National Day of the Horse – December 13

Credit: Thinkstock December 13 is the National Day of the Horse.

Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center recognizes the 10th anniversary of the National Day of the Horse, December 13, designated “in recognition of the importance of horses to the security, economy, recreation, and heritage of the United States.” 

The resolution, passed by the U.S. Senate in 2004, also “encourages all people of the United States to be mindful of the contribution of horses to the economy, history, and character of the United States.” 

In celebration of this day, we found an awesome, beautiful horse video on YouTube we think you’ll enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OapMBWNgTzU

Since its founding in 1884, Penn Vet has been a major force in advancing veterinary care for horses, building a worldwide reputation for research, diagnosis, and treatment of every type of equine patient, from champion racehorses to show horses to beloved backyard ponies. 

Some famous patients treated at New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large animal hospital, in recent years include: 

Barbaro: Winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby, this Thoroughbred bay colt shattered his right hind leg at the Preakness Stakes. He spent eight months at New Bolton Center under the care of renowned surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson, who performed multiple surgeries to repair three bones shattered into more than 20 fragments. The leg fractures healed, but Barbaro developed laminitis, which led to his death in 2007. 

Animal Kingdom: Just a few weeks after winning the 2011 Kentucky Derby, the chestnut colt came up lame after the Belmont Stakes. Chief of Surgery Dr. Dean Richardson performed orthopedic surgery to repair a hairline fracture in his hock. The champion Thoroughbred went on to win the $10 million Dubai World Cup in 2013.

Paynter: After undergoing abdominal surgery by Emergency and Critical Care specialist Dr. Louise Southwood in 2012, this dark bay Thoroughbred, who made his name by winning the William Hill Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, continued his successful racing career.

Neville Bardos: Trapped in a devastating barn fire, this Australian eventing Thoroughbred was treated at New Bolton Center for damage to his lungs and airway. He went on to be named to the U.S. Olympic 3-Day Event team in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Hardest Core: Only nine months after emergency abdominal surgery by Dr. Louise Southwood, this bay Thoroughbred won the Arlington Million in 2014, securing a spot to run in the prestigious Breeders’ Cup Turf Classic.

New Bolton Pioneer/“Boone”: This colt was born at 9:22 p.m. on March 29, 2014, at New Bolton Center with the world watching via a Foal Cam – a live video feed on Penn Vet’s website. More than 170,000 people in more than 120 countries viewed the live broadcast from Feb. 14 to Apr. 2. The embryo was created using an advanced reproductive technique used in human medicine, intrascytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and transferred to our mare, My Special Girl.

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