Lay Equine Dentist Files Veterinary Practice Act Lawsuit in Minnesota  *
The Institute for Justice Minnesota Chapter has announced in a press release that it is challenging the state's veterinary licensing process on behalf of a lay (non-veterinarian) equine dentist who is referred to as a "teeth floater." Chris Johnson, the lay dentist, filed suit Aug. 16 in Minnesota's First Judicial District in Glencoe, Minn. (55 miles ... Read full story
 8/17/2006
Canada's Vet Definition Dilemmas  *
The Supreme Court of British Columbia's recent injunction prohibiting a farrier from practicing equine dentistry is the latest episode in an ongoing conflict between the veterinary associations of Canada's three westernmost provinces, animal owners, and industry stakeholders. The Court ruled Bill Bishop, who operated a busy equine dental business, ... Read full story
 8/15/2006
Congress Passes Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act   *
The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a Senate substitute to H.R. 3858, the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, just before adjourning for the August recess. H.R. 3858, as originally introduced in the House, was approved by that chamber in May by an overwhelming vote of 349 to 24. The PETS Act, introduced in the House by U.S. ... Read full story
 8/4/2006
Ag Committee Sends Horse Bill to the Floor Unfavorably  *
House Agriculture Committee Official Statement on H.R. 503 On July 27, Chairman Bob Goodlatte convened a hearing to review H.R. 503, a bill to amend the Horse Protection Act. H.R. 503 would prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of horses and other equines to be slaughtered ... Read full story
 8/3/2006
AHC Requests Grassroots Contacts for "Right to Ride" Bill  *
The House of Representatives has passed Congressman George Radanovich's "Right-to-Ride" bill (H.R. 586). The bill is intended to protect the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands, wilderness areas, national monuments, and other areas that are administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the United ... Read full story
 8/2/2006
Agriculture Subcommittee Strongly Disapproves of Slaughter Bill  *
The House Agricultural Subcommittee listened to testimonies from a panel of horse industry and veterinary leaders yesterday (July 27) concerning an amendment (H.R. 503) to the Horse Protection Act. After listening to a lengthy discussion, members of the House Agricultural Subcommittee voted 37-3 to discharge the bill with "disfavor" and recommended ... Read full story
 7/27/2006
Federal Hearing on Horse Slaughter Draws Large Crowd  *
A legislative hearing Tuesday by the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection concerning the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act drew a large crowd, causing the hearing to be moved after opening remarks. The original room could not accommodate all of those who wished to attend. The bill, which has ... Read full story
 7/26/2006
Trial Postponed in California Neglect Case  *
The 35 horses removed from James DeNoyer's northwestern California ranch late last year have new homes, but the case is far from closed. The malnourished horses were seized in December 2005 following a six-month investigation. Paul Michelsen, DVM, and Mike Witt, DVM, of Michelsen and Witt Large Animal Practice in Redwood Valley, treated the horses ... Read full story
 7/19/2006
Horsemen Hope for the Best in New Jersey Budget Crisis  *
New Jersey’s racetracks could close Wednesday if the state legislature is unable to adopt a spending plan by that date. Harness racing track The Meadowlands already was forced to cancel its July 1 card – which featured the $200,000 Titan Cup and elimination races for the $625,000 William R. Haughton Memorial – because of the budget impasse, which led ... Read full story
 7/6/2006
Slaughter Legislation Could Be Put To Vote  *
The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act could be put to a vote when Congress returns July 10 from its Fourth of July recess. Before the break, Capitol Hill was the scene of intense lobbying from those on both sides of the issue. "There had been some thought for some quick movement, but it looks like there are some scheduling and timing issues," ... Read full story
 7/5/2006
Conference Stresses Disaster Planning and Large Animal Rescue  *
The 2006 National Conference on Animals in Disaster (NCAD) was held May 31-June 3 in Arlington, Va. The event was hosted by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and was sponsored by a variety of animal rescue organizations. More than 650 individuals came, including veterinarians, emergency response professionals, and animal care and control ... Read full story
 6/9/2006
Senate to Vote on Florida Veterinary Practice Act  *
Two years after the Florida Board of Veterinary Practice formally interpreted the state's Veterinary Practice Act to include a number of alternative therapies among practices limited to licensed veterinarians--to the dismay of many horse owners and alternative therapy practitioners--the state legislature is close to resolving the dispute. House Bill ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
Tennessee Bill Would Allow Artificial Insemination Without Veterinary Supervision  *
A Tennessee bill, which was to reach Gov. Phil Bredesen's desk in late April, would consider artificial insemination (AI) a farm management practice, meaning the state would no longer require veterinary supervision in order to artificially inseminate a mare. According to the Shelbyville Times-Gazette (www.t-g.com), the bill comes on the heels of the ... Read full story
 6/1/2006
House Passes Pet Evacuation Act  *
On May 22 the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act, H.R. 3858, which requires state and local emergency management agencies to make plans that take into account the needs of individuals with pets and service animals in the event of a major disaster or emergency. The legislation passed by a ... Read full story
 5/25/2006
House Passes Right-to-Ride Legislation  *
On May 16, the House of Representatives passed Congressman George Radanovich's "Right-to-Ride" bill (H.R. 586). The bill is intended to protect the use and access of pack and saddle stock animals on public lands, wilderness areas, national monuments, and other areas that are administered by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, ... Read full story
 5/22/2006
KEEP Promises its Members 'We'll Keep on Going'  *
Shaking off defeat of the casino bill in the recent legislative session, the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) showed a fresh outlook for the remainder of 2006 in a first public meeting May 9 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The organization's staff, three Kentucky legislatures, and dozens of KEEP members representing various horse breeds were ... Read full story
 5/10/2006
Ferdinand Derby Anniversary Impetus for Slaughter-Ban Push  *
Supporters of legislation that would ban the transport of horses to slaughter for human consumption are hopeful the measure will pass Congress this year, a co-sponsor of the bill said May 3. Meanwhile, members of the Kentucky horse industry have united to form the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, a shelter and adoption service for unwanted horses of ... Read full story
 5/4/2006
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
Brass Hat Disqualified From Second in Dubai World Cup  *
Brass Hat, who ran second in the March 25 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I), has been disqualified because a post-race test revealed trace amounts of the drug methyl prednisolone acetate. After a two-day hearing via teleconference May 2 and 3, the stewards ordered the disqualification. Owner Fred Bradley will lose $1.2 million in purse money while his son, ... Read full story
 5/3/2006
Judge Dismisses Slaughter Suit  *
On March 14, a federal judge ruled in favor of the USDA to allow fee-for-service inspections at horsemeat processing plants despite efforts of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal rights groups to prevent the inspections and close the plants. The USDA implemented the fee-for-service inspections on March 10 after the 2006 ... Read full story
 5/1/2006
Senate to Vote on Florida Veterinary Practice Act Questions  *
Two years after the Florida Board of Veterinary Practice formally interpreted the state's veterinary practice act to include a number of alternative therapies among practices limited to licensed veterinarians--to the dismay of many horse owners and alternative therapy practitioners--the state legislature is close to resolving the dispute. House Bill ... Read full story
 4/21/2006
Kentucky Drug Penalties Changed   *
A 90-day emergency regulation governing violation of Thoroughbred racing medication rules expired Feb. 15, so the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority (KHRA) reverted to the old penalty rules. The regulation expired after a legislative subcommittee declined to give final approval two days before the expiration date. According to published reports, some ... Read full story
 4/1/2006
HSUS Requests Injunction to Halt Horsemeat Inspections   *
On Feb. 14, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other groups filed suit against the USDA to prevent equine slaughterhouses from using fee-for-service inspections of horsemeat. On Feb. 22, the groups filed for an injunction to prevent the inspections of horsemeat (scheduled to start March 10) until the lawsuit could be settled. In response, ... Read full story
 4/1/2006
Citizens Push for "Brigadier's Law"  *
A deliberate hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of a Metro Toronto police horse on Feb. 24 has galvanized Canadians to amend the Criminal Code to better protect law enforcement service animals. After attending Brigadier's March 6 memorial service, Toronto Councillor Gloria Lindsay-Luby, an animal lover and former chair of the Toronto ... Read full story
 3/27/2006
Kaufman Residents Slam the Door on Horsemeat  *
On March 3, the Kaufman, Texas, zoning board unanimously voted to close Dallas Crown Inc., one of three horsemeat processing plants in the United States. The board ordered the Kaufman-based plant to close its doors by Sept. 30, citing public health and safety concerns as reasons for their decision. Don Feare, an attorney representing 15 area residents, ... Read full story
 3/13/2006
Animal Health and Consumer Protection  *
Reprinted with permission of FDA Consumer magazine Nearly a century ago, farmers had a medicine chest of products to "cure" their animals, with names such as Lee's Gizzard Capsules, Liquid Hog Medicine, and Kow-Kure. The gizzard capsules, made with nicotine, were advertised to get rid of worms in turkeys. Liquid Hog Medicine, which contained lye, ... Read full story
 3/13/2006
Microchips, Equine Genomics on Horse Council Agenda  *
