In 1914, just over one hundred years ago at the start of World War I, Bunny, a strawberry roan gelding from the Toronto Police Mounted Unit, was called upon to serve his country. The Canadian military needed suitable horses to send overseas and the City of Toronto offered to donate mounts to the Canadian artillery. Major McDougall, the officer commanding the 9th Canadian Field Artillery, inspected all their horses and picked 18 of the best. Four of the unit’s officers, including Constable Thomas H. Dundas, enlisted with what became known as the Toronto Battery.

Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention - Most horse owners have their own personal stories to tell about colic — but chances are that everyone’s tales about the dreaded disease are different. Episodes of colic can range from a mild case of abdominal pain that resolves with pain medications to a life-threatening event that requires emergency surgical treatment. With such a variable condition, it can be difficult for horse owners to determine the right course of action for their horse’s situation, says Dr. Carolina Duran, a resident in large animal internal medicine at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM).

These days, importing European horses generally means flying expensive horses with high-performance Warmblood pedigrees over to North America. But importing horses to North America isn’t anything new. Horses were brought over from Europe when Spanish explorers and conquistadors sailed the ocean blue in the 15th century.

Shorter days, morning frost and fallen leaves to sweep off the path are telltale signs of fall. Similar to the way the spring sunshine starts the grass and flowers growing, our horse takes his cue from the decreasing daylight hours to start growing a warm winter coat, and starts “hairing up” up even while the weather is still warm. When the fuzzies start to grow, it’s time to consider your horse’s winter care and wardrobe options. With adequate shelter from wind and precipitation, proper feed, access to fresh water, and room to move and maintain body heat, most horses will be comfortable spending the winter outdoors wearing only their natural thick coats, and in general, they’ll be healthier than their stabled counterparts.

How do you tell if your horse is in pain? You may just know straight away that something is not right. But people are not always able to correctly interpret the signs of pain displayed by horses and donkeys. After all, having evolved as prey animals, it is in their interest not to show signs of pain that might bring them to the attention of a predator looking for its next meal.

For people who do not have the time or money to buy their own horse, leasing is a great alternative to horse ownership. Leasing can provide the enjoyment of a horse without the added responsibility or cost. For horse owners, leasing can help reduce some of the costs associated with horse ownership. The key to a successful horse lease is to ensure that all parties are aware of their rights and obligations under the lease. This article will discuss some of the issues that arise in the context of a leasing contract and provide suggestions with respect to negotiating and drafting a horse lease.

In the July/August 2017 issue of Canadian Horse Journal, we celebrated Canada’s 150th anniversary with stories of 20 exceptional horses that have reflected our values and fired our national pride. One of those horses was Nijinsky.

It had been three months since Laura, a junior rider, had sustained a simple concussion during a fall from her horse. Her parents were becoming increasingly concerned that she was not progressing in her recovery. Laura was having difficulty focusing at school, disrupted sleep patterns, and intermittent headaches. Fearful of creating any further escalation in her symptoms, she had not returned to riding or any activity.

Walking into a tack shop and looking at a wall covered with bits can send a neophyte bit buyer into a cold sweat. We can simplify types of bits by putting them into two categories: snaffle bits and curb bits.