After just six weeks of intensive planning and organizing, the new Equine Soundness Professionals group is ready to begin voluntary testing for qualified member veterinarians and farriers.
Showing posts with label test. Show all posts
Showing posts with label test. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Equine Soundness Professionals Organization Launches Credential Testing; March Seminar Planned
After just six weeks of intensive planning and organizing, the new Equine Soundness Professionals group is ready to begin voluntary testing for qualified member veterinarians and farriers.
Friday, July 12, 2013
British Laminitis Research: Tracking Normal Horses Who Later Develop Pasture Laminitis Vs Those Who Don't
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| Typical feet of a pony with pasture laminitis. Could laminitis be prevented by identifying likely-to-founder ponies early in their lives? A British research project aims to track normal ponies who, later in life, do and don't develop pasture-associated laminitis. (Nicola Menzies-Gow photo) |
Dr Nicola Menzies-Gow of the Royal Veterinary College has been awarded a grant of £42,000 (approximately $65,000US) by Great Britain's Animal Welfare Foundation to work on a study: "Markers of equine laminitis predisposition: Searching for potential future diagnostic test". The award was announced this week by the college.
Sunday, August 05, 2012
Scott Lampert Product Test: Regen-X Hoof Wall Treatment Results Measured
SPONSORED POST
Hoof Wall Regeneration Study by Farrier Scott Lampert
Introduction: If you spend any time on the show circuit in the United States, you know the equine-specialist Perfect Products company and the reputation of its line of show-oriented horsecare products.
This spring, Perfect Products joined the hoofcare industry when it introduced Regen-X, a hoof wall improvement product. More than a cosmetic hoof dressing, and different from a growth enhancement product, Regen-X is uniquely promoted to improve the health and quality of the hoof wall--from the inside out.
The product's marketing literature states that Regen-X re-invigorates the keratinization process within the hoof wall and re-balances the hoof wall’s susceptibility to excess or inadequate moisture content.
The company turned to Lake Elmo, Minnesota farrier Scott Lampert to evaluate their new product. Scott was familiar with the company’s products from his presence at horse shows and agreed to try it on several horses, one of whom was carefully documented.
Hoofcare Publishing welcomes Regen-X to its growing family of supporting companies and sponsors and commends them for documenting the use of their new product by a professional farrier.
Here's Scott’s description of his test of the product:
On May 22, 2012, we began testing Perfect Products’ Regen-x EQ hoof product on four horses as described on the bottle.
At the beginning of the testing period and throughout it, all horses were sound and their caregivers maintained the exact lifestyle, nutritional program, and care as they had been receiving before the product test began. No variables changed except for the addition of this product.
We found that all four horses responded consistently to this test.
The photos illustrate findings that we found consistent to all four horses. One horse, Scooter, was selected to have his hooves photographed for the purposes of this statement.
Regen-X is applied as a simple coating to the hoof. It is supplied in a resealable container with an applicator and is available at tack shops across the USA. Hoofcare and veterinary supply stores are also invited to contact Perfect Products for dealer information.
Contact information for Regen-X: Website: http://perfectproductseq.com; Online ordering: http://www.shop.perfectproductseq.com; Telephone: 877-324-8002 ; Email: Info@perfectproductseq.com
All photos in this article courtesy of Scott Lampert and/or Perfect Products except photo of Scott Lampert, © Hoofcare Publishing.
This article was sponsored and paid for by the manufacturer of the product. Hoofcare Publishing thanks Scott Lampert for his assistance and Perfect Products for their support.
Companies interested in product coverage on The Hoof Blog are invited to contact Hoofcare Publishing for ideas and guidelines.
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
Hoof Wall Regeneration Study by Farrier Scott Lampert
Introduction: If you spend any time on the show circuit in the United States, you know the equine-specialist Perfect Products company and the reputation of its line of show-oriented horsecare products.
This spring, Perfect Products joined the hoofcare industry when it introduced Regen-X, a hoof wall improvement product. More than a cosmetic hoof dressing, and different from a growth enhancement product, Regen-X is uniquely promoted to improve the health and quality of the hoof wall--from the inside out.
