Across the globe, people are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact, and for horse owners, this includes making their barns more sustainable. Going green doesn’t just help the planet—it can also lead to significant cost savings, whether you’re outfitting an eco-friendly barn or simply making small, impactful changes.

Sifting through truth, tradition, and emotion - When we think of training tack, we think of whips, spurs, nosebands, and martingales. It’s a divisive topic in the horse industry. Horse show committees, popular clinicians, coaches, competitive and casual riders all differ in their views. In a sport where truth, tradition, and emotions often collide, I’ve had to sift through the issues to form my own system as a horse trainer, show judge, and riding coach. By trial and error, from training hundreds of horses and watching countless horses and riders, I’ve honed my sense of what works and what tends not to.

In the summer of 2023, we asked you "Do you agree with Equestrian Canada's program to license/certify every coach by 2025?"

"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - When Dorothy Brooke, the wife of a British army major general, arrived in Egypt in 1930, she became aware of the fate of thousands of former war horses that had faithfully served the British army during World War I. Born in the United Kingdom, these horses were shipped overseas to serve in the war and had not returned home. Those that survived were now living a life of crippling hardship as working horses on the streets of Cairo and elsewhere in Egypt. She decided to do whatever was necessary to ease their suffering.

Due to its effectiveness in helping the horse carry his body with good form, the longe cavesson is arguably one of the most useful pieces of equipment to own. Yet, only a surprisingly small number of riders who know about it. While early depictions from the 16th century refer mostly to its value in lateral poll flexion, its benefits for groundwork extend to a horse’s entire body. For anyone who performs groundwork it is an indispensable tool, as I will explain. Common misalignments of horses during groundwork include a twisted poll that comes from a handler using a line attached under the chin, or one-sided pressure on the bit when using a bridle. The alignment and state of positive — or negative — tension in the poll directly affects the rest of the body.

Seventy-five years ago, the passion of one lady started a movement to help the horses in Cairo. Today, the Brooke’s five-year goal is to reach two million equines in the world’s poorest countries. They are getting there, one animal and one grateful owner at a time.

The world mourned the loss of Britain's longest-reining monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, when she passed away in September 2022. Her death ushered in a new era for the monarch. Her son, Prince Charles, ascended to the throne, the words to Canada's Royal Anthem were adapted to include "God Save the King," and it is likely that, in time, King Charles III’s image will replace that of Queen Elizabeth II on Canadian currency. Despite these changes, Queen Elizabeth’s lifelong devotion to horses and her profound influence on the world of equestrianism will remain a lasting part of her remarkable legacy.

If building a barn is on your horizon, the first step is to make your wish list. Whether it’s a perfect four-stall barn with walk-out paddocks, or a large training and boarding facility, your dream barn will be a major construction project that should create a safe and comfortable home for your horses and their people, both at work and at play.

Horse welfare is complex, partly due to the myriad uses, values, and husbandry arrangements for horses. They’re backyard pets, ridden and driven in competition, raced, raised for meat, and used for therapy, recreation, and rodeo. Horses are regularly transported, kept in rural and urban areas, stalls, pens, fields, and pastures, plus managed according to their use. Many horses live on individual properties and their welfare relies on individual owners, making poor welfare difficult to identify.