Read along for a look at each horse competing in the 2024 Kentucky Derby. 2024 Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness trains beneath the famed Twin Spires. Photo by Grace Clark In 2021, 17,779 Thoroughbred foals in the United States alone were registered with the Jockey Club. This Saturday, only 20 Thoroughbreds — two of them born in Japan — will load into the starting gate for one of the most illustrious races in the world: the Kentucky Derby.  Dubbed “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” the 1 ¼-mile race will showcase the 20 3-year-olds that qualified for the Derby via...

Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the ASPCA’s Right Horse program. This week’s adoptable horse is actually a package deal: Vixen and Pipsqueak! Check back weekly for a new featured horse so you can find your Right Horse. Photo courtesy Owner 2 Owner Program Adoptable Horse: Vixen and Pipsqueak, a Miniature Mule and Miniature Horse/Shetland mix duo Organization: Owner 2 Owner Program (aka – Maryland Equine Transition Service), Woodbine, Md. Get to Know Adoptable Equines Vixen and Pipsqueak Please note the owner of this duo wants these...

Humane Society of North Texas head trainer Amanda Stevens connecting with Jake, an owner-surrendered feral stallion that had just arrived at the ranch. They prioritize building trust between the horse and the human first. Photo courtesy Humane Society of North Texas Imagine an entire month dedicated to celebrating adoptable horses: For the past four years, the month of May has been just that. With help from the ASPCA, rescues and shelters across the country will take all of May to highlight the important work they do all year long. To celebrate, two ASPCA Right Horse Partners with somewhat different yet...

Horses in the guest ranch industry come from varied breeds and backgrounds. Learn more about them. The scenery may be stunning, the food and staff top-notch, but ultimately, it’s the four-legged workforce that makes for a memorable trip at any dude ranch. “It takes a special kind of horse to have a different rider every week,” notes Meris Stout, owner of Geronimo Trail Guest Ranch. “A lot of horses don’t have the right temperament to have different riders and be patient.” Guest ranches and outfitters in different states share what goes into finding and maintaining these equine memory-makers. Drowsy Water...

Photo by Heidi Nyland Melocco Whether you’re new to cattle work or want to improve your cattle-driving skills, you’ll need to learn how to influence a cow’s movements. How you and your horse approach, track, and drive a cow influences where it will go next. To master driving and turning a cow in the arena, you must know where to position your horse. “The best way to control a cow is to be closer to the cow,” says trainer Cody Crow. “A lot of people feel it’s safer away from the cow, but if you’re too far away, the cow...

Depending on the availability of indoor arenas, lights, and safe footing where you live, riding throughout the winter can be a challenge. But peak show and trail riding months are arriving quickly, so it’s time to put a plan in motion and get prepared for the season ahead. Without a proper base of fitness, both you and your horse will be more prone to injuries that will keep you from those plans you’ve made. Work on Your Own Fitness It’s not fair to ask hour horses to get into summer riding shape if we have been slacking ourselves, too. It’s...

Horse Illustrated’s coverage of the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day event is brought to you by Care Credit. Thanks to a rail down by overnight leader Tom McEwen (GBR) on the 13-year-old German Warmblood gelding JL Dublin, a clean trip over the show jumps bumped Oliver Townend (GBR) to the ultimate win at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L. Jumping in reverse order of standing, Townend’s clear trip aboard the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse Mare Cooley Rosalent left him in prime position as the final two to jump had rails down. Oliver Townend celebrates his fourth Kentucky Three-Day Event victory....

Welcome to Horse Illustrated’s weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the ASPCA’s Right Horse program. This week’s adoptable horse is Whenelephantsfly! Check back weekly for a new featured horse so you can find your Right Horse. Photo courtesy Second Stride Adoptable Horse: Whenelephantsfly, a 3-year-old 16.0hh Thoroughbred gelding Organization: Second Stride, Prospect, Ky. Get to Know Adoptable Horse Whenelephantsfly Standing at 16-plus hands high, Whenelephantsfly never raced and last worked on July 7, 23. “Elephant” retired with arthritis and chips in his left hind coffin joint, and two screws in the...

Severe laminitis is easily identified as the horse rocks back to alleviate pain on the front feet, known as the “sawhorse stance.” Photo by Bob Langrish Plenty has been written about the prevention, causes, and treatment of founder, but less information is available on whether or not afflicted horses will “successfully” recover. The answer, despite the availability of clinical exams to guide prognosis, is not as straightforward as it may seem. Here, two leading experts in their fields, as well as the owner of two horses stricken with founder, weigh in. Diet & Equine Metabolic Syndrome Raul Bras, DVM, CJF,...

Read the full article about showing in hand in Horse Illustrated’s June 2024 issue! Here is some great content we couldn’t fit in the print article. Tips to Polish Performance Quinnten Alston is a professional rider and handler who runs his own breeding program at Quantico Sporthorses in Southeastern Pennsylvania, which has produced an impressive string of breeding class champions at prestigious shows, such as Dressage at Devon. He is also an in-house rider and sales manager for Iron Spring Farm, a successful sport horse breeding facility in Coatesville, Pa. Here are his top tips for polishing your performance. Quinnten...