The American Horse Council 2006 National Issues Forum will feature an all-day meeting of the Equine Species Working Group as well as a discussion on equine genomics, funding for which could be included in the next farm bill authored by Congress. The National Issues Forum will be held April 2-5 in Washington, D.C. Various AHC committees and the State ... Read full story
 3/11/2006
Suit Filed Over Horsemeat Inspections  *
Animal rights groups and U.S. residents living near three horsemeat processing plants jointly filed suit against the USDA on Feb. 13, less than a week after USDA announced a program to allow fee-for-service inspections of horses at slaughter plants. The Appropriations Bill eliminated funding of USDA inspectors at these plants. The groups allege that ... Read full story
 2/15/2006
Tennessee Feed Recalled  *
Tennessee Farmers Cooperative officials voluntarily recalled four lots of horse feed in early and mid-November after a horse's death was linked to the feed, which contained high levels of a livestock drug. The 10% Grain Mix (item #93638) was contaminated with rumensin (monensin sodium), a common cattle drug. John Niver, nutritionist at the Co-op, ... Read full story
 11/18/2005
Companion to 'Equity Act' Introduced in U.S. House  *
Companion legislation to the Equine Equity Act, which grants financial concessions to the horse industry, has been introduced in the United States House of Representatives. U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis of Kentucky introduced the bill Oct. 27. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Jim Bunning, both of Kentucky, sponsored the original legislation in the Senate. The ... Read full story
 11/2/2005
Sun Cured/Dehydrated Alfalfa   *
In 2005, feed regulatory officials were informed that sun-cured alfalfa products might be used in products labeled as dehydrated alfalfa, thereby substituting a product of possibly inferior nutritional quality to unsuspecting consumers. This prompted an investigation into the distinction between sun-cured and dehydrated alfalfa products, and whether ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Senate Passes Slaughter Funding Amendment   *
On Sept. 20, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan amendment (68-29) to the Agriculture Appropriations bill will eliminate federal funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors in slaughter houses for one fiscal year. Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, all livestock slaughtered, including horses, must be inspected by USDA personnel. ... Read full story
 11/1/2005
Two Horses Shot in Oregon; One Dies  *
"It's just the biggest heartbreak you can imagine," said Doris Mataya, owner of Laddie, a 14-month-old registered Paint colt and his pregnant dam, Lady. The two horses were shot multiple times in Mataya's pasture between midnight and 7 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 3, according to Sgt. David Marshall of the Douglas County Sheriff's Department. Both horses were ... Read full story
 10/10/2005
Texas District Attorney Appeals Horse Meat Ruling  *
On Sept. 23, Tim Curry, District Attorney of Tarrant County, Texas, filed a notice of appeal in the case that many thought would have permitted the slaughter of horses in Texas (see www.TheHorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=6183). On Aug. 25, U.S. District Judge Terry Means ruled that the possession of horse meat for sale for human consumption was not ... Read full story
 10/10/2005
Mandatory Disclosure of Veterinary Practices Postponed   *
The Monitoring Committee for the Sales Integrity Program has postponed implementation of the mandatory disclosure of acceptable veterinary practices, says the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association. The program's code of ethics defines these practices as surgeries designed to affect permanent changes in a horse's conformation, including transphyseal ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Shipping Mix-Up Sends Studs To the Wrong Countries   *
The search for the Thoroughbred stud Dubai Excellence has turned to Ukraine. This is where the horse thought to be Samood, who was identified as the stallion believed initially to be Dubai Excellence in Australia, is meant to have gone, sources close to the situation have said. Michael Ford, keeper of the Australian Stud Book, confirmed the week ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Company Offers Commercial Cloning   *
A San Francisco, Calif., company announced in late July its intention to clone one individual's horse for profit, at a cost of $367,593 for implanting clone embryos into 100 mares plus additional patent royalties based on the number of clones that are produced and their value. The announcement marks the first U.S. commercial cloning venture devoted ... Read full story
 10/1/2005
Dreams Can Come True  *
Soñador is Spanish for "dreamer," the title of a movie opening this month that sounds like a natural fit for horse lovers. According to information from DreamWorks, Dreamer's writer/producer John Gatins grew up loving racehorses, and wondering why horses that broke their legs couldn't be saved. Then came the moving, true-life story of Mariah's Storm, ... 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 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
Feed Label Laws  *
Oregon implemented a provisional equine feed label law on June 1 that would allow feed manufacturers to add non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) to the list of nutrient requirements already found on feed bags in that state. Adding NSC to the feed label would assist owners when choosing feed for horses that have metabolic problems or laminitis and cannot ... Read full story
 8/3/2005
Kentucky Senator Introduces Legislation to Promote Horse Industry  *
Equine Equity Act will provide tax relief for horse owners U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell introduced a bill Thursday (July 28) designed to promote investment in the horse industry by removing provisions of federal law that favor other investments. The Equine Equity Act of 2005 will reduce the capital gains holding period for horses, allow horse owners ... Read full story
 7/29/2005
Horse Owner Wins Laminitis Lawsuit  *
Jane McGarel-Groves was awarded 350,000 GBP (about $608,280 US) in damages after suing two veterinarians that treated her 14-year-old dressage horse Annastasia in 2001 with corticosteroid joint injections. The injections inadvertently caused laminitis, according to a report on the BBC web site, and the horse was euthanatized. French equestrian team ... Read full story
 7/28/2005
Update: USDA Horse Slaughter Inspectors Face Elimination  *
The House of Representatives passed the 2006 Agriculture Appropriations bill (H.R. 2744) on June 8. Included in the bill was amendment 236, which will end funding for horse slaughter plant inspectors during the 2006 federal fiscal year. The amendment states: "An amendment to prohibit the use of funds in the bill to pay salaries and expenses of personnel ... Read full story
 7/8/2005
International Breeding
I brought two Walking Horse mares to France. I would like to breed to a U.S. stallion and want to know what the success rate might be with shipped frozen or cooled semen. Will I run into importation red tape? Joey Expect LOTS OF RED TAPE. It would be best to deal with frozen semen because of the risk of transport delays. The most expedient ... Read full story
 7/1/2005
Study: Horse Industry Produces $102B in Spending  *
The horse industry in the United States contributes $39 billion in direct economic impact and generates about $102 billion in total spending, according to a detailed economic impact study released June 28. The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry in the United States was conducted by Deloitte Consulting and commissioned by the American Horse Council ... Read full story
 6/28/2005
National Economic Impact Study to be Released  *
The release of what is being called the most comprehensive study ever done on the horse industry in the United States will be released June 28 in Washington, D.C. The study, called "The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry in the United States," was discussed at length during the April meeting of the American Horse Council (AHC). Officials said many ... Read full story
 6/24/2005
Product Name Dispute  *
Platinum Performance Inc., a California manufacturer of nutritional products for horses, companion animals, and humans, has asked a U.S. District Court for a preliminary injunction against Farnam Companies Inc. to prevent Farnam's use of the names "Platform" and "Platform Performance" on its new line of equine products. According to Platinum Performance, ... Read full story
 6/17/2005
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
Ford Motor Company and BLM Work Together to Save Mustangs  *
Ford Motor Company announced May 19 that it would provide aid to preserve thousands of wild mustangs that currently face an uncertain future. In addition, the company is offering a means for the public to help "Save the Mustangs"--working with the United States Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Take Pride In America to establish a fund to maintain ... Read full story
 5/26/2005
Federal Bill Introduced to Expand Veterinary Workforce  *
In response to an increased threat with the use of biological agents for terrorism purposes, The Veterinary Workforce Expansion Act of 2005 (S. 914 and HR 2206) has been introduced to the House and Senate. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO), a retired private practice veterinarian for 20 years and graduate of Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, ... Read full story
 5/17/2005
Congress Passes H-2B Visa Relief  *
Congress has passed and sent to the President the Iraq/Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations bill. The President is expected to sign it immediately. The bill includes legislation sponsored by Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and supported by the horse industry that will ease the problems caused by the enforcement this year of the 66,000 cap on H-2B ... Read full story
 5/11/2005
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
Microchip Proposed as Required Form of Equine ID  *
"The advancement of animal ID is currently one of the NIAA's greatest missions," began Amelita Facchiano, consultant for GlobalVetLink and chair of the National Institute of Animal Agriculture (NIAA) Equine ID Subcommittee at the NIAA annual conference held April 3-7 in St. Paul, Minn. After discussing different forms of equine identification currently ... Read full story
 4/18/2005
North Carolina Horse Industry Growing   *
The North Carolina Horse Council announced April 5 that the referendum vote on the Horse Industry Promotion Assessment held March 9 passed with a 95% favorable vote. The vote authorizes the continuation of the $2 per ton voluntary assessment on horse feed sold in North Carolina. "The feed assessment has provided essential funding to the North Carolina ... Read full story
 4/13/2005
