Racing Research: Can ultrasound predict whether an injured Thoroughbred will return to racing?

"Will he race again, Doc?" That's the question you hear trainers ask their veterinarians when a racehorse is sidelined with a tendon injury.

Veterinarians don't carry crystal balls in their trucks. Advances in equine imaging have made it possible to be much more accurate in diagnosing the severity of an injury, but it's often a matter of wait-and-see.

But now, a new tendon injury scoring system utilizes diagnostic ultrasound technology to predict a racehorse’s likelihood to return to racing. It was developed by veterinarians at Great Britain's University of Nottingham and Oakham Veterinary Hospital in Leicestershire, England in conjunction with the Hong Kong Jockey Club in China.

Black History Month: Was Huntsman/Slave William Lee the Black Smith in George Washington's Forge?

"American Cincinnatus" by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris depicts George Washington at work at the anvil. But who is the smiling black man in the background?  The artist likely added Washington's slave valet, Will Lee, who rarely left the President's side.

Black History Month on The Hoof Blog begins with the father of our country, George Washington. As most readers already know, Washington owned more than 100 slaves. Sadly, many are only names on paper but several are well-documented and one who stood out.

Today we will meet William Lee. He probably wasn't a farrier or a blacksmith, but he was never far from Washington's side, and if Washington was working in the forge, Will would have been there, too. 

Laminitis research: Feeding a high starch diet can influence PPID (Equine Cushings Disease) test results

Summary: New research, conducted in collaboration with the British horse feed company SPILLERS®, has shown that the equine diet, and more specifically, a starch rich food, can influence adrenocorticotropin hormone ,or ‘ACTH’, test results. This could potentially lead to an incorrect disease diagnosis in some horses when ACTH is used to test for Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID).

Key point: The threshold values for diagnosis of the disease currently vary dependent on the season, but these new findings suggest that diet should also be considered. 

Hoof Blog note: Laminitis in older horses is commonly blamed on PPID, but a definitive diagnosis by hormonal test results is required to determine if an underlying endocrine condition is the cause of laminitis. Some horses with PPID may lose weight, which might lead owners to increase feed or change to a higher-starch diet to counter weight loss. Horse owners and veterinarians should communicate about a horse's feed intake before testing; future research may reveal more specific guidelines about how feed type influences test results.

Hidden Anatomy: Researchers Make a Case that Modern Horses Have Five Toes--Even If We Can't See Them

One of the keys to the Solounias research is the leafy construction of the Eponychium hoof covering in the fetal horse. The researchers dissected fetal hooves and paid close attention to the construction of the Eponychium. From left: Medial view of fetal horse hoof;  Dorsal view of the fetal hoof, showing a smooth singular surface, representing the dominant digit III; Ventral view of a fetal horse specimen, showing four distinct infoldings that depict evidence of the Solounias paper's proposed digits I, II, IV and V.  (Detail from one of the many figures in the article.)

Scientists have long wondered how the horse evolved from an ancestor with five toes to the animal we know today. While it is largely believed that horses simply evolved with fewer digits, researchers at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) pose a new theory suggesting that the remnants of all five toes are still present in the distal limb of the horse.

USDA Invites Tennessee Walking Horse Owners, Trainers to Horseshoeing Clinic Aimed to Improve Horse Protection Act Compliance

This public announcement is provided by the US Department of Agriculture.

On February 3, 2018, USDA Animal Care and the S.H.O.W. horse industry organization will hold a shoeing clinic for trainers, exhibitors and owners who participate in events regulated under the Horse Protection Act to help these individuals better understand and follow the federal regulations.

The Copper Horseshoe Revival: Why modern farriery's quest for healthier hooves passes through a forgotten footnote from industrial history

      This story was sponsored by Stromsholm Farriers Supplies, UK.

Copper: Why is the warm, soft red metal suddenly showing up on horses’ hooves? First it was copper sulphate compounds added to hoof packing and even hoof wall adhesive. For years, pads have been fixed to shoes with copper rivets. During the past few years, farriers have experimented with new copper-shielded nails to improve hoof wall health. Copper-alloy horseshoes have been patented in Germany and South America.

Copper is suddenly part of the conversation.

It sounds like something new, but long ago copper was spelled out in a critical footnote in farrier materials history as well as in industrial safety. Copper is still the same metal but the newest uses of it are rewriting the script, putting the metal to use for reasons never dreamed of in the past. Here, we'll look at the past and present of copper in the hoofcare world, and leave it to all of you to decide whether it has a future or not.

