August 2022
Serving the Michigan, Indiana & Ohio Tri-State Horse Community
Rich Strike highlights horse racing's lack of diversity AP LOUISVILLE, KY. — When Rich Strike bolted into horse racing's spotlight in a little over two minutes with his upset Kentucky Derby victory, he shared the stage with his handler, who has long toiled in the shadows constantly tending to the champion colt. Rich Strike's attention stems from winning as a nearly 81-1 long shot, but groom Jerry Dixon Jr.’s newfound recognition comes from being one of few Black horsemen left in the sport once dominated by people who look like him. “I totally understand it because I was looking at something about the Derby and I saw how there were Blacks in the beginning,” said Dixon, 31 and a fourth-generation horseman who works with his father — trainer Jerry Sr.
Groom Jerry Dixon Jr. scratches Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike's head the morning after his long shot victory. Michael Clevenger and Christopher Granger
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— for Eric Reed, who trains Rich Strike. “And then years afterward, you can see the change, like we were slowly fading away.” A lack of diversity is one of the biggest obstacles to growth in horse racing, along with inconsistent safety and medication standards. The government stepped in to address safety and doping concerns, but there is no national program to increase diversity — by gender or race — in the industry. That wasn’t always the case for African-Americans, who were a key part of early Derby history and thoroughbred racing. Black jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Derbies from 18751902. Isaac Murphy had three victories, and Willie Simms and Jimmy Winkfield each won twice. Black people also owned and trained thoroughbreds through the early 20th century before segregation and Jim Crow laws in the South pushed many away from horse racing by restricting jockey licensing and ownership. That history is fairly well known, but what's new is how the already small number of Black people still engaged in the sport seems to be shrinking. A handful of Black horsemen can be seen around the backside barns of tracks working as trainers, grooms and hot walkers, but their numbers are scarce compared to the overwhelming presence of Latino workers. With no governing body in horse racing, exact numbers are not available. However, no one disputes the shift in demographics. “What the racism did in America, Caucasian people didn’t want to see Black people have stuff like that,” said historian and horseman John Taylor Jr. “And as time went by and Blacks stopped taking an interest in the sport and stopped working on the backside, that’s when you started seeing the (Latinos) coming in. The jobs that they’re doing now, we used to do.” Economics and the time demands of tending to horses are factors often cited in the low number of Black and white people working in the barns. But while Saturday’s Belmont Stakes — the last leg of the Triple Crown — pays a prize purse of $1.5 million, everyday races are much less lucrative with smaller payouts that must be divided multiple ways among owners, trainers and workers.
It does not make for a lavish lifestyle. Many backside workers at Churchill Downs live in dormitories near the barns or above them. Compared to other industries that pay higher wages and offer set hours with health benefits, horse racing is a daily job that requires getting up well before sunrise to train and care for horses. Then, coming back in the afternoon to do it again. Days off are hard to come by. Horsemen interviewed for this story declined to discuss wage rates, pay scales and benefits — which can vary. They are quick to point out that horse racing is not for everybody. Horsemen such as the Dixons and trainer Mark Simms Jr. say they do it for love of the animals and the sport. Not to mention, it’s in their blood. “My grandpa would have told you that I learned how to walk walking over towards the barn,” said Simms, whose great-grandfather, grandfather and uncle are among several relatives in racing. “You can go to Target and can probably make 15 bucks an hour or something like that. And you work for five days a week," Simms said. “This really is something that you have to have a passion for to do, to get up and do it every day.” The stables are an entry point into horse racing, but Greg Harbut is working to increase the involvement of Black people in all phases of the sport, including thoroughbred ownership and management. The third-generation horseman and partner Ray Daniels comprise leadership of the Ed Brown Society and Living The Dream Stables, a thoroughbred syndicate comprised of minority ownership. The two partnered on colt Necker
