Rettele is a Kansas native who began training Thoroughbreds in Michigan at Detroit Race Course and Hazel Park. His wife, Carol, trains the Quarter Horses, which compete at tracks in the Midwest.

Richard Rettele gallops the Thoroughbreds, but regularly rides the Quarter Horses in races.

“Racehorses have been my total living,” Rettele told River Downs officials. “I started riding Quarter Horses before they kept records. Right now we’ve got about 50 horses. I only gallop eight or 10 each day; I do have to take it easy somewhat. I like it; nice horses keep you going, but if not, that road gets awful long.

“As long as I’m healthy I plan to continue to ride.”

Rettele said he rode Fearles Fred’s dam and grand dam, and recently won a stakes aboard his brother at Mount Pleasant Meadows in Michigan.

Rettele spent his early years working for Marion Van Berg, father of Jack Van Berg.

This mare, Hope, was rescued from the drug trade. Here she’s shown before rehabilitation.

Hope, after rehabilitation.

Each horse carries anywhere from 300 to 400 pounds of marijuana over 70-80 miles of rough terrain between Mexico and the Tucson sector on the Arizona side of the U. S. border, explained Omar Candaleria, public information liaison for the U.S. Customs Service and Boarder Patrol in Tucson.

Calendaria said that typically riders, who also carry marijuana on their horse in bundles attached to their horses , lead strings of horses carrying packs filled with the drugs. Once riders have delivered their drug loads, they cut the pack horses loose and either turn the animals out into the desert or tie them there. Border patrol agents or local authorities discover and impound animals that survive. Most are generally in poor condition, according to Michael Robinson, DVM, the veterinarian who treats the abandoned animals.

“Most of these horses have suffered trauma from (encounters with) cactus and falling off rocks,” said Robinson, who also provides veterinary care for border agents’ horses and treats the abandoned animals. “They have bowed tendons and sores on their backs and bellies from carrying the (drug-filled packs).”

Once authorities remove the surviving horses from the desert, the animals are transferred into the custody of the Arizona Department of Agriculture. The department confines the animals to quarantine for seven days at holding pens in Santa Cruz County, said John W. Hunt, DVM, associate director of the department’s Animal Services Division. During that time officials test each horse for glanders (a contagious disease caused by the bacterium Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) mallei; cases are characterized by nodules, abscesses, and ulcers in the respiratory tract and skin); dourine (a venereal disease not yet found in the United States); piroplasmosis (caused by blood-borne parasites Theileria equi or Babesia caballi, which can be spread by some species of ticks, the use of contaminated needles, and possibly through blood-contaminated semen of infected stallions); and equine infectious anemia (EIA, a retrovirus that can be transmitted via biting insects such as the deer fly and horsefly, as well as from tainted tack, equipment, and veterinary supplies, and from mares to foals during pregnancy). The veterinarians said most of the horses are found disease-free.

At the end of the quarantine period, the horses are offered for sale at public auction. State agricultural authorities place some of the unsold horses with the Desert Springs Equestrian Center (DSEC) in Tucson for rehabilitation, said DSEC spokesperson Elissa Hambright.

“We supply farrier, veterinary, and other rehabilitative care, then try to find good homes for them,” she said.

Last year the Arizona Department of Agriculture impounded 51 horses suspected of being international strays, Hunt said.

The DSEC took in 15 of those horses. Of those, five were later placed in permanent homes, said Hambright. Some other former packhorses have joined the mounted border patrol after their rehabilitation, according to Robinson.

“The agents take very good care of their horses,” he said. “Even if it means purchasing whatever they need out of their own pockets.”

The flow of horses abandoned by smugglers in the Arizona desert is not likely to stop soon, said Hambright. Meanwhile, members of Tucson’s equine community, including DSEC and other rescues, have stepped up, saying they are willing to help save those they can.

“The important thing is that these horses get a second chance,” Hambright said.

Again, those roadways are designed with exit ramps specifically to provide room for a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed to safely move out of the line of traffic and then slow down. Failing to use merge lanes and exit ramps properly not only disrupts traffic but also contributes to numerous accidents.

“Safe travel on a freeway is all about flow, and anything that disrupts the flow of traffic can cause an accident,” said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider, the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians. “While driving too fast is a problem, driving too slow can be as well,” he added.

While driving safely is important for everyone’s safety and welfare, it is particularly important for vehicles that are towing trailers.

While it is best for a merging vehicle to accelerate to the speed of the other vehicles on the interstate, factors such as terrain, available space and design hamper the ability of a truck and trailer to get up to speed in time.

