Texas Horse Racing:
Gary West to espn.com:
“Sin ain’t sin if good people do it.” – Shannon Edmonds, head of governmental relations for the District and County Attorneys Association of Texas.
If you’ve noticed Texas horse racing at all lately, you’ve probably noticed that it’s dying. But don’t mistake this death for anything natural. This will be murder. And I know the murderer’s identity.
Yes, I’ve watched enough Law & Order to know that to make a case I need to adduce a weapon and a motive, but that’s easy because there have been so many weapons over the years – candid indifference, purulent stupidity and exponential hypocrisy, as well as the lotto, the Internet and the slots, but not the slots you might think, or not only those, oh no, but the ones right here in Texas, the fruit-spinning, bell-ringing slot-machine-look-alike gizmos that aren’t even called slots for fear that just saying the word might turn the speaker into a pillar of salt.
More than $2 billion rings and dings through these gizmos annually, and, of course, these are dollars lost to horse racing and horsemen. State and local governments profit the machines in the form of taxes and licensing fees. And the machines aren’t even legal, not really, not as gambling devices anyway. Morever, hundreds of millions of dollars flow out of Texas in the form of wagers over the Internet, they’re also dollars lost to horse racing and horsemen, and that’s not legal either. Yes, horse racing’s getting killed here.
As for a motive, that’s easy, too, because in Texas – but wait: Lest a sudden crash into volubility keep me from fingering the killer, perhaps I should supply some context.
With Epsom Downs in Houston, Alamo Downs in San Antonio and Arlington Downs between Dallas and Fort Worth, horse racing was very popular in Texas in the 1930s, according to historical accounts. In 1934, Arlington Downs’ attendance averaged 6,734. Lawrin, who would go on to give Ben Jones his first Kentucky Derby victory, raced at Arlington Downs in 1937. But that was also the year the legislature repealed the law allowing pari-mutuel gambling in the state.
Was the first attempt on horse racing’s life? Maybe, but Texas had more horses than Florida had suntans, and Texans weren’t going to let some troglodyte in Austin tell them they couldn’t race. And so some raced their horses at small, non-pari-mutuel tracks in the state, such as Lubbock Downs, where the great Dash For Cash made his debut. And many, such as Willard Proctor and Bob Kleberg of King Ranch, simply raced elsewhere, and everywhere, from California to Kentucky to New York to England.
So many cowboy hats, in fact, remained actively involved and so many fans from Dallas and Houston and San Antonio traveled around the country and routinely drove hours to neighboring states just to attend racetracks that the sport regarded Texas as something of a promised land. Just wait until Texas gets racing again, horsemen said; that’ll be the place to go.
Only it hasn’t worked out that way. What was expected to be a promised land for racing could become instead a wasteland. Attendance, handle, purses and dates – everything has fallen and faltered. At Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, not far from the old Arlington Downs site, purses have sunk lower than they were when the track opened in 1997.
But perhaps the best metric of decline is the horse population. Between 2000 and 2010, the foal crop, or number of Thoroughbreds born in the state, declined 59.06 percent, according to The Jockey Club. And it gets worse. So far this year, according to Dave Hooper of the Texas Thoroughbred Association, only 640 Texas foals have been registered in the state, which would represent a decline of 68 percent since 2000. Farms have shut down and something that once couldn’t have been imagined has happened: Texans have loaded up their horses and left.
Texas racing was once so promising, too. It’s seems fanciful now, but only eight years ago, Lone Star Park was host to the sport’s championship event, the Breeders’ Cup. So what happened?
Well, nothing happened. That’s why horse racing is dying. Local and state officials are killing horse racing with their benighted indifference. They’re killing horse racing with their ignorant and unsympathetic inertia. And while doing nothing to enable racetracks to be competitive, they’re also doing nothing to protect the sport from predators. Officials are killing the sport with their longstanding ostrich-strategy on gambling.
Yes, Texas has strict gambling laws. Slot machines are illegal here. Racetracks can’t have them. And yet, according to Don Hoyte of TexasEconomicImpact, there could be as many as 150,000 slot-machine-look-alike gizmos in the state.
They look, ring and ding like slot machines, but they’re called eight-liners. They’re not illegal as long as there’s no cash payoff for winning. There can, however, be prizes. And so, wink wink, people play to win toilet paper and stuffed animals. Game rooms overflowing with such machines reportedly have opened up in several counties where people can play until the small hours of the morning because, I suppose, they fear a future shortage of toilet paper or hope to create a zoo of stuffed animals, wink wink.
In an excellent piece of investigative journalism, in the Austin American-Statesman, Eric Dexheimer writes: “Among law enforcement officers and prosecutors, the near universal consensus is that the rooms can’t thrive without operating outside the law and paying cash.”
Dexheimer points out that several counties and cities have come to look upon these eight-liners as a rich source of revenue. Duval County, for example, charges an $800 licensing fee for each machine; so far this year, the county once famously implicated in the “stolen” election of 1948 has collected nearly $600,000 from game-room operators. And tiny Gregory, Texas, pop. 2,000, has collected about $800,000 in licensing fees, which will cover 80 percent of the city’s entire annual budget.
“Part of the new unspoken arrangement between the game rooms and local officials,” Dexheimer writes, “is, as long as the money flows, potentially inconvenient legal questions are left unasked.”
Shannon Edmonds, head of governmental relations for the District and County Attorneys Association of Texas, quoted by Dexheimer, suggests that the state’s law on gambling devices is intentionally vague. In other words, it’s intentionally easy to ignore.
And so that’s the weapon, or one of them, officials are using to kill racing: monolithic indifference. Government’s first and foremost role is to protect. But in Texas, there’s little or no effort to protect horse racing from illegal competition.
“Certain groups have historically opposed gambling of any kind in Texas,” Hooper said. “That’s why there are strict gambling laws, and so it’s puzzling that we have this huge proliferation of gambling. And it’s not regulated at all. Who knows what those machines pay out? It’s just incredible.”
Although Dexheimer writes about South Texas, where the slot-machine-look-alike gizmos seem most conspicuous and numerous, the problem is statewide. I’ve seen the machines in truck stops and quick stops; I’ve even seen them right down the road from Lone Star Park. Some people just can’t get enough toilet paper and stuffed animals, I guess.
The irony is that if slot machines ever become legal for the state’s racetracks, there would probably be fewer gambling machines in Texas than there are right this moment.
For years, of course, Texas racetracks have pushed for legislation that would allow them to have slot machines. Every poll has shown an overwhelming majority of Texans would approve such legislation. But neither the polls nor public approval matters. And what really matters leads to the motive for murdering horse racing: Getting the support of the political party that dominates state elections requires a candidate to act as if he has been in a coma for 20 years and isn’t even aware that slot-machine-look-alike gizmos and Internet gambling even exist. Yes, it’s hypocrisy of Krakatoan magnitude.
And so in Texas, where gambling’s illegal, there are more than 1,200 licensed operators of charitable bingo games and about 16,000 locations for buying lottery tickets. It’s estimated that Texans bet $1 billion illegally on sporting events each year, $2 billion illegally on slot-machine-look-alike gizmos and several hundred million illegally over the Internet, and none of that money finds its way to the state’s racetracks or horsemen. By the way, Texans take another $4 billion annually to casinos in other states. But state officials do nothing, either to protect or assist. And that’s murder.
