By Debra Ottier - An understanding of the behavioural patterns, limitations, and basic needs of a stallion is necessary to comprehend why some stallions are not able to settle all the mares they breed. In many cases, what can make one stallion more fertile than another comes down to management, although inherent fertility certainly plays a large role as well.

If your veterinarian has recommended a gastroscopy, sometimes called a “stomach scoping,” he or she probably thinks your horse has equine stomach ulcers, which aren’t uncommon in horses. In fact, 62 percent of horses have them to some degree.1 The good news is they can be treated – and prevented in the future.

Diarrhea is the hallmark clinical sign of equine colitis (inflammation of the colon), a condition which can occur in horses of any breed, gender, and age. Horses are particularly susceptible to acute, severe, and sometimes fatal diarrheal illness because of their large colon and caecum. Considerable progress has been made in the last decade in understanding what used to be called “colitis X.” However, many cases of colitis have no known cause. Therefore, in a large proportion of equine cases, the cause of the diarrhea cannot be established. These cases are usually classified as undifferentiated, undetermined, or idiopathic colitis, which is a diagnosis of exclusion made once other known causes of colitis have been ruled out.

The addition of a balanced vitamin and mineral supplement to the feeding program can benefit any horse by providing him with a consistent source of the nutrients his body needs. Synergy is a blend of vitamins, trace minerals, and macro minerals and is designed to satisfy daily equine nutritional requirements, while omega fatty acids, antioxidants, digestive aids, and chondroprotective ingredients promote healthy joints, hooves, skin and coat, immune response, gastrointestinal function, and more.

Mother Nature built in the response of shying as a defense mechanism. However, humans see it as a vice. Imagine you are walking through a graveyard after midnight. You're only nine years old and you are holding your father's hand. Suddenly, something rustles in the bushes.

The importance of contact in dressage cannot be overstated. “Without contact, straightness is not possible, nor is good collection. Your aids, which include your upper body, legs, hands, and seat, combine to create the contact, which should be elastic.

By Jess Hallas-Kilcoyne - Reining is a sport “designed to show the athletic ability of a ranch type horse in the confines of a show arena,” according to the AQHA Rule Handbook, and as such, the reining horse should be quick, agile, and light on his feet. “We need horses that are able to get low to the ground and come through themselves easily and quickly,” says top Canadian reining trainer, coach, and competitor Cheryl Mitchell, of Alberta. “That requires low-set hocks, short cannon bones, a strong hip, strong loin, and clean neck,” she continues, pointing out that these specific characteristics are also valued in working cow and cutting horses.

Comfort Equestrian has introduced a beautiful new line of BR Comfort Line Paddock Boots for ladies and men. Designed and manufactured in Europe by Bieman de Haas, the new boots come in lace, zip, and slip-on styles and are available in black and chestnut brown. An elegant rounded nose and exclusive new shape has been combined with excellent design, material, and workmanship to produce a boot with superior support, comfort, and functionality.