NEWS
Over to You to start in 16 July 2007
Eventing Grand Prix
Over to You, at 19 the oldest horse to have completed Badminton and with
eight consecutive championship appearances for Britain behind him, will be
one of the starters in the Ford Ranger Eventing Grand Prix at the Longines
Royal International Horse Show.
Jeanette Brakewell, his rider for the last 15 years, retired him from
three-day events at Badminton but has agreed to bring him to Hickstead for
the unique and now-traditional head-to-head between event and showjumping
riders on July 26.
And competition this year could be fierce, with last year's winner, Shane
Breen, only the second showjumping rider to have won in nine years, heading
the showjumpers, which include DFS Derby winner Ben Maher, Steven Franks and
Guy Williams.
The Eventing Grand Prix course starts and finishes with show jumps and
Hickstead's permanent obstacles in the International Arena, with in between
an imposing series of special built natural obstacles and a river crossing.
Previous winning eventers Mark Kyle and Gary Parsonage will be among the
starters. Three-times winner Pippa Funnell has been invited.
Former World Champion Clayton Fredericks, triple Olympic Gold medallist Matt
Ryan, Eddy Stibbe, who has ridden in more three-day events than anyone else,
and British squad member Oliver Townend are also included in the expected 25
starters.
HORSES GALORE AT THRILLING SPECTACLE 16 July 2007
Blazing hoof prints, dazzling stunts and gorgeous horses...
Europe's largest and most spectacular equestrian show is coming to Cleethorpes for the first time.
Spirit Of The Horse is bringing its action-packed production of The Legend Of Chimera to Cleethorpes Showground, in Kings Road, for a four-night run.
Featuring 30 magnificent horses, daredevil horsemen from Mongolia and the stunt riders of Genghis Khan, the show is great entertainment for the entire family.
The equestrian fantasy blends dance, drama, comedy and outstanding horsemanship into an exhilarating show.
Young and old alike are bound to be thrilled with the appearances of Pegasus, the winged horse, and Chimera, the mythological beast of evil.
And there are plenty of chances to take in the spectacle - for there will be nine performances in a specially-designed 2,000-seater theatre.
A spokeswoman for the show said: "Choreographed to a specially arranged musical score, blending spectacle, dramatic action, humour, poetic motion and awe-inspiring lighting effects, The Legend of Chimera weaves the magic of myth and legend through man's bonding with his oldest and most trusted ally - the horse.
"This is truly a world-class show appealing to all ages and cultures - and not just those who enthuse about horses. It is an experience that touches the soul.
"And after the performance, the audience has the opportunity to visit the stables to meet the equine stars and their human partners - a heart-warming finale to an unforgettable experience."
The Legend Of Chimera runs from Thursday, July 19, to Sunday, July 22. Performances are on: Thursday and Fri, 5pm and 8pm; Saturday, 2pm, 5pm and 8pm; Sunday, 3pm and 6pm. Tickets cost £33, £26 or £16 for adults, with concessions at £25, £18 or £12. A family ticket (two adults, two children in a particular section of the theatre) costs £32. The box office is open on site from Tuesday, July 17, 9.30am to 8.30pm. Advance booking is on 0870 1609559 or visit www.equestriantheatre.co.uk
Article With Thanks To www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk
Understanding equine flu 16 July 2007
In the Veterinary Record dated 16 June 2007, the Animal Health Trust reported four current pockets of infection spread across the Midlands, Kent and Hampshire. These outbreaks have been linked with the importation of non-vaccinated horses or those with an unknown vaccination history.
What is equine flu?
Equine influenza is a disease caused by various strains of a virus that affects the upper and lower respiratory tract of horses, donkeys and mules.
Once the virus has been inhaled, it invades the lining (epithelium) of the airway, which becomes inflamed, producing a very sore throat and a nasty cough. This damage causes patches of the membranes lining the airways to ulcerate and this disrupts the clearance of mucus and debris from the airways. In turn these damaged areas are invaded by bacteria and further infections ensue.
As with human flu, the equine version is very infectious and, with an incubation period of one to three days, spreads rapidly. The disease is spread by the virus being released into the atmosphere by coughing and blowing. For this reason, equine flu is highly contagious within a group of horses, but is not airborne over long distances.
