by Cindy Mark
Horses contribute over $12 billion annually to Canada’s economy* and one-third of all those horses (309,000 to be exact) live in Alberta. Therefore, it makes sense for horse owners – and particularly those in Alberta – to keep a watchful eye on Equine Canada’s National Equine Identification and Traceability Project, or what I like to refer to simply as Equine ID.
(*According to Equine Canada statistics, activities with horses including sport, racing, recreation, and entertainment contribute $12 billion annually to Canada’s economy.)
Vel Evans, Equine ID project consultant, came to Red Deer, AB, during the Horse Breeders and Owners Conference in mid-January and provided an update on the Equine ID project for all who were willing to listen. Horses All was one of those in attendance.
continue reading "Equine ID - Your questions answered"

The final leg of the 2006 Canadian Performance Futurity classes were run with dressage and hunter classes held during the International Horse Show at the Thunderbird Show Park in Langley, British Columbia.
Holy flying females, batgirl! The first woman driver to pilot a four-in-hand in a carriage racing derby ever – maybe anywhere in the world – is a member of our own High Country Driving Club.
Newly discovered tombs in Syria contain signs of the ritual sacrifice of humans and animals, including the skeletons of decapitated donkeys, said archaeologist Glenn Schwartz of Johns Hopkins University.
Western Canada was well represented at the Galway Downs International Three Day Event November 2 to 5, 2006 in Temecula, California, where all nine Canadian competitors in the standings hailed from either Alberta or British Columbia.
In last month’s Western Performance Tips article we learned how trainer Vance Kaglea uses daily exercises to teach his horses to give to the bridle and stay soft in his hands by flexing them horizontally and vertically. This month, we’re going to add a few more exercises and build on that flexion.
Farmfair International, hosted by Northlands Coliseum held the second annual Heritage Ranch Rodeo November 3 through 5, 2006 with this year’s event being even more exciting than the previous year.

