Milkshakes and Horses

My forthcoming new novel, He Trots the Air, is about the drugging of horses, yet another way horses are misused by unscrupulous trainers. Connie Holt is back, whom readers will remember as the equine insurance investigator in The Case of the Three Dead Horses. The new story revolves around a conspiracy to drug a prodigious colt named Darkling Lord; he is slated to run in the International Gold Cup steeplechase in Virginia. But Connie's investigation is hampered by lack of information. Who is behind the plot? How many people are involved? Where and when will the drugging happen? What will be the drug used? And most important, can Darkling Lord be saved? Therein lies the mystery.

But while it was great fun to tell this story, my great black colt is just an invention, and I don't have to worry about a real plot. Sadly, many real-life horse owners do. Here is one case in point. Last July, a Pennsylvania trainer named Darrel Delahoussaye was arrested and charged by Pennsylvania State Police with administering illegal drugs to racehorses. The specific drug was milkshakes, that is, the trainer was using a substance that is illegal because it is used to gain unfair advantage. The substances used to make milkshakes as well as syringes were discovered in a truck associated with Delahoussaye, and a former employee testified that he often saw the trainer administer milkshakes to horses on race day.

The most important ingredient in a milkshake is sodium bicarbonate, known to the rest of us as baking soda. Here is the theory of how baking soda works in a horse's body. (By the way, the process is by no means thoroughly understood and research is ongoing.) When a horse is running as fast as he can, lactic acid builds up in his muscles, and he becomes tired. Some believe that large doses of bicarbonate offset the accumulation of acid. Thus the horse will be able to run longer and faster, and with less fatigue. The milkshake is often administered through a nasogastric tube. (Imagine the harm that might be done if an unskilled person ran the tube into the horse's nose and the fluid went into the lungs rather than the stomach.) While horses don't seem to be adversely affected by milkshaking, it is still necessary to continue drug testing programs to determine if there is bicarbonate in a racehorse's body, and if so, enforce the law vigorously. As the Delahoussaye story above demonstrates, people will still try anything they can to change the horse's performance--no matter that it's illegal.

Ken Aberegg: Receiving a Well-Deserved Honor

Last May, the Happy Trails Farm Animal Sanctuary held its annual awards ceremony to pay tribute to those who help animals that have been abused by former owners. Ken Aberegg was honored for his extensive work in rehabilitating horses that often arrive at Happy Trails with emotional and behavioral problems. Knowing how expensive it is to run a rescue operation, Ken provides his valuable services free. "Valuable" is the right word. Ken owns a stable in Alliance, Ohio, where he is a trainer and a riding teacher. But people know him also as a professional horse whisperer, who uses his acute knowledge to bring horses that have been mistreated back to a sane world--where they can't be hurt any more.

Renaming a Tree

The shorn, rather ugly object above is vitex agnus-castus, otherwise known as a Purple Chaste Tree. Every year around October 1, I prune its luxuriant growth until it looks like this.

In spring, it comes back to life, this year reaching a height of about nine feet. It has grayish-green leaves, palmately divided, and purple flowers with an exotic fragrance, not sweet exactly, but more--well--medicinal. Bees cannot resist it, and nestle in the flowers, doing their thing all summer until the Day of Pruning. With this last cutting, I thought all the bees had gone, but there in the branches I had cut off and thrown to the driveway for hauling to the curb, was one stubborn black creature in the flowers.

The Chaste Tree is important to me. In 2003, in the early hours of Mother's Day, a tornado hit our city. I awoke to find my property littered with uprooted trees, the roof of my house pierced by two huge evergreen branches that had fallen into it from my neighbor's yard, and my driveway completely blocked by the debris. It took a long time to fix the damage.

As soon as my dear friend up north heard about it, he selected the Purple Chaste Tree from one of his garden catalogs and had it sent to me. The small rooted shoots, of course, were packed carefully, with instructions included for planting. I dug a hole at the side of my house and followed each direction with utmost care.

