Images and video consultations allow veterinarians to assess cases remotely, provide guidance and help owners make timely decisions when real-time visits or travel aren’t possible.

From managing chronic lameness to monitoring recovery, video has become an invaluable tool.

Yet telemedicine also highlights the limitations of what can truly be observed through a screen, and the lesson extends far beyond veterinary practice.

Telemedicine videos are a remarkable resource. They allow professionals to provide guidance across distances, evaluate visible injuries and monitor healing progress without immediate travel. They also empower owners to better understand horses and manage care.

What video can’t show

Even as a professional trained to read subtle signs of health, movement and behaviour, I’ve found that images and videos are snapshots.

Subtle lameness can be hidden by lighting, camera angles or the horse’s brief effort during filming. Muscular tension, uneven weight-bearing or hoof imbalances may go unnoticed.

Behavioural cues such as stress responses, reluctance or nervous energy often don’t translate through video, especially if the horse is made to ”perform” for the camera.

What appears perfect for a few minutes on video can tell a very different story when the horse is observed throughout its daily life.

At times, the information not relayed through technology can unknowingly change outcomes.

Even the most experienced veterinarian cannot rely on video alone. Subtle valuable information such as gait irregularities, tension in the back or limb, or inconsistent behaviour can be missed.

Video is inherently selective, capturing only a fraction of a horse’s reality. While telemedicine is a critical tool, it serves as an introduction to information — not a replacement for first-hand observation.

Horse buyer beware

If professionals cannot fully depend on video for nuanced assessment, horse owners should also be cautious when evaluating a horse for purchase, training or partnership.

Videos, whether part of telemedicine, online sales or training demonstrations, are compelling. They offer convenience, highlight desirable traits and create a sense of immediacy.

Yet no matter how polished or persuasive, they cannot fully represent the living, breathing animal behind the screen.

Online sales videos operate on similar principles.

They are crafted to present a horse at its best, moving fluidly, responding to cues, and often appearing temperamentally perfect.

Editing, camera angles and selective clips enhance this perception. Music and narration can create an emotional pull, further influencing the viewer’s impression.

However, just like telemedicine videos, sales clips are inherently limited. They cannot fully capture a horse’s daily behaviour and temperament, such as how it responds to strangers, interacts with the herd or manages routine stressors.

Subtle soundness issues such as slight lameness, stiffness, hoof imbalances or dental issues may not appear in just a few minutes of footage.

Likewise, management and environmental factors, including turnout, footing and daily care, profoundly influence a horse’s performance and well-being but are often invisible on video.

Even the horse’s emotional energy and connection are difficult to convey. How it relates to humans, responds to attention or communicates discomfort cannot be fully understood from a screen.

Even an honest video tells only part of the story.

A horse may perform well in a filmed moment but behave differently in daily life.

Tips for horse owners

Just as telemedicine videos are a starting point for veterinarians, sales videos need to be considered introductions for potential owners, not complete evaluations.

Owners can take practical steps to bridge the gap between video and reality.

Begin by asking detailed questions about the horse’s daily routine, health history and any previous injuries.

Whenever possible, observe the horse first-hand and consider multiple visits, which allow you to see how the horse responds in different contexts and assess consistency.

Pay close attention to interactions, such as how the horse engages with humans, other horses and its environment because these can reveal important information about temperament and emotional health.

In addition, take a page from veterinarians, who are often particular about the footage they request. Don’t hesitate to ask for specific views, movements or conditions on video, such as trotting in-hand on varied footing, standing square from all angles or lifting feet for inspection in order to gain the most informative perspective before committing to a visit.

Finally, recognize the limitations of video. No clip can substitute for firsthand experience and the tactile assessment that comes from being with the horse in real time.

Video can be a valuable tool without letting it dictate decisions.

Just as veterinarians rely on telemedicine for guidance while recognizing its limits, buyers and horse enthusiasts are best served by treating marketing videos as introductions rather than guarantees.

A horse is more than a highlight reel. It’s health, soundness and temperament are shaped by daily life, environment and interactions that no clip can fully capture. For veterinarians and prospective owners alike, video is a powerful starting point — but never a substitute for being there.

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Within this landscape, linebreeding is often presented as a thoughtful, strategic way to reinforce excellence, while inbreeding carries a sharper, more cautionary edge of the proliferation of genetic diseases and the loss of health.

Biologically, however, the distinction is mostly semantic. Both increase homozygosity, reduce genetic diversity and concentrate not only desirable traits but also hidden vulnerabilities that may take generations to appear.

Recognizing this truth allows us to discuss breeding practices clearly and safeguard the horses that inherit our choices.

How linebreeding works

Classically, inbreeding refers to matings between very close relatives such as full siblings, half-siblings, or parents and offspring.

Linebreeding slows the rhythm, repeating the influence of a notable ancestor further back in the pedigree, such as a shared grandparent for both sire and damn.

The language is gentler and the tone more palatable, but the mechanism is the same: every repetition increases homozygosity. Over generations, linebreeding quietly concentrates latent weaknesses that only become visible when the horses themselves, not the papers, reveal the cost.

Studbooks established in the 18th and 19th centuries placed lineage at the heart of breeding culture, and modern reproductive technologies now extend that influence far beyond natural limits.