Island, who finished ninth in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. EBS recently partnered with Churchill Downs for an internship program to follow up a previous pairing with the Stronach Group that owns Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course and Santa Anita Park in California. The Society has two college interns currently working at Santa Anita and looks to introduce current and future generations to horse racing. “When you look at a lot of minorities, they’ve got two to three generations removed where they couldn’t even go to someone to get the history, the horsemanship or have a mentor to come up with,” said Harbut, whose great-grandfather, Will Harbut, was a groom to legendary thoroughbred Man o’War. “And that’s really what’s missing," Harbut said. “The horsemanship has not been passed down from generation to generation as it once was." But the involvement of the Dixons, Harbut and Simms demonstrate it's still there. And they hope their dedication to the sport in different capacities helps raise awareness in the Black community. Rich Strike's stunning Derby win has certainly provided a payoff for Jerry Dixon Jr. on many levels. “I know it’s big for our culture because we need a different way, a different view of things to try something that most people don’t like to step out of the comfort zone for," said Dixon, who aims to be a trainer like his dad. "Horse racing saved my life. I don’t know where I would be without horse racing and to top if off, to be involved with a Derby winner is a dream come true.” AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
A horse smiles while walking into the paddock on Saturday, May 7, 2022, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Grace Hollars
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Equine Times
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'Bobby's Secret Horsey Stuff'
Bourbon label pokes fun at Bob Baffert for horses' failed drug tests Brooks Holton Hall of Fame horse racing trainer Bob Baffert is featured on a label created by the Louisville Bourbon Club for a limited edition bottle of Pinhook. Unlike collector's bottles of
The Louisville Bourbon Club and Cox’s & Evergreen Liquors collaborated on “Bobby’s Secret Horsey Stuff,” a limited edition bottle of Pinhook bourbon featuring a label that depicts Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert holding a syringe. Courtesy
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Equine Times
Maker's Mark commemorating Baffert's Triple Crown win with Justify in 2018, however, "Bobby's Secret Horsey Stuff" highlights the trainer's blunders. The limited edition bourbon is not for sale at stores. Baffert, who was hit with suspensions from both Churchill Downs and the New York Racing Association after a failed drug test by disqualified 2021 Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, is depicted on the label holding a syringe. In a play on "Mike's Secret Stuff" from the 1996 movie "Space Jam," Baffert is looking at a water bottle in his other hand that is labeled, "Bobby's Secret Horsey Stuff." A closer look reveals that the water bottle he is holding is 115.3 proof bourbon, a "new and improved makeumgofast formula." Next to Baffert, a quote reads, "Just let Ol' Uncle Bobby blend ya up a batch of that good-good stuff." According to the bottle label, the Louisville Bourbon Club collaborated on "Bobby's Secret Horsey Stuff" with Cox's & Evergreen Liquors, a Louisville-based chain with more than two-dozen locations around the area. The small-batch bourbon itself was made by Pinhook at Castle & August 2022
Key Distillery in Frankfort. Baffert, 69, has trained six Kentucky Derby winners. Two of those horses, American Pharaoh and Justify, went on to claim the Triple Crown. The Courier Journal sent a photo of the label to Baffert's attorney but had not received a comment. Medina Spirit testing positive for betamethasone, a steroid banned on race day, in 2021 marked the fifth positive test in Baffert's barn over a 12-month span and the 31st of his career, according to a tally by The Courier Journal. The horse died Dec. 6, after suffering a heart attack upon finishing a workout at Santa Anita Park. In the wake of the positive test, Churchill Downs issued a two-year suspension that began April 4, after Baffert challenged the ban multiple times in court. An NYRA panel in June upheld its one-year suspension, which ends Jan. 25, 2023. Those suspensions didn't stop Baffert from making his presence felt at the 2022 Kentucky Derby. In March, he moved four of his top 3-year-olds to new trainers in order to give them a chance to qualify for the Run for the Roses. One of those horses, Messier, made the cut and finished 15th.
