The image is one often seen in the movies, but this time, it’s for real. The Mustang Heritage Foundation and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the United States are bringing together North America’s passion for its iconic mustangs and the challenge of training wild horses to a unique competition: the Extreme Mustang Makeover.

The Mustang Heritage Foundation created the Extreme Mustang Makeover event to highlight the recognized value of mustangs through a national training competition.

The event will give the public a unique opportunity to see the results of wild horses becoming trained mounts and then participate in a competitive bidding process to adopt one of the treasured animals.
continue reading "Extreme Mustang Makeover: 100 Trainers, 100 Mustangs, 100 Days"

by Marcia King

“Keep your heels down. Turn your toes slightly to the outside. Place the inside of your calves against the horse’s sides, but don’t pinch!”

Those were the first instructions I received when I started hunter equitation lessons, and they are probably the first instructions that most beginning riders are given -– and for good reason: maintaining a correct leg position is the most fundamental of the fundamentals.
continue reading "Get great leg… of the hunter-jumper kind"

Six months after Heather Ryan and L. David Dubé created a fund to support equine research projects at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, three teams of scientists received welcome news in early March of this year.

Their projects — each focused on critical issues in horse health — had received a combined total of $410,000 in new research funding.

“All three projects will be conducted by multi-disciplinary teams of scientists from WCVM, the University of Saskatchewan and other research institutions across North America,” says Dr. Norman Rawlings, the veterinary college’s associate dean of research.
continue reading "Cutting edge research receives critical funds: WCVM projects awarded $410,000 to investigate equine disorders"

by Elsie Wain

The sale of two Michelson horses to Yukon buyers has started what looks like a serendipitous link between Alberta and the Yukon.

In early June, Greg Michelson from Carbon, Alberta, travelled to Whitehorse, Yukon, for a working holiday.
continue reading "Albertans start ‘reining rush’ in the Yukon"

by Pam Asheton

Brent and Grace Seufert are widely recognized as serious Canadian competitive trail and endurance riding specialists. Their Water Valley event for Trail Riding Alberta Conference (TRAC) ran successfully for years until, suddenly, in 2006 they decided they’d had enough.

Simply, this high-energy couple tired of increasingly long Alberta winters, and sold up land, house, and everything. They bought a monster fifth-wheel with living accommodation for horses and humans, and enough plug-ins for Brent’s software TechWest business (RodeoLogic that includes the Calgary Stampede as a long-term customer, and HerdLogic for farmers and ranchers’ records, plus other organizational software programs).
continue reading "Ancient Akhal-Teke Breed now Alberta Bound"

By: Kerri Kerley
The Calgary Polo Club is having great success with the 0 goal league. On Sunday, July 8, Mother Nature was kind enough to keep the rain away, but skimped on the sunshine, however that did not darken the spirits of our Weekend Warriors who played in a fast-paced, action-packed 0 goal round-robin game.

Most of the competitors in this league are beginner polo players, a few are even beginner riders. This league allows them to learn as they play in a fun, but competitive, situation.
continue reading "Weekend Warriors off to a Fast Start"

A Przewalski’s Horse filly has been born at Toronto Zoo, the first such birth in 15 years. Solstice was born on June 22. She is by Phoenix, and is the first foal out of Alexandra, who is 14.

Przewalski’s Horses were once declared extinct in the wild, although re-introduction efforts have taken place. At present, the zoo’s herd consists of seven animals, with a total of 150 of these horses in captivity in North America.

“We’re very excited by the birth of this foal, which is a great contribution to the conservation of this critically endangered species,” said Zoo Curator of Mammals, Maria Franke.
continue reading "Rare Przewalski’s Horse born in Canada - Sire on loan from Calgary Zoo"