Every time I pass the tree or perform the savage pruning, I think of my friend. He has been cursed with ill health for many years, and can no longer garden the wayhe used to. But that tree survives and so does he. And to honor him for his bravery, I have long since given the tree a new name, not as romantic, but much more significant.

I call it the Samtree.

Sound Horse Conference 2010

Ideally, horses' lives should be marked by the best care possible from their owners, and a place to live as beautiful and bountiful as the above scene in Virginia. Those horses were my mare and her son at the farm where they lived. But as I have often written, some horses, especially Tennessee Walking Horses, suffer torture by their owners or trainers so the animals will walk in a contorted, exaggerated, unrealistic gait for the show ring. The gait is marked by the horses lifting their legs unnaturally high, because they are afraid of again experiencing the pain their owners have inflicted upon them. Many people who attend a Walking Horse show don't realize this; they think that this abnormal gait has been achieved through normal training.

These horses are victims of soring.

Their legs have been treated with caustic agents; they have been made to wear stacked shoes; often trainers have placed irritants under their saddles which constantly remind them, with pain, that they have to lift those legs; and they are treated to other horrifying techniques honed by years of mistreatment by men and women who only care about prizes, money, and prestige. These horses are forced to remain in their stalls without the pleasurable experience of grazing, like the horses above, and it is thought by some experts that some Walking Horses' lives are cut short by all they have to endure.

I have written here about the horse protection organization, Friends of Sound Horses. This brave group brings all its resources to getting rid of soring, once and for all. The Sound Horse Conference will be held November 5 and 6 in Louisville, Kentucky. My brochure lists the following as just some of the topics that will be discussed: Pressure Shoeing, True Life Stories, Veterinary Research on Customary Practices for Tennessee Walking Show Horses, Detection of Soring, Legal Developments Affecting the Horse Protection Act, and Second Careers for Show Horses. The panelists will be comprised of veterinarians, judges, trainers, attorneys, and volunteers. All of these speakers are, of course, dedicated to ending soring. I'm going, and hope to see you there. For more information about FOSH and the conference, go to http://www.fosh.info/ and http://www.soundhorseconference.com/. And while you're at it, why not join FOSH and volunteer your services? Horses can use your help.

Horses One, Druggers Zero

Since my new novel He Trots the Air is about drugging horses, I'm particularly sensitive to the fact that doping horses persists in The Sport of Kings. My eye was caught recently by a news item about the Breeders' Cup board of directors, who work toward protecting both the Thoroughbred athletes and the integrity of the sport.

To keep rogue trainers from drugging their horses, Breeders' Cup officials approved a policy in September 2010 that gives horses a chance to run drug-free in the fourteen-race Breeders' Cup World Championships. (The 26 million dollar event will be at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 5 and 6.) The policy will take effect in 2011. In strengthening previous resolutions, the Breeders' Cup board should take pride in punishing any trainer who tries to subvert ethical standards in horse racing and endangers his or her horse. The policy is about Class 1 and Class 2 drugs.

The Association of Racing Commissioners International oversees a number of racing organizations, crafting model rules and suggested penalties. RCI defines Class 1 and Class 2 drugs as those that affect a horse's performance, but have no justifiable therapeutic value. Examples are blood-enhancing drugs, opiates, amphetamines, depressants, stimulants, powerful painkillers, and blood-doping drugs.

The resolution bans any trainer from participating in the Breeders' Cup if his or her horse tested positive for Class 1 or 2 drugs in the preceding year. The trainer cannot start any horses in the Breeders' Cup while he or she is serving out the suspension. If a horse tests positive for these drugs three times, the trainer will be banned for life from the Breeders' Cup races.

Many of us wish that rogue trainers could be banned for life for just one infraction.

DuMaurier, Walking and Me

Having read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and loving every gothic paragraph, and then seeing the old film of the book with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine, I went on to read about the author's life. She had a good solution to the problem of writer's block: simply leave your home and take a long walk. For du Maurier, it was a brisk walk along the beach as she straightened out the writing problem with her current book.

