Major congratulations to Invitation Only!

We can’t wait to hear how Invy’s offspring and the rest of the Pine View crew does during the 2013 show season! Best of luck to all babies.

For more information on Invitation Only, click here.

PleasureHorse.com would like to welcome our new Business Directory advertiser, the Louisiana Quarter Horse Association!

The Louisiana Quarter Horse Association (LQHA), is a membership organization dedicated to the keeping, showing, and ownership of quarter horses in the state of Louisiana. Visit their website for the latest show information, news, points, and much more! 

You’ll be seeing just what the LQHA has to offer, right here on PleaureHorse.com, including the latest on horse shows.

To visit the website, click here.

To find out how to become a member, click here.

To visit their Business Directory page on PleasureHorse.com, click here.

The American Quarter Horse Foundation counts on the support of members like you to help preserve and protect the American Quarter Horse for future generations. 

• You can educate our youth and inspire them to become leaders in the equine industry.
• By joining our efforts, you become part of a formidable team that enhances the health and future of all horses.
• You can share the gift of the horse with children and adults to help them overcome physical and cognitive barriers.
• You have the power to preserve the past, present and future of the American Quarter Horse.
• All members can make a difference in the lives of our horses when they unite to preserve and protect our horse.  More than 70 years ago, a handful of passionate horsemen started the American Quarter Horse Association.  Their goal was to preserve a nearly extinct line of good horses, which they thought numbered 1,000 or less in the country.

We have come a long way!  AQHA has registered more than 5 million horses since its inception in 1940.  Members like you can help the Foundation create and maintain programs that improve the lives of these many horses and the people who love them.

If you have any questions or would like a hard copy of the annual report, please contact us at (806) 378-5029 or foundation@aqha.org.

Orr Family Farm barn wrecked by the massive tornado that went through the area. Photo from Orr Family Farm Facebook

As reports come in about the devastating tornado that tore through Moore, Oklahoma yesterday, things are looking both better and worse. A disaster press conference set up for Oklahoma City officials shed some light on how the disaster relief teams responded, how the city is coping, and how events are playing out for those who have been affected by this disastrous event. The twister is being classified as an EF4 tornado, and was on the ground for 40 minutes as it covered 17 miles, sometimes stretching to a mile to two miles in width.

Watching the Oklahoma Disaster Conference, reports are coming in with 24 dead, 9 of them children, and 237 injured, although medical examiners are estimating the numbers to rise. Keith Bryan, chief of the Oklahoma City Fire Department commented that “as the storms began to develop, we assembled our responder teams and assets to have them in place immediately [...] Around midnight, our primary and secondary searches were completed.”  Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett wanted to “commend the city of Moore and its resources [...] they preformed valiantly.” In areas where ruble was up to four feet high, people and animals were crawling out of the debris. In this incredibly heartwarming story, a woman’s dog is found as she is being interviewed by CBS News. Accounts of teachers using their own bodies as shields for their students bring tears to your eyes, as accounts from all over Moore continue to come in and bring bright spots to an otherwise mind-numbing event.

Reports are trickling about farms that have been demolished, including the earlier commented on Orr Family Farm. The Cleveland County Commissioners stated that the fairgrounds are open to livestock, and shelters are helping to care for pets and animals. “Crews have been working 24/7 since Sunday” stated the commissioner, as the other side of the county had been struck by tornadoes earlier. Families are opening up their homes and pastures to displaced livestock from surrounding states including North Carolina, Texas and other areas of Oklahoma.

Photo courtesy of Hillary Powers

Debris as far as 30 miles away from Moore has been found. Hillary Powers, of Harrah, OK, found this paper outside of their barn this morning. They are located “northeast of Moore. We weren’t affected by the tornado, just have some debris like paper and insulation.”

A Facebook page has  been set up for Moore Tornado Information, including links to sites that are helping, donating, and what you can do to help. From this page, we have learned the animal shelters are in need of: Bleach, volunteers to walk the dogs they have taken in, Towels and water buckets. The shelter is located at 3900 S. I-35 Service Rd. east of I-35 (2 miles south of 19th St. and 1/4 mile north of Indian Hills. The number at the shelter is 405-793-5190. More information on how to donate can be located here.

Orr Family Farm and the adjacent Celestial Acres, who has lost an estimated 75-100 horses  has  set up a PayPal account at this time for those who wish to help the farm. More information will be posted on their Facebook page and on PleasureHorse.com as it comes in.  PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=LZ6XSLYG5LJWY

A before and after image of the Orr Farm carosel. Images from Orr Family Farm Facebook

Other sites for more information and how to help include:

Moore Recovers

CNN How to Help

For lost and found animals click here.

For more information about preparing your livestock for tornadoes and other natural disasters, the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association has tips here.

Our hearts and prayers go out to all of those affected, and for those who continue to work to find survivors and to rebuild.

The American Quarter Horse Association is coordinating a community wide effort to help with the recovery and relief of victims of the Oklahoma tornados.