Signs of equine flu
* A very high temperature of 39-41×C (103-106×F) which lasts for one to three days
* A frequent harsh, dry cough that can last for several weeks
* A clear, watery nasal discharge that may become thick and yellow or green
* Enlarged glands under the lower jaw
* Clear discharge from the eyes
* Depression and loss of appetite
* Filling of the lower limbs
If you suspect your horse has equine influenza, you should contact your vet. As soon as a horse shows any suspect signs, strict hygiene and isolation procedures should be adhered to.
Horses that have been in contact with an affected animal should be carefully monitored and should not attend shows. Exposure to the virus combined with the stress of travelling will make infection more likely.
Diagnosis
An accurate diagnosis can be made by:
* recognising the clinical signs and the rapid spread between horses
* isolation of the virus through nasopharyngeal swabs
* rising antibody levels in blood (serum) samples taken early in the course of the disease and two to three weeks later
* history of recent contact with a confirmed case of the disease
Vaccinated horses may show signs, but these are usually milder than those experienced by unvaccinated horses.
Treatment
Horses with respiratory infections should be given complete rest. Ideally they should not restart any strenuous exercise until two weeks after the signs have gone.
Frequently, the advice is that they should have a week off for every day they have had a raised temperature. But many riders find their horses are below par for longer, in the same way people can feel run down after flu.
Good stable ventilation and management is essential. Exposure to dust and spores should be minimised, as horses with respiratory infections are susceptible to allergic problems, including recurrent airway obstruction (RAO).
If hay is fed, it should be good quality and soaked. If weather permits, affected horses benefit from being turned out for at least part of the day once their temperatures have returned to normal. This is especially important in the recovery stages.
Antibiotics have no effect against a virus, but can be useful to control secondary bacterial invasion. This is a risk in foals, who can succumb to fatal pneumonia.
Some of the new antioxidant feed supplements marketed to help respiratory function may be of benefit, as well as other medications to help breathing.
If the disease occurs locally, it may be advisable to give a booster to any horse that has not been vaccinated in the previous six months. Consult your vet for advice.
Article From www.horseandhound.co.uk
Hickstead vows - Royal International 16 July 2007
WILL go ahead!
Hickstead is rigorously denying rumours that it is cancelling the Longines
Royal International Horse Show. "Everyone is working flat out to repair the
ravages left by days of heavy rain during the British Jumping Derby Meeting
and the next show will open on time on July 24," said show secretary Lizzie
Bunn.
"I can understand how the rumours started," Lizzie said. "But the
International Arena, with its new drainage, is fine. The outside areas are
gradually drying out, and we have drafted in extra staff to help repair the
car parks and other badly affected areas."
On a brighter note, entries for the show - which this year celebrates its
centenary - are at an all-time high, with more than 1,600 horses and ponies
in the showing classes alone.
Edward Bunn, who is responsible for ground maintenance, said that with the
right weather conditions Hickstead "dried out" quite quickly. "Fortunately,
the work we did last winter is paying dividends in the International Arena.
We also laid a hard surface leading to the outside rings which we are
looking to extend in time for the Royal International," he said.
Faith in equine flu vaccine despite outbreaks 16 July 2007
An outbreak of equine flu that has spread to two vaccinated horses in Kent does not raise doubts about the effectiveness of the vaccine, according to the Animal Health Trust (AHT).
Dr Richard Newton, head of epidemiology at the AHT, told H&H he was "slightly concerned" that vaccinated horses had contracted flu, but stressed that the efficiency of the vaccine could not be questioned unless a higher proportion of equines were affected, and the reasons for any vaccine failure properly investigated.
He said: "There is no significant evidence that this flu is breaking through the vaccine."
A Welsh Mountain pony and an Arab in West Peckham, Kent, contracted the virus after the arrival at their yard of an infected Andalucian horse imported from Spain. This infection does not appear to have spread any further.
Kathryn Outram, owner of all three horses, told H&H: "Blood tests show that my vaccinated Arab now has a secondary bacterial infection. He's struggling."
Dr Tim Mair, a partner at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic (BEVC) in Kent, the practice which is treating the horses, said: "To some degree the effectiveness of a particular vaccine depends on precisely what strain of virus is circulating among horses at the time."
H&H vet adviser Karen Coumbe said that although no vaccine is 100% effective, a vaccinated horse should, if infected, suffer a less severe infection and recover more quickly than an unvaccinated one. She added that vaccination also raises herd immunity.
"A horse is likely to be off work a week for every day it had a very high temperature [more than 39° C]," she said.