Reproductive technology amplifies problem

Global semen distribution, frozen semen and embryo transfer allow the genetics of a few high-profile sires to saturate entire populations at a pace no natural breeding system could ever sustain.

Their traits — desirable and deleterious alike — spread rapidly through the gene pool, contracting genetic diversity as predictability increases and resilience diminishes.

Used thoughtfully, these tools can preserve rare bloodlines; used uncritically, they become engines of genetic narrowing that quietly reshape the biological landscape of entire breeds.

Four categories of genetic vulnerability

Across breeds and bloodlines, four major “targets” of genetic vulnerability appear repeatedly.

First, the connective-tissue disorders — HERDA in Quarter horses, WFFS in Warmbloods, CPL in draft breeds and the broader spectrum of collagen fragilities found in Friesians.

Second are the muscle-enzyme and contractility defects such as HYPP, PSSM1, MYH1 myopathy and GBED, which cluster predominantly in heavily muscled Quarter horse lines shaped by a handful of influential sires.

Third are immune-system vulnerabilities, most famously SCID in Arabians.

Finally, intense selection for discipline-specific traits can produce horses with increasingly reactive nervous systems or sensitive temperaments, which is an inherited fragility of a different kind.

These categories represent consistent genetic bottlenecks where repeated ancestry, concentrated selection and human ambition converge to narrow resilience.

Often, the barn sees these patterns long before science names them.

Owners and practitioners notice reproductive struggles, unexplained fragilities, metabolic crashes, behavioural issues or horses that fail to “hold together” despite excellent care.

By the time a DNA test is developed, the mutation has often already threaded through celebrated pedigrees, carried forward by seemingly successful members of the breed.

Name value fallacy

Pedigree culture encourages a particular kind of logic: repeated “good” names signal quality.

Seeing an influential ancestor appear multiple times in a pedigree is often celebrated as a badge of honour. Yet the story we tell ourselves about this pattern is misleading.

Repetition is not evidence of exceptional quality; it is an early warning of decreased genetic variation. What tradition labels as linebreeding is, biologically, a form of inbreeding softened by language and commercial polish.

Concentrating ancestry does not simply “fix type” or “lock in quality.” It narrows the genetic landscape and magnifies vulnerabilities that would otherwise remain safely diluted.

What COI and ROH actually tell breeders

Modern genomic tools strip away euphemisms.

COI (coefficient of inbreeding) estimates the probability that a horse inherited two copies of the same gene from a shared ancestor. ROH (runs of homozygosity) reveal long, identical stretches of DNA, the genomic fingerprint of a bottleneck.

In Friesians, high ROH reflects a small founding population, a closed studbook and aesthetic selection.

Certain Quarter horse subpopulations — descendants of stallions such as Impressive or Poco Bueno — show similar patterns.

Together, COI and ROH reveal the truth hidden by pedigree’s traditions: repeated ancestors are indicators of increased biological risk.

Yet genetic vulnerability is not destiny.

Disease emerges where heritage meets environment: processed feed, confinement, intensive training, metabolic strain and extreme selection pressure can bring hidden weaknesses to the surface.

HYPP attacks, metabolic collapse and sudden aortic ruptures are events shaped by inheritance, management and intensive training regimes.

The deeper truth is ethical as well as biological.

When phenotype becomes fashion and sport results dictate breeding choices, the cost is paid by the horse.

Balance is not merely lost — it is bred out.

How breed associations manage risk behind closed doors

Across breed associations, genetic issues are often managed quietly, internally, long before the public is aware.

Testing requirements, restricted matings or discreet removal of certain lines occur behind closed doors. From the outside, the breed appears healthy; inside, risk continues to intensify since the general public is unaware of the risks selected pedigrees raise.

Linebreeding is simply inbreeding that the industry labels as acceptable. The euphemism protects human interests, not equine well-being.

The central question remains: are we breeding to glorify a few celebrated bloodlines or to safeguard the long-term vitality, soundness and integrity of the horse?

The answer is not in the pedigree book or the sale catalogue. It is written in the living body of the horse, carrying the legacy of our choices, one generation at a time.

By shifting from name-collecting to true genetic diversity, breeders can move beyond the façade of linebreeding toward practices that protect the health, resilience and integrity of the horse for generations to come.

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While iron deficiency is a well-recognized concern in human health, dietary iron deficiency has never been documented in adult horses.

Iron carries a certain mystique in equine nutrition. Its association with blood and performance, particularly in the racing industry, has fostered the widespread belief that supplementing iron can boost energy or enhance oxygen delivery. In reality, the opposite is true for most horses. Chronic iron excess is now recognized as a silent yet pervasive disruptor of health.

Approximately 60 per cent of the body’s iron is bound within hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in red blood cells from the lungs to the tissues. Another 20 per cent resides in myoglobin within muscles, storing oxygen for movement. The remainder exists in storage and transport proteins — such as ferritin and transferrin — and within immune cells in the liver and spleen.

Iron efficiency

Horses are remarkably efficient at recycling and regulating iron.

Red blood cells live about 150 days, after which their iron is reclaimed to form new cells.