USRider offers these steps for executing a safe merge:

* As you drive in the merge lane, or on-ramp, use your mirrors to check traffic speed. (Before starting a trip, check to ensure that your mirrors are properly adjusted. In addition, convex mirrors on both sides are a must for checking traffic in your blind spots.)
* Signal and accelerate as close as possible to the speed of the other vehicles.
* Keep checking the freeway traffic by looking in your side view mirror and over your shoulder, being sure to check that no one is in your blind spot.
* Keep glancing at the vehicles ahead of you to make sure they aren’t stopping or slowing unexpectedly. Allow extra distance between you and the vehicle ahead to prevent a rear-end collision in case someone stops. Also, check to see how much shoulder space is ahead as an emergency option.
* Increase the speed gradually at the acceleration lane. You shouldn’t cross the white or yellow solid line separating the acceleration lane from the freeway.
* Find a gap in the traffic flow before attempting to enter. Be sure the gap is large enough for your tow vehicle and trailer.
* Before entering a traffic flow, adjust your speed to the flow’s speed. In other words you should move at nearly the same speed as other cars on the highway.
* Turn off your turn signal once you are traveling in the through lane.

It is very important that you do not stop in a merge lane, except in an emergency, such as the vehicle in front of you stopping or if the traffic on the highway is very heavy and provides no space for a merge, as this can put you at a high risk for a rear-end collision. It will be very difficult to accelerate quickly enough from a standstill to safely fit into the traffic flow. Rather, maintain your speed to join smoothly with the traffic flow.

Like any other maneuvers, merging requires a driver’s ability to do several things at once. “When merging onto a highway, it is very important to give it your undivided attention,” said Cole. “This means that you should minimize any distractions and no talking on the cell phone.”

Confidence is the key, and practice can increase your confidence. Don’t forget to practice good driving etiquette and to obey the law, this will help you to perform nearly perfect merges.

“It is also important to make certain that your tow vehicle is properly matched with your horse trailer so you can perform these maneuvers safely,” said Cole.

Here are some helpful reminders about safe exiting of a highway:

• Move into the proper exit lane.

• Signal before entering the deceleration lane.

• Maintain your speed until you are off the highway and in the deceleration lane, then slow down to the exit speed limit.

It is important not to exceed the posted speed at an exit ramp. “This is especially true with a vehicle that is towing a horse trailer because a loaded horse trailer has a high center of gravity and could turn over easily,” added Cole.

Pigeon fever is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, which tends to live in the soil in hot, dry environments. It is primarily spread by flies and causes abscesses on the pectoral region that give a horse a “pigeon breast” appearance (hence the name).

Pigeon fever is not unusual in West Coast states like California, which reportedly had severe pigeon fever conditions during the 2009 fly season. While an estimated 2% of the 1,922 mustangs at the Calico Complex in Nevada had signs of pigeon fever from the end of December 2009 until the beginning of February 2010, even this was not widely considered an official “outbreak.”

In contrast, it is not typical to see any cases of pigeon fever on the East Coast. Nonetheless, Michelle M. LeBlanc, DVM, Dipl. ACT, a reproduction specialist at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., diagnosed pigeon fever in several horses in Florida this past spring.

“Three Thoroughbred yearlings sharing a paddock on one farm,” said LeBlanc. “One Thoroughbred mare with a foal at the side and two riding horse all developed chest abscesses consistent with pigeon fever.”

She added, “C. pseudotuberculosis was cultured from each of these horses to confirm the diagnosis, and all the abscesses were lanced and allowed to drain. Only the two riding horses were treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic (SMZ), and all horses are now doing well.”

According to LeBlanc, one confirmed case of pigeon fever was also seen at the University of Florida’s Veterinary Medical Center.

In reference to the spread of pigeon fever, LeBlanc said, “I don’t think we can assume that the disease is spreading. We had an abnormally dry, cold winter with blowing sand. It is more likely that the bacterium was already in the soil and the environmental conditions allowed the organisms to multiply. We experienced a problem with pigeon fever in Florida about 20 years ago, and it is likely that Florida will not see it again for many years.”

Pigeon fever is not usually life-threatening, and many cases resolve both with and without veterinary intervention.

“With cribbing (or crib biting), a fixed object is grabbed with the incisor teeth and air is drawn in repetitively through the mouth by the horse, causing a characteristic grunting noise,” said Dr. Cleet Griffin, clinical assistant professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “This behavior causes an abnormal appearance of the incisor teeth due to excessive wear.

“Usually, this behavior is associated with boredom or confinement of horses. A remedy for every cribber does not exist. Prevention can include the use of mechanical devices to prevent grasping objects, such as a muzzle. The muzzle is worn continually by the horse and limits cribbing behavior, but not eating or drinking. In my experience, these seem very humane and work well at preventing the behavior. A ‘cribbing collar’ fits very snug around the throatlatch area of the neck of the horse and discourages the horse from engulfing air. These have been utilized commonly to help prevent cribbing behavior. Other approaches that have been practiced include surgery, acupuncture, nutritional alterations, and environmental alterations to deter the behavior.”