Laminitis researcher investigates horse owners’ knowledge of disease and how it affects horse care decisions

A new laminitis research study, supported by the equine feed manufacturer SPILLERS®, in collaboration with the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in England, aims to shed light on British horse owners’ understanding of laminitis and whether or how that knowledge may influence horse management practices in Great Britain.

Farrier "Teams" Will Be On Site for FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018

Edited from press release

The American and International Associations of Professional Farriers (AAPF/IAPF) have announced an agreement to provide emergency farrier services for the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 (WEG) at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina in September.

Researchers: Tennessee Walking Horse Shoeing and Chains Caused No Pain, Stress or Inflammation in University of Tennessee Study

When efforts to increase Horse Protection Act restrictions on how Tennessee Walking horses are shod failed at the end of 2016, the shows went on, under the pre-existing rules, throughout 2017. Walking horse inspections by USDA and industry groups continued, but there were few new headlines. But the year ended with announcement of new research results on hoof pad stacks and pastern chains, conducted at the University of Tennessee Knoxville's College of Veterinary Medicine. The paper will be in the January 2018 edition of the American Journal of Veterinary Research, published by the American Veterinary Medical Association.  The horse in this photo wears pad stacks and chains on its front feet, as currently allowed under the Horse Protection Act, and is not one of the horses in the study. (Marty Barr photo)

Eight veterinarians and animal science researchers at the University of Tennessee Knoxville have collaborated on a study testing the effects of hoof pad stacks and chains on a group of Tennessee Walking horses. In what would literally be the closing hours of the 2017 calendar year, the American Journal of Veterinary Research (AJVR) posted the new research paper online.

The Queen Honors Doug Bradbury, FWCF with MBE for Services to Farriery

Master farrier Doug Bradbury, FWCF has been shoeing horses and helping his fellow farriers in Derbyshire, England for more than 60 years. Even the Queen has noticed; today she announced that Doug, who learned to shoe underground in a coal mine, would be granted the title of Member of the British Empire (MBE) in recognition of his services to farriery. (Bradbury family photo)

Master farrier Doug Bradbury, FWCF of Clay Cross, Chesterfield, in Derbyshire, England has been recognized by The Queen as a Member of the British Empire (MBE) “for services to the farrier profession and the community in the East Midlands” . The recognition is awarded for an outstanding achievement or service that has had a long-term, significant impact to an individual who stands out as an example to others.

Wells Fargo Stagecoach Horse Returns from Splint Bone Fracture for Rose Parade Appearance

The off leader of this four-horse hitch recovered from a fractured splint bone following treatment at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine and will be leading the first six-horse hitch to pull the Wells Fargo Stagecoach in the 2018 Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California next weekend. (US Department of Defense image by SSG Teddy Wade)

Nothing on television offers as many horses or as many different types of horses as the annual Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California. As a buildup to the Rose Bowl Tournament college football championship later in the day, the parade is a festival in itself, and has always featured two things: floats covered with flowers and horses!

Plan to give a little cheer when one horse comes into sight.

UC Davis 2018 Heumphreus Memorial Lecture Will Focus on Laminitis with Bicking and Frank

Afternoon lectures will demonstrate hoof mapping and composite materials. (UC Davis image)

The 32nd Annual Charles Heumphreus Memorial Lecture will take place February 3, 2018 at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) in Davis, California. This year’s event features farrier Daisy Bicking (Daisy Haven Farm), and Professor Nicholas Frank (Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University). This year’s program will focus on laminitis and endocrine disorders.

Veterinary College Farrier Travis Burns Announces Candidacy for American Farrier’s Association President, Answers Questions

Veterinary college farrier Travis Burns, CJF, TE, EE, FWCF of Virginia is announcing his candidacy to be the next president of the American Farrier’s Association.

Beyond Navicular Disease: Racing Commissioners Call for Regulation of Bisphosphonates in Sale Horses

Portions of the following information is edited from a press release:

The Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) is formally calling for the independent regulation of the breeding and sales industries, including regulation of the class of drugs known as bisphosphonates, which are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of navicular disease.

Will We Ever See Norman Rockwell's Famous Blacksmith Shop Painting Again?

Norman Rockwell's "Blacksmith Shop" painting was a double-page interior illustration in the November 2, 1940 edition of The Saturday Evening Post. It is possibly the best-known and best-loved painting of farriers in the world, and illustrates a ten-hour heel-and-toe contest between two Irish immigrant farriers in 1907. Frank Farrell and Jim McCann have been hammering away in the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts since 1966 when the artist donated the painting to the museum. Future farriers will not have a chance to stand in front of the six-foot canvas, if the museum is successful in its bid to liquidate it for cash. Last month, a judge temporarily halted its sale; a further ruling is due next week.

