Article Archive

By Margaret Evans

West Nile virus (WNV) has finally arrived in British Columbia. Since arriving in the New York area ten years ago, the virus spread rapidly across the continent yet failed to reach BC until this summer when one horse (possibly two) became infected in Osoyoos. Just a few weeks later another horse was diagnosed with WNV in Aldergrove. None of them has been out of the province, confirming that the virus is present in various areas in BC. In 2006, a horse that had travelled to Colorado was infected with the virus before it returned to the province.

Pacific & Prairie Horse Journal September 09 Online Feature

By Margaret Evans

“Juniper” was terrified. As the smoke from three Kelowna, BC wildfires billowed hundreds of feet in the air, no amount of coaxing persuaded the 15 hand Morgan, with a touch of Percheron, to enter the horse trailer. The mare, along with other horses, had been moved to the historic Fintry Estate Park, which had become an emergency holding area from where animals were transported to temporary homes offered by the Kelowna Riding Club and Lindgren Riding Academy.

Pacific & Prairie Horse Journal August 09 issue Online Feature

A Place of Discovery
By Margaret Evans

“One of our riders was an autistic boy,” recalled Linda Smith, equestrian director at Zajac Ranch in Mission, British Columbia. “He was really shy. He lacked confidence and had little muscle tone. He was 15 years old and was tall but slight. He was scared and unsure and he didn’t talk. But after ten weeks in the therapeutic riding program he came out of his shell. It helped him increase his coordination (and) he was able to trot. He became eager. Once he realized what he could do, it was really good for him.”

Pacific & Prairie Horse Journal July 09 issue Online Feature

By Margaret Evans

Over the decades, we’ve owned several horses and ponies that have lived into their thirties. As the years went by, they aged and retired to pasture. When their time came, they passed quickly and quietly, and we blessed the fact that we had enjoyed so many happy years with them. But were they old? Judging from the equine Methuselahs out there, our aged horses were merely spring chickens!