In Canada, professionals who offer equine massage, equine chiropractic, farriery, and equine homeopathy who are not veterinarians may unintentionally be practicing veterinary medicine, which could be against provincial laws. There is a lack of oversight due to few regulations governing the training, certification, and qualifications of these types of service providers. Moreover, provincial veterinary associations typically only intervene when a complaint is filed by a horse owner. As a result, individuals can easily market themselves as qualified to offer these services, even without the necessary expertise, leaving vulnerable horse owners to "learn the hard way" when choosing a provider.

Horses are masters at becoming injured, which is why many owners choose to purchase insurance. But working through an insurance claim while already dealing with an injured horse — or worse — can be highly stressful. So, I asked Mike King to provide some tips on making an insurance claim. He’s a partner at Acera Insurance and the national lead for equine insurance and risk management programs, so he oversees claims across the country.

Funding, Education, Insurance, Community - Do you need money for a clinic or competition? Do you want to attend free webinars and equine programs? How about insurance to help pay for damage done by your horse? Or connections with like-minded horsey folk?

Canada is facing a significant veterinarian shortage that is adversely affecting horse owners. The shortage is particularly acute in rural areas, where equine veterinarians are often unavailable.