Losses are minimal, and the hormone hepcidin serves as the regulatory gatekeeper controlling iron absorption and storage. Under normal circumstances, this system ensures that horses rarely — perhaps never — require supplemental iron.

In nature, horses are surrounded by iron. It is abundant in grasses, hays, grains and even water. A typical 500 kilogram horse consuming 10 kg of timothy hay daily, containing around 250 milligrams of iron per kg, ingests more than 2,500 mg of iron, which is well above the National Research Council minimum requirement of 400 mg per day and comfortably below the upper safe limit of 5,000 mg.

Thus, a horse on a typical forage-based diet will receive sufficient iron.

Iron in feed

It’s important to recognize that all plant-based feed ingredients naturally contain iron, so most commercial feeds already supply more than enough.

If iron is specifically added to a feed product, it appears on labels as iron oxide, ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate. These forms of supplemental inorganic iron are best avoided.

Additional sources can include certain salt blocks, which may appear reddish due to iron enrichment. Like fortified feeds, these sources of inorganic iron can contribute to chronic overload.

The problem with iron

The problem with high iron is not just the iron itself but how it disrupts the delicate balance of other essential minerals.

In the small intestine, iron, copper, zinc and manganese all compete for the same transport proteins. When iron levels are excessive, it can “crowd out” copper and zinc, preventing adequate absorption, even when diets appear balanced.

This mineral imbalance often develops subtly, leaving owners unaware of the underlying cause as structural and metabolic issues begin to surface.

Not all sources of dietary iron are obvious.

Pastures grown on iron-rich soil, or on soil acidified by modern agricultural practices, tend to increase the amount of iron available for plant uptake, resulting in forage with elevated iron content.

Horses grazing on such pastures may ingest far more iron than needed, particularly if copper and zinc levels are already low.

Well water containing more than 10 mg per litre of iron can further elevate total intake, and when combined with fortified feeds or multiple supplements, daily levels can easily exceed safe limits.

Collectively, these environmental and management factors make chronic iron excess a more realistic concern than deficiency in the modern horse.

Over time, this slow accumulation takes a toll.

Horses consuming iron-rich forages, feed or water or receiving unnecessary supplementation may show telltale signs such as rusty tips on dark manes, dull or reddish coats, brittle hoofs or recurring abscesses.

These subtle changes reflect underlying interference with copper, zinc and manganese absorption, minerals essential for connective tissue strength, joint health and hoof integrity. Left unchecked, the imbalance can contribute to fatigue, inflammation, weakened immunity and metabolic instability.

Emerging evidence further suggests that chronic iron overload may play a contributing role in metabolic disorders such as equine metabolic syndrome and laminitis.

Excess iron interferes with trace mineral balance and enzymatic function, disrupting insulin regulation and connective tissue health.

Horses grazing on high-iron, high-sugar pastures or consuming iron-rich concentrates may therefore be more susceptible to metabolic stress.

In this context, iron acts as an environmental factor that interacts with diet, water quality and individual metabolic resilience to potentially tip the balance toward insulin resistance and laminitic episodes.

Avoiding a problem

Horse owners can take several proactive steps to safeguard mineral balance.

Begin by testing forage and water, especially in regions with mineral-rich or acidic soils.

Evaluate trace mineral ratios, maintaining Fe:Cu:Zn between roughly 4:1:4 and 10:1:4 to offset excess iron’s effects.

Adjust feeding management as needed by offering tested hay, rotating or blending pastures and sourcing alternative water if necessary.

Under veterinary guidance, blood testing for ferritin and transferrin can help assess stored iron and detect early metabolic stress.

Iron is undeniably essential for equine health, yet for many horses, the challenge lies not in a deficiency, but in maintaining balance and avoiding excess.

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Early in my veterinary career, I heard them speak of “soft bones” and the patience needed when starting a young horse.

Their wisdom, passed down through generations, came not from textbooks but from a lifetime of working with horses.

It took years of hands-on experience for me to connect that old-world knowledge with modern science.

“Soft bones” are what we now call open growth plates — fragile seams of cartilage where bone is still forming and strengthening. Those horsemen understood an essential truth: pushing a young horse before its skeleton is ready can cause harm that lasts a lifetime, and ultimately result in the early breakdown of these colts and fillies.

While all animals have growth plates, horses are unique among domestic species in what we ask of them at a young age.

We expect them to carry riders, jump, turn sharply and perform athletic manoeuvres before their skeletons are fully knit together.

These demands often come when their bodies are still actively developing, especially in the deepest structural parts of the skeleton.

Understanding growth plates is not an academic exercise — it is the foundation for a horse’s long-term soundness and athletic potential.

Today, many horses are started under saddle at just two years old, some as early as 18 months — long before major growth plates, particularly in the spine and pelvis, have closed.

By contrast, traditional horsemen often waited until four years or more before beginning intensive training. They may not have had scientific explanations, but they had seen the damage caused by working a young horse “while the bones were still ‘soft’.”

The modern shift toward earlier training has happened without fully considering the horse’s biological readiness, and the consequences are increasingly visible.

Growth plates are regions of cartilage within bones that enable growth and later ossify into solid bone. This cartilage forms the critical scaffolding for skeletal development but remains soft, pliable and highly vulnerable to mechanical stress — especially in large, weight-bearing animals such as horses.

