Each horse is an individual and will have their own specific nutritional needs. With that in mind, there are several categories into which seniors can be divided based on their nutritional needs.

Parents of horse-crazy kids and other prospective beginners often feel at a loss as to how to get involved with horses and make the best choices in an industry they know little about. At the same time, the number of participants in the equestrian community has been steadily declining in recent years, and the increase in the average age of those remaining involved points to a strong need to encourage new people to enter the horse industry.

Elite equestrian riders often credit their success to a dedicated team of professionals who work together to optimize both the rider’s and horse’s performance. However, successful teams go beyond the standard mix of farriers, grooms, owners, saddle fitters, sponsors, sports psychologists, and veterinarians. Three prominent Canadian riders—amateur show jumper Stephanie Valdes, 2020 Paralympian dressage rider Winona Hartvikson, and seasoned Olympic three-day eventer Kyle Carter—there’s much more to building a winning team.

Fragile Foal Syndrome (FFS) is a lethal genetic disease of connective tissue which has been reported most frequently. in Warmbloods. However, a recent study has found that the genetic defect responsible is present across a range of other breeds.

With Sarah Bradley - “Straightness refers to how the horse positions his body, and his ability to use both sides of his body evenly, providing even propulsion from both hind legs and carrying even weight on both front legs. It's about the rider’s ability to place the horse’s body on the line the rider wishes to travel. A horse is straight when the bird’s eye view shows the horse’s spine as being directly on the line of travel. Thus, a horse on a circle is ‘straight’ when it compresses the inside of its body and lengthens the outside, so that its spine follows the circle.”

What makes a great stop? A great stop is when you can ride at the gallop in any location and simply relax, let your breath out, and your horse responds by quickly coming down to the stop, both physically and mentally, just off your seat.

“The stable environment invariably presents challenges of dust, mould and proper ventilation,” says Susan Raymond, instructor of Equine Guelph’s Management of the Equine Environment online course. “Most horses are well equipped for living outdoors and thrive, provided certain provisions are met.” Dr. Raymond completed her PhD in investigating the effects of exposure of horses to mycotoxins. She has also been involved in air quality research, which provided practical recommendations to the horse industry on stable design and management.

Top notch grooms are crucial to the success of upper level riders, doing everything from providing day-to-day care for hundred thousand dollar horse-flesh, to ensuring riders are on time for their horse show classes. Rarely in the limelight, grooms are the essential but unsung heroes of horse sport - the behind-the-scenes pit crew that make the magic happen for well-known riders.

The mammalian nervous system is an incredible thing, with its complex functionality, and all the ways it regulates our systems, adapts to change, restores itself, and even mirrors the nervous systems of those around us. If any year was going to introduce us to the limits and resourcefulness of our unique nervous system, 2020 would be it. In this one year, every one of us has found out exactly how we cope with global uncertainty, massive change, potential scarcity of resources, and possible threats to the health of ourselves and our family and friends. Our nervous system is an integral part of how we cope with stress and change, working behind the scenes to recalibrate, reorganize and bring us into new ways of being in a healthy or not-so-healthy state.