Canada’s Only National Horse Magazine DISPLAY UNTIL NOVEMBER 15, 2020
RESEARCH
The Arabian horse is one of the oldest breeds of any domesticated animal in the world. Now, a major study of the genetic diversity of this historic breed is shedding light on its origins and has called into question the role of the Arabian as a founder of the Thoroughbred breed, as well as the Arabian’s influence on
PHOTO: ALEXIA KHRUSCHEVA
other horse breeds.
INVESTIGATING THE
Arabian Horse Genome Genetic Study Challenges Common Beliefs
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/MAKAROVA VIKTORIA
By Mark Andrews
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A study involving Arabian horses from 12 countries has found that some populations maintained more genetic diversity, and that the breed did not contribute genetically to the modern-day Thoroughbred, contrary to popular thought. An international team of scientists was led by the University of Florida’s Samantha Brooks, and Doug Antczak and Andy Clark at Cornell University in New York. The group collected and examined DNA samples from 378 Arabian horses from Qatar, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Poland, United States, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, and Canada. The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports. Other than the horse’s location and whether it was used for endurance, racing, or showing, the samples were anonymized for data analysis purposes. The researchers also incorporated information gained in previous studies, which included breeds such as Thoroughbred, Persian Arabian, Turkmen, and Straight Egyptian. “The Arabian horse has a special mystique due to the long-recorded history of the breed,” Brooks said. “Arabian horse breeders in particular know their horse’s bloodlines many generations back. What we found was that in the area where this breed originates — likely the near East region, but we don’t know exactly — there’s a healthy level of diversity. This is particularly evident in populations from Bahrain and Syria, which suggests these The Arabian characteristics of endurance and heat tolerance, as well as its arched neck, high trail carriage, and dish-shaped facial profile with wide-set eyes, are held in high regard.
HEALTH
PHOTO COURTESY OF UC DAVIS CENTER FOR EQUINE HEALTH
Enteroliths of various sizes and shapes that were removed from different horses. It is possible for one horse to have multiple enteroliths.
What To Do About Equine Enteroliths Source: UC Davis Center for Equine Health
Enteroliths are mineral accumulations of magnesium-ammonium-phosphate (struvite) around a foreign object (a piece of metal, pebble, baling twine, hair, rubber) that form round, triangular, or flat stones inside the bowel, usually over the course of multiple years. They form in the large colon of horses, where they can remain for some time until they move and cause an obstruction in the large or small colon, resulting in colic. Enteroliths form as a result of certain diets (for example, feeding diets high in magnesium and protein, such as alfalfa-rich diets), breed predisposition, and/or management practices. The rate of enterolith formation is variable and thought to be affected by gut pH, the availability of certain minerals, and gut motility. Enteroliths can vary in size, and horses may carry one or two large ones, or 100 or more small ones, in their guts. Why some horses develop enteroliths and others do 14
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not, as well as why some horses develop many stones whereas others develop only one or two, is not well understood. Small enteroliths may harmlessly pass out of the body with manure, whereas large stones can create obstructions and result in colic. Many horses can carry large enteroliths for years with no issues. Enterolithiasis is reported worldwide, but is more common in certain geographic regions, particularly California and Florida. It also occurs in all breeds, but some, including Arabians and Arabian crosses, Morgans, and American Saddlebreds, seem to be overrepresented. There does not appear to be any sex predilection and enteroliths are very rare in horses under two years of age.
What are the clinical signs of enteroliths? Clinical signs vary depending on the size and number of enteroliths and the part
How are enteroliths diagnosed? Diagnosing enteroliths can be challenging, as many of the initial outward signs are not specific. Finding stones in a stall or paddock is a good indicator, but these can be easily missed or hard to attribute to a single horse in a group-housing situation. Radiographs (x-rays) are the best screening test for enteroliths, although radiographs are not able to identify the presence of enteroliths in every case. The ability of radiographs to confirm
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/ANGELA N PERRYMAN
ON THE ROCKS
of the bowel where they are located. Horses with a single large enterolith in the large colon may have a history of chronic, intermittent colic. Horses with smaller-size stones that can move and lodge within the small colon will have signs of colic that are more acute. Some horses have a history of passing stones in the feces without showing signs of colic. Nonspecific signs, such as changes in attitude, anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, loose manure, girthiness, and reluctance to exercise may appear prior to any signs of colic. Signs indicating mild to moderate abdominal discomfort include pawing, repeatedly lying down and getting up, rolling, looking at the flank, kicking at the abdomen, and sweating.