Trainer Bob Baffert enjoys himself on the backside of Churchill Downs. Bill Luster
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Bob Baffert a double winner in return from long suspension AP High Connection won the $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby by 1 3/4 lengths, giving trainer Bob Baffert his second victory on the card in his return to competition after serving a 90-day suspension. “What a way to come back,” said Baffert, whose punishment by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission ended on July 3. The suspension had been upheld at
Trainer Bob Baffert leads Medina Spirit to his stall a day after winning his seventh Kentucky Derby. A week later, the horse tested positive for an abundance of an anti-inflammatory drug. Pat McDonogh
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Equine Times
other tracks nationwide. Baffert earned his fifth consecutive victory in the Los Alamitos Derby and seventh since 2014 at the Orange County track, where he first visited from Arizona at age 14. “I love this place,” said Baffert, who later moved to California to further his career training quarter horses. “Quarter horses were my life and I knew if I could make it at Los Alamitos I knew this is it.” Rhetoric, a 3-year-old colt, won the fifth race Saturday for the 69-year-old trainer’s first win in his return. Juan Hernandez rode both of Baffert’s winners. In April, Baffert began serving the suspension for a failed postrace drug test involving Medina Spirit, who finished first in the 2021 Kentucky Derby and was later disqualified. Baffert wasn’t allowed on the grounds at any track and his horses were turned over to other trainers in his absence. “I really missed it,” he said. However, Baffert is still limited in where he can enter horses. Last month, the New York Racing Association suspended Baffert for one year for repeated August 2022
medication violations, although none of them occurred in New York. That punishment, which bars him from Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct, ends Jan. 26. The two-time Triple Crownwinning trainer remains under a two-year ban by Churchill Downs that will keep him out of the Kentucky Derby until 2023. He is suing the Louisville track to have it overturned. The punishments didn't keep Baffert from venturing back East. He had two horses — Taiba and Pinehurst — nominated to the $1 million Haskell on July 23 at Monmouth Park in New Jersey. Baffert also geared up to move his Santa Anita-based stable south to Del Mar for the start of the track’s summer meeting on July 22. In the Los Alamitos Derby, High Connection ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.98 and paid $5.40 to win at 17-10 odds. The victory was worth $149,000. Slow Down Andy was second and 19-1 shot Win the Day was another four lengths back in third. Doppelganger, Baffert’s other entrant, was fourth in the fivehorse field.
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Tips For Traveling With Your Horse
Dr. Tania Cubitt and Dr. Stephen Duren Ready to hit the road and make new memories with your equine partners? Whether you’re competing, out for a joy ride, or off to work, getting to this moment takes preparation. We want to provide you with a few tips to be prepared as you load up and latch the trailer door to depart. Plan Ahead Our number one piece of advice for traveling with your horse is to plan ahead. We know that when it comes to horses, they require a lot of baggage. When it comes to loading feed, tack, emergency supplies and more it’s better to start early to prevent leaving important gear behind. A commonly overlooked
Horse looking out of a horse trailer. Denisa_Kc
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Equine Times
aspect of planning for equine the week. travel is knowing where you are Set aside your favorite brushgoing and what is required for es, tack, and additional gear to veterinary documentation. Be make sure it easily accessible prepared with your Coggins (CVI) test and a health inspecTip 2: Determine Your Forage tion if your destination requires Needs Before You Leave it. • Be consistent with what you feed your horse. Feed your horse Tip 1: Get Your Trailer Ready the same as you do at home. • Practice loading and unload• Make sure to bring enough ing your horse days before the forage to feed your horse for the event so they are familiar with duration of your trip. the environment you are asking • Allow free access to forage in them to ride in. the trailer. This will help keep • Inspect your trailer prior to your horse distracted if they are travel. traveling for a long period of • Check your tires’ air pres- time, as well as keep the microbes sure and tread in their gut satisfied. • Check inside for a safe riding space, no sharp edges Tip 3: Determine Your Water • Spread some Horse Fresh in Needs Before You Leave a clean trailer to help absorb • Avoid traveling during the moisture and odor hottest part of the day which is • Pack your trailer with the 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. gear you will need throughout • Carry a supply of water in case of emergencies • Plan to stop every three to four hours so you can offer water and forage. • In normal environments horses need five to 12 gallons of water per day. In heat or with heavy exercise that need raises to 15 to 20 gallons per day Traveling with horses is exciting and can lead to unique memories that will last you a lifetime, and we hope these tips help make them good ones! If you have questions, please consult with your veterinarian. August 2022
