Transport-related Pneumonia. It is well-known transporting horses carries a significant risk – not just of injury, but also disease, such as colic and respiratory problems. Studies have shown transport is stressful, but does the level of stress experienced by the individual horse predict the development of health-related diseases, like pneumonia?Read More →
Western Dressage virtual competitions. Horse owners can show from the comfort of their own home with North American Western Dressage’s (NAWD) virtual competitions, where video footage of each performance is uploaded and judged remotely. NAWD is leading the way towards inclusive, fairer and more ethical training and competitions by wideningRead More →
The Equitation Science Training Scale. “If dressage is the highest expression of horse training, dressage judging should be a transparent and systematic system for de-constructing that training”. Horses and People Editor, Cristina Wilkins, speaks with Andrew McLean about his proposal to align the dressage judging system with evidence-based horse trainingRead More →
A team of researchers from Italy, Germany and England successfully developed and validated a standardised scale to recognise pain in horses based on their facial expressions. Called a Horse Grimace Scale, the scale is easy to teach and will assist in pain detection in horses. It will have a positiveRead More →
Is your horse in the mood to learn? In an article that foreshadows the science of horsemanship (rather than the science of training alone), researchers from the University of Sydney show why trainers should adjust their techniques to the horse’s mood and emotional state. Behaviour scientists say that learning processesRead More →
Ethmoid Haematomas When a horse presents with persistent or intermittent haemorrhagic nasal discharge (bleeding from the nostrils) your vet may investigate for an uncommon but problematic ethmoid haematoma. So what is it? what causes it? and how can it be treated? Veterinarian, Sarah Van Dyk explains… Anatomy A part ofRead More →
During the Victorian era, many people had little empathy for their beasts of burden, but all that changed when ‘Black Beauty’ was published in 1877. This was the first book to be written specifically to encourage people to stop deliberate cruelty to horses. The spark for horse welfare Author AnnaRead More →
Mudgee born Sue-Ellen Lovett lives with husband Matthew on a property in Dubbo and is always accompanied by her guide dog. Born in Mudgee, she continues to overcome the limitations of progressive blindness after being afflicted by the hereditary disease Retinitis Pigmentosa. Sue-Ellen doesn’t let her condition stop her achievingRead More →
A debate on the use of whips was a highlight of the 2010 Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Annual Conference. Andrew Harding, CEO of the Australian Racing Board (ARB) and Dr Andrew McLean, from the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre (AEBC) were invited to expose their views on this contentious topic. TheRead More →
