In the last few years, teenaged horses have been making headlines by winning some of the biggest competitions on the planet. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (held in 2021), over half of the three-day eventing horses were aged 13 through 19. The oldest horse was Tayberry, a 20-year-old ridden by Hong Kong’s Thomas Heffernan Ho.

There’s Far More To It Than You Might Think - My wife and I recently spent four devastating days in Sumas Prairie, Abbotsford, British Columbia assisting with the rescue and evacuation of animals following the disastrous flooding caused by the “atmospheric river” of torrential rain in mid-November 2021. It’s one thing to watch it on the news — it’s surreal to be on the ground in the middle of it.

If you need a break from listening to music or the news, consider tuning in to a free podcast. With thousands of episodes available, you should be able to find something that grabs your interest. From horse industry news to expert help, insider tips to business ideas, there’s a program for everyone.

Question: I’d like to make my horse facility more environmentally friendly but I’m on a tight budget. What are some inexpensive ways to “green” my barn? A: Going green doesn’t have to mean spending a small fortune. There are many budget-conscious ways to change the way you manage your facility so that your barn and property are more eco-friendly.

A diagnosis of asthma used to mean retirement for performance horses, or in some cases, euthanasia. But with advancements in research, good management, and the development of products that help heavey, coughing horses perform, now many riders can keep their wheezing horses comfortable and extend their lives.

Protecting Horses and Humans - The COVID-19 pandemic showed how alarmingly quickly a virus can spread across countries and continents and created an understandable reaction to protect against infection from any and all viruses and pathogens. By extension, it is also essential that there is a level of biosecurity on your farm or acreage to protect horses against agents of disease.

Youth riders are the future of Canada’s equestrian teams, but not every horse sport has dedicated programs to bring along competitive riders aged 12 to 30. Equestrian Canada’s (EC) Long-Term Equestrian Development document provides a road map for athlete development — from those new to horseback riding to riders competing on Canada’s senior teams. Yet, there’s no one-stop-shop that describes pathways and programs for youth in different horse sports. Every sport has unique divisions and opportunities to advance, but some lack systematic activities that encourage advancement. Regardless, many riders who have represented Canada internationally have honed their skills through the youth programs and competitions that are available. Here’s a brief summary of programs available for Canadian youth riders, along with insight from those involved.

For most disciplines, the horse’s mane should fall on the right side of the neck. However, a mane might have a mind of its own and prefer to be on the left side, or maybe on both sides. I have always found that the best way to train a mane to lie flat on one side is to braid it and leave those braids in for a few days, or up to a week if possible.

If you strive to attain a strong classical position when you ride, we’re here with exercises to help. Are you able to maintain that much sought-after ear-shoulder-hip-heel position when you ride? If so, congratulations! If not, just keep working on those exercises and be assured that over time they will help you establish better postural alignment.