If there’s one word that strikes fear into the hearts and minds of horse owners, it’s “colic.” Used to describe any form of abdominal pain, colic can affect horses for many reasons and in any season, although cold weather months are a particularly challenging time with increased risk of impaction-related colic.

Thrush is a prevalent hoof ailment in horses, typically resulting from a fungal infection that deteriorates the frog's tissue. This condition primarily develops in the sulci (grooves) on either side of the frog and in the central cleft. If neglected, thrush can spread to the deeper, more sensitive structures within the hoof, potentially leading to lameness.

How injury, overwork, and a culture of endurance are pushing Canada’s equine vets to the limit. With an ongoing equine veterinarian shortage in Canada, there’s a concern that equine vets, already stretched thin, are also being injured at work at alarming rates.

During the switch to a 100 percent hay diet in the fall of the year is when many horse owners first notice that some of their horses are getting loose manure. The situation can quickly evolve into a management mess where one or more horses are so loose they can spray fecal material on the walls of the stall when they pass manure. Winter grooming becomes a major challenge for those who care for these horses as they struggle to keep tails, hocks, fetlocks, and equine clothing clean and free of encrusted manure.