Equestrians have an important role to play in environmental stewardship. A duty of care should be a central focus for all of us, care for the animals whose lives we are responsible for, and care of the land and resources that sustain us all. As the world becomes increasingly urbanized and technology becomes more ingrained […]
EquuRES: Sustainable Development Goals for the Equine Industry
Imagine boarding at a facility and supporting equestrian businesses that prioritize the conservation of natural resources, support local supply chains, foster equine welfare, reduce energy consumption, use renewable energy, properly manage manure and other waste by incorporating waste reduction methods (including composting and recycling), and properly maintain buildings to reduce operating costs and conserve energy. […]
Know your Plants, Protect your Horses
Looking at my backyard last night and all of the different species of plants that have cropped up over the last week or so made me thankful I only have a small space to manage, one where everything is free to grow! This would not be the case if I were managing a horse property. […]
Happy Horses Need Happy Homes
I’m back in the saddle so to speak, 5 weeks into an Equine Guelph course after taking a term off. Relevant to this course, Management of the Equine Environment, as well as Behaviour and Welfare, a Q&A style article from The Horse popped up in my Facebook news feed, Happy and Unhappy Horses at Home. The […]
Snores, Yawns & Stretches: A Horse-Guided Massage
In You can massage a horse? Of course! I wrote about Oliver, the first horse I fully assessed and treated on the last day of the equine massage therapy course. Since then, over the past 6 weeks or so, I have been visiting Oliver’s barn once a week and giving treatments to other horses. So far, I […]
The Evolution of Equus
The evolution of the horse is fascinating! Equidae (the horse family) evolved over 55 million years, with more than 30 distinct species. The only genus surviving today is Equus, which includes horses, donkeys, and zebras. Did you know that horses became extinct in both North and South America about 10,000 years ago? According to evidence […]