Walking Horse Celebration Shuts Down Over Soring Inspector Issues

Billed as the largest horse show in North America, it boasts 4,570 entries for an 11-day show, a ten year waiting list for box seats, and $650,000 in prize money but the 68th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration in Shelbyville, Tennessee was suspended after two classes had been completed on Friday.

At issue: the USDA's federal mandate to examine horses to make sure they are not "sore"; the Walking Horse trainers want to do their own inspections.

At other shows earlier in the year, trainers simply refused to show, and sometimes didn't even unload their horses, if the USDA's veterinary inspectors showed up. Some shows are large charity fundraisers, and they simply didn't take place.

The Celebration is by far the largest showcase of the breed and this type of showing, and not all classes ask horses to do "the big lick" type of gait. The show has arranged for streaming video on the internet and even pay-per-view on cable television, in addition to selling thousands of reserved-seat tickets.

According to the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, "Trainers decided not to show because USDA inspectors were checking every horse presented for inspection, an unprecedented procedure. The requests (to cancel Friday night and Saturday classes) were made to allow for meetings between the Trainers' Association, the National Horse Show Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture. Attempts at reaching a resolution to the conflicts concerning the inspection of horses prior to showing, especially concerning what is known as the scar rule, failed Friday night, prompting the cancellation."

The newspaper also says, "The USDA inspectors arrived midway through the show Thursday night, but did not inspect any horses. Friday night the USDA inspectors took an active role in the inspection process. According to reports, more than 30 horses were turned down in the first two classes, including nine in a row. Apparently, the inspection of horses participating in the Two-Year-Old Gelding class forced the trainers to make their request.

"Attorney David Broderick of Bowling Green, Ky., told Tennessee Walking Horse owners on Saturday afternoon that a lawsuit filed earlier this summer is seeking clarification of the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act and could provide some long-term answers to the dispute between the industry and U.S. Department of Agriculture regulators.

"Industry personnel claim that federal regulators are being unfair in their inspections of walking horses, resulting in horses being unfairly excluded from competition. For example, Broderick said the technique of palpation, or examining a horse's leg for sensitivity by means of an inspector's touch, is sometimes done in too forceful a manner.

"Owners discussed other possible solutions with Broderick, including pressuring horse shows to hire veterinarians instead of designated qualified persons (DQPs) to inspect horse shows. It's also possible that horse owners will hire veterinarians to inspect horses before sending them into competition, in order to gather evidence which could be used to challenge the federal inspection techniques.

At the 100th anniversary Wartrace show earlier this month, many trainers opted not to show rather than subject their horses to inspection. At that show, a junior exhibitor's father complained, 'There are more people watching the inspectors than watching the horse show'," according to the newspaper.

Death in Aachen...And Other Hoofcare & Lameness News from WEG

An endurance horse has died at the World Equestrian Games. The Anglo-Arab name "Dubai" began to tie up severely early into the competition and was immediately withdrawn and treated but later died at the referral hospital affiliated with the Games.

The American dressage horse Brentina has been withdrawn from the individual competition after helping the USA team secure the bronze medal in the team competition. Ridden by Debbie MacDonald, the mare has filling in a hind leg and has been pulled from the roster. Gunter Siedel will take Debbie's place.

Haydn Price is team farrier for Great Britain; Steve Teichman is handling duties for the USA. They plan to get together today.

Meanwhile, the farrier/vet conference is underway; no news yet from that corner of the horsey town in eastern Germany!

Link to Barbaro Video on CBS Early Show

Millions of Americans woke up this morning to see Barbaro and Dr Dean Richardson on the CBS "Early Show". Here's a link to a video of the segment, although I do not know how long this link will be active.

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=1927027n

Pharmacy Sued Over Horse Deaths in Saratoga

People here in Saratoga haven't forgotten the tragic death last year of the promising young racehorse Saratoga County in a local vet hospital. Saratoga County was one of several horses that developed colitis-like conditions that have been linked to the use of what is believed to have been a contaminated or improperly manufactured medication.

Severe laminitis is a common side effect of colitis and three of the four horses developed the hoof disease and were euthanized. A fourth horse at Belmont also received the medication and developed colitis and laminitis and was euthanized.

According to the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association, the pharmacy is being sued for the alleged wrongful deaths of the horses.