Traveling With Your Horse What About Water? Dr. Tania Cubitt and Dr. Stephen Duren Many horse owners haul their horses to competitions or to new areas for trail riding in the summer months. By far the most critical aspect of the hauling process is to keep horses adequately hydrated before, during and following travel. The water requirement for horses increases in the summer months due to water loss associated with sweating. Horses sweat to help dissipate heat associated with higher summertime temperatures and heat associated with exercise. At maintenance, horses will drink a minimum of five to 15 gallons of water per day depending on size of the horse. Hauling horses can add to the heat load and increase water requirement, since temperatures inside horse trailers, depending on trailer type, ventilation, and insulation, can be 10 to 15 degrees warmer than temperatures outside the trailer. These higher temperatures can cause horses to sweat and may lead to dehydration and heat stress associated with overheating. Signs of dehydration include lack of focus/concentration, fatigue, loss of appetite (both eating and drinking) and elevated body temperature, heart rate and respiration. Simple tests to determine if your horse is dehydrated include upper gum capillary refill time and skin pinch test. Keeping horses properly hydrated during transport begins prior to the horse ever stepping on the trailer. Making sure the horses have free access to high quality forage and fresh clean water for 12 hours prior to trailering is essential. The consumption of forage (hay) stimulates water intake. Horses that have been given plenty of forage and access to water will be properly hydrated as they begin the journey. Providing oral electrolytes to horses will also stimulate water intake. Electrolytes should be provided approximately 12 hours prior to departure so horses have plenty of time to drink. Electrolytes should not be provided to horses less than 12 hours prior to transport. Keeping horses properly hydrated during transport begins prior to the horse ever stepping on the trailer. Making sure the horses have free access to high-quality forage and fresh clean water for 12 hours prior to trailering is essential. The consumption of forage (hay) stimulates water intake. Horses that have been given plenty of forage and access to water will be properly hydrated as they begin the journey. Providing oral electrolytes to horses will also stimulate water intake. Electrolytes should be provided approximately 12 hours prior to departure so horses have plenty of time to drink. Electrolytes should not be provided to horses less than 12 hours prior to transport. Once on the trailer, horses should be given the opportunity to drink every four hours. Ideally, horses should be unloaded and given the opportunity to consume hay and drink water. Removing the horses from the trailer will help dissipate heat and allow them to relax, facilitating consumption of both hay and water. If possible, the water should be the same water they
consume at home. Many trailers are equipped with water storage capacity minimizing the possibility of water refusal due to a foreign taste that often accompanies water from different areas. Often horse owners will attempt to mask the taste of a new water source by flavoring the water with a small amount of a sports drink. If the owner knows in advance that taking water from home is not possible during transport, any flavoring agent should be added to the horse's water for seven to 10 days at home instead of randomly trying this on a trip. When the horse arrives at the competition or the riding area, they should be checked for signs of dehydration with either the upper gum capillary refill test or the skin pinch test. If the horse is dehydrated, they should be treated by a veterinarian. If the horse is not dehydrated, they should be provided with fresh forage and water. The grain portion of the diet should be withheld until you have visual assurance the horse has both eaten and drank. Other methods to reduce the chances of dehydration include: • Arrange travel in the cooler portion of the day or night • Increase water intake by soaking the hay in water prior to offering it to the horse both at rest stops and upon arrival • Improve the quality of forage provided to your horses before and after transport. By feeding better quality alfalfa, orchard grass or other forage the horse will be enticed to consume forage and ultimately consume water.
Horse drinking out of a water trough. Istmylisa
August 2022
Equine Times
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CLUB NEWS
Michigan Foxtrotting Horse Association Michigan Fox Association Michigan Fox Trotter Trotter Association
Here islike your chance toand learn horsemanship Wethe have resources people available for you to learn is nothing expectation of a better well-bred foal! and breeders to refer you to if you want to skillsDon't fromforget thefrom popular Levi Beechy. He is to transfer your newly-boughtcoming horse's buy a young one to hours train or if you want to further downstate! No need to drive up to his facility. registration papers into your name with the MFTHBA,too. the training with your present Sought after clinician Levihorse. Beechy We are growing! New welcomes gomembers out of to Themember MFTHBA needs registered Branch, Michigan (he preNaomi Haas, equineWest dentist Kris Modreske and Harry to fill their committees for 2021. I just agreed sented atathe the Michigan Struble all of MI. Naomi rides sorrel sabino gelding to help out on Trail2022 Committee again. Horse Expo) conduct a (Dexter) and a blackSurely mareyou (Hank's Serenity Liberty Bell can,too! Variouswill committees