The only thing missing is a body.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Horse Business Found Liable for Unpaid Employment Taxes
Horse Business Found Liable for Unpaid Employment Taxes:
Do you withhold payroll taxes from your farm help’s wages? A recent tax case illustrates the bad things than can happen when a horse business incorrectly calls its farm workers “independent contractors”, and fails to withhold payroll taxes from their wages.
Twin Rivers Farm, Inc., a Tennessee S Corporation, was engaged in the business of raising, training, and showing horses for anticipated sale or lease.
Twin Rivers hired Adam Lopez Morales and Nallhelyo Ruiz (workers) to work on the property where it ran its horse business. Morales and Ruiz lived in a trailer on the property and did not pay rent during the three years at issue in the case.
Morales and Ruiz’s primary job duties included: cleaning stalls, the barn area, the barn offices, the restroom, and the tack room; grooming horses; watering the horses; and moving the horses between pastures. The workers also occasionally fixed fence and mowed. The equipment Morales and Ruiz used to perform their job duties was owned by Twin Rivers.
Twin Rivers paid both workers by check, with Morales receiving $300 per week, and Ruiz receiving $150 per week. With respect to the years at issue, Twin Rivers did not make deposits of employment tax, nor did it file Forms 1099 with respect to the workers.
Holding:
Over farm owner Diana Militana’s objections, the court found that Morales and Ruiz were employees of the farm and not independent contractors. As a result of the farm's misclassification of the employees, the court found Militana liable for approximately $30,000 in unpaid employment taxes and penalties for a three year period.
Case Info:
Twin Rivers Farm, Inc. v. Commissioner; T.C. Memo 2012-184; Docket No. 14074-10 (July 2, 2012)
Related Posts:
Employee v. Independent Contractor: Pitfalls of Misclassification (Part 1)
Employee v. Independent Contractor: Pitfalls of Misclassification (Part 2)
Do you withhold payroll taxes from your farm help’s wages? A recent tax case illustrates the bad things than can happen when a horse business incorrectly calls its farm workers “independent contractors”, and fails to withhold payroll taxes from their wages.
Are your farm workers really independent contractors?
Case Background:Twin Rivers Farm, Inc., a Tennessee S Corporation, was engaged in the business of raising, training, and showing horses for anticipated sale or lease.
Twin Rivers hired Adam Lopez Morales and Nallhelyo Ruiz (workers) to work on the property where it ran its horse business. Morales and Ruiz lived in a trailer on the property and did not pay rent during the three years at issue in the case.
Morales and Ruiz’s primary job duties included: cleaning stalls, the barn area, the barn offices, the restroom, and the tack room; grooming horses; watering the horses; and moving the horses between pastures. The workers also occasionally fixed fence and mowed. The equipment Morales and Ruiz used to perform their job duties was owned by Twin Rivers.
Twin Rivers paid both workers by check, with Morales receiving $300 per week, and Ruiz receiving $150 per week. With respect to the years at issue, Twin Rivers did not make deposits of employment tax, nor did it file Forms 1099 with respect to the workers.
Holding:
Over farm owner Diana Militana’s objections, the court found that Morales and Ruiz were employees of the farm and not independent contractors. As a result of the farm's misclassification of the employees, the court found Militana liable for approximately $30,000 in unpaid employment taxes and penalties for a three year period.
Case Info:
Twin Rivers Farm, Inc. v. Commissioner; T.C. Memo 2012-184; Docket No. 14074-10 (July 2, 2012)
Related Posts:
Employee v. Independent Contractor: Pitfalls of Misclassification (Part 1)
Employee v. Independent Contractor: Pitfalls of Misclassification (Part 2)
The feral horse foot. Part A: observational study of the effect of environment on the morphometrics of the feet of 100 Australian feral horses
The feral horse foot. Part A: observational study of the effect of environment on the morphometrics of the feet of 100 Australian feral horses:
Aim
To better understand the morphology of, and the effect of different travel patterns and varying substrate environments on, the feral horse foot to better manage the feet of domestic horses.
Methods
The left forefeet of 20 adult feral horses from each of five geographically separated populations in Australia (n = 100) were investigated. Populations were selected on the basis of substrate hardness under foot and the amount of travel typical for the population. Feet were radiographed and photographed and 40 morphometric measurements of each foot were obtained.
Results
Of the 40 parameters, 37 differed significantly (P < 0.05) among the populations, which suggested that substrate hardness and travel distance have an effect on foot morphology. Harder substrates and longer travel distances were associated with short hoof walls and minimal hoof wall flaring. Softer substrates and moderate travel distances were associated with long flared walls, similar to that of typical untrimmed feet of domestic horses.
Conclusions
The morphology of the feral horse foot appeared to be affected by the distance travelled and by the abrasive qualities and mechanical properties of the substrate under foot. There were marked differences in some conformation parameters between the feral horses in the current study and domestic horses in previous studies. Although the conformation of the feral horse foot may have some prescriptive value, concerns regarding abnormal foot anatomy warrant further investigation.
Student Debt…Our Best Thinking Got Us Here
Student Debt…Our Best Thinking Got Us Here:
If you follow my blog or have worked with me, you already know that one of my favorite sayings is “our best thinking got us here.” That is certainly the case with the Veterinary Student Debt situation. We need some new thinking regarding what generates student debt and what hampers the ability of students to pay back the debt.
In the course of my management consulting business, I am fortunate to work at the interaction intersection between Veterinarians, Veterinary practices, Veterinary Colleges, Veterinary Students and Businesses that provide services and products to the veterinary profession. One of the most common and sincere concerns expressed by people in all of the groups is concern over the impact of student debt on the profession. The student debt situation is a circular process involving Veterinary students, Veterinary colleges, the AVMA, lenders and Veterinary Practices (employers).
I don’t have a solution to the problem but I have some observations and ideas that could be woven into the fabric of a different strategy for financing veterinary education. Although it may happen, my intent is not to offend everyone in the entire veterinary profession with one blog but rather to stimulate creativity and innovation.
As I look at the terms of student debt, the feature that I find odd is the relative short term of most of the loans. Some of the federal programs discuss a 30 year payoff but I have never met anyone using that option. The reality of the situation is that students are buying a career from a Veterinary College and borrowing the money for the purchase from either a governmental or private lender. When we purchase a home, an asset with a long life span, a fifteen year mortgage is possible to pay off but most loans are for 25-30 years in order for family cash flow to service the debt. A veterinary career often has a longer useful lifespan than most of us live in a home. Perhaps we should consider a longer ‘mortgage’ on a veterinary degree so that the cash flow demands of debt service are less onerous. Of course I understand that longer terms mean more interest. I am using the same rationale as purchasing a home. If you pay cash or pay the home off in 5 years there isn’t much interest. Most people can’t pay cash for a home and it is common practice to finance the purchase over a long period of time. Lenders are rightfully concerned about security when they loan anyone money including students. Bankruptcy on student loans used to be a big loss for lenders. However, under the new regulations, student loans cannot be discharged by bankruptcy so there is significantly less risk now.
