Equi-Health Canada - Eastern Ontario

01/19/2026

Source: American Association of Equine Practitioners

Some of the most common conditions we see in our beloved elderly equine companions are PPID/Cushing's (pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction), decreased/inadequate dentition, and osteoarthritis.

Even though these conditions may be common and ongoing for our older horses, it's also important to be aware of some of the secondary issues that can be a result of the primary problem. Here are some examples (please note this is not an exhaustive list):

PPID/Cushing's Disease:
- We tend to see weight loss and muscle atrophy as a result of this endocrine disorder.

- A decreased immune system and delayed healing for wounds is also common.

- Uncontrolled Cushing's cases can lead to laminitis.

Decreased/Inadequate Dentition:
- Horses may experience weight loss and muscle atrophy when not managed properly. This is due to their reduced ability to chew properly, making it harder for them to digest food.

- Consequently, not being able to chew food efficiently for proper digestion can lead to colic.

- Food that is not thoroughly chewed is also a choke risk.

Osteoarthritis:
- Horses can experience weight loss and muscle atrophy when not managed properly. This can be caused by reduced movement to access enough food and water (particularly in turnout) due to the pain they are experiencing.

- Consequently, reduced food and water intake can lead to colic.

- You may observe behavioral changes in horses with osteoarthritis due to their pain.

The good news is that by working with your veterinarian and proper management, these conditions, along with their secondary issues, can in most cases be successfully managed to give your senior relief and a good quality of life.

It's important to remember that horses are individuals, if you have questions or concerns about your specific equine, contact your veterinarian.

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information. This information, plus additional senior horse care tips, can be found by watching our senior horse care webinar here: https://aaep.org/guidelines-resources/horse-owner-resources/horse-owner-education-webinars/

01/18/2026

Source: American Association of Equine Practitioners

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SPOT COLIC IN HORSES? 🔎

Colic indicates a painful problem in the horse's abdomen (belly), which can be caused by a number of different conditions. Less than 10% of all colic cases are severe enough to require surgery or cause the death of the horse; nevertheless, every case of colic should be taken seriously because it can be difficult to tell the mild ones from the potentially serious ones in the early stages.

Horses show signs of abdominal pain in a wide variety of ways, and usually a horse shows only a few of the signs during an episode of colic. A good rule of thumb: the more obvious the signs of pain, the more serious the problem.

If you suspect the horse is suffering from colic, we suggest that you:

• Alert your veterinarian immediately.

• Remove all hay and grain from the horse's surroundings.

• Don't medicate without your veterinarian's approval, as pain medications can mask clinical signs.

• Walk the horse around if it's continually rolling or in danger of hurting itself, but do not tire the horse with relentless walking. Don't approach the animal if it's not safe.

• Keep the horse under close observation until the signs of colic resolve or the veterinarian arrives.

The key to increasing the chances of a good outcome is to identify the problem early and get your veterinarian involved from the start.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of colic signs. Horses are individuals and may display signs of pain in a variety of ways. Always consult your horse doctor for more information.

01/18/2026

Kids have been the backbone of the family farm for centuries. Scenes like this invoke pride and represent a culture of grit and gratitude. Kids ‘pulling their weight’ not only helps feed that family and Canadians, it irrepicably teaches hard work, skills, and qualities that serve youth well throughout their life. iIt is also true that thousands of children are inured or killed in farming in Canada every year. Heavy equipment, livestock, grain storage, PTOs, and many other hazards pose dangers to under-supervised youth. In addition to working together to safety ‘show the ropes’, programs like 4H, and taking our ‘Yeah or Neigh?’ Kids’ Farm Safety (ages 5-10) or ‘Safety Comes First - The Barn and Beyond!’ (ages 10 - adult) can teach safety awareness and accident prevention. Contact us to help you set up a course for your family or youth Ag group.

01/18/2026

Free youth course from U of G!

Youth course - free for a limited time!

Horse Behaviour and Safety on TheHorsePortal.ca is free until Mar 31, 2026 thanks to 's generous safety sponsors Esso Canada, Kubota Canada, Ontario Equestrian, and System Equine.

Ready to kick off 2026 by leveling up your knowledge?

This is your chance to join young enthusiasts worldwide and gain the skills that make you safer, smarter, and more confident around horses.

https://thehorseportal.ca/course/on-demand-horse-behaviour-and-safety-youth-course-ages-13-17/

01/17/2026

Anthony Jumeau of Stable Health & Safety has completed Phase I of Equi-Health Canada Equine First Aid Instructor Certification by completing his Equine Emergency and Advanced Equine First Aid courses. In addition to having his own herd of equines, Anthony comes from a strong background with hands on operational and strategic experience in firefighting and emergency management. From individual barn owners to US state level, he provides risk mitigation and response options. Great things to come……! 🦺🚒🚨

01/17/2026

Did you know that sometimes we can do one on one or small group courses? And we’re still going throughout the winter. Book us now for the ‘off-season’! What better way to spend the day with horses when it’s too cold to ride.

01/14/2026

Source: Horse Magazine

❄️ Brrrrr — it's cold outside! ❄️

When there is heavy frost or snow on the ground, dehydration becomes a concern, because many horses will generally drink less when it's cold. ⛄

Hydration is important for optimal body function and a drop in this can compromise the horse's vital functions — colic being one of the most common outcomes. 😓

Five ways to increase water intake are:

💧 Make sure buckets/troughs/automatic drinkers are clean and not frozen. Check them morning and evening at the very least.

💧 Add a bit of flavour — apple juice, molasses or mint can be added to encourage the horse to drink it.

💧 Some horses simply don't like drinking very cold water and serving it lukewarm may be necessary.

💧Offer a soaked feed or add water to hard feed.

💧 Soak hay to increase its water content, but bear in mind this will affect its nutritional value. If suitable for your horse, haylage contains more water than hay and so can be fed instead to aid hydration levels. As always, though, make any dietary changes slowly.

Read the full vet advice via link in comments.

01/12/2026

Warning - live birth. Unless you breed your mares or work in the vet industry, many horse owners never get to see what a foaling looks like. This video is an example of an uncomplicated foaling.

01/11/2026

How to find your horse’s digital pulse.