The product's marketing literature states that Regen-X re-invigorates the keratinization process within the hoof wall and re-balances the hoof wall’s susceptibility to excess or inadequate moisture content.
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| Minnesota farrier Scott Lampert |
Hoofcare Publishing welcomes Regen-X to its growing family of supporting companies and sponsors and commends them for documenting the use of their new product by a professional farrier.
Here's Scott’s description of his test of the product:
On May 22, 2012, we began testing Perfect Products’ Regen-x EQ hoof product on four horses as described on the bottle.
Test protocol
The test protocol consisted of picking two of the worst-condition feet on each horse and treating just one of those for one shoeing cycle. The intent was to evaluate claims that this product would improve the quality of nailable horn and hoof condition.The test was set up so that it would allow us to compare any measurable change to the same feet, as well as any differences to the pair of feet.At the beginning of the testing period and throughout it, all horses were sound and their caregivers maintained the exact lifestyle, nutritional program, and care as they had been receiving before the product test began. No variables changed except for the addition of this product.
We found that all four horses responded consistently to this test.
The photos illustrate findings that we found consistent to all four horses. One horse, Scooter, was selected to have his hooves photographed for the purposes of this statement.
About the test horse
Scooter is a large show pony with normal weight and workload. At the time of our test, Scooter had a consistent wall thickness of 5.48 mm measured at three points on the circumference of his toe. His walls were graded as a 2 out of 5, in which 5 would be considered in optimal health. As you can see, his hoof walls are thin, weak, and shelly. |
| 1. (Before) Show pony Scooter’s left hind foot after routine trimming on May 22, 2012. |
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| 2. (Before) Software-processed image of Scooter’s left hind foot on May 22,2012 measured out the hoof wall thickness at three points to a distance of 5.48 mm thickness. |
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| 3. (After) Show pony Scooter’s left hind foot following 33 days of Regen-X hoof treatment; the product was diligently applied according to the manufacturer’s directions. (Note: black areas are nail hole oxidation stains.) Scotter’s hoof walls are now graded as a 3 out of 5. The walls were much healthier. |
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| 4. (After) Software-processed image of Scooter’s left hind foot on June 25,2012 measured out the hoof wall thickness at three points to a distance of 9.55 (lateral), 8.14 (toe) and 8.35 (medial) millimeters thickness. |
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| 5. (After) Comparison of treated (left hind, on left) and untreated (right hind, on right, before trimming) hooves on the same horse. Without a doubt, the quality of the left foot is superior to the one on the right. |
Regen-X is applied as a simple coating to the hoof. It is supplied in a resealable container with an applicator and is available at tack shops across the USA. Hoofcare and veterinary supply stores are also invited to contact Perfect Products for dealer information.
Contact information for Regen-X: Website: http://perfectproductseq.com; Online ordering: http://www.shop.perfectproductseq.com; Telephone: 877-324-8002 ; Email: Info@perfectproductseq.com
All photos in this article courtesy of Scott Lampert and/or Perfect Products except photo of Scott Lampert, © Hoofcare Publishing.
This article was sponsored and paid for by the manufacturer of the product. Hoofcare Publishing thanks Scott Lampert for his assistance and Perfect Products for their support.
Companies interested in product coverage on The Hoof Blog are invited to contact Hoofcare Publishing for ideas and guidelines.
Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal
Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received compensation for writing this post. Beyond that, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing, and had no direct role in the product test beyond recommending that it be done. Hoofcare Publishing does not endorse this or any product. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Monday, April 16, 2012
FEI Veterinarian ID Card System Begins June 1, 2012; All Treating, Team and Private Equine Practitioners at Events Must Comply
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The FEI has announced the introduction of an ID card and online exam for veterinarians working at FEI events. The exam focuses on the FEI Veterinary and Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations.
The new system, which comes into effect on 1 June 2012, requires Competitors’ Private Veterinarians, Team Veterinarians and Treating Veterinarians appointed by Organizing Committees to pass the online exam based on the relevant FEI regulations affecting vets who support horses competing at FEI events.
