A city girl who loves horses is pursuing her dream, thanks to a special hands-on Horse Training Program at a northern Alberta campus.

Originally from Vancouver, it was Sherry Spanza’s mother who saw an ad for the NAIT-Fairview program and encouraged her to enroll.

Despite having worked in a north Vancouver stable prior to her arrival on campus, Sherry discovered that she had a great deal to learn, but that the experience was wonderful and rewarding. Her biggest challenge, she confessed, was learning the “horse sense” necessary to train her own horse, provided by the program – a task that must be completed to a high standard in order to graduate.
continue reading "NAIT Graduate Living her Dream"

Cam Clark Ford and Trailers held the first two shows of the 2007 Chinook Team Penning Association season at Olds, February 17 and 18: a co-sanctioned show with the Central Alberta Team Penning Association (CATPA).

This was breaking new ground for Alberta penning associations, but thanks to the efforts of Rick Cherrington, Harold Bayes, Carlene Giesler, Lynn Beattie and all the cattle crews and volunteers, all went very smoothly.
continue reading "Chinook Team Penning"

By: Greg & Karen Michelson

Michelson Stables Performance Horses is located in Carbon, Alberta, which is about one hour northeast of Calgary.

Owners Greg and Karen Michelson, along with their two children, Clayton and Delaney, have lived there for 19 years. Greg has always had a strong association with horses, and decided to make the switch from his trade as an industrial insulator to professional trainer about 13 years ago.
continue reading "Michelson Stables - Performance Horses"

by Cyndi Rowat

“I came for one horse and bought three,” said long-time livestock breeder Les Steem from Silveron Stock Farm in Leduc, AB.

Steem is talking about his purchases at the recent Ranch Horse Sale. This unique sale was held in conjunction with a ranching industry tradition: The Calgary Bull Sale.

Fourteen ranch horses offering quality bloodlines in a complete go-to-work-for-you package were auctioned off on March 7 at the Victoria Pavilion on Stampede Park.
continue reading "Quality on offer at Ranch Horse Sale"

Britain’s first coloured, full Thoroughbred foal was born at West Down Stud in Devon.

“Ben” is the first foal of the US-imported stallion I Was Framed, who was the first Thoroughbred to be registered as coloured with Weatherby’s.
continue reading "Britain’s First Coloured Thoroughbred Born"

by Falon Phillips

Moosehill Ranch, established in 1888, has opened its doors to a new venture. Owned by Alan and Mary Young, this ranch is now a high class boarding stable. As it has been for the past one hundred years, the land is still used as a working cattle ranch.

However, after suffering through drought, BSE, and numerous other hits that only the cattle industry can offer, the Young family decided to generate a new source of income from the ranch. Keeping their interest in horses alive, this beautiful stable and arena was created.
continue reading "Moosehill Ranch"

by Charlene Strickland

Equine dentistry is a specialized area, but one with which all horse owners should be acquainted as your horse’s teeth affect his well-being, both in ingesting food and responding to the pressure of a halter or bit.

First, let’s discuss the basic anatomy and development of the teeth. Like humans, horses first have baby, or deciduous teeth. Permanent teeth replace these temporary ones at specific ages.

Throughout the horse’s life, teeth grow to counteract the continual wear through thousands of hours of grinding feed. In fact, horse’s teeth continue to erupt into the animal’s 20s.
continue reading "Wolves, spicules, caps, and points: Basic equine dental care"