HEALTH
BARLEY STRAW
Can Aid
Equine Weight Loss Feeding a mixture of barley straw and hay is a safe and cost-effective way of promoting weight loss in grazing ponies over winter, according to recent research. Obesity is a widespread problem in pleasure horses and ponies. In the past, it was accepted that horses and ponies would lose weight over the winter, and then gain weight in the spring when grazing quality improved. Nowadays, horses are fed to maintain condition over the winter, and at the same time they may be doing less work. Obese horses and ponies are at higher risk of laminitis; but shedding that weight is often quite a challenge. A study conducted by Dr. Miranda Dosi and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh Royal School of Veterinary Studies and the Redwings horse sanctuary in Norfolk UK, looked at whether feeding a mixture of straw and hay could be used for reducing weight in grazing ponies over the winter. A report of the work is published in the Veterinary Record. The study involved native type ponies maintained in groups at grass over winter. They were fed supplementary roughage — either hay alone, or an equal mixture of hay and barley straw. The research team weighed the horses regularly during the four-month long study.
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/XILIUS
By Mark Andrews
They found that, over the study period, all animals in the hay/ straw-fed group lost weight. In the hay only group, three horses lost weight, but overall, horses in that group gained weight. One concern of feeding straw is that it might lead to digestive problems such as impaction. However, in this study, there were no reports of colic in either group. Neither were there any reports of laminitis. An advantage of the higher fibre barley straw is that it may prolong the time spent eating and may reduce behavioural problems such as aggression. The researchers conclude: “Straw is a cost-effective and low-energy roughage, which may be a useful alternative to hay alone when trying to induce weight loss in grazing equids over winter.” b Printed with the permission of Mark Andrews, Equine Science Update
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“I’m always amazed how one treatment of Farriers’ Fix for a stone bruise can make my horse sound in just a day.” — Katharine Burdsall, Winner of The World Cup in 1986 on The Natural
COLIC SURGERY OUTCOMES
PHOTO: CANSTOCK/XILIUS
By Mark Andrews
Colic is a common problem in horses, and although many cases will respond quickly to medical treatment, some do not, and surgical intervention is required to correct the problem. This is not something to be undertaken lightly. There are risks associated with general anaesthesia and with the surgical procedure itself. A period of convalescence lasting months will likely be required. A further concern is the risk that the horse will not regain its original athletic ability. A study in the Netherlands has looked at the short- and longterm survival rate, complications, and rehabilitation for sporting activity, of horses after colic surgery. Johannes van Loon and colleagues at Utrecht University reviewed the clinical records of 283 horses treated surgically after being presented for acute colic at the Department of Equine Sciences. As well as looking at survival and complication rates, they also considered the functional outcome and behavioural problems.
They found that of the horses that underwent colic surgery, 59 percent went home alive. Of those, 96 percent were still alive a year later. More than half of them suffered at least one or two episodes of colic during that time. Encouragingly, almost twothirds of horses that returned home achieved at least their previous level of performance. Owners reported altered behaviour and gait-related problems in up to 46.2 percent of horses. The researchers suggest that improving veterinary aftercare, in collaboration with other procedures such as physiotherapy and saddle fitting during rehabilitation, could produce further improvement in athletic performance and welfare after recovery from colic surgery. The study was reported in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Medicine. b Published with the kind permission of Mark Andrews, Equine Science Update.
