Horse Community HEROES
A Horse Tale
A Sanctuary of Compassion in Quebec
By Monique Noble
Located in Quebec’s picturesque Vaudreuil-Dorion, just a short distance from the banks of the Ottawa River, is a charming farm that might easily be mistaken for a family home — if not for the red signs swaying in the breeze, announcing you’ve arrived at the sanctuary of A Horse Tale.
Soft landings can be hard to come by for animals of any size, especially in a world where open spaces and surplus funds are becoming increasingly scarce. Large animals like horses are particularly challenging to rehome. It was the need to provide a soft landing for their neighbour’s horses that inspired founder Kerri Fenoff and her daughters Raychel and Hanna Myara to establish A Horse Tale — a horse rescue located in Quebec that has
saved more than 50 horses and brought hundreds of people together in shared compassion since 2012.
A Horse Tale (AHT) started as a passion project but spoke to the hearts of many. Now more than a decade later, AHT has grown to include more than 100 volunteers, over 400 members, and continues to thrive thanks to the community that has rallied behind its mission. While the organization occasionally adopts out horses to loving families (at no cost), most horses remain on site and receive palliative care until they peacefully pass on to greener pastures. Their first rescue horse, Buddy, still lives happily at the sanctuary today.
Though Fenoff now works as an emergency room nurse and her daughters are
pursuing their education and travels, she remains proud of the rescue they started. With the support of the community and generous sponsors, AHT has grown into a self-supporting non-profit that continues to make a difference.
A Unique Model of Sponsorship
AHT’s innovative sponsorship model has played a key role in supporting the ongoing medical and farrier needs of its aging horses. Potential sponsors can visit the website to choose a horse to support through monthly contributions. In return, they join the exclusive Sponsorship Club. Every sponsor receives a welcome package including a thank you letter, the horse’s story, and a 5x7-inch photo. Sponsors are invited to monthly visits at the barn where
Barn Manager Caroline Handy has been with AHT for 13 years and forms amazing bonds with all the rescues. Handy is pictured with Partriote and Sunny, retired mounted police horses.
PHOTO COURTESY CAROLINE HANDY
Zach, one of the rescue’s largest horses, worked as a calèche (horsedrawn carriage) horse in Montreal for over 20 years. He is 18.1 hands high, weighs almost 2000 pounds, and has an extreme attachment to wheelbarrows, which can make this 29-year-old Belgian a big but
Executive Director Jenn
is proud to be part of a community-minded non-profit that supports other non-profits and groups in their area whenever they can.
they can groom their horse, spend quality time together, and receive updates. Each horse’s visit is scheduled to ensure one-onone time, and many sponsors travel hours just to see “their” horse each month.
Of course, donations come in many forms, from photoshoots hosted on site by local companies, to annual fundraisers, raffles, and community events. But perhaps the most impactful donation of all is volunteered time.
Membership and Volunteering
Becoming a member of AHT for just $35 per year gives access to a private Facebook group with regular updates, photos, and videos. Members are invited to monthly open house visits (March to November), the annual general meeting, and are encouraged to support and promote AHT within their communities.
Membership also enables individuals
to volunteer at the barn — helping with horse care, feeding, maintenance, and events. Volunteering offers a hands-on, deeply rewarding experience with these majestic animals.
A Dedicated Team
It was during an open house that current Executive Director Jenn Gentile first became involved with AHT. A long-time animal lover and SPCA volunteer, Gentile visited with a friend and signed up on the spot. Eight years later, she now holds one of only two paid positions at AHT and is recognized for fostering a strong sense of belonging, collaboration, and inclusivity.
Gentile’s multitasking abilities were evident during our phone interview. While we talked, she guided a five-person feeding team, ensuring that the wheelbarrow was kept far from rescue horse Zach, who struggles with food-related anxiety and resource guarding, a challenge faced by many rescues who come from neglectful or traumatic circumstances. Despite receiving three meals a day, Zach still hasn’t quite realized he’ll never go hungry again.
