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…

The final offering of Equine Guelph’s Large Animal Emergency Rescue (LAER) training for 2024 was a specialized workshop for veterinary students held at the University of Guelph campus.  On November 23, 2024 this course was presented by Equine Guelph & the Department of Clinical Studies, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.  This course was exclusive…

On Friday, October 18th, first responders in Essex County received specialized training in emergency procedures to extricate large animals from tricky situations.  This training was hosted by Windsor-Essex Therapeutic Riding Association (WETRA) & The County of Essex Emergency Measures Department and facilitated by Equine Guelph, at the University of Guelph. This training comes at a…

On September 28, 2024, Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) coordinates World Rabies Day and this year’s theme is ‘Breaking Rabies Boundaries’.  In the ‘One Health’ approach, every sector takes responsibility in the effort to tackle rabies.  Rabies is a viral infection of the nervous system known to be problematic in carnivores and bats, although…

On September 28, 2024, Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) coordinates World Rabies Day and this year’s theme is ‘Breaking Rabies Boundaries’.  In the ‘One Health’ approach, every sector takes responsibility in the effort to tackle rabies.  Rabies is a viral infection of the nervous system known to be problematic in carnivores and bats, although…

Chronic pain and lameness resulting from osteoarthritis (OA) and other musculoskeletal conditions are the most common causes of poor quality of life in senior horses.  In the month of September, Equine Guelph promotes Senior Horse Education, increasing awareness of ways caregivers can be the best advocates for the health and welfare of their senior equines. …

Originally posted Aug, 12, 2024 by Open Learning and Educational Support, University of Guelph Dana Willett’s lifelong passion for horses transformed over many years, evolving into a dream both simple and profound. At an early age, Dana’s love for horses began with riding. She quickly became a “barn rat” as she put it, doing every…

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…

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…

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.

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,…

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…