Reading Time: 4 minutes The horse’s tooth, like the tooth of any other species, is subject to decay. It is only recently that the nature of the tooth decay and its implications to the health of the horse have been recognized and identified. The reasons for this are twofold. The abilities of the equine dental provider to recognize and […] Read more
Don’t take chances by horsing around with dental health
Horse Health: There’s been an explosion in dental issues in horses, partly because of diet and lifestyle
Case of equine infectious anemia found in Alberta
The potentially fatal equine disease can be hard to spot but horse owners should be on guard
Reading Time: 2 minutes Horse owners are being warned to be on the watch after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently confirmed a case of equine infectious anemia in Strathcona County. But the federally reportable disease can be hard to spot, the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian said in a news release. “Infected animals may show few […] Read more
Feeding man-made fats to horses has negative consequences
Horse Health: Too much of a good thing can cause a myriad of problems for horse health
Reading Time: 3 minutes Over the past two decades feeding a variety of fat and oil sources to horses has become an increasingly commonplace dietary practice. The role of fat in the horse’s diet has been oversimplified to that as a fuel source. Although this is partly correct that fats can act as fuel molecules, it is equally critical […] Read more
The numerous benefits of slow feeding to the horse
Horse Health: Because of the way their digestive tract works, horses need to eat low-energy forages nearly constantly
Reading Time: 3 minutes Horses are trickle or slow feeders by nature. This means that they are biologically wired to thrive when they are continuously collecting and eating small amounts of long-stem high-fibre forage. This most basic realization is instrumental in keeping the horse healthy. Forage is the foundation of every horse’s diet, and the forage needs to flow […] Read more
Horse owners warned to watch for equine infectious anemia
Equine infectious anemia can be hard to detect but infected animals become lifetime carriers of the virus
Reading Time: 2 minutes The province’s chief veterinarian is warning horse owners to be on the lookout for equine infectious anemia. A case was recently found in Newell County by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Dr. Keith Lehman said in a letter sent to vets across the province. “The disease affects horses and other members of the equine […] Read more
The sole of a horse’s hoof is its foundation of soundness
Horse Health: The sole of a horse is a remarkably adaptive and resilient thing, but you can help it improve
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is easy to overlook the contribution the sole makes to the soundness of the horse, because for the most part the sole is hidden from view. However, the sole is no idle passenger. It has remarkable, even herculean properties that allow it to act as the interface between the horse’s bony column and the […] Read more
New test gives definitive diagnosis of tapeworm infestation in horses
Horse Health: But it’s not clear if there’s much, if any, impact on horse health from tapeworm infestations
Reading Time: 3 minutes The existence of tapeworms in horses has rarely been a topic of much concern as the significance of infestation to the health of the horse has for the most part been uncertain. Not only is it difficult to reproduce the complicated life cycle of the tapeworm under study conditions it is also unreliable to gather […] Read more
Alberta duo spots opportunity lying beneath their (horses’) feet
Wood shavings isn’t the most exciting product but horses love it and Alberta produces it in abundance
Reading Time: 2 minutes A Sherwood Park-area mother and son knew horses love wood shavings for bedding, and when they discovered that Alberta sawmills generate an abundant supply, they saw an opportunity to play matchmaker. Donna and Alex von Hauff, who operate Strathcona Ventures, have since expanded into a variety of health, dust control, and non-wood-related products for both […] Read more
Unique physiotherapy clinic treats both horse and rider
Reading Time: 2 minutes What do horses and physiotherapy have in common? Plenty, say Sandra Oxtoby and Keira Forsyth, the owners of Equus Physio. “Keira and myself are registered human physiotherapists,” said Oxtoby. “We both grew up riding horses and we had our own injuries.” The two say many chiropractors, physiotherapists, or massage therapists, many of the health-care professionals […] Read more
Horse owners and riders urged to take survey
Survey closes Oct. 31
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Horse Welfare Alliance of Canada is conducting a survey to gauge awareness, implementation, and compliance with the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines. The code, released in 2013, is a comprehensive guideline covering basic food and water needs; shelter; freedom of movement; companionship; veterinary and farrier care; husbandry practice; and […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