need members(younger ones too) for their input twogelding day horsemanship clinB). Kris rides a black and white (Radar's Spotted and advice togo icincrease at Morning View Farm Prior). And congratulations out toaffiliate Harrynumbers,think Struble on of waysGolden to makeChip, the better,to his purchase of Joe's a handsome buckskin at shows 3075 Turkeyimprove Trail and in okay National Trail Ride applications,give ideas on gelding, from Chuck Ionia, Fanslow. Michigan All these memon clinics (let's get more closer to our state),getting more verbers are riding quality Fox Trotters!!! August 27 (groundwork) satility riders interested,give ideas on training and picking judges, plus New members are always weland August 28 (astride). more. Many positions can be supported remotely. Also, this is a great come! Go to www.michiganfoxway to meet those from other areas Reserve of the USA your who raise,train and spot now trotters.com print offpaid the ride MFTs. I have made new friends this sending way whotoIin would not have by your otherwise. Contact the MO Fox Trotting Horse Breeding membership form.Association We meet registration. via www.mfthba.com to become a member and for more virtually all information members The form issoavailable from on helping out. are able to meet without theMFTA michiganfoxtrottinghorse. Also, PLEASE send in your dues and your MFTHBA dues drive long discom websitehaving on thetoactivities page. asap! tances. Wishing everyone and safeto Christmas! Youa blessed don't want miss this! He will Our Event Committee Respectfully submitted, work with only 10 riders that weekend. Auditors is busy planning the next Marilyn Mannino is $350 per bad and the weather was great! The Waterloo are encouraged to attend for $25. The cost clinic. It will be a Gaited included a competition for the a MFHA member which Horseman's Association and Michigan DNR have been rider or $325 if the rider is Western Dressage Clinic at most ambitious member PROTECT YOUR LARGEwho BALE HAY INVE$TMENT! includes a stall, a bag of shavings and a rustic camping doing a super job upgrading the campground and mainthe end of May. More details demonstrates their horsemanship spot. You will definitely be a better horseman after this taining the trails over the years. The Saturday night will be available skills in a wide variety of categories. clinic! Levi loves teaching people and horses. He is faspotluck under the pavilion was delicious due to the next month. The clinician is Quarterly and year-end awards will be cinating to watch. All breeds are welcome of course. selection of goodies that were shared. We also made top-notch! given. Go to www.michiganfoxtrotters.com new friendships with theoff members oftothe SLIDING SWINGING DOORS A littleOR history on our breed: The presto read the rules and print the forms joinIFTA. in on The Bring a chair. The participants the MFHA versatility challenge evening around the campfire was wonderful too. We will ent-day Missouri FoxinTrotter evolved from Morgans in the friendly competition and fun. three divisions notArabians, under saddle, under have More to doFox thisTrotters again. are slowly becoming available to (with New England being which crossedare with Plantation horseman’s challenge) have been and out helping We have left for you to participate in this Horses,and American Saddlebreds, TWHs pacing purchase but two theyclinics are selling fast. There is a good video on saddle clinics, trail riding, camping attending morehorses clinsummer. Standardbreds. The genetic mixand of square-trotting the correct Fox Trot gait posted on our Face Book site to at the rules created on our website and get involved! It's and Read pacing horses the comfortable fox trot gait! Due to inclement weather, an theMFT natural trail and ics. refer to when you are considering to buy. Be sure Missouri Fox horses have been used farmers in to bring aclinic knowledgeable personWestern with you,too, you fun doing soTrotting many different things withby your MFT! obstacle at the Holland Horse when Park had Missouri states too. to ride long distances to narrow down your to search. Breeders, Chuck (riv- There areand nicesurrounding quarterly prizes to be rescheduled August 21. Have you Fanslow ever wanted and work cows, pull buggies, by US erflatranch.com) and Gunders (989-534-1207), have check We their are fencing the Michigan affiliate of the MFTHBA to learn how to use theGale obstacles at the Holland Western Forest Service workers, by mounted police and now people well-gaited young stock available. They also have quality misHorse Park? Susan Williams will conduct a natural (mfthba.com) which is based in Ava, Missouri. Our across the United States and Europe use them for recrestuds to breed to if you have a mare you want bred. Chuck sion is to promote MFTs and to encourage the breeding trail and obstacle clinic there on ationtraining (showing, and has August a Buckskin stallion and afrom palomino sons of trail themriding, as wellDressage,reining, as to help their 4H owners 21 (rescheduled July stallion(both 24). The park is and Equestrian Team, Hippotherapy,etc.). They are truly of Cotton Eyed Joe). Gale has a spotted stallion who will st located at 3856 61 Street in Holland, Michigan and 12 learn to enjoy their horses more through various educaversatile and also be found in all colors and sizes! Try throw to your foal. Lunch Both are in Gladwin,MI. clinics and can discussion. riders color will be allowed. is located provided. Camping is tional Dimensions: 72” x 78” x 76” one out and find out why everyone loves them but so! someContact them if you want to have your mare bred. There We meet