Horse Illustrated Magazine

When it comes to working with horses, there’s always something new to learn. Equine Guelph, an educational institution out of the University of Guelph in Ontario, has launched a new program to help horse owners and caretakers expand their knowledge. The Horse Portal, located at TheHorsePortal.ca, is a joint effort with Equine Guelph and 10 provincial equestrian federations across Canada.

The first two courses, which are both three-week courses launching with a pilot program in February, are:

• Equine Biosecurity – Canada’s Standard
• Equine Welfare – Canada’s Code

In Equine Biosecurity, participants will learn about how diseases spread in the horse world and effective methods for preventing disease transmission at home and on the road. The course will provide best practices for reducing the spread of equine diseases.

In Equine Welfare, participants learn about horse care practices for optimal horse health and well-being. The course is based on Canada’s National Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Equines.

While these courses are centered around Canadian standards, the information is applicable to any horse owner and students from other countries are invited to join.

The partnership between Equine Guelph and the equestrian federations will provide some discounts on the courses for their members. The cost for each course before discount is CA$95. Federation members will also be able to earn continuing education credits and certificates of completion for successfully completing the courses.

Federation membership is not a requirement to use The Horse Portal. The courses are designed to benefit horse owners and caretakers from all segments of the equestrian industry.

Learn more at TheHorsePortal.ca.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com