AQHA is taking donations for the victims at AQHA headquarters in Amarillo 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 22 through Friday, May 24. AQHA has set up a trailer in the front parking lot of the main building where donations are being accepted.

While AQHA calls Amarillo their home, Oklahoma City is a “home away from home” as Association staff and thousands of exhibitors from across the world travel there multiple times a year for horse competitions.

Help AQHA show Oklahoma what the spirit of the Panhandle is all about.

The immediately needed items are non-perishable food items, toiletries, buckets, shovels and gloves. Please do not bring other items that are not on this list.

Donations may be dropped off at AQHA Headquarters on the corner of I-40 and Quarter Horse Drive. All donations will be delivered to Oklahoma on Saturday.

For information on donating and items accepted, please contact AQHA at (806) 378-4742.

AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHAnews on Twitter, watch the AQHA Newscast and visit www.aqha.com/news.

Rescuers recover a horse from the remains of a day care center and destroyed barns. Photo: AP

The horses were located at the 106-acre Orr Family Farm which was devastated by the massive, two-mile wide twister. It has been reported that the horses’ stalls and barns took a direct hit from the deadly tornado, whose strength has been estimated as an F4 or F5.

The tornado was estimated to be on the ground for an agonizing 40 minutes, during which time it devastated everything in its path.

Witnesses to the destruction liken the damage to a war-zone.

Residents were warned to take cover approximately 16 minutes before the tornado formed; tragically, for animals in the region, there was nowhere to escape the storm’s wrath.

Concerned fans of the Orr Family Farm are leaving comments on their Facebook page.

The Orr family commented earlier today -

“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of those fellow horseman who have volunteered their services, supplies and acreage. At this time, we are assessing the damage and are reconciling the number of animals lost or injured. We encourage everyone not to enter this area as first responders are still actively searching for human life. We have set up a hotline for those who would like to leave their name and number so that when we know more of our needs we may be able to call upon your generous offers. That hotline is 405.283.2258. Once again, thank you for your show of generosity and know your thoughts and prayers have been heard by our family.”

Click here to continue reading this article on examiner.com

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More Oklahoma Tornado News -

Click here for CNN.com’s tornado report

Click here for Yahoo.com’s tornado report

AUSTIN - The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) designated Kleberg County (South Texas) equine (horses, donkeys, ponies, mules, and zebras) as high risk for exposure to Equine Piroplasmosis (Piro) in March of 2013. As a result, the TAHC began mandatory testing of all equine in Kleberg County on April 8. The initial Kleberg County test zones extended south from Escondido Creek to the Kleberg-Kenedy county line.
 
Equine Piroplasmosis (Piro) is a blood-borne protozoal disease that affects all equine, but is not transmissible to humans. Through research, a treatment protocol has been developed that can often clear the infection and lead to the release of horses that tested positive. Piro is currently not considered endemic in Texas or the U.S.; however, isolated outbreaks of the disease such as in Kleberg County have occurred.
 
Piro can be transmitted from a positive horse to a negative horse by blood transfer from dirty instruments or by tick vectors. South Texas has a large and diverse population of ticks. Horses visiting pastures with infected tick populations can become infected as a result. Once positive horses are treated or removed, the tick populations within those pastures free themselves of the disease in approximately one year, and it will be safe to put negative horses back in the pasture.
 
“Because Piro is considered a foreign animal disease to the U.S., it is important we make every effort to find undetected cases in the area,” said Dr. Dee Ellis, Texas’ State Veterinarian. “We believe the Piro situation related to tick transmission in Texas is limited to just a few south Texas counties. The TAHC is asking for the support of local horse owners to ensure this testing effort is a success.” Horse owners are also encouraged to discuss the situation with their local veterinarian.
 
To date, 283 premises and a total of 747 equine animals have been tested in Kleberg County as part of the county wide testing effort. Of the premises and animals tested, 6 premises have tested positive with a total of 19 total horses involved.
 
The TAHC is hoping to wrap up testing in the southern part of the county by the end of May, where approximately 30 premises remain to be tested. The next efforts will involve testing the northern part of Kleberg County. All equine owners in the county who have not had their equine tested are strongly encouraged to contact the TAHC as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. Equine owners can call (361) 676-0979 to set up an appointment. The test is free of charge.
 
 ”We greatly appreciate the cooperation of the equine owners and veterinary practitioners of Kleberg County, and the high level of voluntary compliance with the mandatory testing requirement,” said Dr. T.R. Lansford, Region 5 Director. “We look forward to working with the remaining owners of untested equine and the local veterinarians as we strive to complete the area test in Kleberg County. It is important that all equine are tested as soon as possible.”
 
Kleberg County equine owners and/or veterinary practitioners who have questions should contact the TAHC Region 5 Office in Beeville at (361) 676-0979. For more information on Piroplasmosis they can also visit www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_health/equine/piro.html
 
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) strives to keep Texas’ livestock disease free, ultimately allowing for better marketability and commerce.
 
Founded in 1893, the Texas Animal Health Commission works to protect the health of all Texas livestock, including: cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, equine animals, and exotic livestock.