AUSTIN -- When most people think about athletes, horses are not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind. However, performance horses are considered athletes by many people in the industry and an annual conference on Jan. 10, 1998 in Austin focuses on their specific needs. The conference begins at 8 a.m. with registration at the Capital Marriott.
The first topic is the results of a study conducted by Dr. Noah Cohen, assistant professor with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University on the risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in race horses. Cohen will discuss the causative factors related to breakdowns.
Young breeding stallions must prove themselves in their competitive arena as 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds, but masculine behavior affects performance. Dr. Dickson Varner, an associate professor with A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine, will talk about the effects of regumate on the behavior and semen quality in stallions.
Dr. Loren Skow, professor of veterinary medicine at Texas A&M University, will discuss the progress on identifying the equine genome, or gene map. This technology already allows breeders to identify parentage, but it is hoped that it will someday allow identification of desirable and defective genes.
Dr. Connie Couch, head veterinarian with the Texas Racing Commission, will discuss drug testing of the race horse so that horse owners can understand the process from beginning to end.
The afternoon concurrent sessions will focus on maximizing the performance of 2-year-old's and home business improvement strategies.
Practical presentations from nationally-recognized horse researchers as Gary Norwood, Back-Stretch Surgery and Medicine Inc. in Metaire, La.; Dr. Bill Moyer, head of Large Animal Medicine, Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine; and Dr. Gary Potter, professor, equine science, Texas A&M University, will highlight one of the sessions.
Norwood will talk about health care preventative maintenance; Moyer will discuss hoof management; and Potter will talk about nutrition and feeding. John Fisher, trainer and manager for Fairhill Farms in Coatsville, Penn., will talk about conditioning the 2-year- old.
The other concurrent session will focus on business and farm improvement strategies. Dr. Ken Quirk of Summers Mill Farm in Belton, Texas, will talk about use of records to improve breeding farm management; and Janet Van Bebber, a professional horse trainer from Ledbetter, Texas, will discuss the benefits of good trainer records. Phil Barnes, president of Heartland Lloyds of Austin will discuss the benefits of worker's compensation, rates and safety programs. The Texas Accredited Bred Program will be discussed by Texas Thoroughbred Association and Texas Quarter Horse Association representatives, and the future of horse racing will be discussed by Nick Nicholson of Lexington, Ky., chief operating officer, National Thoroughbred Racing Association.
The conference is dedicated this year to Dr. Charles Graham of Elgin, Texas, for his outstanding contribution to the Texas horse industry.
The conference is sponsored by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, in cooperation with the Texas Appaloosa Horse Club Inc., (TAHC), Texas Arabian Breeders' Association, (TABA), Texas Paint Horse Breeders' Association, (TPHBA), Texas Quarter Horse Association, (TQHA), and the Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA). The conference is being offered through the Equine Research Account, created by the Texas Legislature.
The annual meetings of the TABA, TPHBA, TQHA and the TTA will be held on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 9 and 10.
There is no charge for the conference; however, there is a charge of $22 for the luncheon. Participants will receive a written proceedings.
Further information is available from any of the five breed associations that are helping to sponsor the conference or by contacting Dr. Doug Householder, (979) 845-1562, fax, (979) 845-6433. A complete conference program with a preregistration form is available on the World Wide Web at http://catlserver.tamu.edu/ansc/equi/equine.htm.
The 1999 conference will be held Oct. 23-24 in College Station.
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