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| Veterinarians work far behind the scenes at FEI events, as well as during the event itself, for national teams and sometimes for individual owners. Now they will all be required to meet the FEI's standards and carry appropriate credentials reflecting that. (USDA photo) |
The FEI Official Veterinarian ID card will allow these veterinarians to work either as FEI Official Veterinarians or as Permitted Treating Veterinarians at an event. The ID cards must be produced if requested by Stewards and other FEI Officials. The cards have an advanced “QR” (quick-response) bar code, which allows easy public access to professional profiles on the FEI’s dedicated new database.
The exam and ID card are free of charge and relevant documents are available online for reference to encourage understanding of the key FEI Veterinary Regulations, Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations and General Regulations.
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| Graeme Cook, FEI Veterinary Director |
Further comments from Graeme Cook:
“The introduction of this exam and ID card for veterinarians working at FEI events has been well received during the initial testing phase and is designed to strengthen our very clear approach to anti-doping and biosecurity at FEI Events.
“The new exam will ensure a consistent level of understanding and interpretation of our current regulations, wider knowledge of Clean Sport and help us to maintain the longstanding FEI Welfare Code.
“The simple process has been designed with busy practicing vets in mind, for instance candidates can save their progress and complete the exam later should they be interrupted.
“The introduction of ID cards with QR codes also allows FEI Officials to efficiently check the identity of veterinarians at our events using iPhone, BlackBerry or Android smartphones.”
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| Got credentials? This is a media credential confirmation package for the 2008 Olympics. |
Editor's Note: There are two types of veterinarians working at FEI events: Permitted Treating Veterinarians and FEI Official Veterinarians.
The FEI Veterinary and Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations, along with various other resources are available at the FEI Clean Sport website; additionally the General Regulations are available here.
Olympic credentials photo for media by PJMorse. FEI veterinary ID art via FEI Focus. Thanks!
Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofcareJournal
Read this blog's headlines on the Hoofcare + Lameness Facebook Page
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Olympic Test Event: London 2012 Will Bring a Country Sport to the City
Some images in this story are hosted from a remote site; please allow time for images to load.
The Olympics began this week in London. Not really, it was just the test event to get the feel of the equestrian facilities in Greenwich Park, but there's no doubt that the 2012 Olympics is only a little more than a year away, and there's no better way to make people take it seriously than to have a walk around the new facility. Forty top riders took part in the test event, which was at the two-star level and ended on Wednesday with show jumping. Dozens more riders attended as observers to check the lay of the land, or the arena, depending on whether they are eventers, dressage riders, or show jumpers.
Great Britain's Piggy French, the eventual individual winner, lead from the dressage phase. Just as much as everyone cares who wins, people care what the arena surface is like, how the warmup rings work, where the start for cross-country is located, and dozens of other aspects of the event. Eventing is only one of the equestrian sports, including modern pentathalon, that will use the facility.
Nina Ligon of Thailand (and Virginia, USA) rode her dressage test in the bright sun on Monday. Nina's farrier, David Watson, accompanied Team Thailand to London.
The man of the hour is Haydn Price, head farrier for London 2012's test event. Haydn is from Wales and is normally Great Britain's team farrier for dressage and show jumping.
Haydn was ecstatic about the facilities that have been built at Greenwich Park--which include pop-up stables and an equally pop-up 5000 square-meter arena standing on 2100 legs. He described that setting as "lovely" by email and went on to comment:
"It is going to be an amazing event next year, (one) where the event will be taken to the people rather than the people taken to the event.
"The atmosphere here today has been incredible: the local schools have been made an integral aspect of this event by being invited to attend. Children of all ages have today experienced something truly magnificent; many of then had never seen a horse other than the occasional mounted police officers that patrol London and the district.
"Yep, the countryside has well and truly arrived in the heart of the City of London!"
Here's a map of Greenwich Park with the route of the cross-country overlaid, although I am not sure if this is the four-star cross-country route proposed for the Olympics or the five-minute 2-star used for the test event. What the Google Earth view doesn't show you is the undulating terrain, which made for a course with lots of tight turns and ups and downs.
This brief video, courtesy of www.greenwich.co.uk shows some action from the cross-country on Tuesday. The opening shots are from a jump where a group of vocal and local schoolchildren dominated the spectators. They added a very different dimension to the traditional course observation etiquette.
How's this for great community public relations? The schoolchildren of Greenwich are working to “design a Greenwich jump” which will feature in the cross-country course for London 2012.