Forces such as weight, torque, shear and repeated impact placed on immature growth plates can cause permanent change in bone structure.

Once a growth plate is injured, the damage is often irreversible. The bone may fuse unevenly or prematurely, compromising its strength and alignment.

This can lead to chronic pain, compensatory movement patterns, neurological issues and, in severe cases, early retirement, sometimes before the horse reaches full physical maturity.

Most attention in equine development focuses on the more accessible growth plates of the limbs.

The racing industry, for instance, commonly uses the closure of the distal radius (the “knees”) around two to 2.5 years of age as a benchmark for skeletal maturity.

However, this standard is misleading.

The reliance on radiographic evidence stems primarily from older studies focused on the distal radius closure as a sign of readiness.

However, more recent research reveals that many critical growth plates, especially those deeper within the pelvis, spine and other core structures, remain open well beyond this age, often into the horse’s fifth or sixth year and even longer in some individuals. These findings highlight a significant gap between longstanding industry practices and current scientific understanding.

The deeper, less visible growth plates located in the pelvis, sacrum, lumbar spine, hocks, and cervical vertebrae mature much later. These internal structures provide the horse’s core foundation, strength, balance and ability to carry weight efficiently, yet they remain under-studied, rarely imaged and are largely unaccounted for in training protocols and veterinary assessments.

Externally, a young horse may look mature — tall, muscled and well-proportioned — but inside, vital load-bearing structures may still be developing.

Training that seems “appropriate” based on appearance can, in fact, be overloading tissues that are not yet ready for sustained stress.

The signs of growth plate strain or injury can be subtle, nuanced and easily misinterpreted.

A horse may not limp or display obvious pain, but may instead resist certain movements, appear unwilling to go forward, show persistent tension or develop vague, shifting lameness that evade diagnosis and respond poorly to therapies.

Such signs are often misread as behavioural problems or minor physical issues, when they may be early warnings of deeper skeletal compromise.

The cost of early skeletal trauma is high. Beyond the physical toll on the horse, there is the emotional and financial burden for owners managing chronic conditions, such as paying for repeated diagnostics and treatments or facing the premature loss of a horse’s athletic career.

By understanding growth plate development in the horse, owners and trainers can make informed choices that respect the horse’s natural developmental timeline.

This means matching workloads and training intensity to the horse’s stage of skeletal maturity rather than to its physical appearance or the demands of the industry.

Growth plate education is an essential part of good stewardship, protecting a horse’s opportunity for a sound, productive and pain-free life, but true change demands more than awareness. It calls for the courage to challenge outdated practices and place the horse’s biological reality above traditional expectations.

Growth plates offer no second chances: once damaged, full skeletal integrity can never be restored. The silver lining is that this outcome is entirely preventable.

The post Ignoring growth plates sabotages young horse development appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

What is often overlooked, however, is that the horse, too, becomes a kind of weekend warrior. After spending much of the week in quiet routines, the horse is suddenly asked to transition into long rides, jumping lessons or demanding events on Saturday or Sunday.

This abrupt rhythm, though common, carries profound consequences for the horse’s body, mind and long-term well-being.

Horses are creatures of consistency. Their bodies and nervous systems are designed for steady, rhythmic movement, low-intensity grazing and regular social interaction.

When their lives are limited to stalls, small paddocks or low-activity pastures during the week, their bodies adapt to that reality. Soft tissues lose elasticity, cardiovascular fitness declines, joints may stiffen and the metabolic system becomes accustomed to low demand.

Then, with the arrival of the weekend, the same horse is suddenly asked to perform as if it had been conditioned for endurance, speed or precision all along.

The contrast is striking. It is not unlike asking a sedentary office worker to run a half-marathon once a week without any training in between. Muscles fatigue quickly, tendons and ligaments strain and joints take on impacts they are not prepared to absorb.

Recovery stretches out, and with each cycle the risk of chronic injury grows. This pattern, repeated over time, quietly lays the groundwork for unsoundness and behavioural stress that owners may misinterpret as attitude rather than adaptation.

Injury risk

The physical risks of the weekend warrior lifestyle are many.

Cold, unconditioned muscles are more prone to microtears, while tendons and ligaments, which strengthen only gradually, are vulnerable to overload from sudden exertion.

Intense bursts of work such as jumping, galloping or long trotting on hard ground can inflame hoof laminae, inciting laminitis, and inflame joint cartilage, accelerating the development of arthritis.

Horses fed a steady diet throughout the week but exercised heavily only on weekends may swing between energy surplus and deficit, stressing the metabolic system and contributing to long-term imbalances.

Poor-fitting tack that might be tolerated for a short weekday ride can become a real problem during longer weekend sessions. Extended hours under ill-fitting equipment magnify pressure points and friction, turning what was once manageable into genuine soreness or injury.

The horse’s mind is no less affected.

A week of limited stimulation can lead to boredom, frustration or low-grade depression. When suddenly confronted with intense engagement, many horses respond with anxiety, tension or even explosive behaviour. What appears to be disobedience or resistance is often a reflection of unmet needs and being overwhelmed by abrupt demands.