AAEP Convention 2004: The Unwanted Horse  *
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has added the welfare of unwanted horses in the United States to its priority list for the foreseeable future, according to AAEP leaders during the annual convention Dec. 5-8, 2004, in Denver, Colo. While the AAEP's stand against the national bill that bans slaughter of horses has been seen ... Read full story
 2/14/2005
AAEP Convention 2004: AAEP's View of H.R. 857 and Horse Slaughter in the United States  *
Approximately 55,000 horses are slaughtered each year in the United States. These horses are most often sent to a processing facility because they are no longer serviceable, are infirm, dangerous, or their owners are no longer able to care for them. The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), a professional association with a membership ... Read full story
 2/14/2005
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 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
British Horse Society welcomes new Government Initiative   *
The British Horse Society has welcomed the recent announcement by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) minister, Alun Michael, that U.K. land grazed by horses can now benefit from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Single Payment scheme, in recognition of the important contribution horses make to the rural economy. According ... Read full story
 12/7/2004
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
The Truth About H.R. 857   *
As lead sponsor of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 857) in the U.S. House of Representatives, I feel it is important to respond to articles recently published in The Horse that grossly misrepresent my bill and the issue of horse slaughter as a whole. Several misleading themes continue to be put forward by opponents of the American ... Read full story
 12/1/2004
USDA Takes Another Step to Establish National ID System for Animals  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) reports that the USDA has taken another step toward the implementation of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) to trace animal movements in case of a major disease outbreak. "This action has been expected," said AHC President Jay Hickey. "USDA must amend several federal regulations to foster the establishment ... Read full story
 11/22/2004
Clenbuterol Appeals Denied, Suspensions Upheld  *
Harry Thompson Jr., the leading trainer at Penn National Race Course eight of the past 10 years, has been suspended for 315 days and fined $5,250 for positive tests of clenbuterol in 2002. The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pa., reported Commonwealth Court on Nov. 5 denied the appeals of Thompson and fellow trainers Robert Lopez, Bruno Bellucci, and ... Read full story
 11/11/2004
BET Pharmacy Featured at KAAHIA Meeting  *
Attendees at the Oct. 20 meeting of the Kentucky Allied Animal Health Industry Association (KAAHIA) expected a lively discussion of compounding regulation and enforcement, as it featured speakers Bob Douglas, BS, MS, PhD, and Stephen Atwood (managing partner and legal counsel/equity holder, respectively) of BET Pharm, a compounding pharmacy in Lexington, ... Read full story
 10/21/2004
Seal Will Help Ensure Quality of Animal Supplements  *
The Animal Supplement Council (NASC) has initiated a Quality Seal Program as part of its ongoing effort to improve and standardize the animal supplement industry . The seal is a way for consumers to know that when they buy a product, they buy from a reputable manufacturer. Different from the NASC logo, the seal signifies that the company has been independently ... Read full story
 10/20/2004
Above the Surface  *
Keeneland Unveils new Polytrack surface on its training track Is Polytrack the future of racing surfaces in the United States? The five-eighths-mile training track at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., may ultimately answer that question. PHOTOS BY ANNE EBERHARDT For two days, onlookers observed horses on the new Polytrack surface at Keeneland. Polytrack--polypropylene ... Read full story
 10/4/2004
Invitations for National Economic Impact Study Distributed  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) reports that approximately 160,000 postcard invitations have been distributed asking people to participate in the national economic impact study of the horse industry. Those selected should receive the invitation in mid-October. The glossy postcard includes an Internet link that will direct the recipient to an online ... Read full story
 10/4/2004
Dallas Crown Litigation  *
Dallas Crown, one of two Fort Worth, Texas, area horse slaughter plants, continues in business after a brief court battle concerning its wastewater discharge permit. It all started when the city of Kauffman, Texas, where Dallas Crown is located, notified the plant that it was in violation of its wastewater discharge permit. That notice was filed on ... Read full story
 9/21/2004
U.K. Equine Passport Issuing Underway   *
United Kingdom horse owners should have applied for passports for their animals from one of the registered passport-issuing organizations (PIOs) by June 30. Beginning Feb. 28, 2005, passports must be presented whenever horses move from one premise to another, travel to competitions, are used for breeding, leave the U.K., are sold, or are sent to slaughter. ... Read full story
 9/1/2004
FDA Recommended Seizure on Illegal Horse Drugs Carried Out by United States Marshals Under Court Order  *
At the request of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky issued a seizure warrant on Aug. 11, 2004, for various illegally compounded drug products for use in horses found at BET Pharm, LLC, Lexington, Ky. The U.S. Marshals Service executed the seizure warrant on Aug. 12, 2004. FDA inspections ... Read full story
 8/12/2004
BET Pharm Raid Update  *
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending that horse owners and veterinarians who have products from BET Pharm, LLC, in Lexington, Ky., not use the products. "The owner should be consulting with their veterinarian to make a decision whether to use what they have on hand," said Gloria Dunnavan, Director of the Division of Compliance in ... Read full story
 8/12/2004
BET Warning Letter  *
November 17, 2003 WARNING LETTER CIN-04-18828 Robert H. Douglas, Ph.D. BET Pharm LLC 1222 Richmond Road Lexington, KY 40502 Dear Dr. Douglas: During an inspection of your facility at 1517 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, KY 40503 on June 30, July 1-3, 7, 8, 24, 28, 30 and August 1 and 6, 2003, our investigators observed serious violations of ... Read full story
 8/12/2004
Gaining a Foothold  *
All horses benefit when veterinarians, researchers, and farriers meet to share information and learn from each others' experiences. One of these notable meetings is the annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, hosted in Louisville, Ky., by Ric Redden, DVM, and his wife Nancy, of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky. The Symposium ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
Just Say No to HR 857   *
Welcome to the ugly side of veterinary medicine--horse slaughter. Now there is a subject most horse enthusiasts don't want to deal with. But because we don't live in a perfect world, horse slaughter is a necessary evil. Let me state right now that I am not pro-slaughter. I am pro-horse. I care about the health and well-being of horses; that is why ... Read full story
 8/1/2004
AAEP Tackles Drug Compounding with Formation of Task Force  *
In response to the ethical issues surrounding illegal drug compounding within the animal health industry, the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has formed a drug compounding task force to define compounding guidelines as they relate to the association's members. Illegal drug compounding occurs when drug manufacturers circumvent the ... Read full story
 7/19/2004
Illinois Slaughter Bill Stalled; Possibly Dead   *
Illinois HR649 amendment 4, which would ban equine slaughter for human consumption in the state and make it illegal to transport horses into or out of the state for slaughter, passed the Illinois Senate (as SB1921) in late May. However, it was defeated in the House by nine votes and has been referred to a rules committee as a result of objections from ... Read full story
 7/1/2004
Slaughter Legislation Stuck In Committee   *
Legislation designed to prevent horse slaughter at the national level could be indefinitely stuck in committee. In January 2003, U.S. Rep. John Sweeney, a Republican from New York, proposed HR 857, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. HR 857 seeks to prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption; the sale, possession, and trade of ... Read full story
 7/1/2004
Emergency Vesicular Stomatitis Rules  *
Following are summaries of the emergency rules that are in effect currently in Florida and Kentucky, due to the outbreak of VS in New Mexico and Texas. Visit the web sites listed to read the exact wording of the restrictions. Florida(Effective May 24, up-to-date as of June 29.) The Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (OCVI) for any hooved ... Read full story
 6/29/2004
HC/HERDA Update; Owners of Carrier Stallions Notified  *
Approximately 100 Quarter Horse stallion owners have received, or will receive, a telephone message from Ann Rashmir, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, associate professor of surgery and head of the Hyperelastosis Cutis (HC) Research Program at Mississippi State University, that contains unwelcome news. The message is that the stallion is a carrier of the recessive ... Read full story
 5/17/2004
Horse Industry Leaders Meet with Agriculture Secretary Veneman  *
Horse industry leaders met with United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman during the National Issues Forum of the American Horse Council (AHC) in Washington, D.C., April 20. The meeting provided an opportunity to explain the economic importance of the horse industry; how the equine industry is participating in the Department's important ... Read full story
 5/10/2004
EVA Uniform Methods and Rules Released  *
Today the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the release of the United States' Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) Uniform Methods and Rules (UM&R), which were effective April 19 and will serve as a standard for handling EVA in breeding and other situations in this country. The United States is the only major horse-breeding ... Read full story
 5/5/2004
Breaking the Rules   *
Whether you realize it or not, and most likely you don't, administrative bodies of one type or another affect nearly every aspect of your horse activity. On the public side, for example, state departments of transportation license your farm truck and trailer, local zoning boards dictate whether you can keep horses on your property, the Occupational ... Read full story
 5/1/2004