Safety is paramount at AHT. Multiple five-person teams volunteer three times a day to feed horses and administer medications under the careful supervision of barn manager, Caroline Handy. Handy, the other paid staff member, has been with AHT since July 2013 after attending an open house herself. Inspired by her
beloved handful at feeding times.
Home Sweet Home for rescued and retired horses at A Horse Tale in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec.
Gentile
The Science of Sweat Sweat
Supplementing Electrolytes for Better Equine Health and Performance
By Madeline Boast, MSc, PAS
Horses rely on sweat to cool themselves, and when sweating they are losing both water and electrolytes. If you have ever observed a horse sweating, you might have noticed a white residue left on their coat, which consists of electrolytes they have lost via sweat. These electrolytes must be replenished for the horse to maintain their hydration, fluid balance in the body, and nerve and muscle function.
Electrolytes are minerals that, when combined with water, will break up into electrically-charged cations and anions (positively and negatively charged ions, respectively). The analysis of equine sweat is Na + K + Ca + Mg = Cl + P + S (sodium + potassium + calcium + magnesium = chloride + phosphorus + sulfur). Horses lose chloride, sodium, and potassium in the largest quantities, with calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and sulfur lost in smaller amounts. Research has shown a multitude of
in the plasma. In humans, it is the opposite — our sweat is more dilute and hypotonic to plasma. This means that the electrolyte content in our sweat is less than in our plasma.
As equine sweat is more concentrated with electrolytes, horses need more electrolytes provided after their work to adequately replenish the body. In fact, it is estimated that horses can sweat up to 1015 litres per hour! That is a lot of both water and electrolytes to replenish.
The Dangers of Dehydration
benefits from effective electrolyte supplementation, such as delaying the onset of fatigue, preventing dehydration, and improving performance. This article will dive into the importance of optimal supplementation, and how to better support your horse’s health and performance with electrolytes.
Not All Sweat is the Same
Equine sweat is hypertonic to plasma, meaning that the concentration of electrolytes is greater in the sweat than
Dehydration is serious and can be deadly for horses. Symptoms of dehydration can range from mild fatigue and weakness to more serious symptoms such as colic or tying up. When horses sweat without proper electrolyte replenishment, the sodium content of their blood will become lower, which can lead to a reduced desire to drink.
There are numerous ways to monitor your horse’s hydration status, but most owners tend to be familiar with the skinpinch test and capillary refill time (looking at the colour of the gums). When using the skin-pinch test, the pinched skin should retract to normal within seconds of being released. Checking the colour of the gums and capillary refill time is another way to monitor hydration status. If you are unfamiliar with these methods,
ask your veterinarian for instructions. The goal of electrolyte supplementation is to replace the electrolytes and water lost through sweating to prevent unnecessary fatigue and dehydration. Providing the horse with maintenance sodium and chloride daily and adding an electrolyte product to the program when they are sweating is critical to preventing dehydration.
When to Use Electrolytes
Before adding an electrolyte supplement to your horse’s diet, first ensure their baseline nutrient requirements are met. Many owners rely on a salt lick or block to meet their horse’s sodium and chloride requirements. Although offering horses free-choice access to a salt block is positive, it should not be relied on. The Nutrient Requirements of Horses, 2007 states requirements for both sodium and chloride. For example, a 500-kg horse in moderate exercise requires 17.8 grams of sodium and 53.3 grams of chloride daily. It is highly unlikely that any horse would be consuming that quantity from a salt block.
If free-choice salt is relied on to meet baseline requirements, loose salt is recommended. This is because horses often struggle to consume adequate amounts from a block, but when provided in a loose form they can more easily consume larger quantities.
The general guideline is to provide the average-sized horse (500 kg) with 28 g (1 oz) of loose salt per day; this equals about two tablespoons. Then, whenever the horse is producing sweat, whether it is a hot, humid day, or a cold winter day, electrolytes should be added in addition to their maintenance salt intake.