Six other outbreaks of flu in the Southampton, Maidstone and Birmingham areas have been reported to the AHT since the end of May. The horses involved were all either unvaccinated or "of unknown vaccination status". Some of these cases have been linked to horses imported from Ireland.
DEFRA confirmed to H&H that current EU rules do not require horses moving between EU member states to have the vaccination.
With Thanks To www.horseandhound.co.uk
Preparing a Veterinary Practice for a Hurricane 16 July 2007
Careful planning can help a veterinary practice, its patients, and the area equestrian community to ride through and recover from a hurricane. Dana N. Zimmel, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ABVP, clinical assistant professor in the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, described steps for veterinarians in hurricane-prone areas to take long before a storm hits. She addressed a room of practitioners at the 52nd annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 2-6, 2006, in San Antonio, Texas.
Before a storm is even forecast, evaluate your location. Consider what wind speed any buildings at your practice can sustain, as well as their proximity to water in case of a storm surge. Zimmel noted that some horses that were not evacuated before Hurricane Katrina in 2005 drowned in their stalls, trapped in the 12-foot storm surge. Also consider the number of large trees and electrical lines in the area, and the damage they could cause if they fall.
Ask if your water source will be sustainable in the case of a power outage. If you have a generator, what is it capable of powering and how much fuel will it require? If you need to make a choice between the refrigerator and other appliances, consider the implications of the loss of vaccines and drugs requiring a consistent temperature.
"(The refrigerator) may not seem to be too important, but in Marion County following Frances, we were without power for 14 days," Zimmel said.
Having a phone tree or command center already in place before a storm hits can decrease confusion among staff members and clients. If phones go out, having a contingency plan, such as every staff member listening to a particular radio station at a predetermined time, can also help.
Identify equine transportation companies that will be able to help evacuate horses.
The hospital might become unsafe to use or it might not be large enough for the patient load following a disaster. Making arrangements for an equine hospital and rescue center at an alternate location before it's needed and publicizing this information will assist staff members and horse owners in knowing where to go in a storm's aftermath. These facilities can be sales facilities or show grounds.
Evaluate the number and type of stalls at the facility, amount of accesible power, and water availability. Consider manure removal and where you will obtain basic farm supplies--are there enough buckets? Are there snaps for buckets to affix them to stall walls? Are there enough pitchforks to clean stalls for the number of horses you anticipate?
"All these basic things really become tremendous when you have no power and it's not set up like a good horse farm," Zimmel said.
Along with supplies, evaluate the facility to see if there's sufficient space to store hay and bedding in a dry location. An isolation area is also necessary in case a horse starts showing clinical signs of a potentially contagious disease.
When a storm is forecast, move quickly. Evacuate horses at least 48 hours before winds over 40 mph are projected to hit. Contact the emergency command center to secure permits for government fuel and a badge to be out after any imposed curfew.
Communicate what will be available to clients after the storm, and tell them how to contact you if the phones go out. Zimmel suggested a dry erase board system--clients can come to clinic and sign up for the services they require on the board which is treated as a check list. If they can't get to the clinic, the veterinarians will try to get to them at their locations.
If it is necessary to rescue horses from outside locations, organization is key. Document the horses as they come in. Look for tattoos or microchips (you'll need a scanner) and record where horses were picked up. Be strict in requiring proof of ownership when horses are claimed. Zimmel noted that many horses were stolen following Hurricane Andrew.
Designate one person to coordinate all the personnel working with rescued horses. Zimmel noted that while veterinarians and veterinary students make excellent volunteers, a lot of the work required of volunteers is basic animal husbandry, including feeding and stall cleaning. It's crucial to have a group of core volunteers there for the duration. Continuity with the horses is important so slight variations in a horse's condition and behavior are properly noted. All volunteers must sign a waiver releasing liability.
Another important position within the rescue operation is a donation coordinator, who keeps track of all the veterinary supplies and donations available and knows where they are located.
"The events of 2005 underscore the importance of being self-sufficient and investigating pathways to protect your practice and your community," Zimmel concluded.
With Thanks To www.thehorse.com
And they’re off 16 July 2007
work starts on new racecourse
WORK on Britain’s first new National Hunt racecourse for 80 years officially began yesterday in the heart of the Welsh countryside.
The Ffos Las Racecourse in Carmarthenshire is expected to bring up to £600m into the local economy after it opens in 2009, with 16 races already scheduled.
The track, which will have a capacity for 15,000 spectators, is sited on a former opencast coal mine at Trimsaran near Llanelli.
