Horse Industry

University of Calgary Study Examines Emotional State of Stampede Rodeo Bulls

Updated:

August 4, 2016

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Few bulls show signs of stress or anxiety just before bucking performance - A new study by a renowned animal welfare and behaviour expert at the University of Calgary looks at the stress levels of bucking bulls at the Calgary Stampede. The study — the first to examine the handling of bucking bulls before a rodeo performance — found that few bulls show signs of stress or anxiety. “The major conclusion of our study was that at this specific rodeo, the majority of bulls did not show behavioural indicators of fear prior to the performance,” says Dr. Ed Pajor, professor in animal behaviour and welfare at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) and Anderson-Chisholm Chair in Animal Care and Welfare. “The evidence does not support concerns that bulls were agitated prior to performance.”

Stem Cells Could Speed Equine Healing

Updated:

June 30, 2016

A team of researchers at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) is investigating the potential use of stem cells - an exciting new area of veterinary medicine - on wound healing in horses. “Stem cells in the purest definition are cells that are able to regenerate themselves and differentiate into all cell types,” says Dr. Suzanne Mund, a veterinarian who is a graduate student in the WCVM’s Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences.

New Research Funding to Benefit Alberta’s Sport Horse Community

Updated:

June 23, 2016

University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Equine Sports Medicine Source High performance equine athletes Dr. Renaud Léguillette Equine Sports Medicine donation Calgary Stampede Paul Rosenberg Dr. Erin Shields

University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine launches $1.5 million Calgary Chair in Equine Sports Medicine - High performance equine athletes are like people – they need to be at peak fitness to perform at their maximum. But like any athlete, injuries can occur. How to train horses for top performance while avoiding injury is one issue facing the sport horse industry in Alberta that will be studied further because of a new research chair

The Legal Side of Buying a Horse at an Auction

Updated:

June 3, 2016

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Buying a horse is an important decision that usually involves careful planning, consideration, and research. Buying a horse at an auction can remove or reduce the ability to exercise due diligence in the buying process. “Deals” and good quality horses can be found at auctions; however, when attending an auction, buyers may be overcome with excitement for what appears to be a great bargain or sympathy for an obviously mistreated horse, and make a purchase they later regret. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to score a deal or rescue a horse, auction buyers should be aware of the legal obligations imposed upon buyers, consignors, and auction houses so they can protect their legal rights and, to the greatest extent possible, make informed decisions.

Horse-Drawn Carriages Return to Montreal Streets

Updated:

May 25, 2016

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Horse-drawn carriages returned to the streets of Old Montreal on Wednesday, May 25, 2016, after Mayor Denis Coderre announced the cancellation of the year-long moratorium he had declared just the previous week. His decision was reversed after a Quebec Superior Court justice granted a temporary injunction to the carriage drivers that would have allowed them to continue working until at least June 3. Calèche drivers, who had been concerned for their livelihoods and those of their horses, are ecstatic with the decision. Drivers had protested with their carriages in front of city hall on May 24, 2016.

Of Horses and Men - The Émile Hermès Collection, Paris

Updated:

May 19, 2016

Of Horses and Men The Émile Hermès Collection, Paris Pointe-à-Callière Montréal Museum of Archaeology, horse history, equine history, historical equestrian

An exclusive exhibition presented by Pointe-à-Callière - Horses have always fascinated us, and for its latest exhibition, Pointe-à-Callière Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History invites the public to admire this noble animal through the eyes of a passionate collector. In a worldwide exclusive, the Museum presents Of Horses and Men, an exhibition based on the private collection of Émile Hermès. For five months, Montrealers and visitors from around the world will get the chance to explore some of this collection, assembled by the former head of Hermès International.

Sable Island Horses and Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Updated:

May 12, 2016

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Could bacteria resistant to antimicrobial drugs routinely used in both human and veterinary medicine be found in wild horses on a remote island in the Atlantic Ocean? By answering this question, Dr. Joe Rubin and members of his research team at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) hope to gain a better understanding of how bacteria carrying acquired resistance genes are passed between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife species.

Christian McEachern - Healing with Horses

Updated:

May 12, 2016

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A Veteran Looks At Life Through His Horse’s Ears - “I joined the PPCLI cadet corps at the age of 12 and soon realized that a career in the army was what I wanted to do,” says McEachern. “At 17 I enlisted in the reserves and did my first tour overseas as a peacekeeper in Croatia (former republic of Yugoslavia) with 1st Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. After the tour I transferred to the regular force with the same battalion I served with overseas. In 1995 I was sent to Central Africa with the Disaster Assistance Relief team as security for the medics, headquarters, etc.

Equine Drug Study Leads to Rule Change

Updated:

May 11, 2016

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Results from a Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) study have led to a nation-wide change in Equine Canada-sanctioned competition rules regulating the use of the drug firocoxib in performance horses. The national equine sport organization’s rule change regarding firocoxib’s use came into effect on January 1, 2016.

New Research Reins in Deadly Equine Disease

Updated:

March 18, 2016

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Researchers at the University of Guelph have made an equine breakthrough that can change the health of newborn foals. Led by John Prescott, pathobiology researcher and former professor, the research team identified an uncommon, but deadly bacterium that causes necrotizing enteritis disease in very young foals, and has already created a vaccine for further research. For years, an unknown strain of this intestinal bacterium has been killing foals within the first week of life. Prescott and his team have worked for several years to understand the cause of necrotizing enteritis in foals and recently identified the bacterial agent and its deadly toxin, which they have called NetF.