Summary timeline: What's behind US Equestrian, American Horse Council calls for delay of USDA's new Walking horse soring regulations?

UPDATE: On January 24, the US Equestrian Federation announced that the US Department of Agriculture had indeed pushed back new rules to prevent soring in Tennessee walking horses and similar breeds until April 1, 2025. The article below describes the background to this decision. 

Since then, however, sweeping changes in Washington, DC have affected many cabinet agencies, and are expected to impact the USDA. Whether these changes will impact the APHIS horse inspection program remains to be determined.

Readers in the USA may be aware that long-anticipated changes to the federal Horse Protection Act are scheduled to go into effect on February 1. These new rules change the way that Tennessee Walking horses will be inspected at horse shows, and by whom, in an effort to prevent deliberate "soring" practices to enhance gait.

If only it was that easy.

Canadian boost for UCalgary racehorse injury prevention research will have global benefits

Professor Thilo Pfau of the University of Calgary demonstrated the use of wearable sensors at the Rood & Riddle International Equine Podiatry Conference in 2022. This horse was subjected to before/after  analysis as farriers and veterinarians used imaging, trimming, and shoeing methods to help the horse. (Hoof Blog file photo)

Horse Racing Alberta invests in racehorse injury prevention research with $185,000 donation to University of Calgary program led by Dr. Thilo Pfau.

 

Canada's Horse Racing Alberta (HRA) has generously committed $185,000 to support pioneering research by Dr. Thilo Pfau and his team at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Faculty of Kinesiology. This significant contribution will fund research aimed at improving the prediction and prevention of racehorse injuries, a critical area of focus for the safety and protection of equine athletes.

Donor's gift makes equine laminitis research center a reality at US vet school

A strategic collaboration between donor Nancy Link and Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) will facilitate the establishment of the Nancy Fair Link Laminitis Research Center at the university. The partnership will also include recruitment of top faculty charged with advancing pioneering research in the prevention and treatment of laminitis.

Dr. Tracy Turner is new president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners

Dr. Tracy Turner of Minnesota brings his lifelong interest in equine lameness and hoofcare with him as he embarked on a year of service as president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) this week. (Photo courtesy of the AAEP.)

Inaugural Laminitis Research Grant to Swedish Study

ECIR Group Inc. announced on September 13 that Johan Bröjer, DVM, MSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM (LAIM), Dipl. ECEIM, Professor of Equine Internal Medicine at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) has been awarded the group's inaugural research grant.

SURVEY: Professional Farriers' and Equine Veterinarians' Attitudes, Knowledge, and Opinions Sought by University of Edinburgh Researchers

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Scotland are seeking online input from equine veterinarians and professional farriers from the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.