Horses

PLYMOUTH - There is no Social Security or Medicare for thoroughbred horses that reach the end of their racing careers; just a few years ago, their end would probably have come at a slaughterhouse. Today there's a local program that provides refuge for the animals, and in some cases allows them to have a second career. The Second Chance program began in 2009 when Suffolk Downs racetrack in East Boston, in conjunction with the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation and with help from the Fields Family Foundation, established a home for retired racehorses at the Plymouth County Sheriff's Farm, the last...

Despite vigorously denying he gave one of his horses an illegal performance-enhancing mixture, trainer Doug O'Neill was suspended 45 days — a ban that won't take effect until after his superstar colt, I'll Have Another, tries to win the Triple Crown. After a nearly two-year legal battle, California racing officials agreed with O'Neill but still found fault because of a rule that says trainers are ultimately responsible for horses in their care. The ruling Thursday doesn't prevent O'Neill from saddling his Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner in the Belmont Stakes on June 9. ...

Bands jumping to a major label usually become more commercial, not less, right? It’s painful to say, but Band of Horses’ third release makes one long for the proverbial record-label suit saying, “I don’t hear a single.’’ After success with powerful tear-jerkers like “Funeral’’ and “Is There a Ghost,’’ Band of Horses has veered hard off the commercial highway onto a dusty, rural service road. It’s a detour that necessitates a stark reduction in speed and power, which isn’t a bad idea considering the band’s music has been licensed into ubiquity through TV and advertisements.

A fast-moving wildfire erupted in a rural neighborhood near the Nevada-California line and destroyed two homes Tuesday but no injuries were reported and the danger from what one frightened resident described as a "wall of fire" was subsiding as winds died at nightfall along the Sierra's eastern front. Between 100 and 200 homes were threatened at one time in the Topaz Ranch Estates about 50 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe after the fire broke out about 1:45 p.m. — possibly after a controlled burn conducted on residential land rekindled in winds gusting up to 40 mph, authorities said.

A new photo exhibit at the University of New Hampshire highlights horses from mythology, literature and closer to home. The university's Dimond Library and the UNH Equine Center have teamed up to present "The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life," which will be on display June 1 - 23. The exhibit pairs photos of horses and riders with quotations from books ranging from Don Quixote to The Arabian Nights. The photos showcase everything from carriage driving to show jumping, and include images from UNH and other regional equestrian programs.

The owners of Maplewood Farm, Tamara and Archibald Johnston, hoped that the tons of dirt they trucked onto their 20-acre property in Berlin would help them realize their dream of raising and training horses. Instead, the dirt has only brought them trouble. Since November, when Berlin's building inspector ordered the Johnstons to stop building an indoor riding arena and moving earth around their property, Maplewood Farm has been a source of controversy in one of the most rural towns in the region.

BAND OF HORSES With: Tyler Ramsey At: Paradise Rock Club, Monday Midway through the show Monday night at the Paradise, Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell realized aloud that this would be the Seattle-spawned group's last headlining gig of the year. Having done a series of arena opening dates for others, Bridwell surveyed the sold-out club, packed with spirited fans shaking off the Mondays, and said, "We're so lucky to be able to fill this place. " The band channeled that gratitude into the music and confidently capped 2011 with a loud, exhilarating, guns-blazing...

The God of Animals , By Aryn Kyle, Scribner, 320 pp., $25 Fictional debuts, like the young colts in this fine first novel, often are more about the exciting promise of a neophyte than the actual talent shown. More than often autobiographical, first novels can also be a little familiar. Not so with "The God of Animals," a first novel that's so strong, startling, and moving, that it's a thoroughbred from the first page. Based on the short story "Foaling Season," which won a National Magazine Award for Fiction for The Atlantic Monthly, Aryn Kyle's novel is an...

A sheriff says his office is investigating after horses repeatedly escaped from the Ohio farm where dozens of exotic animals were released by their suicidal owner and later killed by authorities last fall. Two surviving leopards, two primates and a bear were returned to the owner's widow and the farm near Zanesville this month. That left some people concerned because nothing in Ohio law allows state officials to check on the animals' welfare. Last week, horses were reported outside the farm three days in a row. Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz (lootz)

This small town, home to Middlebury College, was chartered in 1761 and has more than 300 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Besides history, Middlebury is loaded with museums, charming accommodations, culture, a world-renowned horse farm, hiking trails, and great shopping. The best way to explore this quintessential New England town is on foot. Stay For fans of quaint inns, options abound in this town of about 8,000 population. The Middlebury Inn (14 Court Square, 800-842-4666, www.middleburyinn.com, $139-$239)

A Kentucky Derby-winning thoroughbred trainer urged a court Tuesday to reject his 10-year ban from the sport, arguing that a top New York racing official appeared biased as a member of the industry organization that first suggested revoking his license. Trainer Rick Dutrow Jr.'s license was revoked by the New York Racing and Wagering Board in October, although he is currently working under a court-ordered stay. The three-member board cited infractions including syringes containing an analgesic and sedative found in Dutrow's desk and an analgesic found in the urine of his horse...