Veterinary Colleges
When the dust all settles, Veterinary Colleges are in the business of selling Veterinary Medical Degrees to students who buy a degree with the intention of using it to make a living. In the age of austerity, Veterinary colleges have faced massive budget cuts. One response has been to increase class size, generating tuition revenue for the school. In effect, the colleges are generating more customers for their product and increasing the supply of veterinarians. From my perspective and experience, the veterinary profession is upside down as far as supply and demand goes. We have inadequate demand for Veterinary services to support the number of veterinarians in practice. Increasing class size diminishes the earning potential and therefore the value of a Veterinary Medical degree yet the cost of the degree continues to escalate. That strategy only works for schools because student loans are easy to acquire and young consumers following their life’s dream are still willing to borrow the money to purchase the degree at an ever higher price with challenging terms. The cost of the Veterinary degree goes up while the value of a veterinary degree goes down and students continue to purchase degrees on borrowed money.
AVMA Accreditation
It is difficult for me, a person working in ‘the business trenches’ of veterinary medicine, to understand the timing of the AVMA’s decision to accredit more schools. This clearly increases supply of veterinarians in the face of decreasing demand for veterinary services thereby reducing the value of a veterinary degree and the earning power of a veterinarian, both of which contribute to student debt management challenges.
Another component of accreditation that is an integral part of the challenge of rising student debt is the requirement to have a research program in order for a school to be accredited by the AVMA. The paradigm that effective teaching of veterinary students requires faculty involved in a research programs has never been assessed to be of measurable benefit to student success in general or even specialty practice.
In general, Assistant, Associate and Full Professor ranked positions are allotted 50% FTE (Full Time Equivalent) in non-teaching functions which include research. Who is paying for that 50% of their time? Many veterinary schools have chosen to hire instructor level individuals that are nearly 100% FTE in teaching to release higher ranked faculty to do research. Why are these instructors that do no or very little research acceptable as educators, when the need for research to enhance education is the paradigm?
The world is changing around us and we need to have a fresh look at research program requirements for accrediting schools. It is impossible to understand how the cost of faculty in 50% FTE positions is not passed along to the student in the form of tuition fees, etc. That component of tuition is financed by student debt.
Research is a critical piece of veterinary medicine but it is not a critical piece of training general practitioners. Research is important but I don’t believe students should pay for the research via their tuition.
Epilog
This blog is aggregations of realities that I observe in the course of helping veterinarians manage their businesses and new graduates manage their debt. Although I am not in a position to resolve these challenges, I am in a position to share my observations and invite people in policy making capacities to use some new thinking. After all, our best thinking got us here.
The student debt situation affects everyone in the profession as well as businesses that serve the profession. I would like to provide a forum for discussion, civil of course, so please use the comment functionality if you have thoughts you would like to share.
If you follow my blog or have worked with me, you already know that one of my favorite sayings is “our best thinking got us here.” That is certainly the case with the Veterinary Student Debt situation. We need some new thinking regarding what generates student debt and what hampers the ability of students to pay back the debt.
In the course of my management consulting business, I am fortunate to work at the interaction intersection between Veterinarians, Veterinary practices, Veterinary Colleges, Veterinary Students and Businesses that provide services and products to the veterinary profession. One of the most common and sincere concerns expressed by people in all of the groups is concern over the impact of student debt on the profession. The student debt situation is a circular process involving Veterinary students, Veterinary colleges, the AVMA, lenders and Veterinary Practices (employers).
I don’t have a solution to the problem but I have some observations and ideas that could be woven into the fabric of a different strategy for financing veterinary education. Although it may happen, my intent is not to offend everyone in the entire veterinary profession with one blog but rather to stimulate creativity and innovation.
Veterinary Compensation
Because the most common theme in discussions involving student debt is “Veterinary jobs should pay more,” I will enter the circle at the Veterinary Practice (employers) point. The assumption seems to be that every Veterinary business is profitable enough to pay whatever is necessary to cover student loans. When graduate Veterinarians enter the workforce a huge majority become employed by small businesses. No amount of marketing, posturing, denial or wishful thinking will change the fact that small businesses success or failure is driven by supply and demand. From my position in the industry, in the economy in which we all work, the demand for veterinary services appears smaller than the supply of veterinarians. I routinely look at the financial statements of over 50 veterinary practices; equine, mixed and companion animal. Those financial statements demonstrate that practices do not generate enough profit to pay Veterinarians sufficiently to repay student loans under the repayment terms commonly available. That is a remarkably bad situation since the successful transfer of the Veterinary Profession from one generation to another is dependent upon the next generation being solvent and content. Many practices are changing management practices to become profitable. That will help when practices generate enough earnings to add higher veterinary compensation to the cost structure of the business and remain solvent. Clearly compensation is not a realistic short term ‘fix’ until supply and demand for veterinary services shifts back to favor the Veterinarian.
LendersBecause the most common theme in discussions involving student debt is “Veterinary jobs should pay more,” I will enter the circle at the Veterinary Practice (employers) point. The assumption seems to be that every Veterinary business is profitable enough to pay whatever is necessary to cover student loans. When graduate Veterinarians enter the workforce a huge majority become employed by small businesses. No amount of marketing, posturing, denial or wishful thinking will change the fact that small businesses success or failure is driven by supply and demand. From my position in the industry, in the economy in which we all work, the demand for veterinary services appears smaller than the supply of veterinarians. I routinely look at the financial statements of over 50 veterinary practices; equine, mixed and companion animal. Those financial statements demonstrate that practices do not generate enough profit to pay Veterinarians sufficiently to repay student loans under the repayment terms commonly available. That is a remarkably bad situation since the successful transfer of the Veterinary Profession from one generation to another is dependent upon the next generation being solvent and content. Many practices are changing management practices to become profitable. That will help when practices generate enough earnings to add higher veterinary compensation to the cost structure of the business and remain solvent. Clearly compensation is not a realistic short term ‘fix’ until supply and demand for veterinary services shifts back to favor the Veterinarian.
As I look at the terms of student debt, the feature that I find odd is the relative short term of most of the loans. Some of the federal programs discuss a 30 year payoff but I have never met anyone using that option. The reality of the situation is that students are buying a career from a Veterinary College and borrowing the money for the purchase from either a governmental or private lender. When we purchase a home, an asset with a long life span, a fifteen year mortgage is possible to pay off but most loans are for 25-30 years in order for family cash flow to service the debt. A veterinary career often has a longer useful lifespan than most of us live in a home. Perhaps we should consider a longer ‘mortgage’ on a veterinary degree so that the cash flow demands of debt service are less onerous. Of course I understand that longer terms mean more interest. I am using the same rationale as purchasing a home. If you pay cash or pay the home off in 5 years there isn’t much interest. Most people can’t pay cash for a home and it is common practice to finance the purchase over a long period of time. Lenders are rightfully concerned about security when they loan anyone money including students. Bankruptcy on student loans used to be a big loss for lenders. However, under the new regulations, student loans cannot be discharged by bankruptcy so there is significantly less risk now.
