MarketsFarm — While rain across the Prairies has eased concerns of an all-out drought, worries of a hay shortage going into winter haven’t ceased. Darren Chapman, a Virden, Man. producer and chair of the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association (MFGA), explained that regrowth following the first cut of hay has been strong. First-cut hay crops […] Read more
Prairie hay shortage on horizon
Factors to consider when your horse has the trots
A horse with diarrhea can suffer serious health consequences if it’s a serious case
Reading Time: 3 minutes Diarrhea in the horse describes a symptom with a wide variety of causes and presentations where for various reasons the intestinal tract does not complete absorption of electrolytes and water. As the water content of the feces increases the normal grouping of well-formed fecal balls lose their individual ‘ball’ shape and the fecal matter becomes […] Read more
The number of horses infected with West Nile jumps in Alberta
The number of cases nationally more than doubled last year, with more than half in Alberta
Reading Time: 3 minutes West Nile virus is becoming a more serious issue in horses — rates are rising in Alberta and a third of the horses which become infected will die. But there is a way to protect your horses, said veterinarian Melissa Smith of West Wind Veterinary Hospital in Sherwood Park. “There are vaccines available for West […] Read more
What to watch for with a physically immature horse
Be mindful of the young horse’s developmental stages to protect its future health
Reading Time: 3 minutes Given the increasingly common occurrence of arthritis in today’s horses, it is worthwhile to consider the choices that are made in a young horse’s life that are large contributors to the outcome of that horse’s soundness over its lifetime. Oftentimes arthritis is viewed as a condition of the aging horse, mostly because the outward clinical […] Read more
What to consider when horses display undesirable behaviour
Is the horse in pain? Training? Maybe both? Maybe more? You need to find out
Reading Time: 3 minutes Any time undesirable behaviour or resistance arises in the horse it demands a unique type of ‘listening’ to identify what the horse is attempting to convey. Horses are transparent in their behaviours and often act in an attempt to simply feel better and seek relief from discomfort. Identifying the root cause of the discomfort can […] Read more
Livestock, pets among victims in U.S. Midwest flooding
Reuters — The floods that have devastated large swaths of Nebraska and Iowa since late last week left house pets homeless, inflicted an unknown toll on livestock and led to several daring water rescues of animals from dogs to horses. Rescuers in the Omaha area, where the Platte, Elkhorn and Missouri rivers began spilling over […] Read more
IR/EMS/PPID in horses = OMG
Without proper management, horses can develop one of a number of diseases
Reading Time: 4 minutes The alphabet soup grouping of acronyms IR (insulin resistance), EMS (equine metabolic syndrome), and PPID (pituitary pars intermediare dysfunction also known as Cushing’s syndrome) represent an increasingly common and growing incidence of illnesses in horses between the ages of five and 15 years. Despite their separate labels these illnesses share many similarities in metabolic hormone […] Read more
Considerations before breeding a horse
This is not a project that should be simply taken on at an impulse. It requires planning, patience and commitment
Reading Time: 3 minutes Foals are adorable and the idea of raising a foal can be tempting — very tempting. The reasons why owners breed a horse is often a combination of emotional gratification, performance expectations, and economic gain. Yet none of these outcomes are ‘for certain’ and so the eventual outcome of the foal as it becomes an […] Read more
Horse owners need to be aware of new drug rules
You now need a prescription for all antimicrobials and a relationship with a veterinarian
Reading Time: 3 minutes First of all, the idea of veterinary oversight regarding the use of antibiotics in animals is nothing new. However, as of Dec. 1, animal owners now need the involvement of a veterinarian for purchase of all antimicrobials for animal health to ensure their prudent use. New federal regulations will require all antimicrobials used in animals […] Read more
Alberta mare tops them all at the World Clydesdale Show
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s considered the equivalent of the Stanley Cup for Clydesdales — and one Alberta farm family has won the honour. Willow Way Farms grabbed the title of Supreme Champion when its mare, Puzzle, was awarded the prize at the World Clydesdale Show, in Madison, Wis. “It was something that a guy always thinks about — […] Read more
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