Most horses aren’t simply pasture pets — they provide some sort of active service to their owners. But many horses are not totally sound, and most horse sports don’t allow lame horses to compete. Lameness generally means a horse is in pain; hence, it’s not acceptable to ride lame horses. So, what can owners and riders do? Gerard Laverty says many horses that are less than 100 percent sound are living comfortable lives as “serviceably sound” partners. “It’s most horses that have saddles on,” he says. Laverty teaches the farrier science program at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, British Columbia and has his own farrier business.

The thinking on how we use antibiotics is changing in the world of medicine, especially as we learn more about their impact on the inhabitants of the gut. Ontario Veterinary College researcher Dr. Diego Gomez took part in a collaborative study with researchers across North America to study the effects of intravenous antimicrobials on the equine gut.

Asymptomatic Carriers - What You Don't See - While the term “asymptomatic carrier” made headlines with regard to the SARS-CoV2 virus that causes COVID-19, the concept is actually nothing new to epidemiologists and other researchers who study a variety of diseases in humans and animals. Asymptomatic carriers play critical roles in the transmission of infectious diseases in humans, horses, and other species, but they largely go undetected, thereby hampering control efforts.

What are the advantages of having a veterinarian vaccinate my horse? It is recommended to have a veterinarian vaccinate your horse, instead of doing it yourself, for several reasons.