Welcome to Australia’s evidence-based, practical, go-to resource on horse welfare and training.
HORSE HEALTH & WELFARE
The Role of Veterinary Specialists and Referral Equine Hospitals
Like specialists in human medicine, veterinary specialists have extensive experience and expertise in a relatively narrow aspect of veterinary medicine. As such, specialists in equine surgery or medicine are often able to provide services that might be beyond what is...
Will You Know When It’s Time? Horse Euthanasia, the Hardest Decision by Far
End-of-life decisions and euthanasia for horses This article will help all horse owners who are either grappling with an end-of-life decision or aiming to plan ahead. It covers when and how to take the decision and who to involve. It explains the difference between...
A Fly Went By… The Cutaneus Muscle Reflex in Horses
'A fly went by' is the title of a children’s book by Mike McClintock that I love to read. If you haven't, Google it! It is funny and it inspired me to write about this fascinating but often overlooked muscle group. We have all seen horses twitch their skin to get rid...
Racing Victoria’s ‘Medicare for Thoroughbreds’ Aims to Minimise Injury Risk
Racing Victoria (RV) has announced a new subsidy scheme for owners and trainers to offset the cost of advanced diagnostic imaging on Victorian thoroughbreds. The Diagnostic Imaging Subsidy Program is a proactive approach to injury prevention for thoroughbred...
Technology Solutions for Assessing Lameness Under Study
To better assess lameness in horses, researchers are using 3D motion capture technology. They want to quantify how a horse’s muscles and limb movements adjust to accommodate the lameness. The findings of their studies could provide a greater understanding of the...
The Impact of Birth Trauma on Horse Welfare and Performance
Help! My horse is girthy, crooked and has uneven front hooves… What can I do? This problematic trio is one of the most common reasons owners decide to seek some form of body therapy for their horse. After treating more than 10,000 horses and analysing related...
HORSE TRAINING
SCIENCE & RESEARCH
Renowned welfare expert recommends British Horseracing update their horse welfare assumptions
A critique by Professor Emeritus David Mellor, ONZM, of the website Horse PWR, British Horseracing's website on equine welfare and safety. Emeritus Prof David Mellor is the architect of the Five Domains Model for Animal Welfare Assessment and Monitoring, which he...
The Evidence for Allowing a Bit-Free Option in Equestrian Sport
If equestrian sport remains in the grip of an Iron Age custom, and continues using the bit as the means of rider-horse communication, its social license to operate will be lost. It is time to relinquish the A.B.C. of Atrocity, Bit usage and Cruelty that stems from the...
The Year That Changed us all
Towards the end of 2019 a lot of people seemed glad to see the end of what they described a tough year… Little did they know what ley ahead. First the devastating bushfires and then, well… COVID-19. But was 2020 really a terrible year? I like to think it wasn't. It...
Braving Trust as Equestrians
Disinformation, suspicion and scepticism… Distrust. It spans centuries and cultures. Our timeless obsession for murder mysteries, outsmarting imposters and calling out sabotage has made the Sherlock Holmes series, the boardgame Cluedo and the latest online game Among...
SPONSORED CONTENT
HORSE SPORTS SOCIAL LICENCE
Scientists want to build trust in science and technology. The alternative is too risky to contemplate
Trust in Science. New research shows that despite differences in their funding commitments, major political parties in Australia – the Coalition, Labor and the Greens – see science and technology as important aspects of our economy and future prosperity. But that’s...
Can positive change be achieved on social media?
Can positive change be achieved on social media? It starts with a photo, a horse looking withdrawn and depressed, or scared out of his mind, or starving to death, or getting his head yanked against his throat, or getting his nose cranked together with a noseband so...
Ridden-horse ethogram helps identify pain
Horses, as flight animals, instinctively remain silent in the face of pain, but a new study, recently published in Equine Veterinary Education, shows they have a ‘voice’ if observers are trained to ‘listen’. The study confirms that if vets are trained to use a...
Horse-rider weight ratio pilot study: Results are in
Horse-rider weight ration pilot study: The results of a pilot study on the effects of rider weight on equine performance have been published in the world’s leading journal of equine veterinary education, Equine Veterinary Education (EVE). It not only highlights the...
Sleep Deprivation in Horses
Sleep deprivation in horses. Sleep is essential for life. The quality and quantity of a horse’s sleep directly affects their health and well-being. However, sleep is rarely considered as part of a horse’s management plan. But a new study has found that poor management...
You’re anthropomorphising! And… is it really that bad?
It might be a mouthful to pronounce, but anthropomorphism needn't be hard to swallow. In this article, Dr Kirrilly Thompson moves away from a discussion about whether or not attributing human characteristics to horses is bad, to a consideration of when and how it can...
HUMAN MINDSET
Three Steps to Developing Focus
Developing Focus: We can ride with focus or we can ride while being distracted. The difference will be enormous. The distractions can come from your mind as well as from your environment. Here's a three-step mindset strategy to help you developing focus. First step:...
Being Good Enough
Internal and external validation: Do you know when you are doing a good job or do you rely on others telling you that you are? In my experience, many riders don’t trust themselves and, therefore, keep looking and craving other people’s praise. This in itself is not a...
HORSES AND PEOPLE IN ART
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
All About Soil. Part 1, Facts about soil
Facts about Soil. In this Equine Permaculture series, All About Soils, we ‘dig deeper into soils’ and explore what soils are, how soil is formed, the different types of soil and how they sustain life through the soil-food-web. Furthermore, we discuss the importance...
Managing Pastures for Soil Health – Part 2
Managing pastures for soil health, Keyline design. As horse owners, we care for large herbivores and, in order to support them with the food they are designed to eat, we must take care of our land. Making the right land management decisions - ones that will create...
NEWS
Racing Victoria’s ‘Medicare for Thoroughbreds’ Aims to Minimise Injury Risk
Racing Victoria (RV) has announced a new subsidy scheme for owners and trainers to offset the cost of advanced diagnostic imaging on Victorian thoroughbreds. The Diagnostic Imaging Subsidy Program is a proactive approach to injury prevention for thoroughbred...
Vote for Lisa! UK Coaching Hero Finalist
Equicoach Lisa Ashton, a contributor, friend and long-time supporter of Horses and People, is one of a handful of shortlisted finalists in the UK Coaching Hero 2021 awards. The UK Coaching awards celebrates and rewards the coaches who have continued to keep people...