This weekend warrior phenomenon says more about human culture than horse culture.

In past generations, horses lived within a steady rhythm of daily use.

Farm horses worked each day at consistent levels, carriage horses moved regularly and saddle horses were ridden as transportation.

Today, the pendulum has swung toward sporadic bursts of activity, dictated by competition schedules and lifestyle demands. While this shift may suit human convenience, it are horses that bear the consequences of inconsistency.

Once an owner and/or rider recognizes the risks, steps can be taken to mitigate them.

Keep them moving

The most important support a horse can receive is daily movement. Horses with access to turnout, where they can walk, graze and socialize, are far better prepared for bursts of activity than those kept in stalls or small pens.

Even 15 to 20 minutes of midweek activity — whether hand-walking, groundwork or light riding — helps keep tissues supple and the mind engaged.

Building fitness gradually is critical. Long, intense rides should follow only after a foundation of steady conditioning has been established.

Owners must also learn to listen more closely to the subtle cues horses give. A shortened stride, reluctance to bend, wringing of the tail or a “cold” back is not stubbornness but often an early warning sign of overload.

Nutrition may need to be adjusted to better match workload, and recovery time is best built into the routine after strenuous weekends.

Most importantly, riders ought to be aware that some horses may come to associate their riders with discomfort if every interaction is tied to sudden exertion and pain upon recovery. Protecting the partnership means ensuring that time together is as rewarding as it is demanding.

Horses do not choose their schedules; humans impose it upon them. Recognizing the mismatch between equine biology and human convenience is the first step toward building a healthier balance.

A horse that is kept moving, conditioned progressively and supported with patience can thrive even if the rider’s time is limited.

However, a horse asked to carry the burden of sudden, unprepared exertion risks not only its soundness but also its trust in the human who asks it.

In the end, a horse is not a weekend vehicle, but a living being whose body and spirit depend on the rhythms we create for them.

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What I uncovered instead was a murky trail of fragmented data, shifting export markets, questionable industry practices and a stunning lack of transparency.

Canada’s horse slaughter industry historically handled tens of thousands of horses a year.

At its peak, more than 100,000 horses were slaughtered annually, many imported from the United States after U.S. slaughter plants closed in 2007.

These horses, sometimes young and healthy, often unwanted or surplus, were shipped for processing with meat exported to Europe and Asia.

In addition, the pharmaceutical industry, particularly pregnant mare urine (PMU) farms, historically contributed horses to the slaughter pipeline. While the PMU industry has declined, its impact continues to shape the movement of horses.

While horse slaughter may be unfortunate, it serves a practical role: unwanted horses in Canada and the U.S. provide meat for markets in Japan, France and other parts of Asia.

Even so, necessity does not absolve the industry from responsibility. There must be accountability in the transition from companion animal to livestock, including traceability, humane handling and ethical oversight at every stage.

Recent estimates suggest that domestic slaughter has dropped dramatically. From highs of more than 80,000 to 100,000 horses annually, numbers now appear closer to 15,000 to 25,000. This shift is due largely to several converging factors.

Tens of thousands of American horses entered Canada each year for slaughter, but advocacy campaigns and stricter U.S. regulations sharply curtailed this flow. Today, the majority of U.S. horses go to Mexico for slaughter rather than Canada, though some still enter Canadian facilities.

The European Union introduced requirements for drug history and traceability, making it harder for Canadian plants to export meat without full documentation. Japan has also increased scrutiny, particularly for live exports.

The number of federally licensed slaughterhouses has dwindled, with Alberta’s Bouvry Exports and Quebec’s Viande Richelieu dominating the landscape.

These two sister companies are corporately related, and while Bouvry has feedlot capabilities, the Granum Prime Feedlot has been shut down following legal scrutiny.

It is important to note that the Fort Macleod slaughter plant remains operational under Canadian Food Inspection Agency oversight.

The 2025 fine against Bouvry addressed past violations at the Granum feedlot but did not mandate closure, allowing the Fort McLeod facility to continue processing horses at reduced capacity.

While headlines may suggest shutdowns or fines signal the end of the industry, in practice, processing continues — quietly, persistently and largely out of public view.

One of the greatest challenges in understanding the horse slaughter industry is the lack of clear, publicly accessible data.

Federal reporting on horse slaughter ceased in 2017, and while organizations and advocates attempt to fill the gaps, discrepancies and missing information persist.

This absence of disclosure, whether due to fragmented regulation, corporate practices or systemic oversight issues, makes it nearly impossible to trace horses from auction to slaughter, monitor welfare standards or fully understand the impact of related industries.

Highlighting these blind spots is essential: without transparency, accountability remains out of reach, and the true scale and conditions of the industry stay hidden from public and regulatory scrutiny.

The persistence of opaque practices in the horse slaughter industry suggests that concentrated corporate power, political influence and regulatory limitations all play a role.

Large processing companies maintain significant leverage through economic arguments — jobs, trade revenues and market stability, which can slow legislative reforms or complicate enforcement.

Regulatory agencies, reliant on industry data and expertise, face challenges in monitoring welfare and traceability, while cross-border trade adds layers of complexity that obscure oversight.