Horseshoers aren’t always lucky...but they always have a lot of friends

Under the fledgling gingko tree, The Saratoga blacksmith stands…

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would have approved: On Tuesday morning, August 15th, recently-deceased Saratoga horseshoers were remembered in a memorial service at the horseman’s blacksmith shop behind the Oklahoma training track. Their living shoer friends stood around an anvil, under a tree, to honor them.

Jim Brummitt, Charlie Campbell, and Bruce Scott were familiar faces around Saratoga, and all three became ill and died last year at what should have been the heights of their careers. Charlie was the paddock farrier at Saratoga until his death; his twin brother Joe has taken over for him now.

A group of friends of the three pulled together and raised funds to create a memorial area by the blacksmith shop. A fresh young gingko tree, a picturesque anvil on a stump and plaques in remembrance of many deceased track shoers were dedicated.

The names on the plaque are: Jim Brummit, Charlie Campbell, Bruce Scott, Tony Amato. Jim O'Connell, Rodney O'Domski, John Dern, Frank Starnes, Andy Gardner Sr., Tom McNabo, George A. Boyle, and George Boyle.

About 20 current horseshoers showed up for the service, which included prayers lead by former jockey Pat Day. He thanked the farriers for the part they played in making it safe for jockeys to ride in races.

I looked around and I noticed that none of them was younger than 40 or so. Where is the next generation of New York racetrack shoers? Maybe, because Tuesday is the dark day at Saratoga, they all had the day off.

I'm very glad I was able to be there for the dedication. It was a terrible shock for me to learn that Rodney O'Domski had died. I knew him quite well a long time ago when he was the farrier at Coolmore in Ireland and only learned of his death when I read the plaque.

Gingko is an herb that is supposed to prevent memory loss...an appropriate choice for a memorial tree.

Ray Amato promised he'd help me identify all the horseshoers in the photo; as soon as I have all the names, I will edit this post.

Get well, Chris Pollitt!

Dr. Chris Pollitt of the University of Queensland and director of the Australian Equine Laminitis Research Unit (AELRU) is recovering from injuries suffered both when he was kicked in the face by a horse and difficulties under anesthesia during surgery to repair broken facial structures and his nose.

Dr. Pollitt is a key contributor to Hoofcare & Lameness Journal; issue 80 contains information about his research to prevent laminitis using cryotherapy (intensive icing of the feet and legs).

Chris's smile may be a little crooked, but we should all be extra delighted to see him. In the USA, Dr. Pollitt is expected to attend the AAEP Convention in San Antonio, Texas in December. He is not a speaker, but will support his students and staff who are presenting new research from the AELRU. He has agreed to be a special guest at a gathering of Hoofcare & Lameness subscribers, tentatively planned for Monday evening of that event.

Send "get well" messages and maybe pledge a donation to: laminitisresearch@uq.edu.au or visit http://www.laminitisresearch.org>

In the USA, donations to Dr. Pollitt are channeled through the tax-deductible portal of the Animal Health Foundation. Read about laminitis research at http://www.ahf-laminitis.org
Stay tuned for more details.

Photo caption: Dr. Pollitt presented a marathon "master class" on the equine foot and laminitis at the 2003 AAEP Convention in New Orleans. (Fran Jurga photo)

Dubai will build a horse park...

This just in from the TradeArabia news service: A Dh1.6 billion ($435 million) equine tourist attraction will be built at the Dubailand's Eco Zone area in the coming years, a report said.

"Al Kaheel Park will become the most comprehensive equine tourist attraction ever built. It will extend over almost 10 million sq ft of preserved desert landscape. Destined to be like no other horse centre in the world, Al Kaheel will be the ultimate equine experience," the Gulf News report said quoting a press statement.

Al Kaheel will be an educational theme park and working horse farm dedicated to man's relationship with the horse. Strategically located in the heart of the desert in Dubai, the homeland for the Arabian horse, the park will be the place to get "up close and personal" with horses.

Every evening, "Fly Without Wings", a nightly production of light, sound and action, featuring world class equine acts with over 45 performers and over 70 horses, will be held.

In addition, the park will boast the world's first interactive and multimedia museum. Daily attractions such as virtual reality rides, stunt shows, horse presentations, hay rides, desert trekking to horse drawn carriage tours will be on offer.

