Two years ago a police horse was attacked by an American pit-bull dog whilst passing by a park Cheetham Hill, Manchester.
Sarraj Ahmed, 26, of Galsworth Avenue, Cheetham Hill, was minding the dog and walking it through the park for his flatmate when it attacked the police horse, for no reason, after being released form it’s lead. The horse sustained serious wounds to its lip, chest, stomach, back legs and hindquarters but has recovered.
A Hearing for the case took place at Manchester Magistrates Court on 2nd September and resulted in Mr Ahmed being jailed for four months and banned from keeping dogs for 10 years.
The dog itself is known for being vicious as it has previously mauled a goat to death in Sale, Manchester, two years ago.

In September the World Equestrian Games will be, for the first time, held outside Europe. Between September 25th and October 10th Kentucky Horse Park, Kentucky, USA, will host the event which takes place every four years.
In downtown Lexington, Kentucky, they have been counting down to the sixteen day event since June 17th (100 days before the event is due to start) when they held a large celebration with a preview of what’s to come.
The World Equestrian Games consists of eight different equestrian sports including Dressage, Driving, Endurance, Eventing, Jumping, Para Dressage, Reining and Vaulting.
For more information about the event and how to purchase information visit www.alltechfeigames.com

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This years Burghley Horse Trials witnessed high drama as well this usual competition excitement. Over the years the contest has seen it’s fair share of misfortune including the death of Caroline Pratt who, in 2004, fell on the cross country.
However, this years Land Rover Trials saw Nicola Malcolm was stabilised and then airlifted to hospital with a head injury, following a fall at the Birch Hedge on Saturday. Her horse, Mcfly, was unharmed.
The event had to be suspended for nearly an hour as she was treated but Malcolm’s condition was later reported as being stable with no serious injury concerns.
On Tuesday her father reported that she was at home recovering in a bit of shock but with no broken bones or head injuries.

The competition itself was eventually won by Caroline Powell and her veteran horse Lenamore. She also became the first New Zealand born female to win it.

A horse which was recently imported from the Netherlands has tested positive for Equine infectious anaemia (EIA). The horse arrived in a group of six horses but the other five all tested negative in the routine post-import EIA test. Unfortunately, the infected horse will have to be humanely destroyed.
In January this year two horses imported from Romania also tested positive for the virus and they were the first cases to be discovered in the UK for more than 30 years. The horses, which were in Wiltshire, also had to be put down.

EIA, also known as swamp fever, is a disease of horses, mules and donkeys. It is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in endemic areas and the disease also carries significant economic considerations.
It is transmitted through infected blood so vectors such as insects, syringes, needles, and surgical or even dental equipment can spread the virus.

Horse owners should ensure that any horse they wish to buy or that comes on to their yard has a passport, is checked for a microchip and that isolation and biosecurity measures are strictly followed for any new entry onto the yard.

It appears that drug testing on horses involved in competitions is to be continued.  A national policy drafted for the British Dressage (BD), British Eventing (BE) and British Showjumping (BS) indicates that more horses will be tested at domestic competitions.
The tests have been introduced to help stop the use of bute, which is a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), in competitions.
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) is due to take a vote this November on whether to allow bute and six other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in international horse sport. Their decision must then be adopted in Britain by 2012.
As well as these associated bodies the policy is also being discussed by the British Equestrian Federation (BEF), including non Olympic sports, who met in August to organise the best possible approach.