The Iberian Peninsula of southwest Europe contains the countries of Spain, Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar, as well as a very small portion of France. The land’s mountainous slopes, arid plateaus, deep river valleys, and expansive coastline have been home to equines for many millennia. Today, there are 17 breeds native to the peninsula, which are thusly named Iberian horses.

Blood transfusions save lives and almost everyone knows the value of donating to the blood bank. But how many people think their animals could be blood donors too? Dogs and cats can both be donors and there are a number of canine blood banks across Canada, many centered at animal emergency clinics and hospitals or veterinary colleges. At the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Italy, a blood bank for dogs has been in operation for a decade.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) and Equine Cushing’s Disease (also known as Pars Pituitary Intermedia Dysfunction, or PPID) are reasonably common conditions we encounter in our horses. This article will deal primarily with EMS, but because PPID can be a cause of increased insulin levels in horses, it needs to be mentioned as well.

If you have been riding for some time, chances are you have come across a mount that challenged you. Or maybe he scared you. Perhaps the horse forced you to face that very difficult question: Is this the wrong horse for me… or is it just me? What can you do when fear cripples your riding experience?

Stability Before Strength - Balanced muscular development cannot happen without first achieving a body that can stay stable throughout movement. In other words, a horse that is wiggling around trying to find balance, or one that has found balance by adopting a crooked posture, cannot develop strength in the ways that lead to better performance. Before a horse can add power to his locomotive muscles, he needs to find joint and limb stability while moving in his basic gaits.

In 1968, show jumping trio James Day, Jim Elder, and Thomas Gayford surprised the world by putting Canada on the podium when they won Canada’s only gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City. It was the first time Canada had ever entered a team in the show jumping and, going in, the Americans, Germans, and British were the favoured medal contenders.

This article is the second in a two part series about equine first aid for the trail and home. In Part 1 of the series, we focused on vital signs, first response, care of wounds, and home remedies. In this article we’ll be looking at what to do if your horse comes up lame, sustains a head injury, suffers rope burns or saddle rubs, or comes down with the flu while you’re out on the trail.

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), also known as sleeping sickness, is a viral disease that affects horses, some other animals, and humans. EEE occurs in the Eastern half of North America, most commonly on the Eastern seaboard and the Gulf coast. It is also found in Central and South America and the Caribbean.

When a horse is injured, it can be a very scary time for owners and handlers, especially if there is blood involved. However, it is important to remain calm when dealing with wounds. Here are five things you should not do when your horse is injured: