I learned the fundamentals of equitation to the repetitive tune of Heads up! Heels down! while trotting around and around the riding school arena. I acquired the hows of riding in those early years, but my whys were typically answered with tradition: That’s just the way it’s done. Thinking back, if I’d grasped the reasoning behind the technical skills of riding, I’d have been more motivated to persevere in those drills without stirrups!

Keys to a Successful Move - When it comes to stressors, moving house is right up there with other major life changes. For horses, moving to a new home may be just as stressful, if not more so.

As horses exercise, their core body temperature climbs. To prevent overheating, the body relies heavily on sweat evaporation to cool down. Sweating is essential during physical activity, but it leads to the loss of both water and vital electrolytes. These include sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium—key minerals that support nerve function, hydration, and muscle activity. Without proper replenishment, electrolyte depletion can impair performance and compromise your horse’s well-being. Supporting your horse’s recovery means restoring both water and electrolyte levels in appropriate proportions.

There is a lot more to haymaking than “making hay while the sun shines,” though doing so is a necessary start. Sadly, each year horse barns and farmers’ storage barns burn down, and horses become sick from respiratory disease and colic, as well as myriad other diseases such as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID or Cushings disease). Many of these situations are avoidable so here are, in my opinion, the seven deadly sins of horse hay-making, in no particular order.

Raising the Bar in Hoof Care - In the horse world, regardless of the discipline, farriers often stand in the shadows of veterinarians and trainers. Yet, they are essential to a horse’s well-being. A good farrier does not just trim hooves or tack on shoes — they understand biomechanics and are blacksmiths and healthcare providers.

Canada’s horse industry is not disappearing, but it is definitely changing. In Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia — where the majority of Canada’s horses live — horse use and equine housing are changing from farms, breeding, racing, and meat production to more recreational and sport horses living at boarding facilities and on mixed-use properties.

Davis, CA, May 29, 2026 — Researchers at the UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, led by Dr. Carrie Finno and graduate student Briana Brown, have reported the genetic cause of a fatal neurologic disease, equine juvenile spinocerebellar ataxia (EJSCA), in American Quarter Horse foals. A genetic test is available through the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (VGL).

Poems about or inspired by horses have been written for centuries, and although the language used has evolved over time, there are some themes that just seem to stick — for instance, the power, beauty, and mystery of horses. What follows is a bit of a roundup of some notable poems on these and other themes commonly found in equine-connected poetry.

The containment of your horse is a very important and serious business, and doing the job right the first time is worth every bit of effort and expense you lay out. When planning your fencing project, try to eliminate as many potential problems as possible and keep the safety of the horse uppermost in mind.