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

Note: this blog is an interactive web page. By clicking on the envelope icon at the bottom of an article, you can instantly email that article to a friend. By clicking on the word “comment” after a post, you can leave a message, which may be viewed by future blog readers who click on the same “comment”. Commenting may require registering with Blogger.com. You may also comment by emailing the author, Fran Jurga, at fran@hoofcare.com and your comment will be posted for you, technology willing.

It's Saratoga Time!

My fingers are itching to flip the calendar over to August, because that will mean it is time to head to Saratoga, where Hoofcare & Lameness will have a satellite office this summer.

Be sure to let me know if you will be in Saratoga, and let's get together.

Plans are for a series of Tuesday night gatherings in the out-back function room at The Parting, a favorite traditional Irish restaurant and pub on Lake Avenue, just a block off Broadway.

Here's the schedule:
8 August--"New Product Night"--lots of samples and information on new products from our advertisers, or just come and say hello! We'll have plenty to talk about!

15 August--Come by after the dedication of the farriers memorial at the Oklahoma track; later in the evening, a wonderful presentation on new laminitis research for prevention, causes and treatment by Dr Don Walsh of Pacific Equine Hospital and the Animal Health Foundation. He raises the funds for Dr Chris Pollitt, Katy Watts, Phil Johnson and other leading researchers.

22 August--"Make history, not horseshoes". This is a marathon event; daytime events a few miles away at the Burden Iron Works in Troy, site of the world's largest horseshoe factory back at the turn of the century. I will post more about that event. In the evening, come by the office at the Parting Glass and meet Ada Gates, the first woman to be licensed as a farrier on a USA racetrack. She now owns Harry Patton Horseshoeing Supplies in Los Angeles and guess what! Her great grandfather was Henry Burden, of Burden Iron Works fame. This evening fun is sponsored by Life Data Labs, who helped us launch the Tuesday evening sessions last year.

What to expect: This is one Saratoga night out where you won't need a black tie, a designer dress, or big wads of cash. You can help me post to this blog, maybe, or show me photos of your boat or your horse or your latest work project. Meet some other people, see some new things, maybe have a laugh. I travel a lot in the winter and see people at trade shows and events, but these Tuesday nights are a chance to slow down and just enjoy your company!

The phone number for the satellite office in Saratoga is . Look for me in the morning on the backside or check our ad in The Saratoga Special. I'll be the one taking photos of feet. I will also post updates on this blog.

Slaughter Prohibition Update: Veterinarian Patty Hogan Testifies to Congress

Things are wrapping up in the US House of Representatives today, as the final testimonies have finished in the controversial equine slaughter prohibition legislation, a.k.a. HR Bill 503, which seeks to prohibit the commercial slaughter of horses in the United States. In spite of a huge groundswell of public support, donations, and even heartfelt efforts from individuals in the horse breeding community, this legislation seems doomed. The House Agriculture Committee failed to recommend it, and now it looks like two different versions of the bill are circulating.
Can this bill make it with the opposition of the AVMA, AAEP, and AQHA? Don't bet on it. 

One of the few bright spots in it all was the eloquent testimony of Dr Patty Hogan of New Jersey Equine, at Tuesday's House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee hearing. She pointed out many of the ambiguities surrounding this issue.

Those speaking out this week against the bill, which is expected to come up for a vote in the full House in September, were Dr. Bonnie Beaver (president of the AVMA), Dr. Doug Corey (president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners) and Dick Koehler (vice president of Beltex, one of three U.S. equine slaughter plants).

Koehler cited issues of private property rights as they pertain to horse owners, "It is a matter of choice," he said. "If you wish to do that with your horse, I believe you should have the right to do that." (It's not clear if he is a horse owner himself or not.)

Two of the veterinarians differed in their perspective on the humaneness or lack thereof in the slaughter process or whether it would curtail the prevalence of horses being slaughtered for meat. "By banning slaughter in the U.S., it will not stop slaughter," said Dr. Doug Corey. "It won't stop a Ferdinand [a former Thoroughbred champion believed slaughtered for meat in Japan after being there as a stud]. I would prefer to have these horses processed in the United States where there are regulations."

