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The topic of having horses go barefoot vs. shod has been discussed at several American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Annual Conventions and always generates some very informative dialog while raising many important questions. I must say from the onset that I favour horses being maintained without shoes when possible, but it depends on multiple factors. Barefoot is not generally possible with upper level competition horses. On the other hand, I also feel that horses can be shod in a very sound physiological manner such that minimal damage to the hoof capsule will occur....

While the term “asymptomatic carrier” made headlines recently 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....
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Horses are masters at becoming injured, which is why many owners choose to purchase insurance. But working through an insurance claim while already dealing with an injured horse — or worse — can be highly stressful. Mike King has provided some tips on making an insurance claim. He’s a partner at CapriCMW Insurance and the national lead for equine insurance and risk management programs, so he oversees claims across the country....

One of the biggest sources of tension is anxiety, or more specifically, the horse’s inability to deal with anxiety. Anxiety is a sincere emotion and I know many, many horses that are often overwhelmed by it. Anxiety can stem from a variety of places but where it comes from is less important than helping the horse deal with it....

Flies can be a major nuisance to your horse during the summer months, and can also carry diseases and cause allergic reactions. But your horse doesn’t have to simply put up with the winged pests causing him stress, skin reactions, or worse....
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Our Summer issue is being delivered to subscribers’ mailboxes, and available at newsstands and other industry outlets now. Here’s a preview of what’s inside:
• Osteoarthritis Keeping Our Aging Horses Sound
Medical Imaging A Look Inside
Choosing the Right Therapeutic Modality
Serviceably Sound What Does It Mean?
10 Things You Might Not Know About Biosecurity
From Flies to Fomites How do Infectious Diseases Spread?
Nail the Correct Lead — Every Time, Everywhere
How Does Footing Affect Fitness?
Facing Your Fears Real and Imagined
Polocrosse Passion on the Prairies
Dismounting Anti-Black Racism in Horse Racing
Stallions & Slippers

Across Canada, non-veterinarians offer a potpourri of services, including massage, chiropractic, farrier work, homeopathy, and more. But these non-veterinarian service providers may be practicing veterinary medicine illegally under provincial veterinarian acts....

Should young horses be left in pasture to grow up or brought in to begin their training? While arguments can be made in favour of each plan, the ideal approach is actually somewhere in the middle. In order to enjoy athletic lives later on, youngsters do need regular exercise, but the structure of their training should differ from that of a mature horse. Primarily, it should be shorter, slower, and avoid concussive skeletal forces....
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In 2015 we celebrated the 350th anniversary of the arrival in Canada of the first horses sent to New France, which in 1665 was a newly established colony along the Saint Lawrence River, and which at that time had a complete absence of horses. Today's Canadian horses descended from these 82 quality Norman and Breton horses of Arabian, Barb, and Andalusian blood from the royal stables of King Louis XIV of France, himself an expert horseman. Over time, the horse population of New France developed to become the distinct breed now known as the Canadian horse…

During the summer there are often waves of horses presenting with respiratory disease. Ontario Veterinary College researcher, Janet Beeler-Marfisi, never really ascribed that to being part of air pollution until her recent research revealed that horses, with their far greater lung capacity and athleticism, can also suffer when air pollution levels rise....
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When you think of lameness, you probably think of a limp or change in gait that tells you your horse is hurting somewhere — perhaps from a hoof injury, an inflamed joint, or strained tendon. In fact, signs of lameness can be so subtle that even the most attentive horse owners may not recognize a problem until it becomes serious. But there are cues you can look for and actions you can take to keep your horse feeling healthy and performing at its peak....

A hot humid day. One rider. One horse. Both are exercising at a moderate level. Who is more likely to overheat? It might surprise you to learn that your horse gets hotter much faster than you and is more susceptible to the negative effects of heat stress....
LATEST NEWS
The latest HCBC news on:
  • Livestock Emergency Response Course
  • Game Ready Prince George
  • Cara Whitham EC/HCBC Dressage Judges Clinic

Quotes from riders participating in programs at Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre in Puslinch, Ontario, one of the many CanTRA-accredited centres across the country.
Covering more than 40 acres, the facility has two barns with 97 box stalls, two dressage rings, a warm-up ring and grand prix ring, and two Western rings suitable for cattle work, reining, and arena classes. 
Since 1984, the Equine Foundation of Canada (EFC) has been funding projects, equipment, and students to improve the welfare of horses in Canada.
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