Veterinary Colleges
When the dust all settles, Veterinary Colleges are in the business of selling Veterinary Medical Degrees to students who buy a degree with the intention of using it to make a living. In the age of austerity, Veterinary colleges have faced massive budget cuts. One response has been to increase class size, generating tuition revenue for the school. In effect, the colleges are generating more customers for their product and increasing the supply of veterinarians. From my perspective and experience, the veterinary profession is upside down as far as supply and demand goes. We have inadequate demand for Veterinary services to support the number of veterinarians in practice. Increasing class size diminishes the earning potential and therefore the value of a Veterinary Medical degree yet the cost of the degree continues to escalate. That strategy only works for schools because student loans are easy to acquire and young consumers following their life’s dream are still willing to borrow the money to purchase the degree at an ever higher price with challenging terms. The cost of the Veterinary degree goes up while the value of a veterinary degree goes down and students continue to purchase degrees on borrowed money.
AVMA Accreditation
It is difficult for me, a person working in ‘the business trenches’ of veterinary medicine, to understand the timing of the AVMA’s decision to accredit more schools. This clearly increases supply of veterinarians in the face of decreasing demand for veterinary services thereby reducing the value of a veterinary degree and the earning power of a veterinarian, both of which contribute to student debt management challenges.
Another component of accreditation that is an integral part of the challenge of rising student debt is the requirement to have a research program in order for a school to be accredited by the AVMA. The paradigm that effective teaching of veterinary students requires faculty involved in a research programs has never been assessed to be of measurable benefit to student success in general or even specialty practice.
In general, Assistant, Associate and Full Professor ranked positions are allotted 50% FTE (Full Time Equivalent) in non-teaching functions which include research. Who is paying for that 50% of their time? Many veterinary schools have chosen to hire instructor level individuals that are nearly 100% FTE in teaching to release higher ranked faculty to do research. Why are these instructors that do no or very little research acceptable as educators, when the need for research to enhance education is the paradigm?
The world is changing around us and we need to have a fresh look at research program requirements for accrediting schools. It is impossible to understand how the cost of faculty in 50% FTE positions is not passed along to the student in the form of tuition fees, etc. That component of tuition is financed by student debt.
Research is a critical piece of veterinary medicine but it is not a critical piece of training general practitioners. Research is important but I don’t believe students should pay for the research via their tuition.
Epilog
This blog is aggregations of realities that I observe in the course of helping veterinarians manage their businesses and new graduates manage their debt. Although I am not in a position to resolve these challenges, I am in a position to share my observations and invite people in policy making capacities to use some new thinking. After all, our best thinking got us here.
The student debt situation affects everyone in the profession as well as businesses that serve the profession. I would like to provide a forum for discussion, civil of course, so please use the comment functionality if you have thoughts you would like to share.
New Analysis In Science Tells How World Eradicated Deadliest Cattle Plague
New Analysis In Science Tells How World Eradicated Deadliest Cattle Plague: A new analysis published in Science traces the recent global eradication of the deadliest of cattle diseases, crediting not only the development of a new, heat-resistant vaccine, but also the insight of local African herders, who guided scientists in deciding which animals to immunize and when...
Laminitis Research Project Inclusion Criteria Expanded
Laminitis Research Project Inclusion Criteria Expanded: The coordinators of the ongoing laminitis research project have expanded the inclusion criteria in hopes of garnering additional case submissions from veterinarians, according to a statement from the coordinators....
AHP Releases 2012 Equine Industry Survey Results to Public
AHP Releases 2012 Equine Industry Survey Results to Public: American Horse Publications (AHP) conducted its second online nationwide equine industry survey from March 5 through May 20, 2012, and have just made the full results available to the general public.
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New Software Evaluates Horse, Rider Asymmetry
New Software Evaluates Horse, Rider Asymmetry: Using video gaming technology, one British equitation scientist and computer programmer developed a user-friendly software program to help non-scientists evaluate horse and rider asymmetry. The software could be commercially available by 2014....
NCHA to Receive $3,780,477 from State of Texas
NCHA to Receive $3,780,477 from State of Texas: 
Cutters have received great news preceding late fall’s 2012 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity as $3,780,477 in Texas Major Events Fund money has been designated to supplement payouts at that event, plus the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes and 2013 NCHA Summer Spectacular, cutting’s Fort Worth, Texas “Triple Crown” shows.
Cutters have received great news preceding late fall’s 2012 National Cutting Horse Association Futurity as $3,780,477 in Texas Major Events Fund money has been designated to supplement payouts at that event, plus the 2013 NCHA Super Stakes and 2013 NCHA Summer Spectacular, cutting’s Fort Worth, Texas “Triple Crown” shows.
Sharp establishes equine therapeutic program at Texas A&M University
Sharp establishes equine therapeutic program at Texas A&M University:
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (TAMU) – Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp today announced the establishment of the Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program in memory of Courtney Grimshaw Fowler, Texas A&M University class of ’85. The Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program is made possible through a generous donation from the Grimshaw family that will be distributed over five years.
“It is programs like these that show the A&M System truly makes a difference. In addition to transforming the lives of patients undergoing this therapy, this program will allow our students real-world service and leadership opportunities,” said Sharp
This unique program is symbolic of the A&M System’s continued effort to provide research, education and community services that improve the lives of the people in Texas and around the world.
“This program embodies so much of Courtney, from her love of horses and their contributions to her wellness, to her desire to help others, said Jim Grimshaw, on behalf of the Grimshaw family. “The fact that we are able to make this happen at Texas A&M is perfect. Being an Aggie was a big part of Courtney. By establishing the Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program in her name, Courtney’s spirit lives on. This program is the best way we could have hoped to perpetuate her legacy of helping others and contributing to her community.”
The program will be managed by the A&M System and supported by Texas A&M University, specifically Parson’s Mounted Cavalry, the Texas A&M Department of Animal Sciences, the Corps of Cadets, and with strategic partnerships with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) and Ride On Center for Kids (R.O.C.K.).
R.O.C.K., based in Georgetown, Texas, has collaborated with the A&M System to provide the knowledge and expertise in equine assisted activities and therapies. R.O.C.K. will provide the management, consulting and technical assistance to ensure the success of the program.
The equine therapeutic program will provide teaching experience to Texas A&M undergraduate and graduate students interested in the equine therapy industry. These combined objectives will serve Texas A&M, its students and the surrounding community, and provide needed assistance to citizens with special needs, including veterans.
“The benefits of this equine therapeutic program are in the horse-human partnership to improve the potential of individuals with disabilities and challenges,” said Nancy Krenek, physical therapist, PATH International instructor and founder of R.O.C.K. “As clients build strength, life skills and independence, they become more productive citizens in the community.”
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (TAMU) – Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp today announced the establishment of the Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program in memory of Courtney Grimshaw Fowler, Texas A&M University class of ’85. The Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program is made possible through a generous donation from the Grimshaw family that will be distributed over five years.“It is programs like these that show the A&M System truly makes a difference. In addition to transforming the lives of patients undergoing this therapy, this program will allow our students real-world service and leadership opportunities,” said Sharp
This unique program is symbolic of the A&M System’s continued effort to provide research, education and community services that improve the lives of the people in Texas and around the world.
“This program embodies so much of Courtney, from her love of horses and their contributions to her wellness, to her desire to help others, said Jim Grimshaw, on behalf of the Grimshaw family. “The fact that we are able to make this happen at Texas A&M is perfect. Being an Aggie was a big part of Courtney. By establishing the Courtney Grimshaw Fowler Equine Therapeutic Program in her name, Courtney’s spirit lives on. This program is the best way we could have hoped to perpetuate her legacy of helping others and contributing to her community.”