PHOTO: Shutterstock.com/AbramovaKseniya
Study Looks at
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/TANJA ESSER
HEALTH
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HEALTH
Equine Chiropractic
Should you consider it for your horse? Source: UC Davis Center for Equine Health
Chiropractic is a manual (applying hands to the body) therapy concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders of the musculo-skeletal system, and the effects of these disorders on the nervous system in general health. Chiropractic treatment consists of controlled force applied to a specific anatomic region, often along the spine, to cause a therapeutic response. The goal of chiropractic is to ensure smooth, coordinated movement of all spinal segments to optimize spinal joint neuromuscular function. When a chiropractor examines a patient, he/she is looking to identify joints with a reduced range of motion. Many people are familiar with the concept of the “bone being out of place” and it is very common for people to have heard of specific joints being “out.” However, that terminology should be avoided, as it gives an inaccurate picture of what is actually occurring. As opposed to the joint actually being “out of place,” the joint is instead restricted in its normal range of motion. These “restricted” joints are corrected with a chiropractic adjustment. The goal of any adjustment is to restore the optimal range of motion to that joint, which will subsequently alleviate inflammation in and pressure on surrounding nerves and soft tissue. The inflammation, similar to static on a telephone line, makes it difficult for nerves to transmit their messages accurately. Considering that nerves coupled with the brain and spinal cord (the central nervous system) control everything in the body, improving their ability to communicate well enhances overall health. This is particularly important in the spine, and chiropractic is therefore sometimes referred to as “spinal manipulative therapy.”
A chiropractor checks joint alignment on an equine patient. Horses with lameness issues not diagnosed using traditional methods are good candidates for chiropractic evaluation. 18
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PHOTO: ISTOCK/MEDICAL OCCUPATION
What to expect during a chiropractic appointment During the exam, the doctor will carefully palpate your horse’s joints and check their range of motion, which is commonly referred to as “motion palpation.” Particular attention is given to each joint in the spine, but limbs are also evaluated. When a restricted joint is identified, it is corrected by an adjustment, which is a very specific and gentle thrust into the joint. After the adjustment, the joint is palpated again to be certain that it is moving more freely. The adjustments usually look like quick little pushes on the animal. In order to be at the correct angle to the spine and to be high enough above the horse, the doctor will stand on a block. Most animals are relaxed during their appointment. Sedation is not required and is often undesirable, since it will interfere
PHOTO: ISTOCK/JULIA SIOMUHA
What Does My Horse Really Need? By Alexa Linton, Equine Sports Therapist
The conversation surrounding needs is interesting and complex in terms of our non-speaking horses, especially within a culture that has a historically tricky relationship with the expression of needs. For the purpose of this article, let’s define a need as either a base need required for survival, namely food, water, shelter, and movement, or a need required to thrive, such as friends, space, play, touch, connection, purpose, praise/affirmation, supplementation, and interesting activities. When it comes to our relationship with our horse, the combination of the perceived needs of the rider and the potential needs of their horse can be a space of connecting growth or disconnecting frustration, depending on our perspective and openness to collaborative solutions. When my mare Diva first arrived in my life over 16 years ago, we were both living in Victoria, British Columbia. Diva lived at 38
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a barn with stalls for overnight and tiny paddocks during the day. She was four years old at the time. Over our three years in Victoria we experimented with various living situations. Diva became noticeably anxious in smaller individual paddocks and more crowded barns, and much less anxious in field turnout with a small herd. At the same time, my understanding of horses was shifting daily as I studied to become an Equine Sports Therapist, causing me to become more attuned to Diva’s emotional state and curious about her unique needs, and progressively more tuned in to her level of contentment and well-being. In her final winter boarding situation in Victoria, she was living in a small walkout paddock at the end of a barn row near a dark forest ravine, with electric fencing and ceiling-high stall walls preventing her from connecting with her neighbour. In this situation, she became
progressively more anxious and stressed over several months, to the point of becoming dangerous. Her base needs of food, water, shelter, and some movement were being met, but not her thriving needs of friends, space, variety, natural spaces (no electric fence), and freedom. Feeling like I was losing my horse, I made the decision to move my whole family up to the Cowichan Valley that January, to a place where there was a herd, no electric fence or stalls, lots of space to graze and move, and endless trails for us to explore. Once these specific needs were met, she transformed almost overnight back into the horse I knew and loved. I, however, was left wondering what I needed to thrive, a question that I hadn’t asked myself up until this point. Which brings us back to our culture, and the trickiness around needs. In nonviolent communication, it is understood that all behaviour occurs as a
HEALTH
FEEDING HORSES with
Special Nutritional Needs
PHOTO:S PHOTO:SCLIX CLIXPHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY
By Shelagh Niblock, PAS
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R
eceiving a diagnosis of the condition behind your horse’s health or performance problem is usually a relief, but the satisfaction of getting the diagnosis can be quickly replaced by fear and uncertainty regarding what to do about it. Questions around both the long-term prospects for your horse and the costs involved to support the horse with such a condition can be daunting. Owners of horses diagnosed with special nutritional needs often feel bewildered and frustrated as they attempt to put together an appropriate management protocol.