The right stud for Olympic terrain
Riders chose to stud up today. From a report by John Thier on Eventingnation.com earlier today: "People were using some huge studs today. The ground was maybe a bit firm and not the least bit muddy, but it was still slick.
"I don't know how to describe the ground at Greenwich--it isn't sand but it isn't clay and it doesn't have the feel of plain dirt. It does not have much hold and after the first few rides word quickly filtered back to the barns to really stud up. With the big studs the ground rode fine."
Wednesday's program consisted of two consecutive show jumping competitions to determine both the team result (winner: Great Britain) and the individual high-scorer (Piggy French of Great Britain). A showjumping demonstration by specialist jumpers and riders also gave the arena a workout.
So what happens on Wednesday night? Does someone pull a plug? Does the arena have a fold-up command, will the stables deflate, do the crowds just disappear?
The main part of the park has already been re-opened to the public, after being closed off during the cross-country.
You get the feeling that Greenwich Park--which is 568 years old--might just go back to being a place for picnics and dog walkers. There's probably a plan to fill in all the hoofprints, and leave no trace of the horses behind.
But they'll be back, and they're bringing their friends. Word is spreading around the world that Greenwich has passed The Test, with flying colors.
The Olympic Rings hang in a London train station; I wonder if they are pointing the way to Platform 9 3/4? There's no question that for many people, a trip to London for the Olympics next year will be full of Harry Potter symbolism. I wonder if the cross-country or show jumping designers will theme an obstacle or jump that will be recognizable as such only to the wizards in the crowd.
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
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| London's preparing! The host city for the 2012 Olympics is running an equestrian "test event" over the inner-city park that will be home to all the equestrian events next summer during the Games. Photo by Ollie O'Brien. |
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| An above-ground arena and stabling area was designed to be built in London's Greenwich Park for this week's Olympic Test Event and next year's Olympics. The temporary dressage and jumping ring means that the Olympics will disturb the historic park as little as possible. Photo by Khedara. |
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| Notice that the grass underneath the dressage and showjumping arena was not dug up; the 5000 square-meter arena merely perches atop the grand lawn on 2100 legs. Presumably they are sunk into the ground. |
Great Britain's Piggy French, the eventual individual winner, lead from the dressage phase. Just as much as everyone cares who wins, people care what the arena surface is like, how the warmup rings work, where the start for cross-country is located, and dozens of other aspects of the event. Eventing is only one of the equestrian sports, including modern pentathalon, that will use the facility.
Nina Ligon of Thailand (and Virginia, USA) rode her dressage test in the bright sun on Monday. Nina's farrier, David Watson, accompanied Team Thailand to London.
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| Haydn Price, head farrier for the Olympic Test Event (© photo by Fran Jurga) |
Haydn was ecstatic about the facilities that have been built at Greenwich Park--which include pop-up stables and an equally pop-up 5000 square-meter arena standing on 2100 legs. He described that setting as "lovely" by email and went on to comment:
"It is going to be an amazing event next year, (one) where the event will be taken to the people rather than the people taken to the event.
"The atmosphere here today has been incredible: the local schools have been made an integral aspect of this event by being invited to attend. Children of all ages have today experienced something truly magnificent; many of then had never seen a horse other than the occasional mounted police officers that patrol London and the district.
"Yep, the countryside has well and truly arrived in the heart of the City of London!"
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| The wash stall; the "pop-up" Olympic stabling area is built above ground on platforms; horses come and go on ramps. (© FEI photo by Kit Houghton) |
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| I had to ask what a "Saxon Tumuli" is (or are). Apparently they are ancient burial mounds. |
This brief video, courtesy of www.greenwich.co.uk shows some action from the cross-country on Tuesday. The opening shots are from a jump where a group of vocal and local schoolchildren dominated the spectators. They added a very different dimension to the traditional course observation etiquette.
How's this for great community public relations? The schoolchildren of Greenwich are working to “design a Greenwich jump” which will feature in the cross-country course for London 2012.
The right stud for Olympic terrain
Riders chose to stud up today. From a report by John Thier on Eventingnation.com earlier today: "People were using some huge studs today. The ground was maybe a bit firm and not the least bit muddy, but it was still slick.