The program will be managed by the A&M System and supported by Texas A&M University, specifically Parson’s Mounted Cavalry, the Texas A&M Department of Animal Sciences, the Corps of Cadets, and with strategic partnerships with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) and Ride On Center for Kids (R.O.C.K.).
R.O.C.K., based in Georgetown, Texas, has collaborated with the A&M System to provide the knowledge and expertise in equine assisted activities and therapies. R.O.C.K. will provide the management, consulting and technical assistance to ensure the success of the program.
The equine therapeutic program will provide teaching experience to Texas A&M undergraduate and graduate students interested in the equine therapy industry. These combined objectives will serve Texas A&M, its students and the surrounding community, and provide needed assistance to citizens with special needs, including veterans.
“The benefits of this equine therapeutic program are in the horse-human partnership to improve the potential of individuals with disabilities and challenges,” said Nancy Krenek, physical therapist, PATH International instructor and founder of R.O.C.K. “As clients build strength, life skills and independence, they become more productive citizens in the community.”
USEF Unveils New Rider Tests
USEF Unveils New Rider Tests:
LEXINGTON, (USEF) - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the new Dressage Rider Tests Program for the 2013 competition year. Designed and drafted by a joint working group from the USEF Dressage Committee and appointees from the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), these tests are available for use by riders at Training, First, and Seconds Levels. While neither these tests nor their subsequent scores are a requirement to progress through the levels, they are intended to help riders measure their progress.
“The new tests are designed to evaluate the proficiency of the rider relative to the requirements of the given level, without giving extra credit for the horse’s gaits, impulsion and submission,” said Sub-Committee Chair Lisa Gorretta. “Riders will receive constructive evaluations that they can put to use in improving their abilities as a rider. The principles of correct application of the aids, correct riding biomechanics and the accurate geometry of the figures are accessed through 5 scores evaluating rider’s position, correct and effective use of aids, horse’s response and performance, accuracy of the exercises and harmony between rider and horse plus written commentary.”
USEF Training Level Rider Test
The purpose of the rider test at Training Level is to ensure that the rider has mastered the fundamentals of riding. The test states its purpose as;
To confirm that the rider sits in the correct posture and alignment and shows correct mechanics in walk, rising trot and canter. The seat is sufficiently independent for the rider to maintain a steady, elastic rein contact and encourage the horse to stretch into that contact. The horse is ridden actively forward showing impulsion and balance required for the level, bends equally to the left and right sides on turns and circles and makes smooth, willing transitions.
USEF First Level Rider Test
In the First Level test riders are asked to continue to demonstrate the requirements of the Training Level in addition to showing increased balance and effectiveness of aids while performing more intricate movements. The test states its purpose as;
To confirm that the rider, in addition to the requirements of training level, shows correct alignment, posture and mechanics in sitting trot, including maintaining a steady, elastic rein contact. In turns on forehand and leg yields the rider remains centered and the horse responds willingly to the aids. The transitions are ridden in a better balance and with more throughness than at training level. In response to the correct application of the rider’s aids, the horse moves actively forward showing a consistent tempo and correct rhythm in each gait, shows appropriate bending, lengthens and shortens the stride in trot and responds willingly to both longitudinal and lateral aids.
USEF Second Level Rider Test
The aim of the rider test at Second Level is that the rider can demonstrate consistency in all gaits and lateral work while showing enhanced skill from First Level. The test states its purpose as;
To confirm that the rider, having achieved the requirements of first level, is able to ride the horse reliably on the bit with an uphill tendency. The rider lengthens and shortens the horse’s stride in trot and canter while maintaining correct alignment, postur, and mechanics. In lateral movements the rider stays centered and demonstrates an appropriate angle and bending of the horse. As a result of the correct application of the rider’s aids, the horse shows a greater degree of straightness, bending, suppleness, throughness, balance and self-carriage than at first level.
For more information about these tests contact Hallye Griffin at (859) 225-6918 or via email HGriffin@usef.org.
LEXINGTON, (USEF) - The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the new Dressage Rider Tests Program for the 2013 competition year. Designed and drafted by a joint working group from the USEF Dressage Committee and appointees from the United States Dressage Federation (USDF), these tests are available for use by riders at Training, First, and Seconds Levels. While neither these tests nor their subsequent scores are a requirement to progress through the levels, they are intended to help riders measure their progress.“The new tests are designed to evaluate the proficiency of the rider relative to the requirements of the given level, without giving extra credit for the horse’s gaits, impulsion and submission,” said Sub-Committee Chair Lisa Gorretta. “Riders will receive constructive evaluations that they can put to use in improving their abilities as a rider. The principles of correct application of the aids, correct riding biomechanics and the accurate geometry of the figures are accessed through 5 scores evaluating rider’s position, correct and effective use of aids, horse’s response and performance, accuracy of the exercises and harmony between rider and horse plus written commentary.”
USEF Training Level Rider Test
The purpose of the rider test at Training Level is to ensure that the rider has mastered the fundamentals of riding. The test states its purpose as;
To confirm that the rider sits in the correct posture and alignment and shows correct mechanics in walk, rising trot and canter. The seat is sufficiently independent for the rider to maintain a steady, elastic rein contact and encourage the horse to stretch into that contact. The horse is ridden actively forward showing impulsion and balance required for the level, bends equally to the left and right sides on turns and circles and makes smooth, willing transitions.
USEF First Level Rider Test
In the First Level test riders are asked to continue to demonstrate the requirements of the Training Level in addition to showing increased balance and effectiveness of aids while performing more intricate movements. The test states its purpose as;
To confirm that the rider, in addition to the requirements of training level, shows correct alignment, posture and mechanics in sitting trot, including maintaining a steady, elastic rein contact. In turns on forehand and leg yields the rider remains centered and the horse responds willingly to the aids. The transitions are ridden in a better balance and with more throughness than at training level. In response to the correct application of the rider’s aids, the horse moves actively forward showing a consistent tempo and correct rhythm in each gait, shows appropriate bending, lengthens and shortens the stride in trot and responds willingly to both longitudinal and lateral aids.
USEF Second Level Rider Test
The aim of the rider test at Second Level is that the rider can demonstrate consistency in all gaits and lateral work while showing enhanced skill from First Level. The test states its purpose as;
To confirm that the rider, having achieved the requirements of first level, is able to ride the horse reliably on the bit with an uphill tendency. The rider lengthens and shortens the horse’s stride in trot and canter while maintaining correct alignment, postur, and mechanics. In lateral movements the rider stays centered and demonstrates an appropriate angle and bending of the horse. As a result of the correct application of the rider’s aids, the horse shows a greater degree of straightness, bending, suppleness, throughness, balance and self-carriage than at first level.
For more information about these tests contact Hallye Griffin at (859) 225-6918 or via email HGriffin@usef.org.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Divorce Case Illustrates Importance of Accurate Equine Valuation Methods at Trial
Divorce Case Illustrates Importance of Accurate Equine Valuation Methods at Trial:
A Lubbock County district court held that approximately 130 head of horses it allocated to the husband in a divorce action were worth $520,000. The husband disagreed.
