Rescue & Welfare

The Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada

Updated:

May 9, 2021

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It’s safe to say that horse owners across Canada are passionate about their horses and their industry. Whether they are pleasure riders, competitors, or those who breed or train horses for a living, Canadian horse owners are invested in the equine industry both emotionally and financially. We read, we research, and we invest in them in the hopes of having the satisfaction of seeing a healthy horse in our barn or a successful one in the arena. Sometimes we are faced with making decisions about the welfare of our horses, and although social media is filled with opinions on what is the “best” thing to do for them, it isn’t always obvious as to what is the “right” thing to do for them.

The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines

Updated:

March 3, 2021

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What does it mean for Canadian horse owners? Are you aware that a Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines (CPCHE) was published in Canada in 2013? Did you know that Equine Canada, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA), and the Canadian Feed Inspection Agency were among the many partners involved in the development of the CPCHE under the National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC), and that they remain part of the team that supports the industry-recognized recommendations and requirements established within the Code for good equine husbandry? Let’s look at what exactly this equine Code entails.

2020 Equine Industry Symposium Summary

Updated:

February 15, 2021

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Resilience: Rethinking, Restructuring, Reevaluating due to COVID-19 - Every year since 2016, University of Guelph equine faculty and students have organized the Equine Industry Symposium to bring together experts and horse enthusiasts from Canada’s equine community and discuss horse industry issues. In 2020, there was only one topic on everyone’s mind: how Canada’s equine industry would make it through the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and what the industry would look like in its aftermath.

Noel: The Christmas Pony

Updated:

December 14, 2020

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Every so often you encounter a story that really sticks with you. You find yourself reflecting on it as you’re going about your daily routines. You wonder, “Why did that happen? How can I help?” That’s what happened when I first heard about a young horse named Noel.

Flying Horses

Updated:

November 2, 2020

A new study will investigate how to optimize the welfare of horses being transported by air. Horses are among the most travelled domestic species, and although there has been plenty of research into road travel, less is known about how they cope with travelling by air.

Developing guidelines for health and well-being of horses transported by air.

By Mark Andrews

Equine Pain and Welfare App

Updated:

October 28, 2020

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How do you tell if your horse is in pain? You may just know straight away that something is not right. But people are not always able to correctly interpret the signs of pain displayed by horses and donkeys. After all, having evolved as prey animals, it is in their interest not to show signs of pain that might bring them to the attention of a predator looking for its next meal.

The Donkey Skin Trade

Updated:

September 23, 2020

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A devastating demand for donkey hides is decimating the donkey population in Africa, and threatening the livelihoods of millions of the world’s poorest and most marginalized people. Kisima is a widow living in Nimalat, Kenya, and raises her nine children alone. She earns money through selling charcoal at the market and, to do so, she is completely dependent on her two donkeys.