What Constitutes A Special Nutritional Need For A Horse?
Horses with special nutritional needs are those whose health is dependent on management of the nutrients which would otherwise be a regular part of the equine diet. Frequently, the management of these nutrients will ensure better performance, but sometimes reducing or eliminating a nutrient from the affected horse’s diet can be a life or death matter. Regardless of whether you care for your horse at home or board him at a top-notch facility, including or excluding certain nutrients can be a challenge. Once you have a diagnosis of your horse’s condition, it is important to develop a plan with your veterinarian as to what management protocols will be the most effective in addressing the issue. Sometimes there are pharmaceutical options that can help the horse lead a productive life, and frequently there are diagnostic tools, like blood work and timely radiographs, that can assist the owner in managing the condition. It can be helpful to know if there is a genetic reason for the condition, if it relates to diet and exercise, or if it is a combination of the two. In any case,
it is very important to get a handle on the amount of the specific nutrient(s) of concern in the diet, and to find a way to regulate it in the management of a horse with special nutritional needs.
Start With Carbohydrate Management
Before we talk about equine diseases related to carbohydrates, it is helpful to remember that they are a big class of nutrients, including simple sugars like fructose and glucose, as well as complex sugars called fructooligosaccharides or fructans. Also included in the carbohydrate group are starches, and cellulose or fibre, which is a very complex carbohydrate. In general, simple sugars and starches are digested in the stomach and small intestine of the horse, while the complex fructans and fibre are fermented by the beneficial microbes in the hindgut of the horse. There are several metabolic conditions of horses requiring the regulation of carbohydrate intake in their diets.
Insulin Dysregulation
The metabolic conditions insulin resistance (IR), equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), often called Equine Cushing’s disease, can all be impacted by the intake of carbohydrates that affect the insulin status of the horse. Horses with any of these metabolic conditions usually have some degree of insulin dysregulation; in other words, they have lost the ability, or possibly never had the ability, to regulate glucose and insulin in their bodies. These horses must be on a diet containing minimal simple sugars (ESC) and/or starch, as the blood glucose spikes initiated by the consumption and digestion of these nutrients will cause
PHOTO:S PHOTO:SCLIX CLIXPHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY
A veterinarian can diagnose the condition behind your horse’s health or performance concerns, and explain the horse’s long-term prospects as well as the costs of management.
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PHOTOS: ALEX MCBRIDE/BROOKE
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Kisima is raising her nine children by herself after her husband died unexpectedly.
The Donkey Skin Trade
A devastating demand for donkey hides is decimating the donkey population in Africa, and threatening the livelihoods of millions of the world’s poorest and most marginalized people. By Margaret Evans Kisima is a widow living in Nimalat, Kenya, and raises her nine children alone. She earns money through selling charcoal at the market and, to do so, she is completely dependent on her two donkeys. “Life has not been easy,” she says. “I never wanted my kids to suffer after my husband’s death.” Then, one night, she heard a disturbance outside her home. “We could hear the goats’ mew, so I got out of bed. I went around the house but couldn’t see anything. I went back in because I felt it’s not good to walk by myself at night. I got up at 3 am to pray to find that only one donkey was outside.” The other donkey had been stolen. Kisima searched extensively and the following day she went to Ntulele to look for those who were killing donkeys. After weeks of searching, she concluded that whoever took her donkey sold it somewhere else, for she never found the donkey she depended on so much. Across many countries in Africa, millions of donkeys are used by some of the world’s poorest communities. These working animals are vital for smallholder farmers and villagers to cultivate a land for planting, transport manure, bring in a harvest, take merchandise to market, and bring supplies home.