These factors together create a system where transparency is limited, accountability is difficult and ethical scrutiny is often delayed or diluted, leaving the welfare of horses vulnerable to gaps in governance and industry influence.

Live exports for slaughter remain a small fraction of total horses, but they are ethically significant.

Roughly 2,000 to 3,000 horses are shipped annually from Canada to Japan, mostly draft breeds, enduring long flights in containment shipping. Public concern has mounted over the lack of transparency and oversight.

Bill C-355, introduced in 2023, aims to prohibit the air export of live horses for slaughter. Yet progress is slow, and industry influence remains strong.

The lack of clear reporting and public access to data keeps the industry largely hidden, leaving questions about humane treatment and traceability unanswered.

Canada’s horse slaughter industry has changed dramatically, but it has not gone away. Transparency is key, both to protect the animals and to allow the public, policymakers and advocates to engage meaningfully.

Understanding this hidden system — its decline, consolidation, corporate connection and ethical challenges — is essential for anyone seeking to navigate the intersection of agriculture, animal welfare and international trade.

The lives of these horses deserve scrutiny, clarity and oversight, even in an industry where horses, once unwanted as companions, become economically valuable as livestock.

The post Canada’s slaughter horse industry lacks transparency appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

As awareness has grown, so too has the adoption of slow feeding practices for horses, ponies, miniature horses, donkeys and mules.

Horses are trickle feeders, evolved to consume small amounts of forage continuously throughout the day.

Their digestive system depends on a near-constant intake of fibre to maintain gut motility, support a stable microbiome and regulate metabolism.

Domestication has limited their ability to forage naturally, making it essential to adopt structured feeding practices that mimic their natural eating patterns.

Get started with slow feeding

Introducing slow feeding can present challenges, particularly during the transition phase. Both horses and owners may experience frustration as they adjust.

Recognizing this as a process and approaching it with patience is key. Success depends on understanding the horse’s needs and making gradual adjustments to the feeding system.

Selecting the most suitable slow-feeding system often involves trial and error. Hay nets, racks, boxes and muzzles come in various designs and hole sizes, and not all horses will respond to them in the same way.

Some struggle with the netting, while others become frustrated if hay feels too restricted. Setting up slow feeding practices initially requires extra effort, especially for owners who need to fill and adjust hay nets multiple times per day.

Horses accustomed to receiving large hay portions at once may initially struggle with slow feeding. Signs of irritation, such as pawing, pushing or vocalizing can emerge as they adapt.

Some may feel temporarily hungrier, accustomed to consuming large amounts rapidly. The slower pace requires an adjustment period, during which they may seem dissatisfied, especially if they must work harder to access their food.

Some horses may even appear disheartened, displaying an attitude of “what’s the use?” Impatient or inexperienced horses need time to learn how to engage with slow feeders properly.

Ease into the feed change

To ease this transition, owners can introduce slow feeding gradually rather than making an abrupt shift.

A good strategy is to offer a slow feeder for part of the day while maintaining traditional feeding methods for the rest. This allows the horse to become familiar with the new routine without feeling deprived or overwhelmed. The goal is not restriction but rather encouraging the horse’s natural grazing rhythm.

When properly implemented, slow feeding supports metabolic, digestive and psychological well-being.

Benefits of slow feeding

Horses that adapt well to slow feeding often exhibit noticeable improvements in behaviour and health.

A key indicator of success is a sense of contentment — horses eat in a calm, consistent manner. With the urgency to eat removed, they rest more frequently and engage more with their environment, demonstrating greater security around food.

One of the most significant plus sides of slow feeding is improved gut health.

Horses experience fewer ulcers, colic episodes and digestive discomfort as their digestive systems function more optimally.

Physically, slow feeding at ground level, combined with movement —such as multiple feeding stations — encourages horses to engage their topline and core. This supports lean muscle development while enhancing overall strength and balance.

Many horses experience a reduction in “hay belly,” as proper hindgut fermentation minimizes gas and bloating, leading to more efficient nutrient absorption. This not only reduces the appearance of a distended belly but also improves posture as gut discomfort diminishes.

Long-term metabolic benefits include stronger hoofs, steadier energy levels and improved weight balance. Overweight horses gradually shed excess fat, while hard keepers maintain a steady, healthy condition.

Slow feeding also promotes healthier herd dynamics. With continuous forage access, competition and resource hoarding decreases, creating a calmer eating environment. Over time, horses relearn to self-regulate, naturally walking away from hay when satisfied rather than feeling compelled to eat everything at once.

This shift marks the emergence of true free-choice foraging where horses eat according to their individual needs.

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That makes it easier for people to relate to horses, but also creates misconceptions about the role of horses in society and what they need to be healthy and happy.

Horses are large, herd-oriented herbivores with complex social dynamics and a need for near-constant foraging in ample space. This lifestyle has shaped their physiological and psychological requirements over millennia and remains essential to their well-being today.

One of the most immediate impacts of treating horses as pets is restriction of movement. Confinement in small spaces such as box stalls and small paddocks is increasingly common in suburban areas.

This limits horses’ ability to engage in natural activity and can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. The result is often obesity, muscle atrophy, loss of topline, dental and digestive issues, hoof problems or metabolic disorders.

