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Mosquito season will begin soon in Virginia and has already begun in some areas. That means it’s time to start thinking about vaccinating your horses against mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Rabies is not a mosquito-borne disease, but it’s a fatal disease that also requires an annual vaccination. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) urges all horse owners to check with their veterinarians for vaccination recommendations for their animals. Virginia only had one confirmed case of WNV (Augusta County) and one of EEE (Suffolk) in 2014, although many other states had a much higher incidence of cases. “Timely vaccination has been shown to decrease WNV and EEE disease incidence drastically,” said Dr. Richard Wilkes, State Veterinarian at VDACS. “Without vaccination, we would expect to see many more infected horses, so we still urge horse owners to consider EEE and WNV vaccination. We believe that in most cases, private veterinarians will recommend them for their clients.” Vaccines are effective for six to twelve months, so horses should be re-vaccinated at least annually. In areas where the disease occurs frequently, most veterinarians recommend vaccination every six months. For the vaccine to be effective it must be handled and administered properly and be given at least two weeks before the horse is exposed to the virus. Also, to stimulate full immunity, horses must be vaccinated twice, about thirty days apart, the first year they are vaccinated. Other prevention methods include destroying standing water breeding sites for mosquitoes, using insect repellents and removing animals from mosquito-infested areas during peak biting times, usually dusk to dawn.  Dr. Wilkes also suggests that owners check about rabies vaccinations for their horses. There were no cases of rabies in Virginia horses last year but four each in 2012 and 2013. Rabies vaccines are also very effective and vaccinating horses annually can prevent rabies in both horses and humans. In addition to taking measures to decrease the likelihood that horses will be exposed to rabies, routine rabies vaccination is a very important aspect of disease prevention. All three of these diseases–EEE, WNV and rabies–cause neurologic signs in horses, such as staggering, circling, depression, loss of appetite and sometimes fever and blindness. The diseases can kill anywhere from 30 percent (WNV) to 90 percent (EEE) to 100 percent (rabies) of the horses infected.  There is no proven cure for these diseases, but veterinarians can provide supportive therapy to treat symptoms of EEE and WNV and keep horses from injuring themselves. Rabies is always fatal. Humans can become infected with rabies by handling a rabid horse but cannot become infected with EEE or WNV by handling an infected horse, nor can a horse acquire the virus from another infected horse. The presence of an infected horse in the area indicates that mosquitoes carrying EEE or WNV are present, however, and those insects pose a threat to both humans and horses.       For more information on WNV or EEE, contact the Office of Veterinary Services, Division of Animal Industry Services, VDACS, at 804.786.2483 or see vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/diseases.shtml. Information about rabies and rabies exposures can be found on the Virginia Department of Health’s Rabies Control page at vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/DEE/Rabies/. Horse owners should contact their veterinarians for further advice on prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Posted May 12, 2015

A round table discussion on the challenges faced by lady Masters will be held at the National Sporting Library & Museum, Middleburg, Virginia, on Saturday, May 23, 2015 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. A panel has been assembled to hold a candid discussion on the topic the day before the Virginia Foxhound Show at Morven Park in nearby Leesburg. Participating panelists will be MFHs Joyce Fendley, Casanova Hunt (VA); Marion Thorne, Genesee Valley Hunt (NY); Penny Denegre, Middleburg Hunt (VA); Lynne Lloyd, Red Rock Hounds (NV); and Daphne Wood, Live Oak Hounds (FL). The program will be co-chaired by Penny Denegre and Vivianne Warren from the Orange County Hounds (VA). Dr. John W.D. McDonald, MFH, London Hunt (ON), will moderate. According to a press release from the NSLM, the discussion will focus on experiences from the field told by women with years of hunting leadership. Provocative questions will be asked that address the challenges of women in a traditionally male role. The program will also explore the history of “Three Legends”—Miss Charlotte Haxall Noland, Mrs. Theodora Ayer Randolph, and Mrs. Nancy Penn Smith Hannum—three women who pioneered the role of Lady Master. The program begins with refreshments and mingling with panelists, and includes a moderated discussion with time for questions from the audience. Admission is free for NSLM members and $10.00 for non-members. The National Sporting Library & Museum is dedicated to preserving, promoting and sharing the literature, art and culture of equestrian, angling and field sports. Founded in 1954, NSLM holds thousands of books on sporting topics including foxhunting, angling, equestrianism, and horseracing, among others. The Library collection dates from the sixteenth to twenty-first centuries. The Museum houses exhibits of American and European animal and sporting fine art. Information is shared through exhibitions, lectures, seminars, publications and special events. The NSLM is open to researchers and the general public on Wednesday and Saturday (10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), and Sunday (1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Posted may 9, 2015

