By Jess Hallas-Kilcoyne - We are pleased to present the winners of our third annual Readers’ Choice Awards, honouring remarkable horses and horse people for their achievements and contributions to Canada’s horse industry. Each of our 2012 Readers’ Choice Award winners is truly remarkable and we are grateful for the opportunity to recognize them. Our only regret is that, out of the hundreds of nominated individuals, only ten can be named as winners. Here are a few of our runners-up whom we feel are deserving of honourable mention.

By Kentucky Equine Research - Horses, like humans, come in a variety of body shapes. Some breeds and individuals tend to be ”easy keepers,” naturally assuming a well-rounded shape. Others always seem to look a bit thin and ribby, no matter how they are managed. Why can't some horses seem to gain and hold their weight? There is often more than one reason.

While I'll Have Another may not have been named 2012 Triple Crown Champion, there's no denying that his genes have "win" all over them. But where did this "speed gene" come from? According to a press release from the University College Dublin, in Ireland, “Scientists have traced the origin of the ‘speed gene’ in Thoroughbred racehorses back to a single British mare that lived in the United Kingdom around 300 years ago, according to findings published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.”

For the last 20 years, the endangered Przewalski’s horse, also known as the Asian wild horse or takhi, has been re-introduced to its ancestral ranges in the Gobi Mongolian steppe, or grasslands, in an immensely successful conservation program. For millennia, the Przewalski’s horse ranged throughout the grassland steppe from Eastern Europe through Central Asia to China.

Absorbine® has been providing the equine industry with the highest quality horse care products since 1892, when founders Wilbur Fenelon Young and his wife Mari Ida developed Absorbine Veterinary Liniment to treat their horses’ sore muscles and joints.

Buddy Incorporated offers two innovative feeders for the horse and small farm owner. The Big Bale Buddy keeps your hay contained and is the safest, most affordable round bale feeder on the market. The Slow Bale Buddy can be used with all bale types and eliminates waste while it mimics grazing, aiding digestive health and controlling gluttony.

ManureLink.com offers important resources on manure and pasture management for happy horses and a healthy environment. Check out the website to learn more about the Manure Maven Network and the Land Management Guide, find a gardener who would love to get their hands on your composted manure, and access many other great resources!

The Horse Habit has been all about horses and their humans for the past 25 years. We serve both the English and Western markets with innovative products along with the tried and true. We have the best and warmest of winter wear, and the coolest of summer wear.

By Jess Hallas-Kilcoyne - Wanted! Loving Horse Owners: Giving Racehorses a Dignified Retirement.