I adoped walking a long time ago to solve problems, writing and other kinds, before Americans became obsessed with being fit. Nowadays, I walk regularly on a trail that starts behind the place where I work out and winds through a subdivision of upscale homes. It is more than just a walking trail: Children, teen-agers and adults run or ride their bikes on it and exercise their dogs. As I walk along, a new character might appear in my mind demanding to be used in the novel, or I think of an incident to bridge a gap in time. I look up as other people approach and say "Good Morning!" Even though it is quite early--in my part of the country you have to exercise early--almost everyone replies cheerfully. Little do they know they've entered my mind, too, all grist for the mill.

This morning I saw a mother striding along and carrying one of those tiny dogs so much in fashion, preceded by her two children on bikes; a large sweating man who just managed to nod wearily to my greeting as he galumphed along; a couple chattering happily as they ran; an elderly lady sitting on a bench by the trail reading a book before resuming her walk; a town employee cutting the grass; and a large dog on a leash bounding toward me followed by his owners, also running. All three were in perfect rhythm.

Writers' Fun in Franklin

Every year in September, the Council of the Written Word sponsors a writers' workshop in Franklin, Tennessee. This year it will be held on Saturday, September 18, 2010, at the Williamson County Public Library, and will feature three writers with stellar achievements and honors. Ted Swindley will speak on "Narrative Play: Stories My Grandmother Told Me;" Caroline Alexander on "Telling True Stories: The Art of Non-Fiction;" and Dr. Lorraine M. Lopez on "Contrapuntal Conversations: How Dialogue Works." For more information, see http://www.cww-writers.org/events/FallSem2010/FallSem10main.htm.

Beaker Street Blues Band

Last Saturday night I went to a wonderful event: a music festival benefitting Page High School's prize-winning marching band. It was a feast of music all day. But by far the best event on the program was the finale: The Beaker Street Blues Band. Sitting under the spectator's tent in the hot, humid night about nine 0'clock or so, I had just finished a dish of homemade peach ice cream and was looking forward to the last act. I was glad the weather had at last cooled a little bit. I watched while the band members climbed on stage and carefully prepared their instruments, the mics and the rest of their equipment. Then they started to play their R&B and what a group of talents! Steve Smartt, trumpet and vocals, tells what kind of music the band plays: "I like the classic two-horn sound of sax plus trumpet and the variety and versatility of using the horns either out front and in your face, or way down low in the background. I'm always learning something new with this band and that's what makes it fun." I'm a person who likes this kind of music "in your face," and I wasn't disappointed. By the time they had played several numbers, the audience was clapping, cheering, grinning, taking pictures, and dancing. The highlights of the evening were, for me, their version of BB King's famous "Everyday I Sing the Blues;" the sax man playing two saxes at once as he played along with the trumpet; and the last number: the sax man jumped down from the stage playing furiously, strode over to a group of teen-agers dancing, pushed his way into the middle, still playing, and then made his way back to the stage, where the band finished for the night in a blaze of glory. To read a lot more about this band, go to http://www.beakerstreetbluesband.com/. And if you live around Nashville, find out where they're playing and GO!

A Scrumptious Killer Nashville This Year

The Franklin Marriott Cool Springs Convention Center in Franklin, Tennessee, is again hosting the scrumptious Killer Nashville conference next week, August 20-22. Scrumptious, that is, in terms of its rich variety of offerings for writer and fan alike, and the sheer fun of going. You can solve the mystery of the annual dead body and win a free Killer Nashville for next year; buy a wide selection of books from the bookstores and/or their authors; get your manuscript critiqued; and learn how to write knockout dialogue. Above all, you can revel in being with people who share your love of mysteries. I promise you there is so much to do that you'll be sorry the conference doesn't last longer. There are more than forty separate seminars, workshops, lectures, and presentations.

Of great interest to CSI or Law and Order buffs like me, those who are fascinated with police procedure or gathering real facts for a novel, look for the fourteen seminars on forensics. Presented by experts in psychology, medicine, and law enforcement, these sessions provide in-depth information about forensic science, criminal psychology, investigative techniques, and firearms.

