Ammonia emissions are a common by-product of animal waste. These emissions can negatively impact your animal’s health and production. As well, you yourself can be harmed by high levels of ammonia and even low levels can irritate the eyes and lungs. The environment is another concern, as ammonia emissions affect air quality.



Ammonia is one of the most dangerous gases that is present in the air in barns and stables. It is produced from the decomposition of manure. The protein in an…

I’ll call her Sage.

Sage was a thoroughbred mare with classic elegance. A solid bay with a long neck and pointy withers. She was very feminine, not too tall, but she was proud.

That’s who she was born to be -but what she looked like was very…

EHV-1:  Treating Veterinarian Discusses Outbreak

Wendy Mollat, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, has been the lead veterinarian treating one of the early patients in the 2011 EHV-1 outbreak.  The horse was taken to  Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital where Dr. Mollat specializes in biosecurity (controlling the spread of infectious disease), neurological diseases, neonatology, Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome, and camelid…

I have often been asked by clients why our saddles aren’t flat on the horse’s back all the way from front to back – which makes them look like they don’t actually fit and will probably rock. Many riders don’t understand that ideally the saddle needs to slightly ‘rock’ at the cantle as the horse’s back engages.

It is the duty of the saddle fitter to explain to the client that a slightly rocking saddle will never put so much pressure on the horse’s back that…

Back at WEG there was one stand that was absolutely swamped for most of the two weeks we were there – the one with Jane Savoie and a mechanical horse. For those of you who were there, you might remember waiting in long line ups to experience the amazing new product developed by the geniuses through the partnership with Jane at Equi Sense.

Equi Sense is technology developed in order to help the trainer train better, and the rider ride better. It is truly eye-opening; when you sit on…

Weeds & Plants That Are Poisonous to Horses

By: Nicole Salo

- A list of weeds and plants that are commonly found throughout Canada and the United States that are poisonous to horses and ponies. For further info and/or a list of poisonous weeds and plants that can be harmful to livestock in your area, please contact your local Ministry of Agriculture department, they can help you with any concerns and even safe ways to dispose of toxic weeds and…

The Brook Hospital for Animals (BHA) is an international organization that offers free veterinary services to animals in need. In addition to treatment, it provides training and programs regarding animal health and well-being. The organization’s primary focus is in Africa, Asia and Latin American.



The BHA was founded 1934 by the wife of a British army major general named Dorothy Brooke following a trip to Egypt. She was horrified by the condition of the horses there. Many were…

I am presently still off and on working in Florida until the beginning of April. I recently went out to fit one of our saddles for a client to a horse (like I always do!), but what I experienced there truly troubled me to the point that I had to write about it.



The owner and the trainer were both not present; the groom brought out this lovely, sad, little horse. I have rarely encountered such a pathetic picture of absolute dejection and misuse – probably totally unknowingly – and…

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…

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…

When it comes to rugs and horse blankets, Bucas is a name that horse owners world wide trust to ensure that their horses and ponies are suitably dressed whatever the weather or time of year.



Making sure that your rugs fit correctly will make all the difference not only to…

With spring in the air, its time to strip off those winter layers and look forward to the warmer months ahead. When it comes to your own horse’s wardrobe, Bucas Rugs have ten great tips to ensure that your horse is suitably dressed this spring.…

The Controversy continues...

Many current books on equine anatomy will offer back up information to this statement (see specifically references to the supraspinous ligament system). Sometimes veterinarians are at a loss to explain equine 'problems' - often related to using the wrong type of saddle, or a badly fitting saddle. The unfortunate truth is that treeless saddles go against the logic of equine anatomy - they may work for a few years, but as has been reiterated, there is a…

Anna Sewell authored Black Beauty in 1877. She wrote the book to educate about animal cruelty and promote a more understanding approach to horses. She wrote,

“My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.”

Most times we don’t have the power to actually right wrongs. It is…

The ongoing controversy – Treed or Treeless Saddles?? PART ONE

This is a topic I often get asked about, and I feel very strongly about. This is my opinion – based on the facts that I have researched and believe – but of course you are entitled to your opinion as well, and I know that there are many ‘treeless advocates’ riding comfortably and successfully in their saddles. All I ask is that you keep an open mind to the potential damage you could be doing to your…

I got this question from one of the osteopaths I work with in Germany, and asked my friend Dr. Joanna Robson, DVM (author of Recognizing the Horse in Pain) to give me her wisdom so I could respond on behalf of the client this was concerning. Apparently the Osteopath seemed to think that there were subluxations occurring on the horse’s spine due to the centre of balance of the saddle being too far back.

Joanna writes:

My understanding is that the…