CHRB Rule Would Void Claim if Horse Bleeds

A provision voiding the claim of a horse placed on the veterinarian's list for bleeding was approved for a 45-day public comment period by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), though members expressed their concerns during a meeting Feb. 18 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia.

 

The proposed amendment on claiming rules states that "bled" is defined as "the official veterinarian observing a horse bleeding from one or both nostrils during or after the race and determines such bleeding is a direct result of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage." Claims in California currently can be voided on horses found to be unsound in post-race examinations conducted by the official track veterinarian.

 

Multiple CHRB members voiced concerns about "over-regulating" the claiming process, but the board got significant push-back from both equine medical director Rick Arthur, DVM, and California Thoroughbred Trainers president Jim Cassidy.

 

"I disagree with the premise that horses bleed from the nostril without any previous indication," Arthur said. "It does happen, but in terms of protecting the horse, this is a reasonable step."

 

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.