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The donkeys are their only means to eke out a living, so they can put food on the table and send their children to school. But donkey theft has become epidemic in Kenya and rampant in many African countries. The reason is the demand for ejiao by Chinese manufacturers. Ejiao is a gelatin found in donkey skin. The ejiao is made by boiling the skins down to a gelatinous paste, which is then used in a range of luxury serums, creams, and tablets that retail for more than $500/kilogram in China. It is also highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine. “The gelatin is said to contain anti-ageing properties, so is often used within face creams, but can also be used as an alternative medicine to treat blood circulation,” says Megan Sheraton with The Brooke Hospital for Animals, London, UK. “The use of ejiao in China has grown in popularity in recent years after it was rebranded to appeal to a much-increased consumer base. However, the donkey population in China has fallen dramatically in the last 20 years, meaning that suppliers of ejiao are looking to other countries for their donkeys.” The increasing demand for donkey skins from Africa has caused market prices to rise by three or four times in some areas, making donkey ownership by people like Kisima impossible, and
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For Kisima, who was already living close to the poverty line, the theft of one of her donkeys has had a profound impact on her life and the lives of her children.
devastating her ability to work and put food on the table. “One ejiao manufacturer alone has stated that it processes in excess of one million donkey skins per year,” says Dr. Ben Sturgeon, director of veterinary programs, Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA). “With the supply of farmed donkeys in China unable to keep pace with demand (China’s donkey population has dropped from 11 million in 1992 to just 2.5 million today), producers have now turned their attention to the donkeys of Africa, and are targeting their skins on a massive scale.” The two UK-based equine charitable organizations — The Brooke Hospital for Animals and SPANA — provide veterinary care for equines and education for owners and their families in third world countries. Both charities have been working at every level to stop the trade, theft, and slaughter of donkeys. But with the rapid growth of the Chinese middle class driving a surge in consumer demand, there is a demand for millions of donkey skins by the ejiao industry every year, putting the future of the donkey population across many countries perilously at risk. Sturgeon said that manufacturers make a wide range of claims, many of them dubious, about the health benefits of ejiao, such as reducing wrinkles, curing anaemia, boosting energy, enhancing libido, and even preventing cancer and shrinking tumours. “There is scant scientific evidence to support such claims and many say it is a purely economic product,” he says. “Further analysis of content has demonstrated levels of impurity, some dangerous to human health.” The legal status of trade in donkey skins varies in different countries where the animal product is sought. “The trade is currently still legal in countries including
Tanzania, Nigeria, and Brazil and, whilst there is currently a ban in Pakistan, there are fears that this may be lifted,” says Sheraton. “However, Kenya, which was previously described as the ‘epicentre’ of the trade, announced a ban on the commercial slaughter of donkeys in February 2020. Prior to the ban, up to 1,000 donkeys were slaughtered every day across four slaughterhouses, and some of these were illegally smuggled over the border from Ethiopia.” But the ban on the donkey skin trade was lifted in June, just four months after being implemented. The slaughterhouses had appealed through the Kenyan courts, claiming the ban was unlawful. “This is a huge threat to the lives of donkeys, a worry for donkey owners, and a disappointment for Brooke teams in Africa,” Sheraton says. “The situation is still very changeable.
PHOTO: WIKI/DEADKID DK
PHOTOS: ALEX MCBRIDE/BROOKE
< Kisima with her donkeys. Working animals like these are essential to the livelihoods of as many as one billion of the world’s poorest and most marginalised people. As these animals are often a family’s sole means of earning a living, the loss of a donkey can be devastating.
A slab of donkey-hide gelatin called ejiao.