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
Million Dollar Jury Award in Equitrol Lawsuit; Farnam Plans Appeal  *
(Updated Story) A jury awarded $1,007,500 to plaintiffs who alleged in a lawsuit that Farnam's Equitrol, a feed-through fly control product, was defectively designed and caused harm to their Thoroughbred and Warmblood sport horses. Farnam countered with a press release stating that it is appealing the decision and believes that the court decision is ... Read full story
 4/14/2004
Equine Identification Task Force Meets, Discusses ID Plan Issues  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) National Equine Identification Plan Task Force, composed of representatives from all segments of the horse industry, held its second meeting in Dallas, Texas, March 18-19, 2004. "Clearly, the meeting indicated that the horse organizations represented believe there are many benefits to participating in the national livestock ... Read full story
 4/6/2004
Economic Impact Study of the Horse Industry to be Updated  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) has initiated efforts to update the National Economic Impact Study of the Horse Industry in the United States. The original study, completed in 1996 by Barents Group of Washington, D.C., established that the horse industry in all its segments (racing, showing, recreation, and working horses) had a $112-billion effect ... Read full story
 4/5/2004
The Horse Protection Act   *
Although the Horse Protection Act (HPA) was enacted 34 years ago, show ring abuse of the Tennessee Walking Horse and other high-stepping gaited breeds is still a significant, ongoing problem. Horses are intentionally abused through mechanical and chemical means to obtain an unnatural, high-stepping gait that leads to the winner's circle. Winning brings ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
Illinois Slaughter Legislation   *
New legislation to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the state of Illinois was introduced Feb. 6, 2004, in the Illinois House of Representatives in the form of HB 6570. On Feb. 18, 2004, the bill was referred to the House Executive Committee. The legislation would also make it illegal to transport horses into or out of the state ... Read full story
 4/1/2004
Illinois Slaughter Legislation Update  *
Rep. Robert S. Molaro yesterday postponed consideration of Illinois Senate Bill 1921, which would ban equine slaughter for human consumption in the state of Illinois. Dekalb, Ill., is the home of Cavel International, one of the remaining equine slaughter facilities, recently rebuilt after a fire destroyed the former facility. The chief sponsors of ... Read full story
 3/25/2004
Litigation Filed in Saddlebred's Death  *
Sally and Joe Jackson, the owners of two Saddlebreds whose legs were injected with a caustic substance last June (click here for more information), have sued the farm where the horses were boarded for negligence, misrepresentation, and breach of contract, according to an article in today's Lexington Herald-Leader. The article stated, "In civil litigation ... Read full story
 3/3/2004
Legislation Introduced for Expediting Horse ID Plan Use  *
Four bills that would accelerate implementation of a national animal identification system have been introduced in Congress--two in the Senate and two in the House of Representatives. Horses are not specifically mentioned in any of these bills, but will be included in a national animal ID program at some point in the future. According to an official ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
Living on the Edge  *
Keeping equids in a "backyard horse" situation, subdivision, or small acreage presents a different set of challenges than keeping horses on a large farm or ranch. In urban/suburban settings, some of the important considerations include zoning, building codes (if you plan to have a barn, run-in shed, indoor arena, etc.), space for exercise, waste management, ... Read full story
 3/1/2004
Animal Identification Plan Largely Misunderstood   *
Comments collected on the draft U.S. Animal Identification Plan (USAIP) have been largely characterized by misunderstanding and frustration, according to one government official. The plan, which at this time is not an official program of the USDA, was designed to establish a timely traceback system to minimize the the spread of foreign animal diseases, ... Read full story
 2/26/2004
Illinois Horse Slaughter Legislation  *
New legislation to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption in the state of Illinois was introduced Feb. 6, 2004, in the Illinois House of Representatives in the form of HB 6570. On Feb. 18, 2004, the bill was referred to the House Executive Committee. The legislation would also make it illegal to transport horses into or out of the state ... Read full story
 2/20/2004
Medication Policy Takes Somewhat Different Approach  *
The National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) has adopted a position on medication and drug testing that states any changes in policies in each jurisdiction should be enacted only after there is scientific evidence that specific therapeutic drugs shouldn’t be used in racehorses. The National HBPA supports efforts by the national ... Read full story
 2/11/2004
The United States Animal ID Plan  *
Mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) in the United States highlighted the need to have all livestock--including horses--identified and easily traced. While some states have required equine identification programs in place now (such as Louisiana), there are grumblings from some horse owners about "big brother" becoming involved in the ... Read full story
 2/4/2004
AAEP 2003: Compounding  *
Charlotte A. Lacroix, DVM, Esq. (attorney) of New Jersey, presented a session on compounding at the convention. Lacroix cautioned her veterinary audience that illegal compounding is a potential tidal wave in liability. The FDA says a drug is any substance, food, or non-food used to treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent a disease. A drug also is any non-food ... Read full story
 2/3/2004
AAEP 2003: Medications and Drug Testing  *
A packed room during the AAEP’s Racing Forum held sometimes heated discussions about the facts and nuances of the on-going Racing Medication and Testing Consortium’s (RMTC) attempt to create a uniform medication policy for racing in the United States. Milton McClure, DVM, a racetrack practitioner from Bossier City, La., chaired the session that centered ... Read full story
 2/3/2004
New Electronic Certificates of Veterinary Inspection   *
The USDA's Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health announced to industry stakeholders Oct. 22, 2003, that Veterinary Services (VS) is working with six states on an electronic Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) project. This would allow state and federal animal health officials to have real-time access to information regarding ... Read full story
 2/1/2004
Comments Sought on Equine Viral Arteritis: Uniformed Methods and Rules  *
The American Horse Council (AHC) has been asked to share the Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA): Uniformed Methods and Rules (UM&R) created by the USDA. There is a brief period for review and comment and the AHC asks that you click here or visit www.horsecouncil.org and click on the EVA UM&R link near the top of the page) to read the EVA UM&R ... Read full story
 1/19/2004
Wanted: A Few Good Clippers (of equestrian land use articles)  *
The Equestrian Land Conservation Resource is looking for clippers--people who are concerned about the loss of equestrian land and riding areas and want to do something about it. These clippers clip newspaper and magazine articles, not shaggy horses, and send them in to the Equestrian Land Conservation Resource's (ELCR) national office. The articles ... Read full story
 1/19/2004
Good and Bad Drugs  *
So what do veterinarians talk about when they get together? Pretty much what other horse people talk about--successes, problems, the high cost of doing business, and the latest “hot” topics of the industry. At the 2003 gathering of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), one of the hottest topics is the problem of illegal compounding ... Read full story
 12/3/2003
U.K. Government Extends Deadline for Passports  *
United Kingdom horse owners will have an extra six months to obtain passports for their animals, after regulations detailing the requirements of the horse passport program were brought before Parliament. The new horse passport regulations will help protect the human food chain by ensuring that all horses, ponies, and donkeys are issued with identification ... Read full story
 11/26/2003
Kentucky Drug Council Partners with UK to Study Inolin, Dizocilpine  *
The Kentucky Equine Drug Research Council is moving forward on research to develop tests for presence of the drugs inolin, a bronchodilator which could also enhance performance, and dizocilpine, a potential stimulant. The council is also working toward establishing a new way to do business with the University of Kentucky to accomplish such research. The ... Read full story
 10/28/2003
Defendants in Mare Torture Killing Going to Trial  *
Two Northern California men who pleaded "no contest" Sept. 4 to felony animal cruelty stemming from the torture death of a 24-year-old Thoroughbred mare were allowed to withdraw their pleas and have been scheduled to face trial Dec. 1. A probation report recommended maximum three-year state prison sentences for both defendants, Liobijildo Guzman Herrera, ... Read full story
 10/28/2003
Horse Passports in England Save Equine Medicines  *
In response to a threat several years ago that horses in England might not be allowed to use many currently available medications because of the potential of having unauthorized medications reach the human food chain through exported horsemeat, all owners of equids in England must have a passport for their animals. These passports will declare whether ... Read full story
 10/15/2003
AAFCO Takes Action Against Feeds Containing Kava   *
The Association of American Feed Control Officials, Inc. (AAFCO) announced to its members and to the feed industry on Aug. 4, 2003, that kava should not be used as an ingredient in animal feeds. An enforcement strategy event for kava in animal feeds, recommended to begin on Dec. 2, 2003, follows a notification period informing manufacturers and distributors ... Read full story
 9/16/2003
Slaughter Legislation in Texas   *
The battle over the slaughter of horses in the United States has shifted directly to Texas, where two slaughter plants operate. At the moment, operations at the two plants continue while the issue is being decided in federal court. The two horse slaughter plants are Beltex in Fort Worth, Texas, and Dallas Crown in nearby Kaufman. The background ... Read full story
 8/1/2003
Tax Bill Includes Provisions Beneficial to Horse Industry  *
