HORSE HEALTH & WELLBEING
Has inbreeding reached breaking point?
From winning it in 1964 to being in the pedigree of all 20 runners in the Kentucky Derby fifty years later, Northern Dancer’s impact on the thoroughbred breed continues to grow. And while this ‘sire of sires’ sprinting legacy has been long celebrated, the recent news...
The ethics of genetically modifying horses
With science and technologies advancing at such a rapid rate, it is important that the horse industry remains aware of the repercussions, real and potential, of genetically modifying horses. Taken to an extreme, genetic engineering can be used to alter the appearance...
Body Condition Scoring: A Practical Guide for all Body Types
Body condition scoring is one of the most important and useful skills an owner can have when it comes to monitoring the health and welfare of their horses. And while the way we ‘condition score’ horses is uniform no matter their breed, certain breed traits should...
Hendra Vaccine Effective Against New Variant
Researchers have completed the analysis of the new Hendra virus variant which was detected by routine testing from a horse who died in 2015 but had tested negative to HeV infection. They say that the current vaccine will be effective against the new strain, now named...
Further evidence that weaning is stressful for foals
There is strong evidence to show that weaning (artificially removing foals from their mothers) causes foals considerable stress. A variety of factors can affect just how stressful weaning is for foals, including their age and management factors (e.g., feeding, social...
Learn to Recognise the Early Signs of Laminitis
There is a lot still to learn about laminitis but, for the horse, extreme pain is the eventual result. The changes to the hoof capsule that happen after full-on laminitic event are well-known and easier to recognise. Lameness, in some cases severe and the angle...
HORSE TRAINING
The Coaching Sweet Spot, Part 4: The Happiness Factor
Happiness is like balance – it’s not something you can teach because it’s a result of what you’ve already taught. If you’ve ever wondered what motivates us to connect so closely with our horses, and what drives this life-long equestrian passion, you could cheerfully...
The Coaching Sweetspot Part 2: The Real Meaning of Coaching
In the last few years, the sporting world has raced ahead to professionalise coaching. In the process, teaching has receded into the shadows, and coaching has become the glamour-girl of the sports world! Yet, teaching is the foundation on which everything we do is...
The Shoulder-in: More Than Dressage Gymnastics
Recent scientific findings support what many students of Classical dressage principles have known all along: The shoulder-in exercise is not only good for the horse's physical development but it also influences their mental state - and the benefits of practicing it...
HORSE WELFARE
British Racing’s Disappointing Whip Report
The long awaited report from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on the use of the whip represents a lost opportunity for rebuilding trust and bringing back enthusiastic crowds to British racetracks.Despite its 95 pages, the report overlooks almost the entirety of...
New commission to advise on horse sports’ social license to operate
A commission to help horse sport maintain its social license to operate has been announced by the world governing body for equestrian disciplines. The Commission which includes external 'independent' equitation scientists will develop a practical framework to help the...
Rewilding Horses: No Easy Enterprise
What are our moral obligations when managing the welfare of rewilded horses? Conservationists are reintroducing horses (and cattle) to areas they once roamed wild in, in an effort to restore lost ecosystems, help shape and regulate landscapes, and promote...
Releasing the Pressure
There are many situations in our daily lives when the pressure is just too high for us to bear. It may be the pressure to perform, the pressure of expectation, and/or the pressure that we place ourselves under. We often experience the same with our riding, even though...
SPONSORED CONTENT
How to get more out of your next horse transport purchase
We all want to save money on horse and transportation – equestrian, racing, and other horse related activities can add up to a lot! With the current international shipping delays, some horse goosenecks, trucks, and trailers may be delayed – and be quite expensive...
B-COMPLETE™ by Banana Feeds Australia – The Revolution in Equine Gut Health
There’s a new supplement on the market, and we think you should know about it. Green bananas are a powerhouse of nutritional and gut health value. They've been a staple diet in many human cultures and due to their very high content in dietary fibre, they have been...