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HEALTH
Building Stronger Horses
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/YURINA PHOTO
By Jec A. Ballou Balanced muscular development cannot happen without first achieving a body that can stay stable throughout movement. In other words, a horse that is wiggling around trying to find balance, or one that has found balance by adopting a crooked posture, cannot develop strength in the ways that lead to better performance. Before a horse can add power to his locomotive muscles, he needs to find joint and limb stability while moving in his basic gaits. A horse that drifts off his line of travel or feels like a “noodle” underneath his rider needs to first resolve these wiggles and wobbles. This kind of horse needs better awareness and control of foot placement, and also the ability to maintain alignment of his spinal joints during movement. Sometimes this happens by activating and waking up the nerve signals that transmit information to the central nervous system about a joint’s position in time and space. Other times, it is necessary to add tone to the small muscles located near these joints. Fortunately, simple ground pole routines can help address both of these scenarios. Below are four of my favourite exercises for awakening a horse to what
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEC A. BALLOU
STABILITY BEFORE STRENGTH
FIGURE 1
his feet are doing, and then organizing and coordinating his body over top of them. Practiced daily for a period of two weeks or longer, they promote the stability a horse needs to then develop strength. All of these exercises require minimal materials and time to set up, so they can easily become part of your regular routine. Because they activate very finely tuned motor control, they are most effective when practiced in succinct periods. With each exercise, aim to get the desired and specific response up to ten times, but do not repeat the exercise to the point of dullness or boredom. A good rule of thumb is to practice each exercise for about one minute.
communicating to the brain about a limb’s position and tonicity.
Straddle a Pole (FIGURE 1)
6 Now ask him to take one step backwards, continuing to straddle the pole. Then bring him one step forward again.
As the horse coordinates his limbs to abduct and straddle the pole, he releases tension from his bottom muscle chain. He also activates the deep hip stabilizing muscles, which play a cybernetic role
1 Place a single pole on flat ground. Ideally, the pole should be 10 to 12 feet in length. 2 Lead your horse to approach the pole straight from one end. 3 Pause briefly for a second or two to ensure your horse is listening well and not rushing. 4 Now very gently, one tiny step at a time, lead him forward with the pole under his midline. 5 Stop when he is fully straddling the pole and give him a pause to settle in that position,
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PHOTO COURTESY OF JEC A. BALLOU
FIGURE 2
Walking Over Poles at an Oblique Angle (FIGURE 2) Rather than using inertia by traveling straight across, a horse needs more joint control when crossing poles at a diagonal angle. In this exercise, poles can either be flat on the ground or raised to a height of four inches. It can be performed ridden or from the ground.
1 Place four to six poles as shown, spaced for walking (2.5 to 3 feet apart). 2 Walk your horse in a diagonal angle across the poles. 3 Maintain a lively tempo; your horse should take just one step between each pole, not more.
FIGURE 4
Figure of Eight Poles (FIGURE 3)
Quick changes of direction combined with lateral spinal flexion to recruit the abdominals helps increase side-to-side balance or symmetry in the horse’s movement. The steady rhythm of this exercise along with the frequent postural adjustments provides constant stimulus to the horse’s balance and coordination. Practiced consistently, this motor control becomes a habit.
FIGURE 3
1 Place two 10- to 12-foot poles spaced 3 feet apart and raised to a height of eight inches. 2 Ride your horse in a marching walk making a figure-of-eight as shown.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JEC A. BALLOU
3 Concentrate on bending your horse’s body around the ends of your figureof-eight.
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4 Be sure to cross over the poles at a diagonal angle as shown. Many horses will try to shift their bodies to walk straight across the poles. Be very exact with your geometry.
Back and Forth Across a Single Pole (FIGURE 4)
The action of pulling his scapula deliberately backwards counteracts the horse’s natural tendency, which is to fall forward with his weight on this front legs.
PHOTO: ISTOCK/YURI ARCURS
How to Maximize the Benefits of Our Connection with Horses By Annika McGivern, BA Psychology, MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology Every equestrian knows the magic of our unique bond with our horses. It is a relationship that sits at the centre of our lives, supporting us and challenging us in equal measure. Every minute spent with our horses has a big impact on our well-being, which is an individual’s personal experience of good mental health and satisfaction with life. Research now supports what horsey folks have known for years: spending time with horses is good for us, so much so that horses are increasingly being used as a source of therapy. Studies have demonstrated that time spent interacting with horses 40
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increases positive emotions, decreasing depression and increasing social connection skills in children and adults alike. This article will explore how horses support our mental health, and why, as full-time equestrians, we sometimes end up missing out on these benefits due to strong negative emotions associated with our riding. It will look at what we can do to shift our perspective, free ourselves of unhelpful emotions, and maximize the benefits of our connection with horses. Research highlights several reasons why spending time with horses has a positive impact on our well-being:
• Mastery: A clear sense of mastering
something we care about is an important foundational building-block to well-being. When we feel ourselves improving at something we love to do, we feel on-track and content. Riding feeds our sense of mastery by giving us a path to follow with milestones that signal our progress and success.
