Chewing on Hay Research: Preparation, Delivery, and Horse Health Hay may look like the simplest part of a horse’s diet, but as University of Guelph professor Dr. Anna Kate Shoveller explains, it’s the foundation of equine health and far more complex than it appears. Horses are designed to graze for 14–18 hours a day, relying…

Equine Guelph 2026 Research Annual – Volume 23 Equine Guelph’s 23rd Research Annual recaps impactful research from 2025, showcasing studies that advance equine health and welfare. Our feature article explores nephrosplenic entrapment and evidence supporting preventative surgical techniques for horses at risk of recurrence. Included in this feature is a video interview with Dr. Nicola…

Horse owners worry over recurring colic is justified When a horse suffers nephrosplenic entrapment, a specific type of displacement colic, the risk of it happening again can be elevated. For high-performance horses, that means more than pain and emergency bills; it can disrupt training schedules and competition plans. A preventative surgery called laparoscopic closure of…

Lesson horses are the heart of equestrian education in Canada. They teach beginners how to ride, help build confidence, and often serve as the first connection between people and horses. For many riders, these horses are the gateway to a lifelong passion—and for researcher Caleigh Copelin, they were the reason she entered the field of…

Veterinarians often give penicillin to horses during surgery to prevent infection, but the speed of injection may influence how the horse’s cardiovascular system reacts. In a study of 29 horses under general anesthesia, researchers compared two methods of giving penicillin: a fast injection over one minute and a slower one over ten minutes. Both methods caused…

Roaring in horses is not just a loud, raspy noise made during exercise; it is an issue in the upper airway that restricts airflow and can limit performance in large breed horses such as Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, and warmbloods. Ontario Veterinary College associate professor of Large Animal Surgery, Taralyn McCarrel, is seeking to develop a surgical…

The short answer is not enough is known about this all-too-common veterinary emergency.  There are no clearly defined criteria to categorize acute colitis.  “Colitis in horses is very complex and can be affected by several factors,” says Ontario Veterinary College researcher, Dr. Luis Arroyo.  There is a need to improve diagnostic protocol. Together with newly recruited…

Equine Guelph Research Annual – Volume 22 Featuring Associate professor at the University of Guelph, Wendy Pearson and Ph.D. candidate Dr. Nadia Golestani as they explore the benefits of supplementing Spirulina to help the equine athlete recover faster from intense exercise. Plus a recap of 2024 equine research. Equine Guelph supports a number of high-quality…

Elevating performance and seeking the competitive edge is what makes equine supplements a billion-dollar industry, but what makes the difference between a supplement that creates expensive urine and a nutritional supplement that could actually have an impact? Associate professor at the University of Guelph, Wendy Pearson and Ph.D. candidate Dr. Nadia Golestani, answer this question…

University of Guelph researchers share preliminary results of a study suggesting bigger may not necessarily be better when it comes to riding school programs and equine welfare.  Other researchers have shown that riding lesson horses have poorer welfare compared to pleasure horses, when comparing incidences of abnormal behaviours, physical injuries, health issues, aggression towards humans, and “depressed-like” postures. The variability…

Why Embryos Fail and Improving Odds of Successful Horse Breeding If entering the fall, your breeding prospect has come up empty, there are considerations to ponder and actions you can take for successful breeding next year.  “Don’t let those mares sit all fall and winter, with untreated conditions such as a uterine infection,” says Dr. Tracey Chenier,…

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…