"I don't know how to describe the ground at Greenwich--it isn't sand but it isn't clay and it doesn't have the feel of plain dirt. It does not have much hold and after the first few rides word quickly filtered back to the barns to really stud up. With the big studs the ground rode fine."
A photo slide show from Tuesday's cross-country, courtesy of www.greenwich.co.uk.
Wednesday's program consisted of two consecutive show jumping competitions to determine both the team result (winner: Great Britain) and the individual high-scorer (Piggy French of Great Britain). A showjumping demonstration by specialist jumpers and riders also gave the arena a workout.
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| Showjumping in an outdoor urban setting was the grand finale of the test event on Wednesday. (© Kit Houghton/FEI image) Leader of Greenwich Council Mr. Chris Roberts was quoted on the greenwich.co.uk web site as saying that being a host borough continued “to be a source of tremendous pride” for his district. "(One thousand) of our residents are working on the Olympic sites, our businesses have secured something like £70million worth of contracts and we have the most iconic venues of the Games, which will continue to support our tourism in the years following the Games," Roberts is quoted as saying. Just out of site in this shot is the Greenwich Maritime Museum, one of the greatest historical museums in the world, and the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, home of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), the 0 hour by which all clocks in the world are set and time zones and meridiens of longitude are determined. In case you ever wondered: there is no daylight savings time in GMT. If you're looking for Greenwich on your GPS, the longitude coordinate is 0° 0' 0". Latitude, however, is 51° 28' 38"N. At night, a green laser cuts through the night sky in Greenwich to mark the meridien. |
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| Test event individual winner Piggy French of Great Britain (© FEI photo by Kit Houghton) |
The main part of the park has already been re-opened to the public, after being closed off during the cross-country.
You get the feeling that Greenwich Park--which is 568 years old--might just go back to being a place for picnics and dog walkers. There's probably a plan to fill in all the hoofprints, and leave no trace of the horses behind.
But they'll be back, and they're bringing their friends. Word is spreading around the world that Greenwich has passed The Test, with flying colors.
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| Let's hope that Olympic mascots Wenlock (left) and Mandeville (right) aren't allowed anywhere near the horses. (Photo by Matt Northam) |
The Olympic Rings hang in a London train station; I wonder if they are pointing the way to Platform 9 3/4? There's no question that for many people, a trip to London for the Olympics next year will be full of Harry Potter symbolism. I wonder if the cross-country or show jumping designers will theme an obstacle or jump that will be recognizable as such only to the wizards in the crowd.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any direct compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned, other than Hoofcare Publishing. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Racetrack Surface Research Video: Building a TTD for the Track in a Box at the University of California
3 February 2010 Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog at Hoofcare.com
(Caution: You might want to turn down the volume on your computer before you play this video. The soundtrack is loud!)
This video shows the development and constrution of the University of California, Davis, J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory track-testing device (TTD). The TTD is instrumented with a load cell, accelerometer, and laser displacement sensor, and is used to compare the dynamic properties of Thoroughbred racehorse racetrack surfaces as part of the lab's "Track in a Box " project to simulate racetrack conditions in the laboratory.
The "box" in the lab acan be filled with layers of dirt, stones, asphalt and racetrack surface materials that could include wax, fibers or other materials. A drainage system allows the effects of rain to be testing. The spring-loaded mechanism simulates the impact of pounding hooves up to 100 times the force of gravity while measurements are taken to characterize surface behavior.
The finished TTD positioned over the box
The "Track in a Box" project is the work of Jacob Setterbo, a PhD candidate in the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group, and Dr. Susan Stover, director of the school’s JD Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory. The project is funded by the Grayson Jockey Club, the Southern California Equine Foundation, and the Center for Equine Health with funds provided by the State of California pari-mutuel fund and contributions by private donors.
I asked Jacob Setterbo about the fact that the TTD contained everything exect a shoe, and wondered about adding a shoe to the TTD, or even using it to test how different shoes load in different footing. Setterbo and Stover worked on a sensor shoe for racetrack testing which was featured on the hoof blog in an article last fall.
(Caution: You might want to turn down the volume on your computer before you play this video. The soundtrack is loud!)