(From the American Horse Council) On May 28, U.S. President George Bush signed the $350 billion Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 into law, the third federal tax reduction in as many years. The bill, which is intended to prompt investment, provide jobs, and get the economy jump-started, includes some attractive incentives for investing ... Read full story
 6/13/2003
Thieves Steal College Tack; Donations Needed  *
Asbury College in Wilmore, Ky., was cleaned out of horse tack on Friday, June 6. In all, 18 saddles (English and Western) were stolen, plus all the leather halters, lead ropes, and bridles. The small college has a variety of summer riding camps for kids, and while the staff has been able to borrow enough tack to hold classes, they are in need of donations ... Read full story
 6/11/2003
Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003  *
From the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association Before adjourning for the Memorial Day recess, the United States Congress passed the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003. President George Bush will sign this legislation, which includes a number of provisions that will benefit the horse industry. The $350 billion tax cut bill will:Accelerate ... Read full story
 5/29/2003
Extra-Label Drug Use in Veterinary Medicine  *
Reprinted from the FDA Newsletter, March/April 2003 Since 1994, when Congress passed the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA), veterinarians in the U.S. have enjoyed legitimate extra-label use (ELU) privileges. Veterinarians can safeguard ELU privileges by following AMDUCA, and by educating clients (particularly food animal ... Read full story
 4/29/2003
Farmers Urged to Reduce the Risk of Anhydrous Ammonia Theft  *
Kentucky's Agriculture Commissioner Billy Ray Smith reminded farmers andfarm businesses to take extra care to prevent thefts of anhydrous ammoniaduring the planting season. Anhydrous ammonia is a common nitrogen fertilizer for crops. It also is atarget for thieves who use it to produce the street drug methamphetamine orsell it on the black market. ... Read full story
 4/4/2003
FDA Final Rule Streamlines Adverse Event Reporting for New Animal Drugs  *
On April 1, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it had published a new regulation that improves the requirements for reporting adverse events associated with approved animal drugs. The reforms reduce certain reporting burdens while assuring collection of the information required to maintain high standards for protecting the health of animals ... Read full story
 4/4/2003
Official: Uniform Drug Policy Three to Five Years Away  *
Uniformity in medication and drug testing could be years away, a member of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium said April 1 during a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB)Medication Committee meeting. Dr. Rick Arthur, a vice president and director of the Oak Tree Racing Association and a member of the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, ... Read full story
 4/3/2003
California Panel Calls for Ban on Use of Venom in Horses  *
California has taken the first step to ban the backstretch use of snake venom, which officials believe can be used as a nerve- or joint-numbing agent in sore or injured horses. If approved by California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), the action by its medication committee April 1 would add snake and snail venom to the list of prohibited substances banned ... Read full story
 4/3/2003
House Passes Bill Aimed at West Nile Virus Prevention  *
In a 416-9 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would authorize $100 million in grants for communities to develop mosquito-control programs, according to an Associated Press news release. Lawmakers hope the bill, which also passed the House last year, will slow the spread of the West Nile virus, which ran rampant across ... Read full story
 3/14/2003
Fighting EPO Use Proving a Tough Fight   *
Though testing for the blood-doping agent erythropoietin (EPO) remains in its infant stages, a view into the prevalence of the drug on North America's backstretches is beginning to come into focus.Since a test to identify EPO antibodies was introduced to racing jurisdictions late last year, horses have tested positive in Texas, New York, and Louisiana. ... Read full story
 3/10/2003
Horse Slaughter Legislation   *
A bill to ban the slaughter of horses in the United States as well as the transportation of horses to slaughter has been re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, only this time there is a new player in the game. The New York Racing Association (NYRA) has gone on record as being in full support of the bill. Officially, the bill is The American ... Read full story
 3/5/2003
Horse Council to Focus on Education, Advocacy  *
The American Horse Council Convention and Congressional Conference for 2003 will focus on education and how it can lead to advocacy. The convention, set for April 5-8 in Washington, D.C., will feature state horse council meetings, panel discussions on a variety of topics, an awards luncheon, and a Congressional dinner. It will end with a Congressional ... Read full story
 2/20/2003
Legislation Reintroduced to Ban Horse Slaughter  *
U.S. Representative John Sweeney (R-NY), chairman of the Congressional Horse Caucus, and U.S.Representative John Spratt (D-SC) reintroduced the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act on Thursday. The bill would ban the trade in horsemeat and live horses for human consumption.An identical version of this bill will soon be introduced in the Senate. This ... Read full story
 2/14/2003
CEM Exemptions Rescinded for Spanish Purebred Horses   *
Officials from the USDA's National Center for Import/Export recently rescinded a contagious equine metritis (CEM) exemption once given to Spanish purebred horses. The exemption allowed these horses to pass through the import center with an abbreviated form of CEM testing, an allowance that was revoked due to repeat violations of U.S. equine import ... Read full story
 2/1/2003
Federal Equine Research Funding   *
Fact--The horse industry has a $112.1-billion impact on the U.S. gross domestic product--more than the motion picture industry, railroad transportation, or tobacco products manufacturing industries, according to the American Horse Council. Fact--Equine research received $807,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Research Initiative ... Read full story
 2/1/2003
Morphine Positives Bring Call for Threshold Levels  *
Be My Royal, winner of the one the biggest races of the National Hunt season to date, faces disqualification in connection with a rash of positive drug tests for traces of morphine in British and Irish races due to contaminated feed. The situation has brought a call for threshold levels for morphine and other substances that may occur through environmental ... Read full story
 1/14/2003
West Nile Virus Changed to Endemic Disease Status; Fees will be Charged for Some WNV Testing   *
Government veterinary officials recently designated West Nile virus (WNV) as an endemic disease in the United States. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) previously had considered WNV a Foreign Animal Disease (FAD), since it had never been detected in the United States prior to 1999. (Read more about ... Read full story
 12/28/2002
Kentucky Seeks Economic Impact Study  *
No one in Kentucky knows exactly how many horses or farms make up what is now the state's number one agricultural industry, but the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, in partnership with some of the state's equine leaders, hopes to change that. At a recent KDA-sponsored equine summit, participants took the first steps toward commissioning an economic ... Read full story
 11/26/2002
USDA Vaccine Licensing   *
Any company trying to put a new vaccine on the market must follow a specific process to obtain a license from the USDA before the product can be used in the horse population. A vaccine receives either a conditional or full license after a series of purity, safety, efficacy (does it work?), and potency (how much is in there?) tests. But what does all ... Read full story
 11/1/2002
Compounding Study: Know What You're Getting  *
A recently published study showed that administration of one type of compounded omeprazole suspension was ineffective in healing ulcers in racehorses, while treatment with the FDA-approved form of omeprazole (GastroGard) was effective in attenuating ulcers. The study was completed at the University of California, Davis, and appeared in the latest issue ... Read full story
 10/15/2002
Vaccine Licensing  *
Any company trying to put a new vaccine on the market must follow a specific process to obtain a license from the USDA before the product can be used in the horse population. A vaccine receives either a conditional or full license after a series of purity, safety, efficacy, and potency tests. But what does all of this licensing jargon mean? The Horse ... Read full story
 9/27/2002
Comfrey Targeted for Enforcement Action  *
The Enforcement Strategy for Marketed Ingredients (ESMI) Working Group of the Association of Animal Feed Control Officers (AAFCO) cited an increasing number of unapproved or undefined ingredients appearing in animal feed and pet food as well as "growing concerns about consumer protection, protection of animal health, and food safety" as the reason ... Read full story
 9/26/2002
Basics of Being an Employer  *
You probably know the employment drill all too well--you place an ad in the local newspaper or on the bulletin board at the feed/tack store, ask your friends for a few names, interview some job prospects, review your budget, review your budget again, make an offer, get a "yes," start the paperwork, and hope for the best. Congratulations! You're an ... Read full story
 8/1/2002
Putting Equine Podiatrists in Their "Right Minds"  *
While most people don't consider equine podiatry an artistic profession, Ric Redden, DVM, owner of the International Equine Podiatry Center and organizer/chief instructor of the first In-Depth Equine Podiatry Course going on this week, heartily disagrees. "We're trying to teach these students (which include some veterinarians and farriers who have ... Read full story
 7/31/2002
Wanted: Consumer Involvement  *
In recent months, there has been a good deal of discussion regarding the legality of many ingredients that horse and pet owners take for granted in supplements. Much of this discussion has centered on the proposed enforcement action by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) for ingredients that have not yet received "ingredient ... Read full story
 6/28/2002
Is Your Horse Getting the Right Medications?  *
Unethical medication production and marketing continues to be a serious problem in the equine industry worldwide, said Joe Bertone, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, in his presentation “Drug Quality and Equine Veterinary Practice” at the 2002 American Horse Publications convention on June 21. “The equine industry is a huge target for snake-oil salesmen,” he stated. ... Read full story
