France introduces new law to licence horse owners

New laws in France that aim to combat animal abuse have been welcomed by the equine sector and will include a “knowledge certificate” for horse owners. It is one of three new laws that aim to improve equine welfare. Private horse owners not already licenced under a governing body will be required to undertake education…

Giving thanks for horses

Two quotes from poems of thanks, one by the celebrated poet Robert Duncan which many of you know, and one by our staff. Happy Thanksgiving. by ROBERT DUNCAN “Where in this wide world can men find nobility without pride, Friendship without envy, or beauty without vanity? Here, where grace is laced with power and strength…

Horsebox towing makeshift trailer with five horses on board stopped by police

WTFF? The Horse & Hound reports: A horsebox towing a makeshift trailer with a combined total of five horses on board was pulled over by police, having been spotted on one of the UK’s busiest motorways. Derbyshire Roads Policing Unit spotted the contraption on the M1 last Thursday (2 September), sharing pictures of the get-up…

Budweiser changes ‘9/11 ad that only aired once’ for 20th anniversary

As the nation marks the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the moment offers a reminder of the role a St. Louis-based company played in paying tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives that day — all through an ad that only aired once. The 60-second commercial, which appeared on YouTube…

Time and temperature limits in new UK horse transport laws

When you read some of the statements in this article, you wonder if those using horses are ever truly concerned about the horses if it does not at the same time accommodate them.—TH via Horse and Hound (UK) The equestrian industry has welcomed changes on journey times and conditions for horses in new animal welfare…

Canadians: Act now to stop live shipment of horses to Japan for their meat

Canada exports thousands of horses each year to Japan, a market where some consumers enjoy the meat as a raw delicacy. According to the Canadian Horse Defense Coalition, in 2020 1,606 horses were live-shipped to Japan for slaughter, down from 2,800 in 2019. This translates to about $11 million in revenue in 2020 and $17…

The reunion of Phoenix and Ghost (video)

There’s no doubt that horses can remember individuals in their current social network; they recognize and treat familiar horses differently from one another. Individual recognition is widespread across all animals; it insures stability of the social group because each member can distinguish between allies, competitors, neighbors, and strangers. Unique “signature” cues communicate an individual’s identity…

Ancient horse DNA reveals gene flow between North American and Eurasian horses

New findings show connections between the ancient horse populations in North America, where horses evolved, and Eurasia, where they were domesticated. By UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SANTA CRUZ MAY 19, 2021 Cross-posted from SciTechDaily.com » A new study of ancient DNA from horse fossils found in North America and Eurasia shows that horse populations on the two…

Cave artists put horses on a pedestal

Rhys Blakely, Science Correspondent for the TIMES of London, writes: For 20,000 years Europe’s Stone Age artists focused on a particular menagerie. Using secluded caves as their canvas, they painted bison, mammoths, ibex, and wild ox. During all that time, however, one species occupied a special place in their thoughts — the horse. New research…

Drag racing horses in Florida

POWERNATION TV writes: While horse racing is obviously nothing new, racing them down a highway isn’t usually where you find them. But if you’re on the east coast of the Sunshine State, where horse racing is especially popular at casinos, you may see owners training or racing their horses on the roads. As you can imagine this draws…