This video shows the development and constrution of the University of California, Davis, J.D. Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory track-testing device (TTD). The TTD is instrumented with a load cell, accelerometer, and laser displacement sensor, and is used to compare the dynamic properties of Thoroughbred racehorse racetrack surfaces as part of the lab's "Track in a Box " project to simulate racetrack conditions in the laboratory.
The "box" in the lab acan be filled with layers of dirt, stones, asphalt and racetrack surface materials that could include wax, fibers or other materials. A drainage system allows the effects of rain to be testing. The spring-loaded mechanism simulates the impact of pounding hooves up to 100 times the force of gravity while measurements are taken to characterize surface behavior.
The finished TTD positioned over the boxThe "Track in a Box" project is the work of Jacob Setterbo, a PhD candidate in the Biomedical Engineering Graduate Group, and Dr. Susan Stover, director of the school’s JD Wheat Veterinary Orthopedic Research Laboratory. The project is funded by the Grayson Jockey Club, the Southern California Equine Foundation, and the Center for Equine Health with funds provided by the State of California pari-mutuel fund and contributions by private donors.
I asked Jacob Setterbo about the fact that the TTD contained everything exect a shoe, and wondered about adding a shoe to the TTD, or even using it to test how different shoes load in different footing. Setterbo and Stover worked on a sensor shoe for racetrack testing which was featured on the hoof blog in an article last fall.
"That is a possibility we considered," Setterbo answered. "So the TTD was designed so that a new interface to the load cell can be machined so that a shoe can be added, and things such as toe grabs can be compared. Because we first need to establish the functionality of the TTD we decided to first start with a simple impacting part, which is an aluminum piece which is approximately the same area of the hoof. But the answer is yes, it is possible to modify the TTD to test different shoes."
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. Please, no use without permission. You only need to ask. Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found. Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
Monday, July 06, 2009
"Relax Dressage Medication Rules!" Anky Speaks Out in Support of Isabell, Defends Meds for Therapeutic Use
by Fran Jurga | 6 July 2009 | Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog
They are the Affirmed and Alydar of the sport horse world. Venus and Serena on horseback. One wins one day for technical perfection. The other wins the next day for taking risks on a horse that seems barely under control...and yet delivers in artistic superlatives. A single hoofprint out of line often is all that separates the two.
They are the Affirmed and Alydar of the sport horse world. Venus and Serena on horseback. One wins one day for technical perfection. The other wins the next day for taking risks on a horse that seems barely under control...and yet delivers in artistic superlatives. A single hoofprint out of line often is all that separates the two.
When Germany's top dressage star Isabell Werth was suspended last week for a positive medication test on her lower level horse, her arch-rival Anky Van Grunsven of Holland did not shout with glee that her rival would not be at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen this weekend to oppose her.
In a poignant moment of sport solidarity, Anky stepped up to microphone and voiced her criticism for the zero tolerance medication rules that make it impossible to sedate a nervous horse for a routine stable procedure like shoeing or clipping. In Isabell's case, it was a medication for the condition known as "shivers". (Click here to read post about Isabell and shivers medication.)
Here's Anky's statement, taken from a video published in Dutch last week:
"I am not a supporter of doping at all but I want to do what is best for the horse.
"An example: when I want to clip my horse before a show, I would like to give him a light sedation to relax because my horse is a bit afraid of the clipping machine. The stuff we use to relax the horse is doping positive. Imagine, I asked the vet how many days before the show I can clip my horse and he says three days. But what if it is found in my horse’s blood at the show five days after I used it? That means my horse is doping positive! But I think it’s for the horse benefit to clip him.
"I think the rules have to be changed. The research regarding doping is very expensive but it will be a good idea to work with a logbook and write down what had been given and why.
"If the medication is not to improve the performance, I think there is no reason to maintain the zero tolerance for these cases."
Click here to watch the video. It's in Dutch but has some nice footage.
Note: in another poignant twist of fate, Anky did not win at Aachen this weekend. That honor went to the American, Steffen Peters, on Ravel. One can only wonder what might have happened if Isabell had been allowed to compete.
Click here to follow Fran Jurga and The Hoof Blog on Twitter!
