Those who care for horses are encouraged to take part in a worldwide study of equine behaviour. “The increase in popularity of having a horse as a recreational companion has stimulated a diversity of opinions as to what constitutes normal and abnormal equine behaviour, and what defines effective and humane training,” says Paul McGreevy, Professor of Animal Welfare and Behaviour at the University of Sydney, in a letter to the Veterinary Record, the official journal of the British Veterinary Association.

When I take on any horse there is a period of getting to know what I am dealing with in terms of personality, sensitivity, confidence, past training, possible underlying physical issues, fears, etc. In addressing any behaviour patterns there are many intangible things that we do not always take into consideration.

When executed correctly, the sliding stop is one of the most exciting maneuvres to watch in a reining pattern. But many riders tend to underestimate the importance of the approach to the stop. Not only is the quality of the approach being judged, but if the approach fails, the stop will almost always fail to be correct also.

What does it mean and how will it change the landscape of Canada’s horse industry? At the Equestrian Canada Convention November 2, 2019, the Coach Licensing Program, which was unanimously approved by the Board, was unveiled. The plan is for all coaches to be licensed and certified by 2025.

Descending from prehistoric Celtic ponies, the native Welsh Mountain Pony has existed in a recognizable form since around 1600 BC. These early ponies adapted to the unforgiving terrain, sparse feed, and inclement weather, creating a hardy, agile, and intelligent animal.

A possible new treatment for foal pneumonia that doesn’t risk causing multi-drug resistance has been discovered. Researchers at Texas A&M University and the University of Georgia found that gallium maltolate (GaM), a semi-metal compound with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, could be a viable alternative to overprescribed antibiotics. The research, funded by the Morris Animal Foundation, has been published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports.

The horses were tired and hungry, and we needed to find them good feed. We had travelled all day in the alpine, over shale ridges and snow patches, through meadows that were just greening up, and finally over a pass between two rocky promontories. Route finding had gone well, but the last trail — dropping 1000 feet down into a pass — eluded us. We ended up in the bottom of a bowl above 400 foot cliffs, taking the brunt of a nasty wind.

Off grid, offline, and in sync with your breathtaking surroundings is the only way I can describe The Land of the Long White Cloud Ride with Wild Women Expeditions. On this ten-day ride hosted by Adventure Horse Trekking New Zealand in the South Island, one quickly learns to trust their mount as it carefully manoeuvres the trails clinging to the mountainside with the lake below. Civilization and the realities of everyday life are left behind and soon forgotten as you bond with fellow riders lunching alongside a babbling brook, or belting out familiar songs around the crackling fireplace in a herdsman’s hut.