And if you come, please look me up! I'll be moderating an unusual panel on Friday, August 20, "Grow Old Along With Me: The Aging of Series Protagonists." It will be at 4:00 PM. And on Saturday, August 21 at 8:30 AM, join our group in discussing the Father of American Detective Fiction. That fellow above. Look for "Edgar Allan Poe: Dark Inspiration" in your schedule of events.

Killer Nashville has a number of special rates and discounts, including discounts for seniors, teachers, and full-time students. Special hotel discounts are available to conference attendees. If you'd like to know more, go to http://www.killernashville.com.

Zenyatta who?

Laura Hillenbrand, the author of the wonderful book "Seabiscuit: An American Legend," was interviewed on National Public Radio by Scott Simon on July 17, 2010. Her book led to one of the best equestrian movies I've ever seen, "Seabiscuit," starring three of the finest actors in the business: Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and Tobey McGuire. Little wonder I listened carefully to what Hillenbrand had to say about the newest sensation in horse racing, the captivating mare Zenyatta, who is winning and winning and winning one race after another. Hillenbrand was so enthusiastic about the mare's performance that when she mentioned that listeners might like to watch Zenyatta on YouTube, I went to my computer and found this clip from the 2010 Vanity Handicap: http://www.youtube.com/resultssearch_query=zenyatta+vanity+handicap&aq=3.

I advise you to watch Zenyatta move up past all the other horses to win. Then read the Simon/Hillenbrand interview at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128584725&ps=cprs. You'll see that everything the dazzled Hillenbrand said in the interview about Zenyatta is true.

How I would love to see this mare run!

Botulism and Flooding

Several months ago, I read an article about the deaths of four horses at a riding stable near my home. They died from botulism, a devastating kind of food poisoning that comes from a neurotoxin, defined by Webster's as "a poisonous complex especially of protein that acts on the nervous system." The effects of botulism upon a horse may include muscle tremors, a weakness so pervasive that the animal cannot stand up, the loss of the ability to control his or her tongue and thus the process of swallowing, and a stiff, short, stumbling gait. Death results because of the horse's paralyzed respiratory system, or from associated health problems.

Botulism occurs when horses eat feed or water that contain the deadly toxin. For example, haylage, a silage made from partially dried grass, can be contaminated during raking and baling. Perhaps the body of a dead animal, maybe a snake or a rabbit, is caught in a bale. When several horses develop botulism, the vet looks for poisoned feed or water. What is so troubling for owners is that sometimes the silage may look and smell rotten, and it can be disposed of. But often, the poisoned feed shows no sign of spoilage, and then the horses eat it.

In the case above, it may well be that the recent flooding in Tennessee caused the fields to flood and the hay to get wet. It decayed and the toxic bacteria entered the horses' bodies either by ingestion or through a cut.

When a horse is hospitalized for botulism, the cost is often prohibitive for the owner. The sick horse must be given a serum over many days at $700 for each bag.

While we read about the tragic ways in which the recent flooding affected human beings, we often forget that horses are prey to natural disasters too.

Art Thieves Don't Look Like Brosnan or McQueen

I learned the pleasures of visiting art museums at an early age in Buffalo, where regular visits to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery was common for children. One of the best art experiences I ever had years later was in London, where the prestigious museum I kept going back to (I believe it was the Victoria and Albert) served breakfast in its restaurant. After a scrumptious pastry or two, I would prowl the huge museum at my leisure and see things I had only read about.

Coupled with my love for art museums is my love of heist movies. I've seen many, but one I really enjoyed was the charming movie "The Thomas Crown Affair," a remake of the old Steve McQueen movie but this time starring Pierce Brosnan. Now I've started reading about real thefts, stories in which the thieves are scruffy, weasly, cruel and greedy. I'd like to recommend to my readers "The Gardner Heist" by Ulrich Boser. I've never visited the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, the scene of the largest unsolved art theft in history. The author tells the story of his quest to solve the mystery, a search that took him all over the world. And he is still searching, by the way. See his blog The Open Case at http://theopencase.com/columns.php?page=blog&ctitle=The+Gardner+Heist&blog_id=11.