Foxhunter and amateur whipper-in Peter Hitchen was injured while officiating at the Virginia Gold Cup Races at Great Meadow Park, Warrenton, Virginia, Saturday, May 2, 2015. Hitchen, who was on foot, was hit by a racehorse and suffered multiple breaks. Hitchen was taken to a hospital in Fairfax where the damage was assessed: fourteen broken ribs, collar bone broken in two places, and three broken vertebrae. Surgery was considered, but after a second opinion the decision was made to move him to the Reston Spine Center. Currently in a cast, Hitchen faces a long recovery. This report will be updated as new information becomes available. Posted May 7, 2015

For 114 years Sweet Briar College has represented a storybook version of the college experience for women, especially women who love horses. In 2015, Sweet Briar was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the 116th “Best Liberal Arts College” in the nation.   Lying in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Lynchburg, Virginia, and housed in Colonial Revival-style red brick white-columned buildings on a lush, green campus, the institution was famed for its equestrian programs, including foxhunting, showing, and equitation. Its competitive teams have amassed an unsurpassed record of national championships in every discipline. But students, faculty, and alumnae were shocked just last month by the surprise announcement by the president and the Board of Directors that the college would be closed forever this summer for financial reasons. On Monday, March 30, 2015, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia to prevent the closure. The suit charges that closure would violate the terms of the will under which the school was founded, and also charges misuse of charitable funds. According to the Washington Post, county attorney Ellen Bowyer claims that college officials appear to be preparing to sell assets, destroy documents and “obliterate contractual relationships governing tenancies and endowments.” An alumnae group, Saving Sweet Briar, has been formed and has already raised three million dollars to fight the closure, all the while representatives from an array of other colleges have set up booths in the school gym to persuade students to their institutions. A New York Times article quotes Tracy Stuart, a real estate agent in Martha’s Vineyard who graduated in 1993 and helped found the Saving Sweet Briar group. “Something doesn’t smell right,” Stuart reportedly said. “You just don’t close a college like that without warning.” Click for the complete articles in the Washington Post and the New York Times. Posted April 1, 2015