Frank Farrell and Jim McCann hadn’t traveled very far from home before.

The two hardest-hammering horseshoers in American art have spent most of their lives in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts, where they have been working at their anvils non-stop for almost 80 years. But this summer they were wrapped up and carted gently to the middle of Manhattan, to be on display before being sold to the highest bidder at a Sotheby’s fine art auction. 

Clearing Dolly: Radiographs of taxidermied sheep clone's remains investigate osteoarthritis, aging

We were warned. Almost 20 years ago, skeptics and opponents of the cloning of horses and other livestock forecast musculoskeletal calamities and weaknesses. It seemed like the prophecies of doom had come true back in 2003, when reports circulated that Dolly, the famous (and first) ewe cloned  in 1996, suffered from what might be considered premature aging, in the form of osteoarthritis (OA).

Now, researchers in the United Kingdom are about to clear Dolly's name and show additional evidence of normal aging in the tribe of university-cloned sheep that followed her.

Background
Reports in 2003 that Dolly, the first animal cloned from adult cells, was suffering from osteoarthritis at the age of 5½ led to considerable scientific concern and media debate over the possibility of early-onset age-related diseases in cloned animals.

Dolly, the world's first cloned mammal from an adult cell, is on display at the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh. (Creative Commons file image via Wikimedia)

However, the only formal record of OA in the original Dolly was a brief mention in a conference abstract; it reported that Dolly had OA of the left knee. In the absence of the original records two research teams decided to find out for themselves whether the concerns were justified.

Researchers to the rescue

Teams at the University of Nottingham in England and the University of Glasgow in Scotland published research last year showing that a group of eight-year-old Nottingham ‘Dollies’ had aged normally. Last week, they published further evidence, in the form of a radiographic assessment of the skeletons of Dolly herself, Bonnie (her naturally conceived daughter) and Megan and Morag (the first two animals to be cloned from differentiated cells).

Their article, Radiographic assessment of the skeletons of Dolly and other clones finds no abnormal osteoarthritis, has been published in the online Nature Research Open Access journal Scientific Reports. They show that the skeletons, stored in the collections of National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh, display radiographic OA similar to that observed in naturally-conceived sheep and Nottingham’s healthy aged clones.

Kevin Sinclair, Professor of Developmental Biology, in the School of Biosciences at the University of Nottingham, said: “No formal, comprehensive assessment of osteoarthritis in Dolly was ever undertaken. We therefore felt it necessary to set the record straight.”

Nottingham’s Dolly legacy

The four Nottingham ‘Dollies’ - Debbie, Denise, Dianna and Daisy – were derived from the cell line that gave rise to Dolly. The researchers concluded that the Nottingham Dollies had aged normally with no clinical signs of OA. They had radiographic evidence of only mild or, in one case, moderate OA.

Their results, published July last year in the academic journal Nature Communications, were in apparent stark contrast to Dolly the Sheep’s diagnosis of early onset OA which led to scientific concern and media debate over the possibility of early-onset, age-related diseases in cloned animals.

Radiographic examinations

The researchers travelled to Edinburgh and, with special permission from Dr Andrew Kitchener, Principal Curator of Vertebrates at National Museums Scotland, undertook radiographic examinations of the skeletons of Dolly and her contemporary clones.

Professor Corr said: “We found that the prevalence and distribution of radiographic-OA was similar to that observed in naturally-conceived sheep, and our healthy aged cloned sheep. As a result we conclude that the original concerns that cloning had caused early-onset OA in Dolly were unfounded.”

More about sheep and ageing

Commercially-produced sheep are rarely kept beyond the age of 6-7 years. Their natural life expectancy rarely extends beyond 9-10 years. 

The Nottingham Dollies, who would now be over 10 years of age, have been humanely euthanized but their legacy continues. Professor Sinclair and his team are currently undertaking detailed molecular studies to gain a greater insight into the aging process.

Read the Open Access article:

S. A. Corr, D. S. Gardner, S. Langley-Hobbs, M. G. Ness, A. C. Kitchener, K. D. Sinclair. Radiographic assessment of the skeletons of Dolly and other clones finds no abnormal osteoarthritis. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15902-8

Materials kindly provided by the University of Nottingham were utilized in the creation of this article.

Background on Dolly: https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2016/dolly-celebrates-20-years

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is the news service for Hoofcare and Lameness Publishing. Please, no re-use of text or images on other sites or social media without permission--please link instead. (Please ask if you need help.) The Hoof Blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a headlines-link email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). Use the little envelope symbol below to email this article to others. The "translator" tool in the right sidebar will convert this article (roughly) to the language of your choice. To share this article on Facebook and other social media, click on the small symbols below the labels. Be sure to "like" the Hoofcare and Lameness Facebook page and click on "get notifications" under the page's "like" button to keep up with the hoof news on Facebook. 