The amount of electrolyte required to replenish losses directly relates to the amount the horse is sweating. The more they sweat, the more electrolytes are required. Demands for electrolytes are highest when the weather is hot and humid, but relying on the heat stress score is recommended when deciding on supplementation amounts.
The heat stress score (Figure 1: Heat-Stress Chart, page 22) is a combination of the relative humidity and the environmental
Sweat residue, which is electrolytes lost from sweat after a race.
PHOTO: ALAMY/SORGE
Rethinking Safety Culture in Equine Veterinary Practice
How injury, overwork, and a culture of endurance are pushing Canada’s equine vets to the limit.
By Caelan Beard
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.
A new study by John S.P. Tulloch and colleagues at the University of Liverpool, and CVS UK, a major integrated provider of veterinary services in the UK and Australia, has found that veterinarians tend to downplay their injuries and work through them. In Canada, the veterinary industry may face similarly high rates of workplace injuries — and this could be affecting not just their physical well-being, but also their longevity in the profession.
Grin and Bear It
This largest-ever study on veterinary workplace injuries was conducted with
740 veterinary colleagues, broadly representative of the profession, starting in 2022, and published in Preventative Veterinary Medicine in April 2025. It found that among equine, production animal, and mixed veterinary practices, over 90 percent of clinicians had experienced injury during their careers, and just under half of equine clinical staff reported being injured in the last year.
The most common injury for equine vets was a kick to the leg or head, usually while they were examining distal limbs. Head injuries also occurred not just from being kicked in the head, but from being
kicked hard enough elsewhere on their body that it sent them flying — often into a brick or concrete wall or floor.
Worryingly, the study found that few veterinarians took time off or attended the emergency department when injured. They tended to downplay serious injuries and expressed not wanting to let the rest of their team down by leaving them shortstaffed, especially in small practices.
“We’ve got quotes of individuals that, you know, they’ve broken their foot, and then they’ve just carried on… they’re just going to sort of grin and bear it,” Tulloch said. “You’ve got people working with really quite severe injuries.”
The study highlights a veterinary culture that doesn’t prioritize health and well-being, with attitudes towards injuries as just part of the job.
“When I’ve spoken to people in the field of occupational health who’ve never been involved with the veterinary industry, and they’ve read some of this research, they are absolutely horrified,” Tulloch said. “They can’t believe the culture and attitudes within the veterinary profession. They’ve described it as like the construction industry in the 1970s.”
The 2016 Survey of Equine Practitioners by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) found that nearly four-fifths of them had been injured at work, and that “equine veterinarians commonly continue to work despite injuries.”
Continuing to work with injury could negatively impact recovery and poses additional risks. “We know from injury research that if you work whilst injured, you increase the likelihood that you’re going to get injured again, but also your colleagues [are] going to get injured,” said Tulloch.
In addition to their recent UK study, Tulloch’s team has just finished an international survey, which aims to understand attitudes around injury at equine hospitals worldwide.
There might be differing results within the variety of equine cultures. “The equestrian world in the UK is potentially very different to North America. We don’t
have a tradition of rodeo and western riding sports at all,” he said. Could attitudes among equine veterinarians in North America be even tougher? Possibly. “But my gut feeling is still that it’s going to be quite a hardy attitude generally across the equine veterinary profession.”
Tulloch is also working on a study that looks at injuries among veterinary students. Even early in their careers, students expressed that same hardiness and seemed to view being injured as “almost a rite of passage,” he said.
For some of the students, it’s their dream to go into equine vet medicine, regardless of what the potential risks are, Tulloch explained.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily going to stop them from wanting to pursue those careers initially,” he said. “But I do wonder from the retention side, whether it does stop people staying in the profession.
