Like many horse owners, I was under the assumption that freezing temperatures in winter would kill off any small strongyle worm eggs or larvae on horse pastures, and stop the life cycle of these parasites when they are outside of their equine host. Apparently that is not the case.

Recently, a process called “gene doping” has come to light*. This illegal and unethical, yet scientifically remarkable, process involves injecting horses with small pieces of genetic material, referred to as “transgenes,” which have been linked to athletic performance. Once these transgenes have been injected, they integrate into the horse’s own DNA, presumably giving the horses an athletic advantage.

Horse industry highlights include a revised statutory definition that excludes equines from a blanket definition of “pets” and funding for key livestock and international market development programs through Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. In the wake of extensive horse industry outreach, lawmakers struck language in the senate version that defined horses as “pets” within the context of a “Pet and Women Safety” (PAWS) measure. Industry requested that lawmakers delete “horses” from the proposed statutory definition of “pets,” but retain “horses” as a stand-alone category. 

Detroit Horse Power, a non-profit organization founded by David Silver, teaches Detroit youth how to ride and care for horses as a way to develop critical skills that will set them up for future success. Currently, DHP transports over 130 students to riding facilities outside of the city. DHP’s vision to develop an urban equestrian center in the heart of the Motor City will bring equestrian opportunities and a managed green space directly to their kid’s neighborhood year-round.

This deluxe seven-day pack trip covers the essentials of horsepacking in the wilderness— with the Golden Trout Wilderness of the High Sierra as your laboratory. The instructor will discuss equipment, emergency veterinary care, feeding and managing livestock in the backcountry.

Dr Kendra Coulter, Professor of Labor Studies at Brock University, reported on her recently released study on horse farm employers and employees in Ontario, showing that 50% of stable workers reported earning minimum wage or less and almost half of the workers are improperly classified as independent contractors, and are thus are not protected by the Employee Standards Act.

Introducing the bit is traditionally one of the most important training procedures in a young horse’s life. The majority of our performance horses are ‘bitted,’ so this process forms a key part of the foundation training for many horses. Investigating procedures to optimize this introduction could lead to benefits in performance and, in some instances, improvements in welfare.

Horses sometimes lick and chew during training and this has often been interpreted as a sign that the horse is learning or showing ‘submission’ to the trainer. However, a new study suggests that this non-nutritive licking and chewing behavior is a natural behavior that is shown after a stressful situation.

The old saying “no hoof, no horse” still holds true. No matter what your horse’s job is, his feet provide the foundation for soundness and performance.