By Jess Hallas-Kilcoyne - Reining is a sport “designed to show the athletic ability of a ranch type horse in the confines of a show arena,” according to the AQHA Rule Handbook, and as such, the reining horse should be quick, agile, and light on his feet. “We need horses that are able to get low to the ground and come through themselves easily and quickly,” says top Canadian reining trainer, coach, and competitor Cheryl Mitchell, of Alberta. “That requires low-set hocks, short cannon bones, a strong hip, strong loin, and clean neck,” she continues, pointing out that these specific characteristics are also valued in working cow and cutting horses.

Absorbine’s new Showsheen® 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner deep cleans and revitalizes hair in one easy step. The sulfate- and paraben-free, pH-balanced formula is specially designed for a horse’s sensitive skin. Pro-vitamins nourish the skin and coat and help to strengthen mane and tail hair, eliminating the need for a separate conditioner.

A well-managed pasture can provide a cheap and reliable source of feed for four to eight months of the year for most horses. Pasture management includes the following basic steps: seeding suitable species; fertilizing with manure and an application of commercial fertilizer; rotating horses out of the pasture before it becomes overgrazed; mowing to prevent weeds; and harrowing to break up manure and expose parasites to the sun.

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in awareness among horse owners of the detrimental effects associated with Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS). Despite this additional attention paid to the equine digestive system, it remains focused primarily on the horse’s foregut, often ignoring disorders of the hindgut, such as colonic ulcers.

2013 Readers' Choice Awards Winner - In 2004, the Canadian government asked soil remediation expert Phil Wilford to help develop a strategy for confronting an outbreak of Avian Influenza in the Fraser Valley of BC. He recalls that, “At one of the meetings, somebody said: ‘If you want to look at something that’s a real problem, look at horse manure because we have no way of getting rid of it and we can’t find quality bedding.’” So Wilford started looking at potential solutions to the problems of increasingly expensive waste disposal and a shortage of fresh bedding material which are affecting the horse community on a global scale. His solution: a revolutionary new technology that recycles horse manure and used bedding (MUB), converting it into clean, dry, odorless, pathogen-free bedding. And so, in 2007, Wilford founded GreenScene Agritek Inc.

2013 Readers' Choice Awards Winner - Sired by the only National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Nine Million Dollar Sire Topsail Whiz, ridden in his younger days by NRHA Million Dollar Rider Duane Latimer, and owned by the first ever NRHA Million Dollar Owner Lance Griffin, Whiz N Tag Chex seems to have been destined for greatness. And now the 1999 stallion can boast a NRHA Million Dollar title himself – in August 2012 the earnings of his offspring surpassed the $1 million milestone, making Whiz N Tag Chex the fourth son of Topsail Whiz to achieve the NRHA Million Dollar Sire accolade.

2013 Readers' Choice Awards - There are few who have even come close to matching the many and varied contributions Jane James has made to therapeutic riding and Para-equestrian sport in Canada. Her career in the equestrian industry has been long and distinguished, and is best characterized by the unflagging dedication, generosity, and enthusiasm she employs in service of the local, national, and international horse communities.

Could you save your horse if your trailer overturned on the highway? How about if he was stuck in a ditch? Would you know what to do in a barn fire? Course participants at the Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER™) course, taught by Drs. Tomas and Rebecca Gimenez and hosted by the Atlantic Veterinary College, in Charlottetown, PEI, in early July 2012 learned how to better prepare themselves for everything from small scale emergencies, such as freeing a large animal stuck in mud, to larger scale emergency situations and natural disasters.