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Disclosure of Material Connection: The Hoof Blog (Hoofcare Publishing) has not received any direct compensation for writing this post. Hoofcare Publishing has no material connection to the brands, products, or services mentioned, other than products and services of 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.

Saint Clement's Twanky Dillo Day is a Lost Hoof History Holiday

Imagine a holiday when tradition dictated that farriers and blacksmiths fire their anvils with gunpowder, then roam the streets and knock on doors, demanding liquor or cash as they sang songs with lyrics only they understood. It only happened on St Clem's Day, a festive day that has slipped off British calendars and from people's memories...unless you know where to look.  Public domain image, Chatterbox magazine, 1896.

The end of November may mean Thanksgiving Day in America, but in the British Isles, there is a forgotten holiday that you probably won't find on any calendar.

For hundreds of years, people celebrated St Clement's Day on November 23.  But now both the holiday and the saint it celebrated are lost and long forgotten in history. Hard as it is to find out what went on, much less why it went on, this day is worth remembering for its colorful couplets, enchanting songs, and evidence to the important (and powerful) role that farriers and blacksmiths played in local matters.

Veterans Day for a Forgotten Hero: The Farrier at Compiègne

The memory of war is harsh, but the memory of a hero's deeds often improve with age. An anonymous World War I hero is still in the books but you have to dig to find him.

World War I began on July 28, 1914 after an assassination in Serbia;  within five days, Germany  declared war on Russia and France, and Great Britain declared war on Germany. And three days after that, the first British troops arrived in France. They would soon become mired in one of the longest, bloodiest wars in history.

Breeders Cup: Innovative Copper-Shield Racehorse Shoes Debut Under British Turf Runner Decorated Knight

Kerckhaert horseshoes treated with a copper "shielding" process, along with copper-coated Liberty CU Carrera nails, give British runner Decorated Knight a unique flash as he trains at Del Mar in California for this weekend's Breeders Cup. The process, called Cu Shield Technology, transforms the normal plates. (Ashley Berry photo)

It’s that time of year. The best racehorses in the world have been winging their way to the USA to line up against the best of the home team. The Breeders Cup races, to be held Friday and Saturday at California’s Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, will be the Super Bowl of horseracing.

Once the horses are out on the track, they all look pretty much alike, no matter what countries they call home. Maybe you’ll see a few minor differences in tack, or the way the jockey rides. And as you watch the horses trot by in the post parade, you catch the flash in the sunlight as horse after horse shows you a glimpse of the four silver-y aluminum plates adorning their feet.

Wait a minute. What was that? As one horse trots past, the California sun catches a flash of red copper, instead of silvery aluminum. That was different...what's going on?

Underfoot with Winx: Meet Australia’s champion and her farrier, John Bunting

This man has a lot to smile about: Meet Mr. John Bunting of Melbourne, Australia. He's the farrier and she's the world's favorite racehorse--and with good reason. Today she won her third consecutive Cox Plate, and her 22nd stakes win in a row without defeat. John reports that she is so good-tempered, he "could shoe her without a head collar (halter)." He hasn't tried that yet, though. (Photo courtesy of John Bunting)

If you could pick up the near fore of any horse in the world today, and have a look, whose would it be?

Frankel’s? American Pharoah’s? Valegro’s? Zenyatta’s?

Most people would probably choose the same horse: Winx. She's the horse of the hour. And the year. Maybe of the decade.

Doomed Glory on the Hoof: What's left of the famous Charge of the Light Brigade?

The preserved bronzed trophy hoof of Ronald, the British cavalry horse that led the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War on October 25, 1854. Miraculously, he survived and returned to England. His hoof now sits on a bronze pillow and is the property of the The Royal King's Hussar Museum in Winchester, England.

Today is the anniversary of the ill-fated but gallant charge of the Light Brigade of British cavalry during the Crimean War back in 1854. More than half the British cavalry horses and a third of the men who galloped "into the valley of Death" behind the controversial Earl of Cardigan would never gallop back out. But what about the ones who did?

Reg Pascoe, Australia's Legendary Equine Veterinarian, Has Died

In Australia, and almost any part of the world where horses are raised or raced or bred, you could be forgiven for thinking that there's a secret word that seasoned horsemen and veterinarians all seem to know. "Pascoe" certainly must be synonymous with "horse vet".

Research: Direct-Injection Gene Therapy Proven Successful for Soft Tissue Lameness Injuries in Horses

Two dressage horses recovered from suspensory ligament and superficial flexor tendon injuries following direct injection of enhanced equine DNA into the injury site. The research was published this week. (Photo: Catrin Rutland, Assistant Professor of Anatomy and Developmental Genetics, University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine)

Can we use gene therapy to repair injuries? Specifically: Can genetic material (DNA) be injected directly into a soft tissue injury site and repair damaged tissue that is causing a performance or race horse to be lame?

An international group of British and Russian researchers believes that not only can it be done--they’ve done it. Twice. In a ground-breaking pair of case studies, Professor Albert Rizvanov (Kazan Federal University, Russia) and his group confirm that by injecting pure DNA into an injured horses' suspensory ligaments and superficial digital flexor tendons, they were able to completely restore the function in these vital areas.

The authors also stated that the horses presented at the clinic with naturally occurring injuries; the genetic treatment conformed with US Food and Drug Administration and EU standards. Similar treatments had been used experimentally in dogs and humans in tests by some of the team members.

The first case study was conducted on a successful 13-year-old dressage horse. The horse's clinical diagnosis was Grade 2 desmitis of the lateral branch of the suspensory ligament. A second treatment benefited a 9-year-old half-bred Trakehner, also used for dressage; he had been diagnosed with Grade 3 tendinitis of the superficial digital flexor tendon.

"We showed that gene therapy used within a period of 2–3 months after the injury resulted in the complete recovery of functions and full restoration of the severely damaged suspensory ligament and superficial digital flexor tendon," the authors state in the article.

The research also showed that the tissue within the limbs had fully recovered and that 12 months after the revolutionary treatment, the horses were completely fit, active and pain free.

No side effects or adverse reactions were seen in the horses.

The main advantage of gene therapy used in this study was the application of a combination of the pro-angiogenic growth factor gene VEGF164, enhancing growth of blood vessels, and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), which plays an important role in the development of bone and cartilage.

To avoid undesirable immune reactions, both genes were derived from horses, thus resulting in biosynthesis of natural horse proteins in treated animals. Both recombinant genes were cloned into single plasmid DNA which is commonly regarded as non-immunogenic and a biologically safe gene therapy vector.

Since these injuries may affect not only horses but many other animals and humans, the study carries potential implications for the future direction of human and veterinary medicine, potentially with fewer relapses and shorter recovery times. Much more work will be needed to investigate safety and efficacy. A larger clinical trial has been started.

Professor Rizvanov formed a collaboration with scientists and clinicians within his laboratories at Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia and also with Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology, Russia and the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. Working together to heal ligament and tendon injuries has been the primary goal of the work.

Their work has now been published in the international journal Frontiers in Veterinary Science and is titled “Gene Therapy Using Plasmid DNA Encoding Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor 164 and Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Genes for the Treatment of Horse Tendinitis and Desmitis: Case Reports.”

To read the full article please go to: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2017.00168/full

Full citation:
Kovac Milomir, Litvin Yaroslav A., Aliev Ruslan O., Zakirova Elena Yu, Rutland Catrin S., Kiyasov Andrey P., Rizvanov Albert A. (2017) Gene Therapy Using Plasmid DNA Encoding Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor 164 and Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 Genes for the Treatment of Horse Tendinitis and Desmitis: Case Reports. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 4. DOI=10.3389/fvets.2017.00168.

For more information, contact Professor Albert Rizvanov: albert.rizvanov@kpfu.ru.

Dr. Rutland's imaging work was displayed on the cover of the September 2017 edition of HoofSearch. She assisted with the preparation of this article.

© Fran Jurga and Hoofcare Publishing; Fran Jurga's Hoof Blog is the news service for Hoofcare and Lameness Publishing. Please, no re-use of text or images on other sites or social media without permission--please link instead. (Please ask if you need help.) The Hoof Blog may be read online at the blog page, checked via RSS feed, or received via a headlines-link email (requires signup in box at top right of blog page). Use the little envelope symbol below to email this article to others. The "translator" tool in the right sidebar will convert this article (roughly) to the language of your choice. To share this article on Facebook and other social media, click on the small symbols below the labels. Be sure to "like" the Hoofcare and Lameness Facebook page and click on "get notifications" under the page's "like" button to keep up with the hoof news on Facebook. 

Follow Hoofcare + Lameness on Twitter: @HoofBlog

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Disclosure of Material Connection: The Hoof Blog (Hoofcare Publishing) has not received any direct compensation for writing this post. Hoofcare Publishing has no material connection to the brands, products, or services mentioned, other than products and services of 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.