The husband, Robert “Greg” Collier, objected to the court’s valuation at trial and in two separate appeals of the divorce decree. According to Greg, the trial court’s allocation of $520,000 worth of divorce assets to him in the form of the horses was an abuse of discretion, because the horses were actually worth far less than that amount. Despite Greg’s objections, the Amarillo Court of Appeals did not find that the trial court abused its discretion with respect to its valuation of the horses.
The trial court apparently multiplied the number of horses (130) by one of Leanne’s estimates of what the horses could be sold for ($4,000) to arrive at the $520,000 figure.
Though the court of appeals noted that Greg’s testimony was more specific and “would support a different valuation”, Greg’s testimony was similar to Leanne’s in that it was full of estimates and guesses. At the end of the day, the evidence Greg used to support his objections to Leanne’s valuation was not specific enough for the trial court.
Because neither party provided the trial court with specific information regarding the number of horses owned by Greg, the trial court was left in a position of assessing the credibility of the parties’ estimated values.
How could Greg have avoided this dilemma? The parties could have kept better books and records with respect to the number of horses owned by the couple and related business entities. Furthermore, Greg might have retained a professional equine appraiser to determine the true value of the herd. A well-researched independent third-party appraisal is typically given more weight than the estimates and guesses of interested parties.
Well-founded appraisals are invaluable not only in divorce matters, but in any lawsuit where a horse’s value is at issue.
Related Cases:
In the Matter of the Marriage of Leanne Farrell Collier and Robert Greg Collier and in the Interest of R.C.C., a Child, No. 07-12-00084-CV, 2012 WL 3762475 (Tex. App.—Amarillo, Aug. 30, 2012, no pet. h.)
In the Matter of the Marriage of Leanne Farrell Collier and Robert Greg Collier and in the Interest of R.C.C., a Child, No. 07-09-00146-CV, 2011 WL 13504 (Tex. App.—Amarillo, Jan. 4, 2011, no pet.)
A Lubbock County district court held that approximately 130 head of horses it allocated to the husband in a divorce action were worth $520,000. The husband disagreed.
The husband, Robert “Greg” Collier, objected to the court’s valuation at trial and in two separate appeals of the divorce decree. According to Greg, the trial court’s allocation of $520,000 worth of divorce assets to him in the form of the horses was an abuse of discretion, because the horses were actually worth far less than that amount. Despite Greg’s objections, the Amarillo Court of Appeals did not find that the trial court abused its discretion with respect to its valuation of the horses.
When the honeymoon's over, can you prove the value of your horses with reasonable certainty?
According to the court of appeals, the trial court seems to have based its valuation on an "appraisement and inventory" proffered by the wife, Leanne Farrell Collier. Leanne alleged that Greg possessed "approximately" 130 head of quarter horses that could sell for between $200 at a livestock auction to $7,500, if sold privately with a little training put into the horse.The trial court apparently multiplied the number of horses (130) by one of Leanne’s estimates of what the horses could be sold for ($4,000) to arrive at the $520,000 figure.
Though the court of appeals noted that Greg’s testimony was more specific and “would support a different valuation”, Greg’s testimony was similar to Leanne’s in that it was full of estimates and guesses. At the end of the day, the evidence Greg used to support his objections to Leanne’s valuation was not specific enough for the trial court.
Because neither party provided the trial court with specific information regarding the number of horses owned by Greg, the trial court was left in a position of assessing the credibility of the parties’ estimated values.
How could Greg have avoided this dilemma? The parties could have kept better books and records with respect to the number of horses owned by the couple and related business entities. Furthermore, Greg might have retained a professional equine appraiser to determine the true value of the herd. A well-researched independent third-party appraisal is typically given more weight than the estimates and guesses of interested parties.
Well-founded appraisals are invaluable not only in divorce matters, but in any lawsuit where a horse’s value is at issue.
Related Cases:
In the Matter of the Marriage of Leanne Farrell Collier and Robert Greg Collier and in the Interest of R.C.C., a Child, No. 07-12-00084-CV, 2012 WL 3762475 (Tex. App.—Amarillo, Aug. 30, 2012, no pet. h.)
In the Matter of the Marriage of Leanne Farrell Collier and Robert Greg Collier and in the Interest of R.C.C., a Child, No. 07-09-00146-CV, 2011 WL 13504 (Tex. App.—Amarillo, Jan. 4, 2011, no pet.)
TLAER Founder, Primary Instructor to Retire in 2013
BVEH wishes Dr. Tomas Gimenez the best and is grateful for his efforts educating Texas veterinarians and first responders at our Rescue Training Classes. We are excited to announce we will host our fourth annual Large Animal Technical Rescue Class this December. Stay tuned for more details. - Ben Buchanan
TLAER Founder, Primary Instructor to Retire in 2013: Tomas Gimenez, Dr.Med.Vet, founder and primary instructor of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER) and professor emeritus at Clemson University, has announced that he will retire in 2013....
TLAER Founder, Primary Instructor to Retire in 2013: Tomas Gimenez, Dr.Med.Vet, founder and primary instructor of Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER) and professor emeritus at Clemson University, has announced that he will retire in 2013....
Long-term Clenbuterol Use in Horses Studied
Long-term Clenbuterol Use in Horses Studied: Researchers found that while clenbuterol initially reduced airway sensitivity to inhaled histamines, long-term use appeared to result in reduced bronchoprotective effectiveness. ...
Environmental Effect on Hoof Wall Hydration Studied
Environmental Effect on Hoof Wall Hydration Studied: Australian researchers found hoof moisture levels similar in horses from dry and wet areas. Additionally, soaking hooves did not significantly change moisture levels. ...
Stock Trailers: Another Option for Horses
Stock Trailers: Another Option for Horses: Many horsemen are discovering the versatility and economics of using stock trailers for their horses. A livestock trailer is generally less expensive than a horse trailer of comparable size. ...
Ruidoso Owner Announces He’s Giving Drug Offenders the Boot During All American Media Spotlight
Ruidoso Owner Announces He’s Giving Drug Offenders the Boot During All American Media Spotlight:
Hubbard, Ruidoso Downs Announce Stricter 2013 Guidelines for Drug Offenders
RUIDOSO, (Ruidoso Downs) —R.D. Hubbard, chairman of the board and majority owner of Ruidoso Downs Race Track, announced that drug offenders will be booted from the race track’s private property beginning in 2013, saying “the sign is out that drug offenders are not welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and in New Mexico.”
In addition, he has informed the New Mexico Racing Commission and New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez that he will work to get other tracks to implant the same strict guidelines.
“I have been in the horse racing business for more than 50 years and I love the horses and the sport,” Hubbard said. “I will not idly stand by and watch a few mistreat these great animals and ruin the great sport of horse racing. Consequently, I have informed the New Mexico Racing Commission and the Governor of our intentions for the 2013 race season.”
The new guidelines will be that any positive test for a Class 1 or Class 2 drug will result immediately in the trainer having his stalls revoked and his or her ability to enter horses suspended as well. They will be banned from the grounds. These guidelines will be included in the stall application which trainers sign when applying for stalls.
“The race track provides stalls to trainers rent free and we pay all the utilities associated with them as well as the cost of removal of waste,” Hubbard said. “Most people do not realize that having stalls at a track is a privilege and not a right.
