by Marcia King

A young gelding in training suddenly becomes surly and difficult during workouts. An aged mare consumes ample portions of good quality hay and grass, but loses weight. A weanling has some nasal discharge and is fussy about drinking cold water.

Although the clinical signs for these horses are dissimilar, the cause of the problems is the same: dental disorders.
continue reading "Dental Care for all Life’s Stages"

The generosity of western Canadian horse owners has helped the Western College of Veterinary Medicine raise an additional $200,000 for equine health research during the first year of a unique matching gift incentive program.

Half of the funding — $100,000 — came from more than 100 individuals, organizations and companies whose contributions “triggered” a successful match from the fundraising incentive during its first 12 months of operation.
continue reading "WCVM raises $200,000 for equine research"

Researchers in Iran have put equine colour vision to the test and found that ponies can indeed see colour, and can discriminate between colours and grey.

In the paper Color Discrimination in the Caspian Pony, the researchers said that, “although an early and influential review led to the often-cited conclusion that colour vision is rare among mammals, more recent findings suggest that it is actually widespread.
continue reading "Horse colour vision tested on Caspian ponies"

The Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF) invites proposals to investigate the therapeutic effects of horses on humans.

The Foundation’s broad research agenda includes basic research as well as clinical studies that will ultimately impact physical and mental health and the quality of life for people with disabilities who are involved with equine assisted activities and/or therapies.

Grants are awarded on a competitive basis, taking into account scientific merit, scientific and clinical significance and relevance to areas designated by the Foundation.
continue reading "Equine Research Foundation calls for proposals $100,000 in funding available"

How do bits affect a horse’s mouth? Gordon J. Baker BVSc, PHD, MRCVS, Diplomate American College of Veterinary Surgeons says, “There is a lot of fairly wide misunderstanding about where the bit is placed in the horse’s mouth and if it engages on the horse’s teeth. I don’t believe the teeth are tremendously involved in where the bit is.”

He notes that bits can cause mouth trauma if they’re in the wrong position or some discomfort if the teeth have points. “But when a bit is positioned correctly, it does not come in contact with the teeth. The bit engages the corners of the mouth. It’s not against the teeth at all.”
continue reading "Bits & Teeth"

by Susan Dudasik

Each year, when winter first arrives hundreds of people are caught unawares. Ready or not, the snow has come so here are a few tips to keep you and your horse healthy now that the cold weather has hit.
continue reading "Winter Horse Care Tips"

Exactly how fast is the heart rate of a racehorse as it flies around the track? For the first time ever, two University of Guelph researchers in Guelph, Ontario, will be able to answer this question as part of a study aimed at recording the maximum heart rate of racehorses when they’re pushing themselves to the limit.

With the help of a lightweight heart monitor tucked under their harness, horses competing at Mohawk Raceway will give the two equine cardiac specialists an accurate picture of what happens to the heart under actual racing conditions.
continue reading "Researchers study heart rates of horses while racing"