Dr. Hogan cited, "confusion regarding humane euthanasia and horse slaughter. We must remember these are two distinctly different processes. Horse slaughter is not euthanasia by anyone's definition. ... Horse slaughter uses a method called the captive bolt which involves aiming a bolt gun at the forehead of a partially-restrained horse in what is commonly termed the ‘kill-pen.’ ...There is a great deal of room for human and technical error with the captive bolt method and the recommendation for 'adequate restraint' is loosely defined and open for interpretation.”

Material for this post was aided by input from Harness Racing Communications, a division of the United States Trotting Association.

To learn more about Dr. Patty Hogan and her work as an equine surgeon, visit the New Jersey Equine Center home page at http://www.njequine.com; some of you may remember her as the surgeon who worked on Smarty Jones and Afleet Alex, two leading US Thoroughbreds.

Hoof Blog is a news service provided by Hoofcare & Lameness, Journal of Equine Foot Science.

Note: this blog is an interactive web page. By clicking on the envelope icon at the bottom of an article, you can instantly email that article to a friend. By clicking on the word “comment” after a post, you can leave a message, which may be viewed by future blog readers who click on the same “comment”. Commenting may require registering with Blogger.com. You may also comment by emailing the author, Fran Jurga, at hoofblog@gmail.com and your comment will be posted for you, technology willing.

Barbaro Update: Cast changes and sling-dom

Here's the latest from New Bolton Center: "Monday afternoon we changed his right hind leg cast to take new radiographs and to examine the incision,” said Dr. Richardson. “The radiographs looked good; the plates we placed on July 8 to fuse the pastern are intact and the fetlock fusion is unchanged. The leg and the incision looked as good as we could have hoped.”

The right hind leg cast supports the repair of the injury suffered at the Preakness on May 20, and it extends from the colt’s foot to just below his hock.

The modified foot cast, which acts like a bandage on Barbaro’s left hind foot, was also changed yesterday. The foot cast is rigid and provides stability and support, but will be changed often so that the hoof can be treated. Both cast changes were performed with Barbaro lightly sedated in a sling. He has adapted very well to being managed as needed in the sling. “He is a very intelligent horse,” said Dr. Richardson.

“He spends several hours a day in a sling, which he has adapted to very well,” said Dr. Richardson.

Slings, which were originally designed for rescuing horses, are now common in the treatment of horses with conditions that include neurological problems or musculo-skeletal injuries. They have been in use for many years for long-term management of a horse’s movement. “We have a lot of experience in using slings for equine support,” said Dr. Richardson. “In Barbaro’s case, it is a part-time aid that we use to increase his comfort level.”

News provided by University of Pennsylvania Large Animal Hospital at New Bolton Center. 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

Barbaro Update, Comment on Foot Cast

KENNETT SQUARE, PA —­ Chief of Surgery Dean Richardson reports today that Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro’s vital signs are good and that he had another quiet, restful night. “He remains in stable condition, and he is eating well,” said Dr. Richardson. “We continue to manage his pain successfully, and he is alert.”

Barbaro is tolerating his right hind leg cast well; this cast supports the repair of the injury suffered at the Preakness on May 20. To treat a severe case of laminitis in the colt’s left rear hoof, last week Dr. Richardson and his surgical team performed a hoof wall resection that removed 80 percent of the hoof. Doctors then applied a modified fiberglass foot cast to protect the hoof; this foot cast will be changed as needed so that the hoof can be treated and watched for signs of infection. The foot cast is rigid and provides greater stability and support than a bandage.

“It is important for people to understand that this is not a ‘routine’ laminitis. The care involved in treating a hoof with this degree of compromise is complex,” said Dr. Richardson.

(17 July update from New Bolton Center)

News provided by University of Pennsylvania Large Animal Hospital at New Bolton Center. 

