Almost every owner will have to deal with an equine emergency sooner or later. A horse’s natural curiosity, a trail ride mishap, or turnout with herd mates can lead to all kinds of cuts, bruises, kicks, and bites. Scrapes, stone bruises, punctures, sprains, or sores can happen suddenly, and more serious conditions such as abscesses, colic, or bacterial infections can flare up with no warning.

Everyone knows the seasonal annoyance of flies. For horses they can be a real tail swatting, foot stomping, head shaking, skin twitching aggravation. But flying insects such as midges, gnats, horse flies, deer flies, black flies, face flies, house flies, mosquitos, and others are more than a nuisance – they can cause serious skin irritations and can also carry diseases.

With all the various types of boarding options out there – self-care, part-board, full-service, pasture board, co-op board, or deluxe – it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by your search for a boarding facility for your horse before you’ve even started. There is no such thing as the perfect boarding barn, but if you take the time to do your research, you should have no problem finding a facility where you and your horse can be happy, comfortable, and safe together.

Blood transfusions save lives and almost everyone knows the value of donating to the blood bank. But how many people think their animals could be blood donors too? Dogs and cats can both be donors and there are a number of canine blood banks across Canada, many centered at animal emergency clinics and hospitals or veterinary colleges. At the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Italy, a blood bank for dogs has been in operation for a decade.

An Inspiring Story of Triumph & Survival - Amid the crashing surf, a yellow Labrador in a bright pink life jacket dragged a semi-conscious girl onto the beach. The dog’s tail hung limply between its hind legs. It circled once, and then twice, before settling down beside the girl, and resting its head and a paw across her chest. The dog closed its eyes against the sting of the icy rain. Eventually, exhaustion overtook it and it fell into a peaceful slumber despite the storm that raged around it.

As the Alberta government reviews its management strategy for more than 950 wild horses that roam the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, the newly formed Canadian Wild Horse Foundation (CWHF) is getting set to petition the federal government to declare wild horses a heritage species, focusing their goals initially on Alberta’s wild horses. “The Foundation’s main focus is to actively bring awareness (to the public) of the plight of our Canadian wild horses,” said Adrienne Calvert, Executive Director of CWHF. “We aim to educate the public on the numerous historical contributions these animals have made to our country. CWHF believes all Canadian wild horses are an iconic heritage animal that should be protected for future generations.”

For over 100 years, 4-H Canada has been one of the most highly respected and widely known youth organizations in the country, offering activities and projects to nurture members’ talents and abilities, and developing leaders who impact their communities. Its core values embodied in its pledge define the profile of 4-H at every level.

Like humans, horses can be hypersensitive to a wide variety of allergen triggers including insect bites, pollens, dust and molds, chemicals in crop sprays, hay dust, stall bedding materials, wool (sometimes in saddle pad and blanket products), grooming sprays, shampoos, synthetic materials such as neoprene found in boots and pads, medications, supplements, and some ingredients in feed pellets.

This article shares the careers and stories of extraordinary horse industry builders who blazed new trails and took Canada’s equine industry to new heights, while at the same time motivating and inspiring the next generation of equestrians. Driving the growth and success of Canada’s horse industry are thousands of people who demonstrate an amazing level of skill, talent, dedication, diversity, and vision. This feature profiles just a few of these luminary individuals who have helped place Canada among the very best of the world’s equestrian nations.