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask.
Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page).
To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found.
Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page).
To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found.
Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Video: Update on Blood Test for Thoroughbred Breakdown Risk Markers, Researcher McIlwraith Interviewed
by Fran Jurga | 20 December 2008 | www.hoofcare.blogspot.com
"How's his blood?" "Did you check her blood?" Questions like those might be the new mantra of racehorse owners when questioning a trainer before a race.
Colorado State University researcher Dr Wayne McIlwraith is bullish on the reliability--80% accuracy, he claims--of a blood test developed in his Equine Orthropaedic Research Center. This video is a good introduction to the concept of a blood testing protocol in the bigger picture of breakdown prevention.
The blood test will certainly not replace good horsemanship and monitoring of routine soundness and training issues, and there's no indication yet of what the test would cost, but this is a good news video for the holiday season.
Tests like the CSU protocol will do nothing to help accidents like the horrific death of a runaway filly at Aqueduct racetrack in New York last weekend. Nor will it help horses who go down from clipped heels or other stumbling upsets, starting gate mishaps or any number of accident-type situations that can happen in a race.
It's not clear how often racehorses would need to undergo the blood screening, or if McIlwraith would recommended that this test be a requirement for entry in a race. Breakdowns frequently occur during training sessions, although the public only sees the ones broadcast on television.
But I hope that the racing world does embrace this glimmer of hope, that it is found to be predictive, and that this is a legitimate step in the only viable direction left for racing: up. Up with horse welfare, up with safety, up with preserving the excitement and vitality of a great sport.
They should name it the Eight Belles Test. Passing the Eight Belles test would be a good thing.
Click here to download a pdf file of an article explaining more about the test, written by Andrea Caudill. This article appeared in the October 2007 edition of The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, and is also posted online by the Grayson-Jockey Club Foundation.
Click here to download a PDF file of Dr. McIlwraith's recommendations for reform of racing to improve horse safety, as presented to a Congressional subcommittee in June 2008.
Thanks to ZooToo for sharing this video.
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask.
Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page).
To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found.
Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
Click on the screen to launch the video.
"How's his blood?" "Did you check her blood?" Questions like those might be the new mantra of racehorse owners when questioning a trainer before a race.
Colorado State University researcher Dr Wayne McIlwraith is bullish on the reliability--80% accuracy, he claims--of a blood test developed in his Equine Orthropaedic Research Center. This video is a good introduction to the concept of a blood testing protocol in the bigger picture of breakdown prevention.
The blood test will certainly not replace good horsemanship and monitoring of routine soundness and training issues, and there's no indication yet of what the test would cost, but this is a good news video for the holiday season.
Tests like the CSU protocol will do nothing to help accidents like the horrific death of a runaway filly at Aqueduct racetrack in New York last weekend. Nor will it help horses who go down from clipped heels or other stumbling upsets, starting gate mishaps or any number of accident-type situations that can happen in a race.
It's not clear how often racehorses would need to undergo the blood screening, or if McIlwraith would recommended that this test be a requirement for entry in a race. Breakdowns frequently occur during training sessions, although the public only sees the ones broadcast on television.
But I hope that the racing world does embrace this glimmer of hope, that it is found to be predictive, and that this is a legitimate step in the only viable direction left for racing: up. Up with horse welfare, up with safety, up with preserving the excitement and vitality of a great sport.
They should name it the Eight Belles Test. Passing the Eight Belles test would be a good thing.
Click here to download a pdf file of an article explaining more about the test, written by Andrea Caudill. This article appeared in the October 2007 edition of The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal, and is also posted online by the Grayson-Jockey Club Foundation.
Click here to download a PDF file of Dr. McIlwraith's recommendations for reform of racing to improve horse safety, as presented to a Congressional subcommittee in June 2008.
Thanks to ZooToo for sharing this video.
© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing. No use without permission. You only need to ask.
Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is a between-issues news service for subscribers to Hoofcare and Lameness Journal. This blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a digest-type email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page).
To subscribe to Hoofcare and Lameness (the journal), please visit the main site, www.hoofcare.com, where many educational products and media related to equine lameness and hoof science can be found.
Questions or problems with this blog? Send email to blog@hoofcare.com.
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