NEWS&VIEWScontinued from page 12
Horse-Keeping and Welfare Key items: T ere continues to be a great deal of horses in need of transition to new owners. T e cost of keeping horses is increasing and
horse ownership is becoming less of an option for more people. Education and planning resources regarding end of life decisions for horses is lacking More needs to be done to reduce catastrophic injuries to racehorses.
Action items: • Develop a robust and wide-ranging network of participants willing to help a horse in need of transition • An industry-wide initiative should occur to prepare the entire industry for handling dis- ease outbreaks and natural disasters along with existing emergency response teams in MD. Within this plan, large equestrian venues with high horse traffi c (racetracks, fairgrounds, show complexes) are encouraged to develop biosecu- rity plans. In addition, a broad industry-wide communication strategy should be developed between private horse owners, equine business- es, and public equestrian facilities in regards to disease outbreaks/emergencies • T e Maryland Jockey Club is encouraged to be more transparent in the eff orts they are cur- rently engaged in to ensure racehorse welfare • Support for a statewide eff ort to streamline animal control laws regarding abused and ne- glected horses is needed
Follow up for these action items has been assigned to the MHIB Welfare Committee, METS, Beyond the Wire, Maryland Racing Commission Safety Committee, Equine Wel-
fare Committee, MD Fund for Horses and other interested parties
Land Use, Legislative and Liability Key issues: Loss of farmland and recreational open spaces
to development for non-agricultural uses drives up prices of farmland, eliminates equestrian ac- tivities, and keeps new horse farm owners from starting equestrian businesses in Maryland. Making a living in the horse industry is be-
coming more diffi cult due to horse care costs including horse and farm insurance Horse owners need a better understanding of what resources are currently available to them regarding land preservation, zoning regula- tions, and legislative topics Lack of consistency across counties in relation to laws regulating practices related to horse husbandry, land preservation, zoning regula- tions, and legislative topics
Action items: • Increase incentives and regulations to keep farmland being used for agricultural purpose • Improve education and outreach regarding land preservation programs and zoning regulations • Enhance education and outreach in equine business management to increase profi tability • Increase communication of horse industry needs through annual horse industry day in Annapolis and local grass roots eff orts • Continue to stymie laws allowing Sunday hunting • Work with insurance providers to bundle rates for participants in the Maryland horse industry • Elimination of redundancies in stable licens- ing between county and state programs • Explore ways to lower insurance costs for
farm and business operators
Follow up for these action items has been as- signed to the Maryland Horse Council, Mary- land Horse Breeders Association, the Mary- land Jockey Club, lobbyist representatives and other interested parties
Strangles Confi rmed in Montgom- ery County
On January 29, the Equine Disease Commu-
nication Center posted that two horses at a farm in Montgomery County were confi rmed with strangles. According the EDCC, a 29-year-old Quarter Horse gelding fi rst showed clinical signs on January 14 while a 12-year-old pony mare started showing symptoms on January 16. Both horses were confi rmed positive for stran- gles on January 22 and the facility issued their own voluntary quarantine. In the state of Maryland, strangles is consid-
ered a reportable disease, according to Mary- land State Veterinarian Dr. Michael Odian, MDA. Dr. Odian offi cially stepped into the role of State Veterinarian in January and has been privately practicing veterinary medicine for nearly 25 years. He owns and operates a private practice based in Carroll County that specializes in sport horse medicine. Read the full story on
equiery.com.
2020 MHIB Grant Winners On January 28, the Maryland Horse Industry
Board announced the awarding of $30,232 in grants to 38 organizations and equestrian opera- tions. T ese programs represent a variety of equine groups and disciplines across the state. For a list of the 2020 recipients, please see
equiery.com.
Maryland Horse Council Quarterly Meeting
March 31, 2020
6 p.m. Reception 7 p.m. Meeting
MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL
www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 (844-634-6773) •
https://qrs.ly/8iba2bm admin@mdhorsecouncil.org www.mdhorsecouncil.org If you cannot attend the meeting in person, please join us for
livestreaming on Facebook starting at 7 p.m. RSVP w/link above.
www.facebook.com/MarylandHorseCouncil/
Montgomery County Office of Agriculture
18410 Muncaster Road Derwood, Md 20855
MARCH 2020 | THE EQUIERY | 59
R.S.V.P
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