Exercise routines suitable for smaller pets, such as short walks or bursts of exercise, are insufficient for horses. They have evolved to be in constant motion as they forage. Inhibiting this constant form of exercise results in illness in the form of unwanted behaviours as well as physical ailments.

Approaching horses like pets also short-changes their diets.

Unlike dogs, which typically have set mealtimes, horses are trickle feeders and need a steady intake of high fibre, low sugar forage throughout the day for optimal digestive health. Neglecting these requirements can lead to dysbiosis, colic, gut ulceration and metabolic problems.

Sugary feeds, too much feed and processed treats can result in over-nutrition and metabolic complications. Behavioural and health issues often arise in horses when their dietary practices do not align with their natural feeding behaviors.

Beyond physical health, the psychological well-being of horses is profoundly affected by social settings and relationships with other horses.

Treating horses as pets may inadvertently isolate them from their own kind. While bonding with humans is important, it cannot fully replace the social needs horses have with their herd mates and the need for constant companionship. Isolation or limited social interactions can lead to stress, anxiety, learned helplessness and a dullness in character.

Dogs have been bred to adapt to human settings and companionship around the clock, but horses typically interact with humans for much shorter periods, often less than an hour per day. They should then spend the rest of their time in the companionship of other horses in a natural environment.

Horses are also on a different time scale than most pets. Dogs and cats mature quickly. Horses have a prolonged period of growth and development over five years. They require specific care and time to support their growing bodies.

Treating them as pets can create unrealistic expectations for their behaviour and physical capabilities. Owners may inadvertently push young horses to behave like fully mature animals before they are ready mentally or physically.

Understanding, respecting and being patient with the natural maturation of horses is essential to avoid long-term negative consequences in their well-being and performance.

When the innate natures of dogs and horses are respected and their needs adequately fulfilled, both show a willingness to learn and interact effectively with humans. However, neglecting these needs in horses by treating them like large dogs can lead to more pronounced and potentially hazardous behaviour. Because horses are much bigger than dogs, situations can escalate quickly.

Misguided pampering of the horse without regard for their size, strength and natural instincts can lead to unwanted behaviour and human safety concerns.

There is a distinct line between pampering and high-quality care. The spoiled horse is often confused, anxious, insecure, pushy and unpredictable, typically through no fault of their own. These horses face an uncertain and challenging future as they gain a reputation for being dangerous and unpredictable to work with.

Commercial markets serving the equine community have influenced how horses are perceived, shifting them from livestock to pets by emphasizing emotional bonds that promote specialized products and services.

While this shift can benefit human-animal relationships, it can also create misleading illusions on the true needs and requirements of a horse.

As the role of horses in society evolves, it brings advances in their care, welfare and preservation, but also poses challenges that affect their health and well-being. Education and advocacy are essential in understanding their needs as large, herbivorous social animals.

The post Your horse is not your pet appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The Doerksens, fourth-generation farmers, work with their father, Arno, and their uncle, Tim. They run purebred Hereford and Red Angus cattle, as well as a commercial cow-calf operation near Gem. The brothers do a lot of cropping on irrigated land in the Eastern Irrigation District.

“We grow a variety of cash crops and forages, and we have a grass finishing program,” said Lorin.

Beef from the grass finished cattle is marketed under their brand, Gemstone Grass Fed Beef, which the brothers started in 2018.

“We started small but grew quite fast,” said Lorin. Much of that growth came during the COVID lockdown.

“We had secured some slaughter spots and had our logistics worked out right before that happened, so we were able to expand quite a bit during that time.”

The farm used to be more conventional, but the younger Doerksens are driving the farm into regenerative agriculture practices. They use rotational grazing and move some of the cattle once a day on irrigated pastures.

“The idea there is to improve soil health, improve carbon storage in the soil, and ultimately improve nutrient density of our forages and our beef,” Lorin said.

The brothers have shifted their cattle genetics with the purebred herd to forage-finished cattle, and they’ve found that the cattle work well in a grass finishing program. They’ve also steered away from monoculture.

“We’ve switched now from monocrops to polycrops for silage,” said Lorin. He prefers to have about 15 different species in the crop, including legumes, grasses and forbs. This increases the nutrition available to the cattle, which influences the nutrient density and flavour of the beef, he said.

The brothers have an online store, and in 2022, they set up a vendor station at Calgary Farmers Market West. The Doerksens have a full butcher shop in the farmers market and can do full customization of cuts for customers. A window into the cutting room allows customers to see the process.

They also have a small kitchen kiosk at the market, where they sell smash burgers and gourmet beef sandwiches, and carry a range of cuts such as deli meat, sausage rolls and jerkies.

“One of our most popular products is called ancestral blend, for mixing organ meat with ground beef,” said Lorin. He sees a lot of benefits to being a family operation. He and his brothers grew up watching their dad and uncle farm with their grandfather.

“We worked while observing them work together,” he said. “That was a big influence on us wanting to come back and continue working together, as opposed to having our own individual operations.”

The brothers each have different strengths and areas of focus.

Daniel, the oldest, has an interest in purebred cattle and managing the herd and cow-calf operation. Lorin is interested in the grass finishing side of things and in developing the Gemstone Grass Fed Beef company. Barry, the youngest, was the last to join the farm.

