Felicity, an 18-year-old Westphalian mare at 300 days gestation. Hopefully by press time she’ll have delivered a healthy foal, with an easy delivery, ideally in the pasture at supper time. (Lisa Hines photo)

The horse comes first

We touch on competition, training, good practices, health, breeds, and breeding in Horse and Pony – but the underlying theme through it all is respect and appreciation of the horse. We go to great lengths to ensure the comfort, safety, and well-being of our equine partners and friends.

In the April-July issue, Teresa Alexander-Arab provided tips on fencing. In this issue she provides advice on managing what’s inside the fence. While lots of grass can mean decreased feeding of hay, she’s careful to remind us that “pasture is not free” in “The grass is always greener: managing horse pasture,” on page 15. I was reminded of that recently when my gelding decided his own five acres of beautiful grass (carefully fenced this spring and recently mowed to ensure optimum grazing length) was less appealing than the neighbour’s pasture. See title of story….

We worry about their comfort on the road. We may not be able to meet all of the standards recognized in Dr. Sharon Cregier’s “Horse transport: working with the horse,” but most of us maintain our trailers, corner slowly and carefully, and consider the comfort of our precious cargo. That said, knowing what has been determined to work best for a horse’s welfare on the road can only help us do better as owners.

Even in the wild, some lucky herds have been helped immensely by the efforts of humans. That includes breeders such as Kaitlin Knox, in Antigonish, N.S. “A living legend – The Kiger Mustang” provides a look into a beautiful breed most of us would be surprised to find here in Atlantic Canada.

There is a move across North America towards more affordable, accessible show experiences. After all, once the bills related to the quality care of our equines are paid, there may not be much left over for off-site adventures, especially in the current economic conditions. Horses are often for a lifetime, and those adventures are important. When a parent offers their child opportunities to develop as a rider, they often come back to it as an adult when their own resources allow, or if and when they have children of their own. In “One year and going strong,” Ceci Snow tells us about a new organization, Show Jumping Canada, that’s supporting grassroots equestrian development across the country.

The added benefit of having horses is the people you meet along the way. Occasionally you’ll encounter one who’s best described as a super-human. A person who always seems to be doing something that makes a difference. She may have been up all night with a colicky horse while wearing a cast on her leg, or maybe she just packed 1,000 bales of hay into the barn in 30-degree heat. Regardless, she’ll be smiling and selflessly doing what she can to help someone out. I’m happy Judith Scrimger had the opportunity to introduce Alissa Cue, in “Alissa Cue: horsewoman and social enterprise entrepreneur,” to those who may not have the privilege of knowing her. The work she does to facilitate the bond between horse and person – especially amongst those who may benefit most deeply – is commendable.

And finally, for those of you who are just getting started and dreaming of owning a horse, Erica Saunders has sage (and cheeky) advice on getting it right in “A user’s guide to buying a horse,” on page 6.

All of us at Horse and Pony send best wishes to regular contributor and Prince Edward Island Report writer Nicole Kitchener as she recovers from illness. The PEI Report will be back again in November, and we hope Nicole will be back in the barn with her new horse, Daisy, by the time this issue arrives in mailboxes.

The summer is flying by, as always. Make the most of it.