A sheriff says his office is investigating after horses repeatedly escaped from the Ohio farm where dozens of exotic animals were released by their suicidal owner and later killed by authorities last fall. Two surviving leopards, two primates and a bear were returned to the owner's widow and the farm near Zanesville this month. That left some people concerned because nothing in Ohio law allows state officials to check on the animals' welfare. Last week, horses were reported outside the farm three days in a row. Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz...

A new photo exhibit at the University of New Hampshire highlights horses from mythology, literature and closer to home. The university's Dimond Library and the UNH Equine Center have teamed up to present "The Literary Horse: When Legends Come to Life," which will be on display June 1 - 23. The exhibit pairs photos of horses and riders with quotations from books ranging from Don Quixote to The Arabian Nights. The photos showcase everything from carriage driving to show jumping, and include images from UNH and other regional equestrian programs.

Judging by his appetite and appearance, Bodemeister has rebounded nicely from his vigorous trip in the Kentucky Derby and is ready to shine at the Preakness. Bodemeister finished second in the Derby and has been installed the favorite in Saturday's second jewel of the Triple Crown. "I've had some horses, they run (and then) they don't eat for a few days and they sulk in the stall or whatever," Bodemeister trainer Bob Baffert said. "But he's a pretty tough horse. He just bounced out of it really well.

One good thing about losing the Kentucky Derby is that nobody wants much of your time for two solid weeks. Bob Baffert's countdown still had 36 hours or so left to run Friday morning when the silver-tongued Hall of Fame trainer stepped outside his barn at Pimlico Race Course and looked at the grandstand looming in the distance. "I don't really get charged up until we walk over there Saturday afternoon," Baffert said. "That's when it really becomes the Preakness to me. " He's won the race five times in 11 tries, three of those with the Kentucky...

As the horse he owned ran dead last in the Kentucky Derby, Peter Fuller stood atop his chair at Churchill Downs in 1968, pumping his fists and urging Dancer's Image along at the top of his lungs. "There you go, baby doll," he yelled, sensing a spirit others missed. "That's it! Push it!" Threading through the pack, Dancer's Image raced to a thrilling, come-from-behind victory that was only slightly less improbable than what followed. A couple of days later, officials said the horse had tested positive for traces of an...

The animals seized from a renowned horse breeder accused of using her day job as a city bookkeeper to steal millions in public funds have telling names: Jewels by Tiffany, Have Faith in Money. Rita Crundwell lavished attention on her prize-winning animals, and their catchy names helped them stand out at show exhibitions. They might also reveal something about the woman prosecutors say was behind a staggering theft of $53 million from the city of Dixon in northern Illinois, or at least about the flashy breeding industry she loved.

Over the past four to five days, someone has been entering a corral and cutting the hair off two horses, said Geraldine Lapense, Wellfleet police court prosecutor. Neither of the horses was injured, but the owners continue to notice hair missing from the tails of the creatures. Police suspect the stolen hair is being used to make jewelry, Lapense said. The owners of the horses have offered a reward for information leading to arrest and prosecution of the thief. Police asked anyone with information to call 508-349-3702.

State police say they will not file criminal charges against a Stafford man who tied his horse to a pickup truck and tried to pull it back to his stable. Lt. J. Paul Vance of the state police said Wednesday that 86-year-old Culver Modisette didn't intend to harm the horse, which fell on its side while being pulled by the truck on April 22. The horse only had minor skin wounds after the incident. Police say the horse got loose and wandered to a neighbor's property. Authorities say the pure-bred Arabian at first resisted Modisette's attempt to walk it back home, so Modisette tied...

All of the 19 miniature horses that were rescued from desperate conditions at a small farm in West Boylston in March are now in the process of being adopted through the MSPCA at Nevins Farm, where they have been cared for the last two months. The horses were first put through deworming to eliminate parasites, and were treated through the volunteer efforts of local farriers and equine dentists to begin their recovery to full health. Two have moved to the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals to continue their rehabilitation, one has been adopted by a Nevins Farm...