First Aid

How to Build a Successful Rehab Program for Horses with Undiagnosed Pain

Updated:

November 12, 2025

jec ballou horse trainer, rehabilitating horses, exercises to help horses, equine lameness rehab, horse postural muscles, grazing horses, equine fitness

When a horse shows subtle signs of lameness or discomfort but no clear veterinary diagnosis, it can be discouraging and costly for owners. These vague issues are unfortunately common and often leave owners uncertain about the next step. This article outlines key principles to guide you through such cases, using the example of Remy — a mare who arrived with back pain and bucking behaviour but no definitive medical findings.

Recognizing Pain in Our Horse and When It's Time to Say Goodbye

Updated:

November 6, 2025

end-of-life horse care, prepare for death of horse, when to euthanize horse, should i put my horse down, how to tell if horse is in pain, ways to euthanize horse

In an ideal world, every senior horse would pass away naturally and peacefully, having enjoyed a good quality of life with minimal suffering. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, which is why we must be prepared.

Horse Health Lines - Fall 2025 Issue Added to WCVM Newsletter Archive

Updated:

September 14, 2025

Take an inside look into the latest the scientific studies at the University of Saskatchewan's veterinary college, with the Western College of Veterinary Medicine's semi-annual newsletter: Horse Health Lines.

Equine Emergency Preplan Checklist

Updated:

September 2, 2025

equine emergency preparedness, horses stuck flooding, preventing barn fire, emergency services horses, help for horses disaster, kevan garecki, bc flooding horses

While one can’t plan for every form of disaster, it’s important to familiarize yourself with any potential risks that could occur in your area and plan for them accordingly. Planning ahead can allow horse owners the opportunity to stay composed and act quickly in an emergency situation.

SNM Performance Ultra: Naturally Gentle Relief

Updated:

July 29, 2025

arenus animal health, sore no more horse liniment, horse pain relief topical, snm performance ultra, where to find sore no more canada

For over 25 years, Sore No-More (SNM) has been a trusted source of relief for our equine athletes. The demands of showing, training, and travel can lead to soreness, tiredness, and inflammation. Breaking this cycle can be difficult. Our SNM formulas are specifically designed to provide targeted relief, and our Performance Ultra line is the only liniment with university-led clinical research.

Your Horse: Heat Stress and Hydration

Updated:

July 18, 2025

horse overheated, dr. wendy pearson university of gueph, heat stress horses, electrolytes horses, over exercise horses, water needs of horses

Is it hot enough for you? If you feel suppressed by repeated days of hot and humid weather, you can be sure that your horse feels worse.

Tick Talk...Horses and Ticks

Updated:

June 6, 2025

how to remove ticks, tick removal horses, preventing tick bits horses, best bug sprays horses, areas to avoid ticks canada, what do ticks look like on horse, grooming horse tick

Not much can gross out a horse person. We happily pick out hoofs, observe the quality of manure, scrape bot eggs off our horses’ legs, and get a weird sense of satisfaction from an expressed abscess. But ticks… ticks are just nasty.

How to Make a First Aid Kit for Horses

Updated:

April 14, 2025

how to make horse first aid kid, equine first aid kit

Generally, first aid equipment is inexpensive, and you can create a comprehensive kit for a reasonable cost, saving yourself hundreds of dollars in unnecessary vet calls.

Colic in Horses - Gut Health, Signs of Colic, and the Colic Risk Rater

Updated:

March 28, 2025

horse colic, what is equine colic, equine digestive tract, preventing horse colic, treating horse colic, how much water horse, how much exercise horse, what should a horse eat, colic risk rater, equine guelph

If there’s one word that strikes fear into the hearts and minds of horse owners, it’s “colic.” Used to describe any form of abdominal pain, colic can affect horses for many reasons and in any season, although cold weather months are a particularly challenging time with increased risk of impaction-related colic.

Understanding Your Horse's Vital Signs and How to Monitor Them

Updated:

March 9, 2025

horse vital signs, equine vital signs, horse vitals, equine vitals, horse heart rate, horse pulse, equine heart rate, horse gut sounds, equine gut sounds, equine pulse, horse respiration, equine respiration, horse breathing, equine breathing, horse capillary, equine capillary, horse temperature, equine temperature, canadian horse journal, horsemanship, horse first aid, equine first aid

Every horse owner should be familiar with his or her horse’s “normal” vital signs. Knowing your horse’s healthy, resting temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, capillary refill time, and gut sounds will help you realize when he is unwell. Additionally, in the event of illness or injury to your horse, being able to check and report his vital signs can help indicate to your veterinarian the horse’s present condition.