mostly on Zoom each month available for an additional fee. Go to hollandwestern. Weight: 230 lbs. • Removable Grills page and Facebook com to reserve your site or stall. There is a $145 fee to times in person. Go to our website • Panels participate and the fee is $135 for MFHA and HWSP for updates and to see our list of sponsors who offer “Hay Huts save and preserve • Lazy Susan Feeders breeding, lessons, tack members. Audit $20. Go to the michiganfoxtrot- discounts to our members for the hay. They keepfee theishay in this versatile tinghorse.com activities Water Bucket Doors weather protected and are page to access the reservation and more. Youth and adults•interested horseSusan friendly.” -CHRIS COXand guide you safely through breed are to• join, learn and enjoy. form. will explain E N always T E R P R welcome I S E S Multiple Door OptionsWe all of the outdoor trail obstacles. She will help your have lots to offer no matter what your discipline is. Have a great month! I hope IN to meet you at a clinic or horse think about foot placement and help it gain Weldy Enterprises • 911 E.conWaterford St. Wakarusa, 46573 ride this summer. fidence. If you 574-862-4491 have never •been there, you will be 800-628-4728 • FAX 574-862-2122 • email: info@weldyenterprises.com amazed and glad that Susan will be there helping you. December 2020 Page 11 Page 2 Equine Times April 2021 August 2022 Equine Times Times Marilyn Mannino Hello December! Time is sure flying!! Marilyn Mannino At our November meeting we elected some newWow, officers for 2021. go out inaugural 2022 funCongratulations timeisthat was! Hello what April!a Spring upon us!The People are out Fox to Bob Howell elected as the new MFTA PresGreat Lakes national the trailweather. ride cosponsored Trotting and enjoying Many are accumulatident, Kathy Kruch is now VP, Marilyn is still by the Indiana Fox Trotter Association ing points in the Versatility Challenges that we are offerSecretary/Treasurer, Char Ostrom is the new (IFTA) and our association was a ing. 2-year Director and Miranda Mannino is now resounding success! An avid Registration is still openFox for all three Versatility the 1-year Director. We are accepting renewals Not Under Saddle Trotter rider frommembership Nebraska Challenges (Under Saddle Challenge, and new memberships for 2021 now. Youth Challenge). are even attended! Many others Challenge and Ultimate Horseman This proencouraged toIt joinwas too! to www.michiganfoxgram is designed to Go show how rode too! held at versatile the Missouri Fox trotters.com to print off the form. You will learn alot Trotter is. State Registered and grade MFTs are allowed. Waterloo Recreation from our members about the history of Fox Trotters,their All handicapped and regular through Area in availability Chelsea,and Michigan uses and be able toyouth network with those of us who adults are welcome. Every imaginable from July through July camp,train and8show them. Our association is blessed to have skilled activity and category included trainers,breeders and a farrier to learn from. We love promoting this 10. The guided ride eachisday from in they hand work to Dressage, so versatile and come in breed as have great personalities,are started out from the horsemany sizes and different coat colors. short distance trail riding toA benefit to joining is that we man's camp and was led by can offer clinics at a reduced price to our members. Due to Covid we endurance competitions and Georgi Carlton oneach Saturday and are meeting remotely month. Michigan is a big state and this is a everything in-between (cow IFTA's Gramling good way to Cheryl easily see and talk with eachon other within and outside of work, driving, extreme trail, out each Sunday. A large group went MI. Come join the fun! 4H Sign and open showing, now for the the popular Versatility Challenge day to up experience well-marked trails for 2021. Print parades, reining, form trail mainteoff thevaried enrollment our website. may areas and terrain. from Thankfully theThere bugsareweren't tooin nance and also which you can more!). accumulateWe points-even in the non-rideable months.
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Fact check: No, the FDA did not find horse meat in Wendy's food Molly Stellino The claim: The FDA found horse meat in Wendy’s food The quality of meat products has long been a point of public debate, from the reckoning that followed Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” in the 1910s to reports of thousand-pound shipments of contaminated hamburger meat in the 1990s to – most recently – questions of what constitutes humane treatment of animals raised for slaughter.
But a Facebook post from June touches on a different subject, claiming the Food and Drug Administration reported the fastfood chain Wendy’s uses horse meat in their products. The post shows an edited picture of a horse with half of its body being processed into meat. A paragraph of text lies beneath it. It quotes “Wendy’s Chief Executive Director Boris” as saying, “We only use about 60% beef, the rest is made of meat fillers mostly equine (horse) meat." It
Hamburger on a wooden table. Nitrub
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goes on to quote "Boris" as saying the horse meat is cheaper, healthy and FDA-approved. The June 30 post was shared nearly 300 times in two weeks. But the FDA and the Department of Agriculture have not made any reports of Wendy’s using horse meat, which officials say is not served anywhere in the U.S. Wendy’s has repeatedly said this claim is false. And there is nobody on Wendy’s senior leadership team with the first or last name “Boris."
USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the claim for comment. No evidence the FDA found horse meat in Wendy's food The post cites the Food and Drug Administration, but the FDA is not responsible for inspecting the quality of meat at processing facilities. That responsibility falls under the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. In 2015 the FDA did recall tortilla chips used at Wendy’s due to the product containing potentially contaminated milk. But neither entity has issued reports on Wendy’s using horse meat in their products. There are no news media reports that validate the claim either. Wendy’s has denied this claim several times in years past on the company’s official Twitter account. And a spokesperson for Wendy's said in an emailed statement, "Wendy’s does not now, nor have they ever, used horse meat in their products." In addition, the Consolidated Appropriations Act prohibits the food safety agency from inspecting horses intended to be slaughtered for human consumption. And under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, horses are considered an amenable species, so the agency must inspect them before they are sold. "There are currently no establishments in the United States that slaughter horses for consumption," a Food and Safety Inspection Service spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. "FSIS does not allow imports of horse meat from other countries for human consump-
tion." Multiple versions of the post appear from years prior The same picture appears on the web dozens of times dating back to at least 2015. It’s usually accompanied with the same claim, although a different version asserts Burger King uses horse meat. The post attributes the quote to “Wendy’s Chief Executive Director Boris.” But the Wendy’s CEO is Todd Penegor, and there is no record of a person with the name Boris being in a senior leadership position at Wendy’s. Our rating: False Based on our research, we rate FALSE the claim that the FDA reported horse meat in Wendy’s food. There are no reports from the FDA, USDA or news media that horse meat was found in Wendy’s products. Wendy's has repeatedly said this claim is baseless. Our fact-check sources: Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed July 12, The Jungle The Free Library, accessed July 12, Read this before you order a steak.
ProPublica, Aug. 10, 2015, The Disturbing Ways America Keeps Up With Its Demand for Meat Twitter, accessed July 12, Search results for Wendy’s posts mentioning horse meat Wendy’s.com, accessed July 12, Senior Leadership Team FDA Archive, accessed July 12, Search results for documents mentioning Wendy's USDA, accessed July 12, Food Safety Inspection Service Recalls and Public Health Alerts TinEye, accessed July 12, Search results Politifact, July 8, No horsing around: Wendy’s uses real beef, company officials say H.R. 2471, accessed July 12 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Feb. 17, What animals are inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture? USA Today, March 1, 2013, U.S. officials: No horse meat in our beef USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, July 12, Email exchange with USA TODAY Ketchum, July 12, Email exchange with USA TODAY
Two horses being affectionate with each other. Marco VDM
August 2022
Equine Times
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Ask the Expert: Stockpiling versus Composting Manure By Hannah Lochner
I run a small boarding facility, where we store our manure and stall waste in a three-sided bunker with a concrete floor. Every year as the bunker fills we deal with odor and flies. A friend mentioned we should try composting instead of stockpiling the manure. What is the difference between stockpiling and composting manure? I thought we were composting. Thanks for the help! Manure management plays a critical role in controlling odor and flies on horse farms. Stockpiling is a common practice on horse farms and can sometimes be mistaken for composting. However, there are several key distinctions between composting and stockpiling. Stockpiling refers to the temporary storage of accumulating manure and soiled bedding in a pile. While you may continue to add daily manure and stall pickings to the manure pile, it is primarily left alone until hauled off site or spread on fields. The main benefits of stockpiling include low maintenance and cost depending on the storage facility. However, limited oxygen and poor heating of stockpiles results in odor, provides ideal breeding grounds for flies, and creates a suitable site for rodent nesting. Additionally, insufficient heating may not reduce viable weed seeds and unwanted organisms present in the manure. Composting refers to the managed breakdown of manure and soiled bedding by microorganisms. You can think of composting as the farming of microorganisms. By providing the microbes adequate air, water, energy (carbon), and nutrients (e.g., nitrogen), they will rapidly and efficiently break down manure into a valuable soil amendment. Compost piles require routine monitoring of pile temperature and moisture. As pile temperatures decline, you will need to turn the pile to redistribute nutrients to the microbes but also replenish the pile’s oxygen content. While more labor intensive, composting has several advantages over stockpiling. Temperatures achieved during composting can kill unwanted organisms and inactivate weed seeds. Additionally, with sufficient oxygen, microbes aid in controlling odor that attracts flies and other pests. Composting speeds up the breakdown of manure, locks in valuable nutrients, and reduces the pile size by volume. Page 14