From the All Blacks to the Stable… Ice N Easy Cold Therapy
Paid Content Ice N Easy Equine is now providing cold therapy solutions specifically for the equine industry. In the sporting industry, Ice N Easy is synonymous with quality. Their cold therapy products see teams such as the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby Union, Sunshine...
Saddle Fitting Guide
WELFARE REPORT Sponsored by Fitton HorseInsure Teach yourself to evaluate saddle fitting and recognise problems to ensure good welfare and maintain performance with this handy guide. Finding the correct fitting saddle is essential to ensure good welfare and maintain...
Protect and Prepare
SAFETY REPORT Sponsored by Fitton HorseInsure In a time of crisis there may be nobody to help you, no power, no communications, no emergency services, no veterinarian, no daylight... What is your plan? Everyone’s situation differs according to the size and nature of...
Horse Fencing: A Worthy Investment
SAFETY REPORT SPONSORED BY Fitton HorseInsure The best fence for horses will always be expensive, but did you know your farm insurance can cover fence repair and replacement? Good safe fences are an essential part of a horse property. They don't just keep horses...
EQUITATION SCIENCE
Cross-sector collaboration for equine welfare improvements
Leaders from a wide range of equestrian and racing disciplines came together to discuss challenges and opportunities around the social licence to operate. They took on the challenge of working together to "do more, faster” to demonstrably prioritise equine welfare. An...
UK survey reports 1 in 5 people do not support horses in sport
A survey of the general United Kingdom population reports that one in five (20%) people do not support the involvement of horses in sport under any circumstances. The research was commissioned by World Horse Welfare (WHW), an international charity that strives to...
Training the opportunist and the comfort seeker
Of all animals, humans are the ultimate calculating opportunists. While pressing the world around us into our service, we have bred and trained a few of the other animals to suit our purposes. Among these domestic species, we are, I think, most indebted to dogs and...
HUMAN MINDSET
It’s the thought that matters
How much of your life and riding is influenced by your thoughts? The answer is much more than you think! I have undergone some major changes in my personal life and, naturally, when big things happen to us, our mind goes into overdrive. As the changes unfolded, I...
Releasing the Pressure
There are many situations in our daily lives when the pressure is just too high for us to bear. It may be the pressure to perform, the pressure of expectation, and/or the pressure that we place ourselves under. We often experience the same with our riding, even though...
HORSES AND PEOPLE IN ART
The Gift Horse in Past and Present
The gifting of horses is an ancient practice in many cultures that continues today. Historically, offering a horse is a sign of respect or allegiance and is done to seal relationships whether they be public, political, and personal. It has been a way of bonding...
The Great Horse of the Middle Ages
A heavy horse galloping with swinging mane and flowing tail, in ceremonial barding or armour, is a magnificent sight and one that reminds many of us of the drama and romance of the ‘great’ horse of the Middle Ages (476 AD – 1453). The ‘Medieval’ horse is a vision...
HORSE WELFARE
Willinga Park Bushfire: Planning and Preparation Paid Off
A decade of considered bushfire planning and horse property maintenance helped save an entire town. Willinga Park effectively blocked the advance of the massive Currowan Fire towards the coastal town of Bawley Point during Australia’s catastrophic 2019-2020 fire...
Open the Gates to Good Horse Welfare
When we picture scenes of animal cruelty, we generally imagine thin, malnourished horses in haphazard paddocks filled with abandoned cars, barbed wire fencing and empty gas cans. Less commonly associated with mistreatment are luxurious stabling facilities housing...
NEWS
British Racing on climate change and sustainability
The summary findings and recommendations from an independent assessment of environmental sustainability across British racing and breeding have been published today. Project objectives: To review British racing’s current progress on environmental sustainability,...
Denmark Goes Green for the Herning 2022 FEI World Championships
As well as being the biggest equestrian event ever hosted in Denmark, Herning2022 will set a new benchmark for sustainability at major sporting events. The organisers of this year's FEI World Championships may have decades of experience in equestrian sports and major...