 6/26/2002
FDA Orders Recall of Mercury-Containing Drug  *
The government has ordered a nationwide recall of a horse drug sold over the Internet called Miracle Leg Paint, because it contains mercury that is poisonous both to horses and to people, according to an Associated Press report. Horse owners who have purchased the product should not use it. Instead, they should contact local waste-management authorities ... Read full story
 6/3/2002
Regulation of Supplements   *
Recently, an alarm was sounded that "the authorities" are trying to take away supplement products sold over-the-counter to horse owners. Some people have portrayed it as if Big Brother were trying to keep useful products away from the animals that might benefit from those products, but here's the straight scoop. It is a fact that supplement products ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Supplemental Cooperation   *
Since last month's column, a big step forward was taken by some manufacturers in the supplement industry. This step forestalled any "en masse" immediate regulatory action; however, it does not mean state feed regulators can't or won't enforce laws currently on the books regarding supplements. The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) called a meeting ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Supplement Regulation News  *
The threat of a supplement regulatory crackdown motivated 25 ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors to join with the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) on April 3-4 to hammer out a proposed Compliance Plus program. This program is a "work in progress," according to NASC president Bill Bookout. He said this proposal gives supplement ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
UK Legislation Threatens to Change Medication Policy   *
Legislation is under consideration in the United Kingdom that would drastically affect the way horse owners obtain medications such as dewormers for their horses. Amendments to the legislation would require a veterinary prescription for the supply of all medicines (including dewormers and over-the-counter products such as sweet itch treatments or insecticide ... Read full story
 6/1/2002
Texas Judge Upholds Antitrust Ruling Against the AQHA  *
A Texas judge reaffirmed on May 16 his earlier decision that an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) rule restricting the number of registered foals produced through embryo transfer violates the state's antitrustlaw. Negotiations between the AQHA and a coalition of horse breeders seeking to overturn the association rule have failed to produce ... Read full story
 5/30/2002
National Animal Supplement Council Submits Proposal  *
The supplement manufacturing industry has submitted a proposal to federal regulatory agencies that includes provisions for establishing common industry standards for manufacturing processes, allowing focus toward finished product safety through an adverse event reporting system, and limiting unsubstantiated labeling claims. These standards are now ... Read full story
 5/17/2002
Animal Supplement Crackdown  *
Many supplements used by horse owners and veterinarians every day are illegal and thus could be taken off the market. State regulators say that after five years of trying to get manufacturers to meet legal requirements, they are cracking down on illegal ingredients in animal supplements, even though the products have been manufactured, advertised, ... Read full story
 5/1/2002
Supplement Loss?   *
There are some regulatory rumblings that could change the way all of us feed and take care of our horses every day, whether you are a horse owner or a veterinarian. Many nutritional supplements are sold illegally. "What?" you might say. "How can all those products on the shelves, catalogues, and magazine pages be illegal and still be manufactured, ... Read full story
 5/1/2002
Publication Educates on Land Conservation for Horses  *
The Equestrian Land Conservation Resource (ELCR) has released a new publication, Equestrian Economic Impact Analysis: How your Community Benefits, to educate non-horse owners (primarily legislative officials) about the positive economic impact of horse keeping and horse activities. "People who do not keep horses themselves or participate in equestrian ... Read full story
 5/1/2002
Supplemental Work  *
The threat of a supplement crackdown motivated a group of 25 manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and distributors to join with the National Animal Supplement Counsel (NASC) on April 3-4 to hammer out a proposed Compliance Plus program. This program is a “work in progress,” according to NASC president Bill Bookout. He said this proposal gives supplement ... Read full story
 4/24/2002
USDA Extends Some Animal-Origin Health Certificates  *
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has amended regulations pertaining to animal exports. In a rule that became effective April 1, accredited veterinarians can allow origin health certificates for animals intended for export from the United States to be valid for more than 30 days in some cases, depending on the testing requirements ... Read full story
 4/24/2002
Change to Texas EIA Regulations   *
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) recently enacted a new regulation that requires equids to have had a negative blood test for equine infectious anemia (EIA) within the previous 12 months if the animals are kept within 200 yards of equids owned by another individual. The change was in response to citizen petitions. Linda Logan, DVM, Texas' ... Read full story
 4/23/2002
Mycotoxin Binders Not Labeled Legally  *
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the claims made by some feed products that they contain mycotoxin binders is illegal. In Kentucky last year, many feeds and supplements were touted as having mycotoxin binders in the face of mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). Kentucky feed regulators now are encouraging manufacturers to discontinue those ... Read full story
 4/12/2002
Sample Letter to Legislators Concerning Supplements Available  *
A member of The Horse’s Editorial Advisory Board has offered this sample letter for horse owners and members of the horse industry who oppose the impending crackdown on animal nutritional supplements. (See http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=3397 and http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=3398 to learn more about this topic.) Suggested ... Read full story
 3/25/2002
Supplements Facing Federal Regulation, Ban  *
There are some regulatory rumblings that could change the way all of us feed and take care of our horses every day. Unless the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an ingredient for use in an animal feed or supplement product, it is illegal. The law is as simple as that. There are several ways companies can have non-food ingredients such ... Read full story
 3/21/2002
Regulation of Equine Supplements  *
The following is an in-depth explanation of the supplement regulation issue. For a condensed version, visit http://www.TheHorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=3397. For nearly six years, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has looked at many animal nutritional supplements as illegal. In April 1996, the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) published a ... Read full story
 3/21/2002
Banning Equine Slaughter in the United States  *
On Feb. 14, Rep. Connie Morella of Maryland sponsored HR 3781, a bill that would make it illegal to slaughter horses for human consumption in the United States and prohibit horses from being transported to another country for slaughter. It also prohibits the transport of horseflesh intended for human consumption. The bill was co-sponsored by Representatives ... Read full story
 2/20/2002
Update on Illegal Compounding of Clenbuterol Veterinary Drug Products   *
Background information at http://www.TheHorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=947 From the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) In 1998, the FDA approved a new animal drug application (NADA) for Boehringer-Ingelheim Vetmedica's Ventipulmin Syrup, which contains a small amount of clenbuterol, as a restricted use prescription-only drug for treating horses ... Read full story
 1/25/2002
U.K. Animal Welfare Laws to be Updated  *
Plans to review, modernize and simplify outdated laws on animal welfare were unveiled Jan. 2 by the United Kingdom's Animal Welfare Minister Elliot Morley. Animal welfare groups, local authority representatives, courts, police and industry will be consulted in what will be a far-reaching review drawing together the environmental and industrial concerns ... Read full story
 1/9/2002
Summit Comes Down to Time and Money  *
In the aftermath of Tuesday's Racehorse Medication Summit, it was all about time and money. Participants said they wouldn't have much more to say until the official minutes of the meeting are released, and that the success of any proposal hinges on a funding mechanism. "I think it's important the industry understands that this is going to take money," ... Read full story
 12/5/2001
Medication Summit: Consensus, But Very Few Details  *
Participants at Tuesday's Racehorse Medication Summit in Tucson, Ariz., reached a consensus on medication, drug-testing, security, and enforcement, but said much of any future policy depends on scientific determinations. The group of about 30 industry officials did agree on the need for a uniform medication policy and decision levels for therapeutic ... Read full story
 12/4/2001
Industry Hopes For Starting Point on Drugs  *
Racing industry participants expressed hope Tuesday morning that a five-hour facilitated session on medication would at least serve as a starting point toward uniformity. No one expected radical changes in current policies that vary by jurisdiction in the United States. On an unusually cloudy and rainy morning in Tucson, Ariz., 31 invited representatives ... Read full story
 12/4/2001
Legislation Begins With You  *
Often I am asked, "How does a law originate?" That’s a good question. Recently in Pennsylvania, I had the opportunity to author a bill that became law in June of 2001. The law (Act 64 of 2001) prohibits tranportation of horses in multi-level vehicles (The Horse of September 2001, article #2839). Act 64 was not my idea. Although I like horses and ride ... Read full story
 12/1/2001
AAEP Convention Forum: Purchase Exams at Public Auction  *
One of your top clients wants you to look at a filly he has his eye on at the sales. You must give him your honest opinion on the horse by looking at radiographs taken by another veterinarian and housed in a repository. Unfortunately, they aren’t the finest films you’ve ever seen and time is short, but from what you can tell, the horse is radiographically ... Read full story
