The Rolling Stones have decided to move the venue of their rock concert in the Serbian capital after concerns were raised for the welfare of horses housed at the adjoining racecourse.

The band was to have played at The Hippodrome in Belgrade on July 14, but animal welfare groups voiced fears that 300 horses in stables just metres away would be upset by the rockers’ loud music and the thousands expected at the venue.
continue reading "Rolling Stones Move Concert Away from Stables"

by Rhianne Weghnnar

Awards were presented to nine of the Alberta Equestrian Federation’s (AEF) most ambitious young riders for their participation in the AEF’s Live Outside the Box Program. The awards were presented in conjunction with the AEF’s Annual General Meeting held in Red Deer, AB, on March 17.

The Live Outside the Box Program was designed to encourage AEF youth members to engage in a more active lifestyle by spending less time in front of the computer and television, said Pat Barriage, AEF executive director. The program is promoted by the AEF with funding from the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation.
continue reading "Living Outside the Box: Program Rewards Alberta’s Riding Youth"

By: Brad Pedersen

In today’s society where stress plays a major role in our careers, many people are taking up hobbies on the weekends as a way to relieve tension. Many people find showing horses a perfect way to get away from the everyday and it is also a fun way to meet new people with similar interests.

As the number of people participating at the weekend shows continue to increase, so does the demand for well-trained show horses. Many of these show horses began their career as two-year-olds in training in hopes of becoming the next futurity champion.

One of the most successful ways to improve your chances of having a competitive futurity prospect is by starting with a horse that has the breeding and conformation to help it get there.
continue reading "The Futurity Prospect: Cutting & Working Cow"

By: April Clay

Question:

How do I become the best horse show mom I can be? I really want to be there for my daughter, but not interfere with her training. Can you give me some tips?

Answer:

You are very wise to be considering how not to interfere with your daughter’s riding, as it is a trap many sport parents enter. Here are some core principles to becoming a winning sport parent that will get you on your way.

The first important rule for all parents of young athletes to remember is: don’t act as a coach. Your child already has one of these and should be directed to them if they have a riding question. As a parent, you are part of their team, their support system.
continue reading "Horse-show Parenting"

by Bruce A. Roy

This year’s Wild Rose Draft Horse Sale, held in Olds, Alberta, May 4 and 5, gave credence to its nickname, “The Biggest Little Sale in the West!” The crowd in attendance surpassed every expectation.

Every parking space in the fairgrounds was filled, while vehicles lined the adjacent streets. Over 1,000 numbers were issued to prospective bidders, these in addition to the bidder numbers in the computer issued in previous years.

The pundits maintain that this year’s Wild Rose Draft Horse Sale was the largest public auction ever held on the fairgrounds. There is reason to believe this was true.
continue reading "Wild Rose Draft Horse Sale Bigger Than Ever"

by Carin A Smith, DVM

The thought of your horse needing surgery is probably not one that comes to mind very often. After all, that happens to other people’s horses. Whether or not your horse ever winds up in the operating room, you’ll still benefit by knowing more about what actually goes on, and how operations are performed in an equine surgery.

Why Do Horses Need Surgery?

A horse may need surgery for many different reasons. Surgery can be done on an emergency or elective basis, and may be performed on any area of the body.

Elective surgery is performed at a convenient time. Just because a surgery is elective, though, doesn’t mean that it can be postponed forever.
continue reading "Equine Surgery: Part I - What You Need to Know"

by Nancy S. Loving, DVM

In this excerpt from “The Eyes: A Horse’s View of the World” in the new book All Horse Systems Go: The Horse Owner’s Full-Color Veterinary Care and Conditioning Resource for Modern Performance, Sport and Pleasure Horses, Nancy S. Loving, DVM, explains how your horse’s eye works, and how that knowledge can help you understand your horse’s behaviour.

Spooky Behaviour

How many times have you chided a horse for spooking at an innocuous rock, or for balking at an obstacle for no apparent reason? A horse exhibits such behaviours for the same reasons that he startles when someone walks quietly up behind him in the field and he doesn’t notice until the last moment.

Just as it seems his fleeing form will vanish to the far end of the pasture, he turns, blows, and stares from a safe distance, smelling and looking to see what monster alarmed him.
continue reading "Monsters & Bogeymen: A Horse’s View of the World"