MRLS can cause late-term foal losses, early- and late-term fetal losses and weak foals. Subsequent studies by UK researchers revealed that horses will inadvertently eat the caterpillars, and the caterpillar hairs embed into the lining of the alimentary tract.

“Data from the National Fire Reporting System (NFIRS) and the National Fire Protection Association (www.nfpa.org) show that the incidence of barn fires during March and April index higher than any other period of the year,” notes Wayne G. Hipsley, chairman of HorseSafetyUSA.com.

“The numbers of rabid animals in the wild should be concerning to horse owners because all it takes is one bite from an infected animal for a horse to contract the fatal disease,” says Green.

At this time of year, cold stress combined with age, low body condition, or some combination of the three may create a situation where horses are more susceptible to illness.

Whether addressing the problem of unnecessary breeding and the treatment of unwanted horses, the development of a workable equine ID system and a central database or the ethical use of the horse in sport, the consensus was that the industry should pull together to find long-term solutions

Nielsen’s crowdfunding project is possibly the first such effort in the field of veterinary science. He started with an ultimate goal of raising $30,000 with defined funding milestones along the way.

What do you get when a fifth-generation horseman teams up with a neuroscientist? Though it sounds like the intro to a joke, it’s actually a winning combination.