The racecourse consists of a one-mile four-furlong oval track with provision for National Hunt and flat racing, and will be the first entirely new track with facilities for hurdle racing since Taunton was opened in 1927.
It has also been nominated as a possible training venue for the 2012 Olympics.
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The 600-acre development will also see a hotel, pub and restaurant built, along with a grandstand, stable accommodation and administrative buildings.
A deal has been signed between the racecourse owners with Persimmon Homes to develop 250 new houses on land next to the site, which will help fund its development.
It is a joint venture between Pembrey Racecourse, formed 10 years ago to develop horse racing facilities in South Wales and the Walters Group – a plant hire, civil engineering and mining business.
David Thursfield, Ffos Las project director, said, “This is a phenomenal project. We think an average racing day will bring in between 3-5,000 people – and we will get bigger numbers for festival days.
“A study into the economic impact of the scheme found that it will create 280 full-time jobs, both direct and indirect, and bring in millions of pounds each year to the economy.
“This area is really coming on in leaps and bounds and this development will complement the developments happening in Llanelli and Burry Port.”
Future stages will include an indoor and outdoor equestrian centre of excellence catering for all disciplines including a four start course for eventing, cross country and point-to-point. The final stage will see the creation of an equine training centre with paddocks, gallops and equine pool.
Mr Thursfield said, “This will be a modern racecourse with modern technology. Its design means it will be well drained and well irrigated to cope with the kind of weather we’ve had recently.
“We have got our sights set on a festival event and we would try and hold it just before the Cheltenham Festival. It is almost identical setting to Cheltenham and it is absolutely perfect for it.”
At the official launch of the project yesterday, Assembly Business Minister Jane Hutt said, “This adds to the magnificent sporting arenas we already have in Wales, such as the Millennium Stadium and the new Ryder Cup golf course at the Celtic Manor in Newport.
“My top tip is that this racecourse and the equestrian centre of excellence that will be developed alongside will quickly gallop to the forefront of the UK racing scene.”
Meryl Gravell, leader of Carmarthenshire County Council said, “This area lost all its coal mining, my background is in coal mining, but now we need to get good quality jobs and facilities for our young people.
“What our forefathers wanted was a better way of life for our young people and that’s what we are trying to deliver.
“This is not just for this area, but for the benefit of all of Wales.”
Another new track, Great Leighs in Essex, is expected to be opened next month, but will cater only for flat racing.
Article from www.icnetwork.co.uk
Ardingly RC Bring Home a National Title 14 June 2007
British Riding Clubs recently held their Festival of the Hunter at Aston-le-Walls, this event comprises of the Riding Clubs National Hunter Trials Championships & showing classes. Ardingly had qualified the Novice Team of Christine Hartfield/Valemount Jasper, Nicky Gurden/Jack, Juliette Huckstep/Christine Hartfields’ - Pigs can Fly & Allison Ingram/Silver Birch. Allison also qualified her other horse Red Square II for the Open finals. In the showing classes Liz Brennan-Jesson & Ben contested the Working Hunter Ponies & came 3rd this would have been a 1st if Ben had not decided to have a double take at the water fountain under one jump!!
First out of the day was Allison round the Open track, the course was well up to height being held over their BE Pre Novice course & she flew round with Red Square with just a few time penalties which left them out of the top 10. The competition is judged as per hunter trials, with a bogey time, but for seconds over or under you get 0.4 penalties with no stopwatches permitted. The scoring was so tight in the Open finals those with 2.8 penalties were left down in 18th place!
Next out were the Novice team over a very strong BE Intro course & it became apparent the bogey fences were a corner coming down a hill towards home & a large spread 1 stride off the water. Christine & Jasper were sent out as pathfinders & did a fantastic job coming home 0.81 seconds below the optimum time for 0.4 penalties. Allison was out next & was going great up to the water where Silver Birch was just a little green and had one stop. Nicky Gurden then flew round clear with her young horse who is only 5 for just 5.2 time penalties. Juliette was last out & having watched everyone go knew a clear was needed, judging a great round she came home 1.31 under the optimum time to give the team a real chance of a placing. When the final scores came out the team had done far better than expected, the team were 2nd by 0.4 penalties to Hereford RC but even better Christine Hartfield was National Individual Champion with Jasper, with Juliette & Christine’s Pigs can Fly taking the runners up spot. Everyone enjoyed the day & to bring home a National Title & 2 runners up spots made it a great result for the club. For all of Ardingly’s events go to www.ridingclub.org.uk