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 care for their horses.

  In each monthly E-news a ‘tool of the month’ is featured with top tips, easily learned in 10 – 15 minutes.  Tips like, mitigating colic risk or brushing up on lameness detection…  Best of all, these tips come from a trusted source; Equine Guelph at the University of Guelph. 

Share your story & WIN

Have you used the free interactive healthcare tools on TheHorsePortal.ca?  Equine Guelph is interested in sharing your story.

In 100 – 450 words or in a video under 3 minutes, tell us how using our healthcare tool(s) have helped you manage your horse(s).

Submit your story with related photo or video to: [email protected]

Twelve tools for horse owners

The full complement of Equine Guelph’s healthcare tools are listed below:

1. The Horse Health Check

Recognize the early onset of potential issues by learning this 16-point health assessment.  Knowing how to take vitals and flag abnormalities translates into effective communication with your veterinarian and swift treatment to keep your horse healthy.

2. The Body Condition Scoring Tool

Good health is linked to your horse’s body weight.  Learn how to perform a visual assessment and palpate six areas on your horse to monitor their body condition score.  This tool is kindly sponsored by Masterfeeds.

3. Barn Fire Prevention

Keep flames at bay and ensure your stable’s safety with proactive measures from our comprehensive fire prevention guide. A five-minute quiz assesses ten hazards that may put your barn at risk.

4. Biosecurity Risk Calculator

Protect your stable from disease.  Calculate, manage, and minimize biosecurity threats to keep your equine friends healthy by going through ten categories for your barn’s score.

5. Horse Blanketing

Fend off heat stress and learn how to keep your horse properly thermoregulated in cold weather.  A tour through the ‘Blanket Centre’ weighs the pro’s and con’s of covering up and helps you choose the best options for your horse.

6. Journey Through the Joints

Take a visual tour inside equine leg joints and learn the early signs of arthritis and the various treatment options.  Take steps to learn what is normal and what is not.

7. Lameness Lab

Develop your eye for lameness with a video challenge series.  Watch videos with veterinarian experts to learn how they assess and diagnose lameness.

8. Mare & Foal Care

Enter your breeding date and see how your foal will develop with the ‘pregnancy wheel.’ Prepare for your new arrival with how to videos on foaling and handy checklists from reproduction experts.

9. Senior Horse Challenge

Embrace the golden years by learning about tailored care for aging equids.  Take the five minute, 20 question quiz to test your senior savvy.  Learn more about the six most common health concerns for senior horses.  This tool is kindly sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim.

10. Vaccination Equi-Planner

Plan your horse’s health defense with a tailored vaccination schedule for your equine companion.  A great starting point for horse owners to discuss a disease prevention program with their veterinarian by reviewing core and risk-based vaccines.  This tool is kindly sponsored by Zoetis.

11. Equine Welfare Code Decoder

Ensure the highest welfare for your horses by understanding Canada’s National Code for the Care and Handling of Equines. In just over 15 minutes you can review nine units including: Duty of Care, Facilities and Housing, Feed and Water, Health Management, Husbandry Practices, Reproductive Management, Transportation, Change or End of Career, Euthanasia

12. Colic Risk Rater

Rate the risk, reduce the worry – Colic Risk Rater provides a ‘snapshot’ in time of your horse’s risk of colic based on your current scenario.  Assess and address colic risks in 10 minutes with this 10 section quiz.  This tool kindly sponsored by Acera Insurance.

“We are grateful for the support of sponsors, both past and present, who have helped develop these practical tools,” says Equine Guelph, director, Gayle Ecker.  “In our Gut Health and Colic Prevention online course, students complete the Colic Risk Rater at the beginning and again at the end with dramatic differences in their horse’s risk level.  Just a few management changes make all the difference.  We look forward to hearing more great stories about how our healthcare tools are making a positive impact on equine welfare!”

Check out the tools and submit your success story with related photo or video to: [email protected]  for your chance to WIN a Horse Portal on-demand short online course*.

*On demand course selection excludes the Provincial Foundations Officials Course