All posts and photos protected by copyright 2006 Hoofcare Publishing--Fran Jurga, Publisher

Another Strasser Trimmer Charged with Cruelty in the UK

Portions of this text appeared in the British horse magazine, Horse & Hound:

An English woman has appeared in British court accused of causing unnecessary suffering to a pony by using the Strasser barefoot method of hoofcare.

In her trial, the trimmer denied two charges of causing suffering to "Brambles" between 3 June and 20 July 2004.

Brambles came into the trimmer's care in January 2004 after the previous owner could do nothing more to treat her laminitis. The pony was seized by the RSPCA on 20 July 2004 when she was found with "mutilated" hooves, walking with crossed legs and barely able to move.

The court heard how the trimmer had undergone training in the Strasser technique and had kept horses for about 35 years.

The prosecutor told the court the soles of Brambles' hooves had been trimmed away too thinly.

"The bone had rotated within the foot to an abnormal angle, so it protruded into the sole," he said, adding that there were abscesses present in the hoof and that a farrier had described it as the worst case of lameness he had ever seen.

Brambles was taken into the care of the International League for the Protection of Horses (ILPH), but despite five months of intensive care, was put down after failing to respond.

Counsel for the defendant said the defendant "wanted to give the pony a chance using the Strasser technique because it was clear conventional treatment had not worked."

Mr Vass admitted a vet was not called to treat Brambles, but stressed that the pony was well-fed, well-housed and given the freedom to roam.

He added: "With the benefit of hindsight, (she) may have taken on slightly more than she could handle."

The prosecutor said: "We are not suggesting (she) was deliberately trying to hurt this pony, but her treatment was the incorrect treatment for the pony and caused her to suffer additional pain."

He said the Strasser method was the "inappropriate method of treatment", and had "resulted in mutilation and caused extreme pain".

The verdict will be given on 26 July.

Editor's note: Horse and Hound is the weekly newsmagazine of the horse world in Great Britain and often works together with Hoofcare & Lameness.

This is the second prosecution of a Strasser trimmer involved in a laminitis case to be tried in recent months. Previously, a trimmer was found guilty of cruelty and Dr. Strasser testified at the trial. In that case, charges directly related to the trimming were not found but the trimmer was found guilty for not seeking veterinary care for the horse.

Barbaro: the other point of view

I feel obliged to post about Barbaro; after all, he is the poster child for what we all do to help horses. It's also pretty darn interesting if you scroll down this page and watch the disaster story unfurl.

Not everyone agrees. Check out this scathing editorial on over-Barbarozation:
http://www.sportsfanmagazine.com/sfm/articles.html?id=2775

I apologize for the sheer number of posts, but this blog will stand as a record for anyone who wants to be able to document anything about Barbaro in the future, which is also why I post what New Bolton Center provides me, unless stated otherwise, such as direct communication with Rob Sigafoos, the chief of farrier services at New Bolton.

Unlike most of you, and certainly unlike the SportsFan guy, I don't have an opinion about this case, just a lot of hope that everything reflects positively on the vet and farrier and equine health professions and that we all learn something from this horse and his high-profile struggle.

I'm not there and neither are you. All I can do is believe that they can and will do everything they can and I am sure that they are in consult with experts around the world.

Many people have asked why Chris Pollitt's cryotherapy was not used. Well, we don't know that it wasn't! Pollitt has published a paper in which he induced laminitis; one leg was placed in a deep ice boot and the other left in ambient temperature. The cold leg did not contract laminitis.

However, that was "traditional" laminitis, i.e. carbohydrate-induced, not support limb overload laminitis.

And here's a special detail for all you nay-sayers and doubting Thomases out there: Pollitt's co-author on the cryotherapy paper and former student is now a resident at New Bolton. So, they have cryotherapy expertise right on staff, had it been pertinent to the case.

I also hope that somehow more money will go to laminitis research. Please visit these web sites to learn more about how you can help with laminitis research:

http://www.ahf-laminitis.org
http://www.laminitisresearch.org

Thanks.