• Connection: A strong sense of
belonging and connection is another foundational element of well-being. Being a rider makes us part of a unique network or group, and forms a strong part of our identity.
• Flow: Riding creates the perfect chemistry
PHOTO: ISTOCK/YURI ARCURS
for “flow” — a high-performance state of mind that happens when our skills are being perfectly challenged by the task at hand. You know you’re in flow when you are completely absorbed by the present moment, lose track of time, and find yourself performing at your best, sometimes beyond what you thought was possible.
Given all of these positive effects, it might be easy to assume that everyone involved with horses must live in a pleasant bubble of perfect mental health. Wouldn’t that be nice? However, for most of us this just isn’t true. Recent research on well-being in equestrian sport has shown that equestrians, just like other athletes, also face significant challenges to their well-being and mental health. These include the high demands on time and resources, the significant risks of climbing aboard a large flighty animal, the inevitable impact of injury, and the significant pressure of the competitive environment. All of this puts a real strain on mental health. Like most interesting areas of life, we face a paradox. Although spending time with horses has real benefits for our mental health, the stresses and demands of horse sport often outweigh those benefits and leave us feeling worn out and mentally depleted. The problems stem from the fact that we care about riding so deeply that our successes and failures become a measure of our own self-worth. Because of this, riding can become a very emotional experience: a roller-coaster of worry, fear, and self-doubt. As we become increasingly serious about succeeding in competition, training our young horse, or reaching our goals, the pressure to reach these outcomes results in a host of negative emotions, which cloud our ability to tune in to the parts of riding that benefit us. We are all familiar with this cycle: A stressed out, emotional rider creates a tense horse, which results in a frustrating ride, which strengthens the frustration and stress for the rider. Strong emotions and stress make us very reactive, resulting in inconsistent aides, a reactive horse, and sometimes unfair consequences for that horse. Why does this happen? Most of us know a friend who seems to exist as a perpetual bundle of nerves. Imagine being around this person and think about how it makes you feel. Can you feel the stress creeping through the air and clinging to you? Do you walk away from the encounter suddenly feeling unreasonably stressed AUTUMN 2020
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PHOTO: KARIE ELIZEBETH PHOTOGRAPHY
Lauryn Gray.
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Racial Bias & Ethnic Diversity in the Horse Industry
LET’S TALK
PHOTO: WIKIMEDIA
By Margaret Evans
When United States President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, freeing some 3.9 million enslaved African-Americans in Confederate states, Canada was well ahead of the United States (US) emancipation movement. According to the Royal Commonwealth Society of Canada, in
John and Mildred Ware with children Robert and Nettie, circa 1896.
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A Troubled History
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PHOTO: KARIE ELIZEBETH PHOTOGRAPHY
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n May 25, 2020, 46-year-old Black American George Floyd was killed while in police custody, after it was alleged he passed a counterfeit bill. A Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd lay face down, handcuffed, and pleading repeatedly that he couldn’t breathe. Floyd ultimately succumbed. The tragedy struck a chord and protests flared against police brutality and racism — I can’t breathe their rallying cry, leading to an ongoing resurgence of the global Black Lives Matter movement. Black Lives Matter Foundation was formed in 2013 following the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who fatally shot 17-year-old African-American high school student Trayvon Martin. Unprecedented support for the movement has led to a profound uplift in public opinion, with people looking inwardly and examining their own bias while embracing people of colour. That same self-assertion is rippling through the horse industry, where racism is seemingly less apparent. What is readily apparent is the stark lack of ethnic diversity in the equestrian community. Bias and prejudice have hallmarked society for centuries, but calls for change are now louder than ever, and recognizing that there is a problem is the first step in creating that change.
