This is my classic "staying cool in the summer" pose, brought to you by chilled fruit, Smirnoff Ice, and a spectacularly bad haircut. Photo by Jessica Erickson
Do you have some epic tan lines? Do you attach a mister to your helmet just to keep yourself somewhat cool? Show us exactly how hot you are for a chance to win an Ovation Cool Rider Shirt! Snap a funny and creative photo and send it to [email protected] no later than Thursday, July 3 at 4 p.m. EST. We have three shirts up for grabs, so get to snapping! [Hot or Not: EN Style Contest]
This Week in Horse Health News
Blue-green algae poisoning in horses, its symptoms, and how to avoid it: Eighty of the 2,000 species of blue-green algae are poisonous to animals and humans, which creates hazards in farm settings, where stagnant ponds can become contaminated with fertilizer run-off or manure and urine to create algae breeding grounds. [The Horse]
Jochen Schleese’s new book explores saddle fit and its impacts on performance: Suffering in Silence chronicles his obsession with learning about saddle fit. He writes that his upper-level eventer, Pirat, likely would have continued competing for much longer had he known sooner that a poorly fitting saddle was affecting his performance: “I am very ashamed for what I unknowingly caused my friend, my pet, my competitive partner — all because I didn’t know what I didn’t know and didn’t know any better.” [Horsetalk]
Jenni Autry’s mare turns into Frankenhorse: Head on over to Bloggers Row for a free musculoskeletal lesson courtesy of Jenni’s OTTB mare, Mia. She injured herself in overnight turnout last week and is now sporting a lot of stitches and a very impressive wound. You can follow along with her recovery through weekly photos and updates on Bloggers Row. [EN Blogger’s Row]
The whats and whys of prepurchase exams: Dr. Earl Gaughen discusses the important of a pre-purchase exam when looking at buying a new horse. While performance horse pre-purchase exams differ from recreational horse pre-purchase exams, both are equally critical to ensure you’re buying a horse that will meet your needs. [The Horse]
British racing takes zero-tolerance policy on anabolic steroids: British racing authorities have enacted a zero-tolerance policy on anabolic steroids. Horses that test positive will receive an automatic 14-month ban. British Horseracing Authority chief executive Paul Bittar said, “It is intended to ensure that the industry, racing and betting public can be reassured that all races which take place on British soil are done so on a level playing field.” [Horsetalk]
Video of the Day: The winner of the Best Headline of the Week award goes to the article “Researchers go with the flow in checking out how animals pee.” The accompanying video demonstrates how fluid dynamics cause vastly different-sized animals such as horses, cats, and elephants to urinate in the same time span.
