Traditionally speaking, you’ve heard that a mare can only have one foal at a time. Maybe two if you’re lucky. But SIX?! With advancements in breeding, it’s now possible for a mare to have up to six foals in a year’s time. How? An embryo transfer.



An embryo transfer occurs after a mare has been bred to a stallion or artificially inseminated. Approximately nine days after the conception, the fertilized egg is then removed either surgically or flushed out and then placed in a “carrier… Continue

Professional Dressage Groom's Top Ten Grooming Items for Horse Shows

By: Justin Ridgewell

- Over the past six years I have been a professional groom and working student to the elite dressage training facility Oakcrest Farm. I have had the great opportunity and pleasure of traveling across Canada, the USA and even to Europe with grand prix…

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The Claremont Riding Academy was the last riding school in Manhattan. It was originally built in 1892 as a livery stable before eventually becoming a riding academy.



Horses were stabled in the basement and second floor of the building. The riding arena was fairly small and a clear path was obstructed by numerous posts around the arena. Nevertheless, for decades it served as a learning environment for hundreds of riders. While there was no room for boarding, more experienced riders… Continue

New York City native, Lillie Keenan is definitely an up and coming rider to watch out for. At just fourteen, she has some pretty big wins under her belt. In 2007, she made a successful completion of all three rounds at the USEF Pony Finals in Lexington. She returned on a strong note again in 2008 by winning five out of six possible championships at the Pony Finals. As of 2010, she has won WIHS Equitation Classic and its finals as well as the Maclay at Devon. Pretty impressive, no? She…

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The second part to “Equines in Education” focuses on equine related programs you can take as the post-secondary level. The list included universities and colleges from both the U.S. and Canada.



An equine management or science degree is good for interests in a career as a breeding and foal manager, equine industry consultant, equine rehabilitating specialist, equine event/facility manager, equine marketing, sales and promotion or as a coach. The rest of the programs are pretty… Continue

Some people don’t like to read. Luckily if you’re born with a passion for horses, you don’t mind it as long as someone’s saddling up. We all grew up with classics such as Marguerite Henry’s books, The Black Stallion, Pony Pals, The Saddle Club, Thoroughbred, Heartland and Canterwood Crest series. The list goes on. However I’ve looked through my bookshelf and compiled a short list of lesser-known horsey books you should all definitely have a look at.



No Small Thing by Natale… Continue

Every horse person has heard of Wellington. Most of the bigger Canadian stables have a secondary location here where their riders show and compete during winter. It's also known to attract some big names towards their shows and tournaments and boasts a wide equine culture with its various equine and polo events. So what exactly is it that makes Wellington such a hotspot for equestrians and their horses?



Location



Wellington maintains a warm climate all year long… Continue

With the school year's end coming into view, summer will pass and before you know it, it's September and time to send the kids out to school again. If you have horse crazy kids at home and a few extra grand kicking around, why not send them to a school with an equestrian curriculum?



Queen Margaret School



QMS is located on the west coast in Duncan, British Columbia. The junior school (kindergarten to grade 7) is co-ed but the senior… Continue

This is just one of those Sundays, it is raining so I can't ride, but I can't complain as we are in a drought and we need every drop of rain.  The horses are going to adore the fresh new growth in their pastures and we will have a whole week with no below freezing temperatures.  Ah, spring.

 

Wednesday, when I got to the stable Debbie was trying to finish a barn chore and…

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Yet more poetic ramblings courtesy of my alter ego, Shakespeare "The Equine"

 

Enjoy!

 

The Horse as Therapist -- Part I

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The head of the herd at Infinity Farm is the kind of horse you might call Grandfather- with reverence. He was a flashy something in his day; what he lacked in confidence he made up for with bravado. We made a pair and a quarter century later, we have both softened and matured with age. He rules the ranch, from the ducks (he shares his grain with them) on up. Not all barns are as…

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If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you’re there?   When working with coaching clients, I always ask them to set a goal for their sessions.  It’s important for both of us to know what to focus on;…

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Has anyone else noticed how much fantastic content we have on Barnmice?!

 

With millions of pages viewed in 2010 alone, we realized that we needed lots more space to show off our wealth of videos, articles, blog posts, stories and much…

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Have your Say!

 

Equine Guelph is a not-for profit centre at the University of Guelph funded by horse people to serve the horse and its industry. Knowledge gained from the survey will allow Equine Guelph to identify areas of research that are of highest priority, improve and develop education programs specific to the needs of the industry and enhance communication of horse-related information.

Survey is anonymous and will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete. All…

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This is an issue which has arisen time and time again – I hear it all the time. “I bought a custom saddle [note on  tangent – there is a lot of misconception of what truly construes ‘custom’ anything – but I digress] and I expect it to fit me and my horse for as long as we live and never need adjusting”.  Okay, that’s a bit exaggerated, but I think you may understand where I’m going with this. True, you may be lucky and find a saddle that you feel is comfortable for you and you feel…

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