The legacy of John Ware lives on. His compelling story has been the subject of books, a song, and a National Film Board documentary. PHOTO COURT ESY OF CANAD Several geographical features near the A POST Ware’s ranch are named in his honour. Calgary is home to John Ware Junior High School, and he was featured in a commemorative stamp issued by Canada Post to celebrate Black History Month 2012.
March 1793, John Graves Simcoe, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada (now Ontario) was shocked to learn of an enslaved woman, Cloe Cooley, who was violently bound, dragged onto a boat, and taken across the Niagara River to be sold in New York State. Knowing that the freedom of all Africans in Upper Canada was at AUTUMN 2020
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HCBC Equine Industry Economic Impact Study
BC Runs on Horse Power! Source: HCBC
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he purpose of the 2019 Equine Industry Economic Impact Study is to determine the current status of British Columbiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equine industry, and calculate its economic benefit and contribution to the provincial economy. The study focuses on the broad scope of all businesses and services in BC, directly and indirectly, relating to the horse industry. Additionally, the study is concerned with comparing the current size of the industry with the size of the industry in both 2009 and 1998. The completed study will update the data and figures for all stakeholders in the equine industry, in terms of land use and overall economic impact. As a result of the study, it is hoped that HCBC will be able to target the services provided to equine enthusiasts and facilitate constructive growth opportunities within the horse industry in BC, while informing the government on the operation and impact of the BCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equine industry. Horses generate an estimated $784 million dollars in economic activity in British Columbia, and that translates to over $63 million in tax revenue to the province. The 2019 Economic Impact Study conducted by Horse Council BC (HCBC) with funding through Canadian Agricultural Partnership, indicates more than 88 percent of horse owners will be
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Veterinarians and farriers account for 15 percent of the full-time equivalent jobs in the BC horse industry.
either maintaining or increasing their involvement in the industry in the next five years. The 2019 HCBC Equine Industry Economic Impact Study is the fifth of its kind. HCBC, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, undertakes a detailed survey to estimate the size of the BC equine industry, and measure its economic contribution to the provincial economy. With previous studies conducted in 1998 and 2009, 2019 was earmarked as the next obvious interval to update the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s data and economic impact information. Collectively, the five reports document the economic activities and contribution of the BC horse industry over the last 30 years. The survey data collected and compiled by Ferrence and Company shows that although the number of horses has declined, the equine industry is alive and well. BC is home to approximately 60,000 horses on over 201,000 acres with more than 20,000 households involved in the industry. Horse properties report an estimated total value of $1.67 billion for buildings and equipment used to keep horses in 2019. The recreation sector accounts for
the largest share of this value. The analysis divided the industry into five sectors: racing, sport, ranch/work, guide, and recreation, with the recreation sector being almost as large as the other sectors combined in terms of economic impact as well as number of horses. Horse sports include racing, jumping, three-day eventing, dressage, and polo, as well as rodeo, cutting, roping, reining, cattle penning, competitive driving, and endurance riding. Work roles include
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The total capital value of BC horses is $480 million, and the economic impact of the industry is estimated at $784 million. Average horse value reported in 2019 was $8,702.
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selective forestry, ranch work, and guide-packing. There were an estimated 5,620 fulltime equivalent (FTE) jobs supported by the BC equine industry in 2019. Nearly 40 percent of these jobs are categorized as maintenance of horses, which relates to households hiring outside labour to look after their horses. The other large employment category relates to training horses and riders, which accounts for a third of all FTE jobs supported by the BC equine industry.
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More than 88 percent of those surveyed forecast their involvement in the equine industry to increase or stay the same in the next five years.
SOURCE: HCBC EQUINE INDUSTRY ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY 2019.
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More than 40 percent of respondents considered colic to be the number one health risk to the welfare of their horse(s), and a further 40 percent ranked colic as the second or third biggest threat, for an overall total of 83 percent. Permanent injury (74 percent) and chronic lameness (73 percent) ranked as the next highest in the top three risks.
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PHOTO: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY
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Canada’s National Horse Magazine CELEBRATING ALL BREEDS & DISCIPLINES FOR 29 YEARS.
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