Pat Raia
Pat Raia is a professional journalist who has covered horse industry and equestrian topics for a number of publications. Her background includes riding, showing, and training Saddlebred horses.
Articles by Pat Raia
Texas Horses Avoid Mass Wildfire Evacuations
February 27, 2008
As wildfires continue to skip across Texas, the blazes have not yet caused mass evacuations of horses in affected areas, emergency management officials said on Wednesday.
"We've had a number of fires over the past several weeks Read More
Wildfires Threaten Texas Horses
February 26, 2008
Monday night, reining horse breeder and trainer Dee Hertig watched a line of wildfires creep closer to her Young County, Texas, ranch. With 12 horses in the pasture, she and husband, Jack, had to think fast to come up with a plan to get their Read More
23 Horses Seized from South Carolina Farm
February 26, 2008
One day after seizing 23 allegedly malnourished horses from an Eastover, S.C., pasture, investigators with the Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA) were compiling paperwork to seek legal ownership of the Read More
Walking Horse Associations Form Rulebook Pact
February 20, 2008
Two associations frequently at odds over the best way to promote Tennessee Walking Horses have joined together in a pact designed to promote the breed's versatility.
On Feb. 18, David Pruett, president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder Read More
Tennessee Tornadoes: Horse Owners Recovering
February 19, 2008
The community of Williamson County, Tenn., is still reeling from the trio of tornadoes that ripped through Tennessee Feb. 5 and 6. The storms destroyed homes, demolished barns, and swept up horses in strong winds, according to resident Vivi Read More
Court Date for Owner of Horses in Illinois Trailer Accident
February 17, 2008
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.
Keit Read More
Illinois Offering Horse Rescue Licensing Option
February 16, 2008
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 Read More
Containment Measures Help Stem Ohio Strangles Flare-Up
February 13, 2008
An flare-up of strangles that surfaced at Northfield Park racetrack in Ohio nearly three weeks ago is under control, according to Director of Racing Gregg Keidel. Seven horses contracted the bacterial infection.
"The horses are doing fine," Read More
Kentucky Teens Sentenced in Horse Shooting Incident
February 01, 2008
Two Pike County, Ky., teenagers are behind bars for charges connected with a 2007 shooting spree that left three horses dead and another eight injured. The pair appeared in court in Pike County on Jan. 31 after their Read More
Four Thoroughbred Yearlings Killed in Traffic Accident
January 24, 2008
Four bay Thoroughbred yearlings were killed this morning when they were struck by a car traveling along Mt. Horeb Pike in Lexington, Ky.
"Two of the horses were dead on the scene and two were euthanized at the scene," said Sgt. Pat Read More
Horses Seized from Another Colorado Rescue
January 23, 2008
Operators of another Colorado horse rescue have been accused of animal cruelty, less than a month after a similar case occurred in the state. Now, one rescue industry operator in that state says the two seizures illustrate the plight of Read More
Michigan Horse Cruelty Case Stretches to Autumn 2008
January 21, 2008
Two Michigan men accused of animal cruelty and torture in a highly publicized equine welfare case are slated to appear in Jackson County Circuit Court on Sept. 30, 2008, according to a spokesperson for the Jackson County 12th District Court Read More
Rescue Operator Seeks Hearing to Retain Custody of Seized Horses
January 09, 2008
An attorney for a Colorado woman whose horses were seized by Larimer County authorities is seeking a bond hearing to recover custody of the animals.
The seizure took place on Dec. 29 when Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden ordered the Read More
Charges against Colorado Horse Rescue Operator Pending
January 08, 2008
A Colorado woman could face multiple criminal charges after Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden seized animals, including 16 allegedly malnourished horses, from her Animal Angels Read More
Both Sides Claim Victory in Walking Horse Registry Dispute
December 29, 2007
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 Read More
More Horses, Fewer Donors Challenge Equine Rescue Groups
December 20, 2007
Two years ago, the directors of Maryland's equine rescue organizations got together to brainstorm ways to polish up their administrative skills and cultivate public support for their work. Back then, the Maryland Association of Rescue Equine Read More
Relocation, Purchases Save Baltimore Cart Ponies from Impoundment
December 13, 2007
Just one day before being declared abandoned, 49 ponies formerly used to pull produce carts in the streets of Baltimore, Md., have been relocated--some to new homes in the country, others to temporary facilities within the city. The ponies had Read More
Some Illinois Trailer Accident Survivors Moved to New Homes
November 16, 2007
Eight of the horses that survived last month's semitrailer rollover accident in Wadsworth, Ill., have been placed in new homes, and four more are scheduled to be adopted within days, according to Donna Ewing, president of the of the Read More
Illinois Accident Horses Nearly Ready for Adoption
November 09, 2007
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 Read More
Trailer Accident: Proposed Law Would Ban Illinois Double-Deckers
November 04, 2007
Less than week after a double-decker trailer rollover caused the death of 17 horses, a member of the Illinois General Assembly introduced legislation that would ban the use of such trailers to transport horses for any reason.
Ill. State Read More
Trailer Accident Investigators Consider Charges
November 02, 2007
State, local, and federal investigators are putting their heads together to determine whether the driver of the semitrailer hauling 59 horses involved in a Oct. 27 rollover accident in Wadsworth, Ill., will face additional charges in connection Read More
All We Want for Christmas...
November 01, 2007
A Christmas list of goodies for your equine partner.
Peruse a horse owner's holiday wish list, and it's a pretty good bet that most of the longed-for gifts thereon are more horse- than Read More
Good Hygiene Blocks Horse-Human MRSA Transmission
November 01, 2007
Equine veterinarians and public health officials are urging horse owners and others who come in frequent contact with horses to wash their hands and clean grooming tools after each use in order to reduce the risk of contracting an Read More
Illinois Trailer Accident: Two More Horses Dead
October 30, 2007
The number of horses surviving the semitrailer truck rollover in Wadsworth, Ill., fell to 42 on Monday when two more horses were euthanatized due to their injuries, according to Vickie Wancho, spokesperson for Carney Farm in Read More
Agriculture Officials Join Illinois Trailer Accident Investigation
October 29, 2007
State and national agriculture officials are joining Lake County, Ill., authorities to investigate a tractor trailer rollover accident that left 13 Belgian horses dead. A total of 59 horses in the double-decker trailer--most of them Read More