If a horse is cribbing and owners are not aware of it, they may notice that wood has been chewed away from the feed manger or surrounding fencing. The behavior can also be very destructive to plastic water buckets and feed buckets. An annual oral exam can detect abnormal wear of the incisor teeth that results from cribbing.

“The annual oral exam also helps to detect sharp dental points that may cause discomfort during eating or riding,” said Griffin. “The examination detects abnormalities of eruption, damaged crowns, and overgrown teeth as well.

“In Texas, it is unlawful for anyone other than a licensed veterinarian to perform dental procedures on horses. For the annual visit, horses require a primary care veterinarian who is accustomed to performing routine dental procedures in horses. There are some veterinarians who limit their practice to dentistry and have undergone additional training to perform specialized procedures, who may be needed in certain situations.”

Sometimes dental emergencies need to be addressed.

“The most common emergencies that involve teeth in my experience usually occur in juvenile-age horses, and it is not uncommon for these horses to sustain traumatic fracture of the bone involving the upper or lower incisor teeth,” said Griffin.

This can damage erupted teeth or the developing permanent teeth under the gum. In many instances, surgical wiring can be used to fix the bone and teeth back into place for healing.

“Also, I have seen horses in which an acute fracture to the crown of an incisor tooth or canine tooth has occurred, causing exposed, bleeding dental pulp,” said Griffin.

With fractured teeth, the veterinarian can undertake emergency treatments in many instances to reduce pain and prevent contamination of the exposed dental tissue in an effort to allow healing and eventual restoration of crown.

Besides obvious signs such as bleeding, like the described case above, there are other things to watch for that might indicate oral discomfort in a horse. If, while riding, your horse displays abnormal irritated behavior such as head tossing, gaping the mouth, or slinging the head (especially after a bit is put into place), this could be a sign that the horse needs dental work.

“If the horse begins to exhibit unusual behavior while eating or chewing, such as excessive slobbering, tilting the head to the side, or dropping large chunks of poorly chewed feed material, that is a sign that some dental work needs to be done,” said Griffin.

Most dental issues can be resolved or prevented with a yearly exam. If horse owners become complacent and neglect their horses’ dental maintenance, it is possible that more severe problems could lead to esophageal choke or impaction colic.

Statistics show that driving while distracted is a factor in 25% of police-reported crashes. Given the rising number of automobile accidents caused by texting, the US Department of Transportation issued a nationwide ban in January that prohibits texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as large truck and buses.

USRider, the national provider of roadside emergency assistance for equestrians, applauds the ban and urges horse owners to voluntarily comply with this ban while transporting horses.

“At USRider, we think no one should text while driving, and we urge horse owners to voluntarily comply with this ban, especially when trailering,” said Mark Cole, managing member for USRider.

Trailering horses is a huge responsibility and should be taken very seriously. While horse owners are not required to carry a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to tow a horse trailer, they are driving a vehicle that is most likely carrying weight that exceeds the weight of many commercial vehicles. With the increased weight, a tow vehicle and trailer have a much longer stopping distance than passenger cars and light trucks.

Evidence shows that even hands-free devices do not reduce the risk of an accident. The underlying problem is that the brain is distracted.

“From our recent trailer-accident study, we found that distracted driving was one of the primary reasons for trailer incidents,” Cole said.

Such accidents are easily preventable. Drivers need to keep their minds and eyes on the road, and pull over if they need to text or make a call.

Research by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) shows that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road. Drivers who text while driving are 20 times more likely to get in an accident than non-distracted drivers.

“In addition to the possibility of causing injury or death to their horse, horse owners who text while driving pose a risk to other motorists,” said Cole.

According to Hanover Shoe Farms, the duo’s offspring, a yet-to-be-named bay filly, hit the ground Saturday, May 8 at the Pennsylvania nursery.

Once horses are loaded and before driving off, check that:
✔ Horses are tied securely and with proper length of lead rope or quick-release trailer tie;
✔ Hay nets are securely fastened;
✔ Butt chains or bars are fastened; and
✔ All doors, windows, and gates are securely latched.

Finally, drive with caution. Towing a trailer alters the way your vehicle handles:
✔ Allow more time for stopping;
✔ Keep greater distance between you and the vehicle ahead;
✔ Signal for turns earlier;
✔ Stop every few hours to give your horses a break from the motion and noise,
and to offer them water; and
✔ If you’re driving more than 12 hours, break it up and plan to stay somewhere overnight.