All articles tagged with #horses
Brown County Fair officials say none of the fair’s horses have been exposed to Strangles, even though neighboring counties have reported cases, with ongoing monitoring and emphasis on vaccination and biosecurity to prevent spread.
Six horses were used as decoys to disguise a shipment of 160 kilos (about 353 pounds) of cocaine worth roughly $4.8 million stopped on Interstate 40 in Oklahoma; two people were arrested and the case remains under investigation. The horses—ages 2 to 18, including former racehorses—were taken in by Blaze's Tribute Equine Rescue in Harrah and are recovering from injuries sustained during the ordeal. Investigators say the cocaine may have been fentanyl‑laced, highlighting the broader harms of drug trafficking; the rescue faces added strain as it cares for these animals and works to find them permanent homes.
Ohio State researchers found horses instantly recognize predators like wolves on a silent video, triggering rapid heart-rate increases even as they appear calm and unmoved. The stress is greater in males and dominant horses, suggesting internal agitation may accompany outward composure. Eye movement data imply quick cognitive assessment within 20 seconds, challenging the idea that prey animals only panic and run. Findings have welfare and rider-safety implications, especially around canines.
An 18-year-old Indian tourist, Romanch Mahajan, on his family’s first trip to the United States, was killed when a Central Park carriage horse bolted during a photo, throwing him from the buggy; his mother was injured, his brother survived, and his father shielded the younger child. The horse, Sampson, was retired and carriage operations were paused for safety reviews under a Transport Workers Union safety stand-down. The incident has renewed calls for a ban on horse carriages in NYC, with the family and aunt Sovia Thukral alleging negligence and criticizing the unattended-horse rule.
An overnight fire near the Saratoga Harness Track on Nelson Avenue in Saratoga Springs killed multiple horses as fire crews battled the blaze; authorities have not disclosed a cause.
A barn fire at the Saratoga Casino Hotel harness track in Saratoga Springs, NY destroyed a backstretch stable, killing around 17 horses; no people were injured, and live harness racing was canceled as fire crews investigated the causes.
A teenage barrel racing competitor in Las Vegas has been arrested and charged with stabbing three horses at the National Barrel Horse Association’s Las Vegas Super Show at South Point Casino. She faces 12 counts of willful or malicious killing, maiming or torturing an animal and three counts of felony destruction of private property over $5,000. The incident occurred early Saturday; injuries to the horses were not life-threatening, and investigators say the suspect had access to the barn. She was detained at a nearby hotel and transported to Clark County Juvenile Hall. The NBHA described the event as an isolated incident and said the competitor involved was removed and there is no ongoing threat to horses.
Ancient DNA analysis shows that a specific GSDMC gene variant swept through horses around 4,200 years ago, reshaping their skeletons and limb strength to enable riding. Earlier, a ZFPM1 variant may have calmed temperament about 5,000 years ago, aiding domestication. The rapid rise of the GSDMC allele across Eurasia turned mounted riding into a dominant driver of warfare and transport, helping spark empires and drastically altering human history.
Tim Layden argues the Kentucky Derby is more about people and spectacle than the horses themselves, urging readers to look beyond the fandom and betting to the animals’ lived lives and the humanity of the trainers, owners, and riders behind the sport.
Stella McCartney staged her Fall/Winter 2026-27 collection in Paris with live horses featuring prominently, using the runway to foreground her sustainable, animal-friendly design ethos without uttering a word.
A study in Current Biology finds that the horse’s whinny is a two-tone sound: a low-pitched element from air vibrating in the voice box and a separate high-pitched whistle produced just above it. Using endoscopic imaging and dissections, researchers showed horses are the first large mammals known to whistle via their voice box while singing, a feature that may help convey multiple emotions in social interactions.
New research shows a horse’s whinny comes from two sources—low-frequency vocal cord vibrations and a whistle-like high pitch from the larynx—revealing a rare mammalian biphonation that may support different communication ranges or express emotion.
A new study shows the horse’s neigh is a two-tone sound: a low-pitched voice-box vibration paired with a high-pitched whistle that escapes through a tiny opening. Researchers filmed inside horses’ noses and analyzed dead horses’ laryngeal tissues to confirm the dual mechanism, making horses the first known large mammals to whistle while they vocalize. The two frequencies may help convey multiple emotions or messages during social interactions.
Horses developer Santa Ragione publicly disputes Epic Games Store’s claim that the game violated content rules, saying Epic has effectively ghosted the studio after withdrawing distribution. Epic maintains the game breached its Content Guidelines and rated it AO, a category the store doesn’t distribute; Santa Ragione counters that the game should not receive an AO rating and notes Epic hasn’t shared an AO IARC certificate or details. The back-and-forth follows previous bans from Epic and Steam and highlights friction between indie developers and storefront moderation.
Bella Hadid and professional equestrian Adan Banuelos have reportedly broken up after more than two years together, per Entertainment Tonight. A source says she’s staying positive and busy with work and close friends as she processes the split, and reports note their relationship had on/off dynamics and shared business ties—such as buying million-dollar horses—that could complicate things. Hadid’s Instagram yacht-dash and a Yellowstone cameo with Banuelos are cited as reminders of the romance.