Consequently, anyone who abuses these great animals and this wonderful sport are not
welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
“This should not be a burdensome rule to anyone because there is no need for a Class 1 or Class 2 drug to be anywhere near these horses. We recognize that the majority of trainers are quality and trustworthy horsemen and it is just a few who have abused the system. This guideline will give all other owners and trainers as well as the fans the assurance that horses are all running with an equal opportunity.”
Hubbard did not stop there. “I have already spoken with Dr. Ed Allred (owner of
Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California) and he fully supports this guideline and is going to institute it there as well,” Hubbard continued. “Furthermore, I am personally going to seek the agreement of the other tracks in New Mexico as well as Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana to join us in this effort.”
Executive Vice President Don Treadway of the nearly 300,000 member strong American Quarter Horse Association offered his support as well. “We very pleased to see this action taken by Ruidoso Downs and will do everything we can to take a leadership role in implanting this and other strong guidelines against illegal drug users in all areas of the country.”
Ruidoso Downs Race Track has been a strong supporter of active steps the New Mexico Racing Commission has already taken in cracking down on the illegal use of Class 1 and Class 2 drugs. It worked collectively with the Racing Commission to find one of the few laboratories in the country (University of California Davis) able to detect the designer drugs that a few horsemen were using on Memorial Day weekend, the opening of the 2012 race season at Ruidoso. That enhanced testing resulted in multiple bad tests on opening weekend.
“The good news is that since May 26, 2012, there has not been one positive test for a Class 1 drug and only two high caffeine tests,” Hubbard said. “I believe everyone got the message and now are playing by the rules. This new guideline will be one more step in our effort to work with the Commission to clean house on anyone using illegal drugs. Everyone will have had plenty of notice that the sign is out that drug offenders are not welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and in New Mexico.”
Hubbard, Ruidoso Downs Announce Stricter 2013 Guidelines for Drug Offenders
RUIDOSO, (Ruidoso Downs) —R.D. Hubbard, chairman of the board and majority owner of Ruidoso Downs Race Track, announced that drug offenders will be booted from the race track’s private property beginning in 2013, saying “the sign is out that drug offenders are not welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and in New Mexico.”
In addition, he has informed the New Mexico Racing Commission and New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez that he will work to get other tracks to implant the same strict guidelines.
“I have been in the horse racing business for more than 50 years and I love the horses and the sport,” Hubbard said. “I will not idly stand by and watch a few mistreat these great animals and ruin the great sport of horse racing. Consequently, I have informed the New Mexico Racing Commission and the Governor of our intentions for the 2013 race season.”
The new guidelines will be that any positive test for a Class 1 or Class 2 drug will result immediately in the trainer having his stalls revoked and his or her ability to enter horses suspended as well. They will be banned from the grounds. These guidelines will be included in the stall application which trainers sign when applying for stalls.
“The race track provides stalls to trainers rent free and we pay all the utilities associated with them as well as the cost of removal of waste,” Hubbard said. “Most people do not realize that having stalls at a track is a privilege and not a right.
Consequently, anyone who abuses these great animals and this wonderful sport are not
welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track.
“This should not be a burdensome rule to anyone because there is no need for a Class 1 or Class 2 drug to be anywhere near these horses. We recognize that the majority of trainers are quality and trustworthy horsemen and it is just a few who have abused the system. This guideline will give all other owners and trainers as well as the fans the assurance that horses are all running with an equal opportunity.”
Hubbard did not stop there. “I have already spoken with Dr. Ed Allred (owner of
Los Alamitos Race Course in Southern California) and he fully supports this guideline and is going to institute it there as well,” Hubbard continued. “Furthermore, I am personally going to seek the agreement of the other tracks in New Mexico as well as Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana to join us in this effort.”
Executive Vice President Don Treadway of the nearly 300,000 member strong American Quarter Horse Association offered his support as well. “We very pleased to see this action taken by Ruidoso Downs and will do everything we can to take a leadership role in implanting this and other strong guidelines against illegal drug users in all areas of the country.”
Ruidoso Downs Race Track has been a strong supporter of active steps the New Mexico Racing Commission has already taken in cracking down on the illegal use of Class 1 and Class 2 drugs. It worked collectively with the Racing Commission to find one of the few laboratories in the country (University of California Davis) able to detect the designer drugs that a few horsemen were using on Memorial Day weekend, the opening of the 2012 race season at Ruidoso. That enhanced testing resulted in multiple bad tests on opening weekend.
“The good news is that since May 26, 2012, there has not been one positive test for a Class 1 drug and only two high caffeine tests,” Hubbard said. “I believe everyone got the message and now are playing by the rules. This new guideline will be one more step in our effort to work with the Commission to clean house on anyone using illegal drugs. Everyone will have had plenty of notice that the sign is out that drug offenders are not welcome at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and in New Mexico.”
So you Wanted to Know About Wolf Teeth?
So you Wanted to Know About Wolf Teeth?:
COLLEGE STATION, (TAMU) – Approximately 70 percent of horses will develop wolf teeth. While these teeth usually do not pose a health risk to the horse, they are often removed in performance horses to prevent interference with the bit and to avoid traumatizing the soft tissues around the teeth leading to soreness. Horsemen differ in opinions on when or if these teeth should be removed, but understanding the physiology of wolf teeth can help individual horse owners make the best personal decision for their horses.
Wolf teeth generally emerge between the ages of five and 12 months. Predominantly, the teeth emerge in the upper jaw two to three centimeters in front of the first cheek teeth. Wolf teeth can also erupt adjacent to the first cheek teeth and are present in both colts and fillies.
“The wolf teeth do not serve any real purpose for the horse, and, therefore, removing them does not pose any disruption to chewing,” said Dr. Glennon Mays, clinical assistant professor in the Large Animal Hospital at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM).
“Millions of years ago, horses were small, forest dwelling animals. They were browsers, not grazers, and the wolf teeth were more prominent because they helped horses eat twigs and brush,” Mays said. “But, now, there really isn’t any need for them in the modern horse.”
Because the wolf teeth are not necessary, and there is a possibility that they can interfere with bit placement in the mouth of performance horses, many horse trainers opt to have them removed before they can potentially cause pain for horses during training.
“The idea is to remove as many excuses as possible for unacceptable behavior in horses throughout the training process and during performance,” Mays said. “There is a common understanding that the name ‘wolf’ teeth is a connotation of ‘bad’ teeth, that it was the teeth’s reputation as bad that led to them being named wolf teeth.”
Even with this reputation as a negative, unneeded component of the mouth, owners do not always remove the teeth, especially in horses that do not have erupted wolf teeth or in horses that are not used for performance purposes.
“Removing wolf teeth is a decision you should make with your veterinarian,” Mays said. “The procedure is not particularly dangerous, but there are risks with any surgical procedure. There is the possibility of severing or damaging the palatine artery which can cause a great deal of blood loss. Or in horses with large, curved wolf teeth, the curvature of the tooth increases the possibility for complications.”
“Sedation and local anesthetic should be used to make the procedure safe and comfortable for the horse,” Mays said. “Recovery ranges from about a day to a week depending on the horse and size of the tooth being extracted.”
The actual extraction consists of cleaning and flushing the mouth, then using an elevator to cut the gum around the tooth, and then stretch the periodontal ligament in order to loosen the wolf tooth. The tooth is grasped and removed with forceps. Due to the fact that wolf teeth can be a variety of sizes and shapes, the procedure time varies from a couple of minutes to half an hour.