 11/30/2001
Kentucky Public Invited to Attend Farm Policy Conference   *
Decisions made in Washington D.C. will have a profound effect on the future of Kentucky agriculture. To learn about that impact, the public is being urged to attend a daylong educational conference, "2002 Farm Policy and You." "This is a critical time for agriculture, in our state and in our nation," said Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Billy Ray ... Read full story
 11/2/2001
California Foreign Vet Bill Fails  *
To the relief of many practitioners and to the dismay of others, a California bill did not pass in August that would have drastically changed veterinary medicine in the state. California Assembly Bill 2842 would have allowed graduates of any veterinary school in the world to bypass clinical proficiency tests of the Education Commission on Foreign Veterinary ... Read full story
 11/2/2001
Mediation vs. Litigation  *
Disputes arise with an alarming frequency in the horse business. They can range from something relatively minor, such as a misunderstanding over a feed bill, to a problem serious enough to threaten the continued existence of your business, such as alleged liability for a career-ending injury to a valuable show horse in your care. Hardly ever is ... Read full story
 10/18/2001
Who Is My Equine Neighbour?  *
Many of us will remember the story of the Good Samaritan from the gospel of Luke, when the lawyer asked Jesus to define "who is my neighbor?" This question was asked because the lawyer didn't want to have to go out of his way to help someone that he didn't have to help. He wanted to focus his attentions close to home and hearth. The moral of the story ... Read full story
 10/15/2001
Horse Protection Act  *
The following information was provided by Tim Cordes, DVM, Senior Staff Veterinarian, USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services. The Horse Protection Act was put in place and is being modified in order to prevent the act of soring, whereby caustic chemicals, foreign materials, or mechanical devices are used on horses in ... Read full story
 10/15/2001
Horse Council Opposes Federal HIPPA Rules Affecting Riders  *
The American Horse Council submitted comments opposing proposed regulations governing the provisions in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The regulations were proposed by the Internal Revenue Service, the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration and the Health Care Financing Administration. HIPAA was passed ... Read full story
 10/12/2001
Lien On Me  *
Unpaid bills can be the ruin of any business. Whether you operate a large training stable or a modest boarding farm, the way you deal with the inevitable client who cannot, or will not, pay the board bill might decide whether your business succeeds or fails. An obvious solution for providers of many services--simply quit the job, cut your losses, and ... Read full story
 10/11/2001
Definition Of Horses As Livestock  *
What is livestock? Livestock is most commonly considered animals kept or raised in a farm or ranch setting and used in a commercial enterprise. The raising of livestock is an agricultural endeavor that promotes the preservation of green space and a way of life that many in today's society desire. Are horses livestock? Yes, horses are livestock. ... Read full story
 10/5/2001
Boarding Contracts Part 2  *
Many attorneys recommend including in boarding contracts an exculpatory clause in which the boarder agrees to a waiver of the farm's liability for personal injuries or injuries to the horse. This is important due to the nature of a boarding transaction. When one party (in this case the horse owner, or bailor) delivers property to another (the farm ... Read full story
 10/5/2001
Home Sweet Barn--People Living in the Barn  *
Tack rooms, offices, and lounges are fairly common horse barn amenities. Less common are built-in living quarters for farm owners or employees, but some facilities have found it practical as well as economical to include a "barn apartment" of sorts in the building plans. The installation of living quarters might at first seem an extravagance, but there ... Read full story
 9/12/2001
Buying or Building a Farm  *
Buying or building a horse farm can be a challenging venture where dreams might or might not become reality, and where budgets dictate compromise. The buyer needs to consider what is more advantageous: To build on empty land, or to buy a pre-existing horse farm. There are many other elements to consider, including location, future growth and how that ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Hauling Horses--National Exposition on Equine Transportation  *
The first National Exposition on Equine Transportation (NEET) had a wealth of information for people who haul their own horses for competition or pleasure riding, or for those shipping horses commercially. Information ranged from live demonstrations and hands-on participation to lectures on topics including research on health aspects of transportation, ... Read full story
 6/1/2001
Riders Health Insurance At Risk  *
Regulations proposed by the Internal Revenue Service, the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration and the Health Care Financing Administration could affect people who enjoy horseback riding (and other forms of recreation) by permitting health insurers to exclude coverage for injuries resulting from riding and other forms of “dangerous” recreation. ... Read full story
 4/6/2001
New Immigration Act  *
Horse farm employees across the country can take advantage of the Legal Immigration and Family Equity Act (LIFE Act). The LIFE Act allows illegal residents of the United States to file a labor certificate application, which among other things makes them eligible for permanent resident status. Interested employees can qualify by filing an application ... Read full story
 4/1/2001
Ready To Assemble: Barns, Stalls, And Run-In Sheds  *
For those who have the time, inclination, and the ability to follow instructions, assembling a run-in shed, stall, or a barn from a mail-order kit might be a 21st Century option. These do-it-yourself kits can yield impressive savings and offer you control over the quality of workmanship and materials. Novices with basic tools can put together a stall ... Read full story
 2/1/2001
Equine Insurance  *
The great day has arrived. You've been patient. You've saved your money. You've looked at dozens of candidates. Now you know this is the horse for you, the one that will take you to the training level at the horse trials or, if another discipline is involved, allow you to move up in your chosen competition. The only problem is that the horse costs ... Read full story
 2/1/2001
Colorado Legislation  *
Legislation passed by voters in Estes Park, Colo., might have an unintended negative impact on area horse competitions. Initiative 200 was placed on the November 1999 ballot in the mountain tourist town by opponents of a proposed wildlife center to be built near the Rocky Mountain National Park. Plans for the wildlife center, which were approved by ... Read full story
 1/1/2001
Equine-Related Human Injuries  *
Like bicycles, skateboards, and dogs, horses supply fun and risk. Riding bikes or skateboards can lead to falls, and dogs can bite. Handling and riding horses can mean falls, bites, and kicks, but like other leisure pursuits, the pleasures outweigh the pitfalls. Associating with horses requires recognizing the hazards. When humans and horses interact, ... Read full story
 10/1/2000
Pennsylvania Bill Opposition  *
Pending in the Pennsylvania Senate is a bill that will allow the transportation to slaughter of a horse which is able to stand and bear weight on only three legs and walk unassisted. The original bill allowed the shipment of horses which could stand and walk on four legs unaided, but was edited on May 16. House Bill 590, otherwise known as "the three-legged ... Read full story
 8/1/2000
Colorado Braces for Reclassification  *
Animal rights activists are putting forth an effort to reclassify the horse as a companion animal rather than livestock in Colorado. The Colorado Horse Council (CoHoCo), in cooperation with the Colorado Horse Development Authority, has been educating Colorado horse owners about the possibility of an initiative appearing on a ballot. They feel it would ... Read full story
 4/1/2000
Liability Issues  *
The popularity of Judge Wapner’s ‘Animal Court,’ Judge Koch’s ‘The People’s Court,’ ‘Judge Judy,’ ‘Judge Mills Lane,’ ‘Judge Joe Brown,’ and other similar ‘legal reality’ television shows convinced Mr. and Mrs. Green that everyone wants to sue everyone else, with national exposure, if possible. They recognize that their modest horse business is a potential ... Read full story
 12/1/1999
NC Approves Horse Feed Tax For Promotion  *
A North Carolina state referendum was passed with an 80% majority approving a tax of $2 on each ton of horse feed sold. According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, this will raise $200,000 annually for promotion of the horse industry in North Carolina. Approval of the self-imposed tax indicates a sincere interest in the growth and development ... Read full story
 11/5/1999
Licensing Agreement Claim False   *
The press release issued Sept. 1 by Select The Best of Carson City, Nev., regarding a licensing agreement with Nutramax Laboratories Inc. concerning a combination chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride product is completely false, according to Nutramax. Select The Best was one of several companies named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed ... Read full story
 10/27/1999
USDA Proposes To Declare Morocco Free Of African Horse Sickness   *
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to remove Morocco from its list of countries considered to be affected with African horse sickness, a fatal viral disease. This change would relieve restrictions on the importation of horses into the United States from Morocco. The proposed action is based on information submitted by agriculture officials ... Read full story
 9/10/1999
Owners Asked To Make Plans In Case Of Inability To Care For Animals  *
The British Horse Society (BHS) has released photos of a pure-bred Arab stallion, Prince Darkhano, currently resident in the Society's Oxhill Rescue Centre, as a real-life illustration of what can happen if a horse owner doesn't make plans to safeguard their horse's future. Prince Darkhano, now fully recovered, was one of five pure-bred Arabians ... Read full story
 6/11/1999
AHC Opposes 100% Tariff On European Oats   *
Because of a trade skirmish with the European Union involving bananas and beef, American horse owners and breeders may be paying more for their horse feed in the near future. The American Horse Council (AHC) reports that the United States Trade Representative, which negotiates import-export issues with U.S. trading partners, has announced it intends ... Read full story
 6/4/1999
