This article I found on www.equestrianmag.com is so much fun I am going to split it up into several pieces so I can enjoy it for days. Cheryl Hanna, Jennifer Swanson, and the National Horse Welfare Organization have put their minds and hearts together to bring us yet more dirt on our legislative body and the AQHA. http://www.pthr.org/ is the website of Pure Thoughts Rescue Inc. and you can read the entire article at http://www.equestrianmag.com/news/horse-slaughter-overbreeding-02-09.html .
The authors take the first stab at one of those awful AQHA breeders who happens to be an agricultural state senator. It is pretty standard New Age Horse Savior spin and reads as follows:
North Dakota State Representative Rod Froelich and State Senator Joe Miller have introduced a bill to the state's legislative assembly proposing to spend $100,000 on a study to determine the feasibility of a horse slaughter house in North Dakota. There are some startling coincidences worthy of mention. Representative Froelich's family are longtime quarter horse breeders, and according to their website at http://www.froelichranch.com/ they specialize in breeding horses of outstanding color and disposition.
Here is an idea for Rep. Froelich: rather than ask the taxpayers to pay for a study on the feasibility of opening a slaughterhouse in North Dakota (creating a dumping ground for quarter horses that do not have the most perfect conformation, sought after color or greatest disposition), ask the AQHA to designate funds for genetic studies and education. Even the horse novice understands the homozygous genes and the possibilities of perfecting color choices.
Homozygous color genetics is my next blog for this juicy little tidbit of literature. But that’s not my point today. The author seems to think it might be a good idea for the AQHA to spend $100,000 on research and education. That’s my point for today.
This is taken from the AQHA website. I assume they would know where their money is going. www.aqha.com and www.equineresearch.net have more information on this subject but here is a basic summary of the AQHA’s position on equine research.
During the 1960 American Quarter Horse Association Convention in Amarillo, Texas, a presentation was made to the members that described several diseases that were a serious threat to the horse industry. The tone of the message expressed a grave need to fund research - research that would benefit all horses.
And so it began, AQHA's Research Committee was formed and a $20,000 budget was established. That first year, Texas A & M was given the lion's share of a $10,000 grant to study equine parasites, which ultimately lead to today's medications that control parasites in horses.
Since then, more than 200 projects have been funded allowing researchers to better understand ailments to treat and cure our horses. Additionally, AQHA was instrumental in helping establish Morris Animal Foundation's Equine Division. During the 1960s, MAF was involved only in small animal research but today funds some 15 projects each year and has awarded more than $3.2 million in equine research funds.
"The research funds AQHA has provided to investigators over the past 20 years have been either partially or, in some cases, fully responsible for notable discoveries that have significantly improved the health and welfare of all horses," says Dr. Nat Messer, Associate Professor of Equine Medicine and Surgery with University of Missouri at Columbia.
Among the notable discoveries or advancements achieved through AQHA research funding are:
•The role of progesterone in equine pregnancy
•Discovery of the cause of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP), development of a specific DNA test for HYPP and recommendations for management of horses afflicted with HYPP
•Studies of musculoskeletal injuries in racehorses
•The effects of strenuous exercise on navicular bones of young horses
•Anatomical and functional consequences of tail alterations
•Validated the diagnosis of equine infectious anemia (EIA)
•Established the feasibility of using DNA markers for routine parentage verification
•Use of cloned gene products in diagnosis and vaccination of "Potomac Horse Fever"
•Development of a model to study uterine infections
•Development of a diet to manage tying up
•Pulmonary and respiratory studies
•Immunizations of horses
•Advancements in controlling and treating laminitis
Additionally, the American Quarter Horse Foundation currently is seeking funds to establish university studies that will make advances in equine trauma-related injuries, stallion reproduction issues and anhydrosis (inability to perspire).
Here are the figures for the 2008-2009 project funding…..the same time frame Pure Thoughts is thinking maybe the AQHA should put up $100,000 toward research and education.
Auburn University, Pharmacokinetics of Amikacin in Adult Horses and Comparison of the Concentration of Amikacin in Synovial Fluid in an Inflamed Antebranchiocarpal Joint after Intra-Articular or Parenteral Administration or a Combination of these Routes of Administration, Dr. John Schumacher, $11,240.00
Cornell University,The Pharmacokinetics and Tissue Distribution of Minocycline in Horses, Dr. Lisa Fortier, $27,146.00
Morris Animal Foundation, Equine Consortium on Genetic Research, $50,000.00
Occidental College, The Equine Immune Response to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Infection: Implications for Diagnosis and Vaccine Development, Dr. Roberta R. Pollock, $44,000.00
Ohio State University, Equine Head Trauma: Correlation of Neuroanatomic Skull Injury and Brain Damage using State of the Art 3T MR, Contrast CT and Immunohistochemical Analysis, Dr. Alicia Bertone, $73,596.40
Oregon State University, Prevalence and Prevention of Anesthetic Myopathy in Quarter Horses, Dr. Erica McKenzie, $19,470.00
Oregon State University, Molecular Characterization of Early Osteochondrosis Lesions in Prepubertal Foals, Dr. Stacy A. Semevolos, $13,600.00
Texas A&M University, Laproscopic Evaluation of Oviductal Patency in the Mare, Dr. Carolyn Arnold, $26,350.00
Texas A&M University, Harmful Effects of Glucocorticoids on Stallion Reproduction: Gene Expression Studies Leading to a New Clinical Assay for Fertility Prediction, Dr. Nancy H. Ing, $37,784.00
Texas A&M University, Biopsy of Equine Embryos for Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, Dr. Katrin Hinrichs, $56,555.00
University of Georgia, Hydrocortisone Therapy in Septic Foals, Dr. Michelle Henry Barton, $35,000.00
University of Illinois, The Use of Tendon Derived Progenitor Cells to Promote Tendon Healing in Horses, Dr. Allison Stewart, $26,951.00
University of Minnesota, Genetic Analysis of Glycogen Storage Disorders in Quarter Horses, Dr. Stephanie Valberg, $54,901.00
TOTAL AWARDED: (13 projects) $476,593.40
According to the Pure Thoughts article the AQHA has an annual budget of over $19,000,000. $ 476,500 breaks down to 2.5% and that’s a heck of a lot bigger investment than the HSUS makes in hands on financing for animal care.
By RH1
Unpacking the HSUS Gravy Train -
“We added up the totals, and HSUS gave only a little more than $450,000—that’s just half of one percent of its total budget—in grants to organizations providing hands-on care to dogs and cats. That’s less than 11 percent of what it paid “ALF” (for Arizona Lockbox & Fulfillment) just to count its money.”
Another good article. With so much effort made to make the AQHA look like evil incarnate, it wouldn't do to acknowledge the positives. The problem with some on the Anti side is that once they get an idea in their heads, it's tough to remove it, even with factual information. The HSUS is perceived to be good, since the propaganda falls in line with what some of the Antis believe to be the "truth". Nevermind that the HSUS doesn't give a hoot about the horses, or any animal for that matter. They just know how to push the buttons to collect the cash. The AQHA doesn't work that way, so they aren't going to pander to the horseless society. They have no interest in furthering an agenda with them.
ReplyDelete