Mays recommended ensuring your horse is vaccinated for tetanus before the procedure. Adequate protection includes an initial vaccination, with a second booster administered four to six weeks following the initial vaccine, then another booster every two to four years. Tetanus bacteria thrive in small, usually hidden puncture-type wounds with little to no oxygen. Therefore, mouth wounds are a prime environment for tetanus bacteria to develop. Tetanus is usually fatal in horses, and mares are often overrepresented as being especially vulnerable (this is largely due to the fact that males are typically vaccinated for tetanus prior to castration).
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk.
Suggestions for future topics may be directed to cvmtoday@cvm.tamu.edu.
COLLEGE STATION, (TAMU) – Approximately 70 percent of horses will develop wolf teeth. While these teeth usually do not pose a health risk to the horse, they are often removed in performance horses to prevent interference with the bit and to avoid traumatizing the soft tissues around the teeth leading to soreness. Horsemen differ in opinions on when or if these teeth should be removed, but understanding the physiology of wolf teeth can help individual horse owners make the best personal decision for their horses.Wolf teeth generally emerge between the ages of five and 12 months. Predominantly, the teeth emerge in the upper jaw two to three centimeters in front of the first cheek teeth. Wolf teeth can also erupt adjacent to the first cheek teeth and are present in both colts and fillies.
“The wolf teeth do not serve any real purpose for the horse, and, therefore, removing them does not pose any disruption to chewing,” said Dr. Glennon Mays, clinical assistant professor in the Large Animal Hospital at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM).
“Millions of years ago, horses were small, forest dwelling animals. They were browsers, not grazers, and the wolf teeth were more prominent because they helped horses eat twigs and brush,” Mays said. “But, now, there really isn’t any need for them in the modern horse.”
Because the wolf teeth are not necessary, and there is a possibility that they can interfere with bit placement in the mouth of performance horses, many horse trainers opt to have them removed before they can potentially cause pain for horses during training.
“The idea is to remove as many excuses as possible for unacceptable behavior in horses throughout the training process and during performance,” Mays said. “There is a common understanding that the name ‘wolf’ teeth is a connotation of ‘bad’ teeth, that it was the teeth’s reputation as bad that led to them being named wolf teeth.”
Even with this reputation as a negative, unneeded component of the mouth, owners do not always remove the teeth, especially in horses that do not have erupted wolf teeth or in horses that are not used for performance purposes.
“Removing wolf teeth is a decision you should make with your veterinarian,” Mays said. “The procedure is not particularly dangerous, but there are risks with any surgical procedure. There is the possibility of severing or damaging the palatine artery which can cause a great deal of blood loss. Or in horses with large, curved wolf teeth, the curvature of the tooth increases the possibility for complications.”
“Sedation and local anesthetic should be used to make the procedure safe and comfortable for the horse,” Mays said. “Recovery ranges from about a day to a week depending on the horse and size of the tooth being extracted.”
The actual extraction consists of cleaning and flushing the mouth, then using an elevator to cut the gum around the tooth, and then stretch the periodontal ligament in order to loosen the wolf tooth. The tooth is grasped and removed with forceps. Due to the fact that wolf teeth can be a variety of sizes and shapes, the procedure time varies from a couple of minutes to half an hour.
Mays recommended ensuring your horse is vaccinated for tetanus before the procedure. Adequate protection includes an initial vaccination, with a second booster administered four to six weeks following the initial vaccine, then another booster every two to four years. Tetanus bacteria thrive in small, usually hidden puncture-type wounds with little to no oxygen. Therefore, mouth wounds are a prime environment for tetanus bacteria to develop. Tetanus is usually fatal in horses, and mares are often overrepresented as being especially vulnerable (this is largely due to the fact that males are typically vaccinated for tetanus prior to castration).
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk.
Suggestions for future topics may be directed to cvmtoday@cvm.tamu.edu.
Large Areas of Central Texas Still at Risk of Wildfire
Large Areas of Central Texas Still at Risk of Wildfire:
Writer: Robert Burns, 903-834-6191, rd-burns@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION, (TAMU) – Many areas of Texas remained hot and dry, and though fuel loads may not be as high as last year, the risk of wildfire is building, said Megan Clayton, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service range specialist, Corpus Christi.
Though there haven’t been any large wildfires to match those of 2011, AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M Forest Service experts are already working on preventing outbreaks and limiting the damage they do, Clayton said.
“There’s definitely a growing concern for landowners on how to protect themselves and their property,” she said.
Clayton recently attended a Forest Service workshop in New Braunfels where the emphasis was on the risk of wildfire in the “wildland-urban interface.”
“That’s the area just outside of major urban areas where more and more people are moving in Texas,” Clayton said.
These are often the highest risk areas because of the concentrated fuel loads that build in and around rural home landscapes, she said.
On the Forest Service’s Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal athttp://www.texaswildfirerisk.com/map, the highest risk areas are highlighted on a map. In early September, the highest risk was in the central part of the state, along the U.S. Interstate 35 corridor from Fort Worth to San Antonio.
The Forest Service site also has information on judging wildfire risk for any particular area and the likely intensity of a wildfire if it starts.
Clayton said more information on wildfire prevention can also be found on the Texas Extension Disaster Education Network at http://texashelp.tamu.edu/ .
“Wildfire continues to be a risk for Texas as many of the regions – and pockets within the regions – have not experienced any rain in the past months.
More information on the current Texas drought and wildfire alerts can be found on the AgriLife Extension Agricultural Drought Task Force website athttp://agrilife.tamu.edu/drought/ .
Writer: Robert Burns, 903-834-6191, rd-burns@tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION, (TAMU) – Many areas of Texas remained hot and dry, and though fuel loads may not be as high as last year, the risk of wildfire is building, said Megan Clayton, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service range specialist, Corpus Christi.Though there haven’t been any large wildfires to match those of 2011, AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M Forest Service experts are already working on preventing outbreaks and limiting the damage they do, Clayton said.
“There’s definitely a growing concern for landowners on how to protect themselves and their property,” she said.
Clayton recently attended a Forest Service workshop in New Braunfels where the emphasis was on the risk of wildfire in the “wildland-urban interface.”
“That’s the area just outside of major urban areas where more and more people are moving in Texas,” Clayton said.
These are often the highest risk areas because of the concentrated fuel loads that build in and around rural home landscapes, she said.
On the Forest Service’s Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal athttp://www.texaswildfirerisk.com/map, the highest risk areas are highlighted on a map. In early September, the highest risk was in the central part of the state, along the U.S. Interstate 35 corridor from Fort Worth to San Antonio.
The Forest Service site also has information on judging wildfire risk for any particular area and the likely intensity of a wildfire if it starts.
Clayton said more information on wildfire prevention can also be found on the Texas Extension Disaster Education Network at http://texashelp.tamu.edu/ .
“Wildfire continues to be a risk for Texas as many of the regions – and pockets within the regions – have not experienced any rain in the past months.
More information on the current Texas drought and wildfire alerts can be found on the AgriLife Extension Agricultural Drought Task Force website athttp://agrilife.tamu.edu/drought/ .
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