Capital Gains Bill Introduced To Help Horse Owners   *
The American Horse Council reports that Congressmen Jerry Weller (R-IL), Joel Hefley (R-CO), Ron Lewis (R-KY) and Congresswoman Karen Thurman (D-FL) have introduced legislation to reduce from two years to one the period for which horses must be held to realize capital gains treatment upon sale. The bill number is H.R. 1174. Gains from the sale of ... Read full story
 4/9/1999
Answers Sought In Wild Horse Shootings   *
Police are continuing their search for the shooters of 33 wild horses in Nevada just outside of Reno, Nev. Currently, authorities are X raying carcasses for metal, specifically bullets, and performing ballistics tests. A reward for information leading to the arrests and prosecution of the shooters now stands at $35,000. ... Read full story
 1/8/1999
Appropriations Bill Includes Money For Horse Programs   *
The American Horse Council (AHC) reports that before adjourning Congress passed a giant Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which included federal funding for several equine programs the AHC has been working for on behalf of the horse industry. The bill was signed into law by the President on October 21, 1998. “The funding for these important programs was ... Read full story
 11/6/1998
California Voters Outlaw Horse Slaughter For Food   *
“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to possess, to to import into or export from the state, or to sell, buy, give away, hold, or accept any horse with the intent of killing, or having another kill that horse, if that person knows or should have known that any part of that horse will be used for human consumption. ... Read full story
 11/6/1998
Boarding Contracts  *
No one wants to add complication and aggravation to a business or pleasure activity, and for many horse enthusiasts, the use of written boarding contracts is viewed as providing more hassle than benefit. After all, you might think, what is the worst thing that can happen to me if I continue to do business as usual, without written agreements with my ... Read full story
 11/1/1998
Animal Protection A Major Theme On State Ballots   *
With election day less than two months away, voters will soon decide a variety of statewide ballot measures affecting animals, including commercial trapping, cockfighting, mourning dove hunting, and the selling of horses for human consumption. Voters in seven states will consider eight animal protection measures, matching the number of measures that ... Read full story
 9/4/1998
Limitation of Liability  *
Horses often seem to be accidents waiting to happen, and most horse owners can recount at least one horror story that starts with: "You aren't going to believe this, but..." Less apparent, but equally true, is the realization that horse businesses, by their very nature, also can be "accident prone." Whether horses are your vocation or avocation, it ... Read full story
 8/1/1998
Vet Sues NYRA To Resume His Practice   *
Veterinarian Dr. Michael Galvin didn't go away quietly after being banned for the remainder of the year by the New York Racing Association. Galvin promptly filed a $20-million lawsuit against the NYRA and went to federal court in Brooklyn on June 18 seeking an injunction and restraining order that would allow him to resume his practice at NYRA's three ... Read full story
 7/2/1998
Washington Owner Sentenced In Alleged Attempt To Have Horse Killed   *
A 70-year-old Washington state horse owner who raced in California has been sentenced to six months of home detention, five years' probation, and a $1,000 fine after pleading guilty to an attempt to hire a person to kill a Thoroughbred so he could collect the insurance money. According to the office of Jerome Friedberg, Assistant U.S. Attorney for ... Read full story
 6/26/1998
Trial Evidence Can Include How Alydar Injured   *
The judge who was scheduled to preside in the federal perjury trial of a former Calumet Farm employee ruled on June 19 that evidence about how the stallion Alydar became injured more than seven years ago could be heard. However, U.S. District Court Judge David Hittner also said that, with one exception, he would not force federal prosecutor Julia Hyman ... Read full story
 6/26/1998
Equine Dentists Now Legal In Connecticut   *
As of October 1, 1998, equine dentistry will be legal in Connecticut. Although illegal, equine dentistry has been performed in the state for years by non-certified veterinarians. With the passing of bill H.B. 5531 by the Connecticut State Legislature, “experienced” persons are now able to perform floating of horses' teeth without violating the state ... Read full story
 6/12/1998
Suspected Sponger Still At Large   *
The federal probe into the sponging incidents at Kentucky racetracks over the past two years could lead to the indictment of more individuals than William Michael McCandless, the Tennessee man charged in the case. The possibility of more than one person being involved in the sponging emerged as details of how the FBI was led to McCandless became public. ... Read full story
 5/23/1998
Sponging Suspect Served Time In Fanfreluche Theft  *
The man who was found guilty and served a prison sentence in connection with the theft of the champion mare Fanfreluche in 1977 has been charged in connection with at least three sponging incidents at Kentucky racetracks in 1996 and '97. An indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Louisville on May 4 charged William Michael McCandless with ... Read full story
 5/1/1998
Sponge Case Could See Federal Indictment   *
An indictment by a federal grand jury could be returned as soon as Monday in the Churchill Downs sponging case, according to a report by ESPN cited by the Associated Press. ESPN reported that law enforcement officials stated that the alleged perpetrator is "an industry insider with daily access to the horses and grounds." An indictment in the case, ... Read full story
 5/1/1998
Judge Awards Maximum Fine To Shipper  *
Kevin Nickerson, an agent for Donald Nickerson, owner of Nickerson Livestock, has been convicted for multiple violations of New York State laws concerning the humane treatment of livestock while in transport. Nickerson was convicted in Kirkwood, New York on April 1, and fined the maximum of $3000 -- $100 for each of 30 counts against the accused. Some ... Read full story
 4/3/1998
Jury Finds Against Vets In Negligence Case   *
Practicing racetrack veterinarians throughout North America felt the chill of a $600,000 judgment brought on March 23 against two of their colleagues in a Southern Calif. case that centered around an antibiotic injection given to the 1993 Californian Stakes (gr. I) winner Latin American, a son of Riverman now based at Walmac Farm in Ky. and serving ... Read full story
 4/3/1998
Horse Trainer Accused of Soring Settles With USDA   *
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rob Biggers, a horse trainer in Columbus, Miss., have agreed to a consent decision and order regarding violations of the Horse Protection Act. "Soring is not only a cruel and hurtful form of abuse, it's also against the law," said W. Ron DeHaven, acting deputy administrator for animal care with the animal and ... Read full story
 4/3/1998
USDA Proposes To Amend Horse Quarantine Regulations   *
The USDA is proposing to require that all horses classified as reactors for equine infectious anemia (EIA) must be quarantined at all times at least 200 yards from healthy horses at livestock facilities under state or federal veterinary supervision. "This proposal is part of our continuing effort to prevent the interstate spread of this serious disease," ... Read full story
 2/20/1998
Kentucky 'Sponge Law' Introduced   *
In reaction to a dozen incidents in 1996 and 1997 of sponges being detected in the nostrils of horses at Churchill Downs, the Kentucky legislature will consider a bill that would strengthen the penalty imposed for tampering with a horse. Existing laws treat such offenses under misdemeanor cruelty to animal statutes. State Sen. Danny Nunnelley of ... Read full story
 2/13/1998
AHC Convention 1997  *
Welfare. Regulation. Legislation. Disease prevention. These are the issues facing horse owners at all levels, and these are the issues that the American Horse Council tackled at its annual convention. These items not only affect horse owners on local and state levels, but nationally and internationally as well, whether you realize it or not. When ... Read full story
 8/1/1997
How Do You Own Your Business?  *
A question often put to attorneys is: "Should I incorporate my (fill in the blank) business?" The answer depends on several factors, and involves weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the various forms of ownership that can be chosen for a business venture. Whether you are just starting in the horse business, or are contemplating a change in ... Read full story
 4/1/1997
Why It's Important to Get Involved in Government  *
What do you mean I can't keep my horse in a barn next to my house?Why can't we get the medicine for my horse that we used last year?Nobody is going to tell me how to transport my horse.What do you mean my horse can't drink out of the stream/brook/river that goes through my pasture? What do all of the above statements have in common? They are all reactions ... Read full story
 10/1/1996
Estate Planning  *
You've owned your horse, Midnight Star, for two years. One day you come across a newspaper column. It describes a tragic automobile accident in which several people died. You suddenly realize that if something like that happened to you, you would want someone to take care of your horse. You talk to a friend who agrees to take care of Midnight Star ... Read full story
 9/1/1996
American Horse Council: Watchdog In Washington  *
There are an estimated six million equines in the United States. In some states, the horse industry is a multi-billion-dollar business, contributing substantially to the state and local tax base, as well as providing employment, entertainment, and education to the community. Whether a hobby or business, raising or working with horses can be costly. ... Read full story
 7/1/1996
Taxes and the Home Office  *
Angela Sanderson (not her real name) has been breeding and selling Paso Finos for five years. Her ranch and breeding operations are small--three mares on five acres. Although Sanderson considers herself a savvy business woman, the California breeder lost money two out of the last three years. In her effort to improve her bottom line, Sanderson is making ... Read full story
 1/1/1996




AAEP Media Partner AAEVT Partner WEVA
Seek the advice of a qualified veterinarian before proceeding with any diagnosis, treatment, or therapy.

Facebook | Twitter | RSS | Site Map | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2009 BLOOD-HORSE PUBLICATIONS. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without written permission of BLOOD-HORSE PUBLICATIONS is prohibited. THE HORSE, THE HORSE logo, THEHORSE.COM and THEHORSE.COM logo are trademarks of BLOOD-HORSE PUBLICATIONS.