The National Sporting Library & Museum (NSLM) in Middleburg, Virginia has announced a summer program of free movies and concerts, with Museum galleries remaining open during the events. Movies are shown on Saturday afternoons from March to December 12. Concerts will take place every fourth Friday from April through September. The summer series features popular sporting movies, regional musical performers, craft beers, and local wineries. Guests are invited to stroll through the Art Museum to enjoy changing exhibitions and permanent collections or to spread out picnic blankets and lawn chairs for the open-air concert. During the Open Late events, the Museum will be open until 8:00 p.m. Library and Museum facilities will also remain open late on the first Friday of April, May, June, July, August and September. Melanie Mathewes, Executive Director of the National Sporting Library & Museum explained, “We’re very excited to announce that this year, on the first Friday of April, May, June, July, August and September, our facilities and our campus will be open late to allow the public to visit and enjoy our treasures. We’ve planned these events with young families in mind and with the hope that those passing through Middleburg after work will join us.” Open Late is free and open to the public; picnics are welcome and a cash bar will be available. Events will be held rain or shine, and no outside alcohol will be permitted on premises. Movie CalendarMovies will be shown free of charge in the Library’s Founder’s Room at 1:00 pm. Popcorn Monkey of Middleburg will sell popcorn onsite to accompany the films. March 14 – War HorseApril 11 – International Velvet May 9 – Into the WestJune 13 – Black Beauty July 11 – A River Runs Through It August 8 – Running Free October 10 – The Black Stallion November 14 – SecretariatDecember 12 – Sylvester Open Late Concert CalendarConcerts are free and open to the public; picnics are welcome; and a cash bar will be available. Events will be held rain or shine, and no outside alcohol will be permitted on premises. April 24 – Middleburg Hunt Point-to-Point NightDifficult Run Jazz BandSouth Street Brewing | Three Fox Vineyards May 22Tara Mills Band3 Brothers Brewing | Naked Mountain Winery June 26 – Virginia Tech Alumni NightPiedmont Symphony OrchestraForge Brew Works | Cana Winery July 24 – George Mason Alumni NightGeorge Mason University Jazz EnsembleHardywood Park Craft Brewery | Otium Winery August 28Reckless IslandMad Fox Brewing Company | Boxwood Winery September 25 – Friends and Family NightFoxcroft School, The Hill School,Middleburg Academy, Middleburg CommunityCharter School, and Wakefield SchoolLisa Lim BandLegend Brewing | Market Salamander The National Sporting Library & Museum is dedicated to preserving, promoting and sharing the literature, art and culture of equestrian, angling and field sports. Founded in 1954, NSLM holds thousands of books on sporting topics including hunting, angling, equestrianism and horseracing, among others. The Library collection dates from the 16th-21st centuries. The Museum houses exhibits of American and European animal and sporting fine art. Information is shared through exhibitions, lectures, seminars, publications and special events. The NSLM is open to researchers and the general public. Regular Museum Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m Posted march 18, 2015

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has reportedly threatened to close its animal shelter in Hampton Roads if the Virginia General Assembly passes Senate Bill 1381. The bill, which asks shelters to make a sincere effort to find adoptive homes before euthanizing animals, passed the House 95-2. It returns to the Senate for final passage before going before the governor. According to CBS, a state report shows that PETA euthanized eighty-one percent of the more than three thousand animals that it took into its Virginia shelter last year. PETA has been criticized for its high numbers of euthanasia. Click for the full CBS report. Posted February 24, 2015

A horse in Albemarle County, northwest of Charlottesville, Virginia, that displayed neurologic abnormality was confirmed positive for Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) on February 5, 2015. The boarding stable at which the affected horse is located, along with fourteen other horses, has been placed under quarantine. No horses may leave or enter the premises until the quarantine is lifted. EHM is a neurological form of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), a highly infectious disease that generally affects the respiratory system. Although the condition of the horse in Albemarle County has been improving, a horse in Loudoun County was tested positive for the neurolopathogenic strain of EHV-1  on February 12. That horse has been isolated at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, and is also recovering. The farm where the horse was stabled is also under quarantine. Thirty-three other horses at that farm have shown no signs of the disease. Updates are published periodically by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Posted February 20, 2015

The Associated Press reports that Cuba has added another luxury product to its traditional export list of fine rum and fancy cigars—Dutch Warmblood show jumpers. Colts and fillies are purchased as yearlings from the Netherlands, trained at government-sponsored equine enterprises, and auctioned off to buyers mostly from Latin-America. Fidel Castro’s communist government banned horse racing, gambling, and professional sports when it gained power, but amateur equestrian sports continued. The sport of show jumping declined during Cuba’s economically-troubled times, but in 2005 the government saw a possible way to bring needed foreign currency into the country. At a recent auction at the National Equestrian Club, thirty-one horses sold for a total of about $435,000 to buyers from Brazil, Canada, Guatemala, the Netherlands and Mexico. Cuba splits the proceeds with a Dutch equine company, and is now reinvesting much of its share into a new initiative to breed the horses in Cuba rather than importing. Besides increasing profit margin, it allows the country to select on breeding prospects which best handle the heat and humidity of the Americas. Click to read the complete AP article by Anne-Marie Garcia. Posted February 13, 2015