horse

Stacey Iverson, Equine Guelph online studies student

Advocating for the Underdog through Education in Equine Welfare

Originally posted by Open Learning and Educational Support at the University of Guelph – July 12, 2024 Imagine if a dedication to the underdogs became a life mission. Meet Stacey Iverson, one of OpenEd’s Equine Studies Online students. Stacey is currently completing the Certificate in Equine Welfare–a program that challenges students’ perspectives with six unique courses. In her…

Firefighter rescuing horse from barn

Stepping Out of the Dark with a Study on Blindfolding Horses

If you are a Black Beauty fan, you will recall the scene where Beauty is being led from a burning barn and he’s scared.  James puts the blindfold on to instantly calm him down, and then he’s able to be rescued.  Written in 1877 by Anna Sewell, the novel was based on how horse handling…

Pictured with her horse Milo, Shelby Dennis receives the 2023 Roger L’Heureux Memorial Equine Award. Photo by: Carleen Giesler

From Passion to Profession: Shelby Embraces Equine Science

Shelby Dennis’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the transformative impact of education. Her journey with Equine Guelph’s Online Science Certificate program and the Roger L’Heureux Tuition Award is a narrative of triumph over traditional expectations and a celebration of lifelong learning.

Horse drinking water

Preventing Dehydration in Horses

Authors: Dr. Mike Lindinger & Gayle Ecker With exercise, the body temperature rises. This heat must be dissipated, or the horse will literally “cook”!  The body cools itself through the evaporation of sweat, so sweating is especially important for the exercising horse. The sweat contains water and electrolytes, or salts. The main electrolytes are sodium,…

Foal beside mare

Study to Examine Selenium blood concentration in Ontario Broodmares and foals

Selenium deficient soil can lead to several conditions in domestic animals including white muscle disease.  Of importance to Ontario horse breeders is the fact that most foals are born with low blood selenium concentrations.  Some clinical signs of low selenium levels may include dysphagia or weak suckle reflex due to pharyngeal/masticatory muscle weakness.  Southern Ontario…

Give the best possible care to your horse with Equine Guelph healthcare tools

Equine Guelph Healthcare Tools for the Win!

One can go down many rabbit holes searching on the internet for horse health advice and Dr. Google is known to serve up many popular myths.  Over the years, Equine Guelph, the Centre for the horse at the University of Guelph has developed twelve free interactive online healthcare tools to help horse owners provide optimal…

horses drinking at a water trough

Testing 1-2-3 – Strangles Research

Strangles, the highly contagious upper respiratory disease caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus equi (S. equi) has been front and centre on social media lately with numerous disease alerts being posted.  These alerts are triggered by positive test results for S. equi and reported by an official laboratory to the provincial or state veterinary office.  Given…

Ontario Equine Education and Employment Program Logo

OEEEP Program Continues Creating Pathways to Employment in the Equine Industry

With an increasing number of want ads on horse industry job boards, there is no denying the equine industry is clamouring for suitable employees.  Speaking with three facilitators of the Ontario Equine Education and Employment Program (OEEEP) it becomes abundantly clear, this is a Win-Win program for those looking to embark on a career with…

Horse eating hay

Balancing Act of Equine Nutrition

New Ration Balancer Info-sheet, Forage and the Importance of Analysis With the cost of feeding horses continuing to rise, horse owners need to become savvy when it comes to feeding their herd on a budget without compromising equine nutrition.  A greater understanding of forage, the largest component of the equine diet, really improves the bottom…

Broodmares and a foal

Researching Infertility in Mares due to Endometritis

It is not uncommon for mares to have trouble getting pregnant because their uterus remains too inflamed after breeding. This condition is referred to as persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE). Ontario Veterinary College researcher, Dr. Tracey Chenier is working to find out what causes this inflammation and how to treat it. “Horse owners and breeders often…

Large Animal Emergency Rescue Training Mar 20 2024

First Responder Refresher for Large Animal Emergency Rescue

Equine Guelph’s Large Animal Emergency Rescue (LAER) training team kicked off their 2024 schedule with a one-day refresher workshop at the beautiful Holly Oaks Farm on March 20, in Lynden, ON.  Among the attendees were members of the Hamilton Mounted police, York police, McKee-Pownall veterinary services, Troy Equine Services and members of TEAD – therapeutic…