The Mediterranean waters glistened below me. As I stood on the edge of the rockface, contemplating the 25-foot drop into the clear blue sea, it felt like my body was screaming at me to not jump. My knees were shaking, making my legs feel unsteady. My mind felt fuzzy and slightly disconnected from reality. I was more acutely scared than I had been in quite some time. But here’s the thing: I really wanted to jump. I was in Croatia and the sea was warm and inviting. I had watched about 10 people make the same leap quite safely and I knew, rationally, that it really wasn’t that high. I was determined to push through my nerves and do it, but in that moment I wasn’t entirely sure my body would let me.

Gail Greenough was born in Edmonton, Alberta in March of 1960. She started enjoying equestrian sports at age 11 and by the time she was 23 she had competed at World Cup show jumping events and had been selected to the Canadian Equestrian Team. Then at the 1986 Championships in Aachen, (then) West Germany, as a relative newcomer, she made her first appearance in an international team championship.

Signs of heat stress, prevention, and treatment - Heat can have a devastating impact on our animals — it’s something that, in a clinic setting, I have seen first-hand. All animals outdoors in the heat — whether large or small — require shade, continuous access to fresh water, and air movement and ventilation. These basic concepts are of course the same principles that apply to us. With this in mind, this article will cover heat stress with specific considerations in dogs.

Obesity has a significant impact on the structural changes in cardiovascular tissue in horses, a recent study has found. Obesity is known to have significant adverse effects on horse health with laminitis an obvious example, but it can also contribute to other problems such as those affecting soundness or fertility.

Many people dream of leaving the city behind for the slower pace and more natural lifestyle of the countryside. The yearning for country living may be driven by the dream of keeping your horses at home, owning other livestock, developing a large garden, and enjoying a healthier way of life. But this idealized vision of rural life may not reflect reality for you and your family. There are many practical, environmental, and legal considerations to sort through, not to mention the financial costs. So before dropping a down payment on a piece of property, you have some homework to do, and there are some important factors to consider that might save you big headaches later on.

Asymptomatic Carriers - What You Don't See - While the term “asymptomatic carrier” made headlines with regard to the SARS-CoV2 virus that causes COVID-19, the concept is actually nothing new to epidemiologists and other researchers who study a variety of diseases in humans and animals. Asymptomatic carriers play critical roles in the transmission of infectious diseases in humans, horses, and other species, but they largely go undetected, thereby hampering control efforts.

My parents didn’t have a lot of money for my riding lessons, and I know they must have scrimped and saved for my one-hour sessions. Those lessons were the highlight of my week and they held great power over me to stay out of trouble — with one strike I could hear the parental words that put fear into every kid: “Behave or you will be grounded…” and they always finished the sentence with “…and that means NO RIDING.” I behaved.

What are the advantages of having a veterinarian vaccinate my horse? It is recommended to have a veterinarian vaccinate your horse, instead of doing it yourself, for several reasons.

If you have a pregnant mare in your barn, plan ahead to collect and freeze some of her colostrum — that all-important first milk — so you have it on hand if a foal is born without access to this essential liquid.