Equine Times
August 2022
Preventing Leaky Gut Syndrome In Horses Dr. Tania Cubitt and Dr. Stephen Duren
The digestive system of the horse is truly amazing. Simplistically, the digestive system of the horse can be thought of as a hollow tube that passes through the body from the mouth to just under the tail. It has the task of taking feed material in and then digesting that material. Nutrients that are useful to the horse are absorbed through the lining of the digestive tract while waste products are passed out of the digestive tract as manure. Horses have the ability to digest feed material utilizing enzymes in the small intestine, similar to humans. They also have the ability to ferment feed material in the large intestine with the help of an extensive microbial (bacteria, yeast and fungi) population. The ability of the digestive system to successfully digest feed and absorb nutrients is just part of its function. The digestive system is also responsible for keeping harmful substances from entering the body. The horse, through normal grazing and feeding behavior, will take in many potentially dangerous substances that should not be absorbed across the lining of the digestive tract into the body. These substances can cause a host of conditions including digestive upset (colic), laminitis and numerous diseases. In fact, dysfunction of the digestive system is the second leading cause of death in horses behind old age. With the importance of proper digestive system function clearly established, let’s take a closer look at the digestive system and how a “leaky gut” can be a disaster for horses. Architecture of the Digestive System As previously stated, the digestive tract of a horse is simply a hollow tube that passes through the horses’ body. The tube is lined with intestinal epithelial cells. The epithelial cells are arranged in a single layer similar to individual building blocks. One end of the epithelial cell is in contact with material within the intestine, while the other end of the cell is in contact with the blood supply that allows absorbed material access to the body. These epithelial cells are covered with a thin, protective mucus barrier. The individual epithelial cells are positioned side by side to prevent material in the digestive tract from slipping between the cells and entering into the body. The areas between epithelial cells are further sealed with proteins called junctional proteins. These junctional proteins form what are termed “tight junctions” between epi-
thelial cells preventing unwanted substances from entering the body. Normal absorption of feed nutrients occurs through these tight junctions. In a healthy horse, these junctions do not allow undigested food particles or toxic substances to pass through into the blood stream. A Damaged Digestive System The integrity of tight junctions is critical to animal health. If they are damaged, harmful substances have direct access from the digestive system to the blood stream of the horse. The breakdown of tight junctions leads to the term “leaky gut” where the digestive system becomes an avenue for the introduction of sickness and disease to the horse. Tight junctions can be damaged by several factors including: • Changes in type/amount of forage • Grain feeding • Mycotoxins from moldy feed • Heat stress • Strenuous exercise • Transportation stress • Certain medications • Confinement • Dehydration • Feeding management • Colonic ulcers • Pathogenic bacteria Once the intestinal barrier or tight junctions are damaged, the body will begin an inflammatory response to help heal damaged tissue. The size of the inflammatory response depends on the amount and extent of gut damage. The body will also mount an immune response to the foreign material that enters circulation. In mild
cases, the results of leaky gut may cause weight loss or decreased performance. However severe cases of leaky gut may result in a full-fledged systemic inflammatory response throughout the body, organ damage and even death. Systemic inflammation, that is inflammation affecting the whole body, is now thought to be a factor in development of equine metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and laminitis. Healing with Nutrition A damaged digestion system is healed with nutrition. Luminal nutrients are beneficial nutrients that don’t get absorbed into circulation, but instead are utilized by epithelial cells to facilitate healing. These nutrients can provide fuel for tissue healing or stimulate cell growth, release of hormones or stimulate mucus production. Nutrients being studied with specific healing capabilities include amino acids, bacteria, probiotics and prebiotics. Other interesting substances being studied include butyric acid, a short chained volatile fatty acid and zinc, a mineral. Butyric acid is a primary energy source for epithelial cells and serves a critical role in cell repair. In a healthy horse, the normal bacterial fermentation of fiber produces butyric acid. In sick horses, fermentation is compromised and butyric acid may be limited. Zinc is involved in many chemical reactions within the body designed to signal cell growth and repair of many tissue types. Day to day management and care to avoid or limit the extent of leaky gut in horses would include feeding high quality forage regularly to stimulate the growth of healthy bacterial populations in the gut.
Beautiful horses at sunrise. Dace Znotina
August 2022
Equine Times
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