Groucho said it best...

I just ran across this acerbic witticism from Groucho Marx on one of the Saratoga racing pundit blogs:

"I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members." ~ Groucho Marx

It reminds me of the nonsensical excuses that people give me for not belonging to professional organizations or subscribing to magazines. You're not marrying the concept, you're just opening yourself to some potential benefit that might at some point come your way, if you are open to it, and you are opening the door for your own opportunity to give something back to your profession or field of interest, if you feel like it.

End of sermon. It must be the heat.

By the way, the Saratoga blogs are fun to read in the morning, here are a couple of them:
http://www.saratogaracingdaily.com/
http://leftatthegate.blogspot.com/

How Hot Is It? It's So Hot that...

...Saratoga actually cancelled racing today.

Now, if you have ever been to Saratoga, you know they invented "hot" there. I have been miserable there more times than anywhere else on the planet. They have misting fans at the finish line for the horses but they could use a few in the grandstand, too. I see the old photos of women in Victorian garb and men in starched collars and I just don't see how they stood it.

It's probably in the best interest of the horses--although I don't know how cool they will be in their stalls, either. The nice thing about Saratoga is that there's a a lot of shade.

I don't recall them ever cancelling racing for heat before. Thunderstorms, yes. What about all those people with their precious tickets for reserved seats? What happens to them?

From this morning's NYRA Press Office memo:
>>Due to severe heat and humidity that has plagued the entire East coast, Saratoga Race Course has canceled its nine-race program today. In a morning meeting with trainers, jockeys, the track veterinarian, stewards, track superintendent and senior management, a unanimous decision was reached to call off the races at 8:12 a.m. today.

“The consensus in the room was to take the ultimate precaution and cancel the entire card for the safety of all participants,” said Bill Nader, NYRA Senior Vice President. “Racing will resume tomorrow and Friday’s card will be expanded to a 10-race program.”

Today is one of the hottest days in Saratoga history with a predicted dew point index of approximately 110.<<

Second Strasser Trimmer Found Guilty of Cruelty in England

(text provided by ILPH.org)

The International League for Protection of Horses is “pleased” that Mrs Jo Kowalski of Baylham, Ipswich in Suffolk, England was found guilty of causing suffering to her pony Brambles at Ipswich Magistrates Court recently. She will be sentenced on Wednesday, 30th August.
This is the second time in recent months that someone using the Strasser technique has been successfully prosecuted.
Mrs Kowalski caused this pony to suffer by allowing many months to go past when the pony was in severe and obvious pain.
Mrs. Kowalski, who was a qualified Strasser Hoof Care Technician, failed to accept that the Strasser technique was unable to treat the pony’s laminitis problem.
Following up on a call to the ILPH welfare hotline, Field Officer Jacko Jackson found the pony, Brambles, at Mrs. Kowalski’s fields. He said: “I couldn’t believe it when I watched the pony trying to walk with the crossed-legged stance. It needed a vet there and then.”
Tony Tyler Head of UK Operations commented: “This was the most ‘in pain’ horse to have entered our centre and a guilty verdict is to be commended. We hope that this will send out the message to the equine world that this particular method used by Mrs. Kowalski is not to be recommended.”
ILPH Farrier John Blake who treated Brambles on arrival said: “Brambles was possibly the lamest animal I have seen in 26 years as a farrier. Mutilated is the best way to describe her." You can view an interview with John Blake which includes footage of Brambles arriving at the ILPH in the ILPH Media Centre.
This is the second time the Strasser technique has been shown to cause suffering in a British court of law. Both the ILPH and the RSPCA hope that people will treat this method with caution.

News item provided by International League for the Protection of Horses (www.ilph.org). "Hoofblog" is a news service provided by Hoofcare & Lameness, Journal of Equine Foot Science. Visit http://www.hoofcare.com for lots more in-depth articles and information about the care/prevention of lameness in horses. Reference books, videos, and dvds are sold at that site. Please subscribe to our award-winning journal at our "summer special" price: 4 issues $59, 8 issues $99. For more information, write to Hoofcare, PO Box 6600, Gloucester MA 01930; tel 978 281 3222; email news@hoofcare.com. All posts and photos protected by copyright 2006 Hoofcare Publishing--Fran Jurga, Publisher

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