“In addition to farm work, he does a lot of the logistics and operations of Gemstone Grass Fed beef,” said Lorin, adding that the brothers have a similar vision about direction of the farm and often discuss it.

They have also gained valuable experience by farming with their father and uncle, who remain part of the operation.

The brothers were nominated to be Alberta’s Outstanding Young Farmers by a past winner of the award. As part of the competition, they had to do a 15-minute presentation about their farm and speak with judges.

Lorin said meeting all the other people involved with the program is a valuable part of the process, including this year’s other nominees, Lee and Lisa Simanton of Crestomere Holsteins.

The Canadian Outstanding Young Farmers for 2024 will be chosen at the national event in Lethbridge Nov. 27 to Dec. 1. The Doerksens will again be required to make a presentation and talk to judges at the national event. Lorin said it is nice for he and his brothers to be recognized.

“I got a little familiar with some of the previous nominees and watched some of their stories,” he said. “It was encouraging and inspirational to see other peoples’ stories going in. That made me excited to be part of it.”

Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ program is an annual competition to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession. It is open to participants 18 to 39 years old who make most of their income from farming.

The post Doerksen Brothers named Alberta’s 2024 Outstanding Young Farmers appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

There is growing evidence that paints a different picture. Grain-heavy processed diets may contribute to various digestive and metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, laminitis, gastric ulcers, hindgut acidosis, developmental orthopedic disease, behavioral issues, performance concerns and various myopathies.

Numerous feed companies have introduced “low starch” or “low NSC” feed options in response, but their benefits are uncertain compared to traditional formulations.

Understanding how these could affect equine health requires the ability to identify what kind of carbohydrate performs best for equines and why.

Not all carbohydrates are handled equally by the horse’s metabolism. Some are ideal for providing energy, but others can pose health risks when overfed or given to horses with metabolic issues.

• MORE ‘Horse Health’ with Carol Shwetz

Classifying carbs

Carbohydrates in the plant kingdom follow a hierarchal structure, ranging from simple sugars to complex fibres like hemicellulose, cellulose, pectin and lignin. Simple sugars serve diverse functions for the plant’s processes, including energy provision and signalling. Simple sugars combine to form more complex carbohydrates such as starch and fructans, which plants utilize for energy storage.

At their highest complexity, sugars unite to create the intricate structural carbohydrates of the cell wall and encompass hemicellulose, cellulose and pectin, all examples of fibre. It is important to recognize that fibre is classified as a carbohydrate.

The horse’s digestive system handles carbohydrates differently based on their complexity. Distinct digestive processes result in two energy sources for the horse: glucose and VFAs (volatile fatty acids). Each has different origins, metabolic pathways and effects on tissues.

Simple non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) such as sugars and starches are broken down in the foregut, leading to immediate glucose absorption. This category includes grain meals and many processed feeds, whose digestibility is altered through processing, as well as lush green grasses or short grasses under three inches high.

Fructan, which is also categorized as an NSC, serves as a storage carbohydrate in cool-season grasses. Unlike other carbohydrates, it bypasses enzymatic breakdown in the foregut and undergoes fermentation in the hindgut, leading to unpredictable ratios of VFAs and lactic acid.

Complex structural carbohydrates like hemicellulose, cellulose and pectin reach the hindgut intact. Here, microbial fermentation converts them into VFAs like acetate, butyrate and propionate.

Management

For horses with sugar sensitivities and metabolic issues, it’s advisable to limit their combined intake of ethanol-soluble carbohydrates and starches to less than 10 per cent of the diet. This threshold aims to prevent spikes in blood glucose and insulin levels.

However, this calculation excludes fructans. Although it is scientifically debatable whether fructan ingestion directly triggers issues such as laminitis, there is evidence that overconsumption, especially in sensitive horses, can significantly compromise gut health by disrupting gut pH via lactic acid production.

While fructans themselves may not be a primary concern, managing their intake along with other carbohydrates is still important for overall equine health, particularly in horses with specific sensitivities.

The carbohydrate of primary importance to horse health—unadulterated plant fibre—is often overlooked. Fibre is the most essential carbohydrate because horses leverage it as an energy source by nurturing symbiotic bonds with the millions of micro-organisms in their hindgut.

The resulting fermentation can provide horses up to 70 per cent of their total digestible energy requirements. The VFAs from this process provide slow-release sustainable energy for the horse’s cells. Furthermore, fibre serves as an excellent prebiotic for hindgut microbes, and its physical properties are essential to maintain digestive health in horses.

Elevated blood glucose and insulin from easily digestible carbohydrates can negatively impact horse health, but VFAs from the hindgut fermentation of plant fibre offer a consistent and beneficial energy source that sustains well-being.

Horses, often characterized as trickle feeders, depend on a consistent supply of VFAs for cellular energy. That highlights the essential role of hindgut plant fibre fermentation in their biological makeup.

It’s like selecting the appropriate fuel type for either a gas or diesel engine. The horse’s health and efficiency are profoundly impacted by the type of fuel it consumes.

The post Max your horsepower: proper fuel for your horse requires proper carbs appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.