One rein riding is simply riding your horse without a bridle, using instead a regular halter and lead, with the lead as your single rein. It’s a simple tack change, but a great way to brush up on the basics with all levels of horses. It will very quickly reveal to you how well started your horse really is.

Arriving at the ranch with my husband, Joe, in complete darkness, we were greeted at the gate by Dave Leishman, ranch owner and manager, and led to the cabin which would be our home for the coming week. After unloading the car I sat on the deck admiring the stars and taking in the sound of horses grazing in a nearby field. The log cabin was brand new, featuring wooden furniture and an extremely comfy bed. Drifting off to sleep, I wondered what the ranch would look like in daylight.

Pica is the desire to eat unusual substances that possess little or no nutritional value, such as dirt, wood, hair, and feces. This phenomenon has been observed in horses of all ages, breeds, and sexes.

Horses sometimes lick and chew during training and this has often been interpreted as a sign that the horse is learning or showing “submission” to the trainer. However, a new study suggests that this non-nutritive licking and chewing behaviour is a natural behaviour that is shown after a stressful situation.

A large number of flying insects emerge with the heat each summer, and they can turn what should be long luxurious days in the ring, field or trails into painful, frustrating or itchy endeavours! While irritation may seem like a minimal concern, excessive flies can cause stress in horses, which can lead to reduced performance and malnutrition. Not only can insects be bothersome, but bug bites can cause a variety of allergic type skin reactions in many horses.

The landscape of the horse world is continually changing. And changing along with it are the options available when it comes to shopping for our equine needs. In this digital era, we have access to many thousands of products and services through our computers, phones, and tablets. The internet has opened doors to tack shops worldwide. Although you might already consider yourself to be an expert online shopper, we have gathered some advice and tips to help you make every online shopping purchase a positive one.

Intense exercise can be fatal to racehorses, according to a new University of Guelph study. Prof. Peter Physick-Sheard and a team of researchers examined 1,713 cases of racehorse deaths from 2003 to 2015, and found racing was connected to some of the deaths.

Horse trailer choices are almost as broad as truck options. While your specific trailering needs (e.g. how many horses you'll be hauling at any one time, size of the horses, typical hauling duration, etc.) will obviously impact your choice of horse trailer, the horses' safety and comfort should always be your primary concern when considering the following trailer options.

Watching horses wade into a lush spring pasture is a satisfying sight after a long Canadian winter. Some simple management tips will ensure your horses can enjoy that lovely grass well into the next few months, weather permitting. Allowing your horses to overgraze one piece of land will create problems for both the animal and the pasture. Too much grass too soon can cause founder, and once the grass is gone, horses will often resort to eating weeds, some of which are toxic. As for the land itself, once the roots are exposed and trampled, the grass will not return and you will be left with a dry, weedy wasteland.