“You know, if one in 10 individuals, their most recent injury was a kick to the head, that’s not really a great place to be in,” he said. “If someone gets a severe traumatic brain injury, that could be the end of their career.”
And if vets are getting injured and aren’t wearing any form of personal protective equipment (PPE), “there is the potential that there are going to be fatalities at some point.”
Not Enough Equine Vets
Equine veterinarians have been raising the alarm on the critical shortage of equine vets in Canada for years, with the demand for veterinary services growing and veterinary clinics increasingly at capacity.
Horse owners are experiencing long wait times, with some areas — particularly rural and remote communities — entirely without the service of a vet. Meanwhile, equine vets often put in long hours in a profession that can be dangerous and physically demanding; in Canada, the suicide rate among veterinarians is almost three times higher than the Canadian average.
A Veterinary Workforce Research Study, conducted by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association in 2020, called for long-term strategies to grow both the Canadian veterinarian and veterinary technician populations.
The percentage of vet grads from AVMA-accredited universities going into equine practice is 1.3 percent, and research from the AAEP shows that 50 percent of new grads will leave equine practice in their first five years.
Dr. Mike Pownall, an equine veterinarian and co-owner of McKeePownall Equine Services in Campbellville, Ontario, says the equine vet industry has
PHOTO: PAM MACKENZIE
PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/CHELLE129
There is always risk involved when working around and under horses, and veterinarians typically do not wear any personal protective equipment.
How to Find & Keep a Good Farrier 10 TIPS
By Lynn Fleury CJF, AJFC
Most horse owners have found themselves in the position of needing a new farrier at some point in their life. Depending on where you live, finding a farrier can be a struggle, and keeping one coming back can be even harder. A decade working in the farrier industry has given me valuable insight into the problems that owners and farriers commonly face when trying to maintain a working relationship. I have put together a list of 10 quick tips to help owners form a great relationship with a professional farrier.
FINDING A FARRIER
1 Certifications — Because the farrier industry is not regulated in North America, there is a large disparity in the quality of work being done by farriers. When looking for a farrier, it can be difficult to know whether they're providing an acceptable standard of work. Both Canada and the US have voluntary certifications for farriers who choose to become certified. When starting your search for a farrier, looking for one who has completed any level of certification is a great start. Although there are several excellent farriers who have never
PHOTO: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY
achieved certification, when you have no knowledge of a farrier’s skill level, certifications give you peace of mind that the farrier has been tested to meet a minimum standard.
2 Farrier Associations — All farriers have the option to become a member of a local farrier association. These associations provide educational opportunities for their members, as well as publish information for horse owners on many farrier-related topics. Many of these associations will provide a list of farriers and their certification level for horse owners to search for a farrier in their area. These associations include the Western Canadian Farriers Association (WCFA), Ontario Farriers Association (OFA), Association des Maréchaux-Farrants du Quebec (AMFQ), and the American Farriers Association (AFA).
3 Farrier Competitions — Farrier competitions are another avenue that some farriers use to continue their education. These competitions allow farriers to showcase their work to highly qualified farriers and receive feedback on areas that need improvement. Similar to certification, competitions are not required to become a good farrier, but you can be sure that a farrier who competes is striving to become better and improve their skills.
4 Communication of Expectations — There are almost as many styles of shoeing as there are types and disciplines of horses in the world. Different farriers will specialize in different styles, so it is important to find a farrier who matches your discipline and the type of horses you own. When speaking with a potential farrier, be honest about your horses, their lifestyle, and your riding goals.
5 Word of Mouth — The most common and arguably the best way to find a farrier is through word of mouth. Asking the horse people around you who they use is an easy way to find a farrier who will match your needs. Even if the farrier does not have room in their schedule for your horses, most will have a list of qualified farriers who are accepting new clients and will be happy to pass that information along.
Farrier associations provide educational opportunities such as hands-on clinics, lectures, and demonstrations.
Example of a shoe display required to pass the forging portion of the AFA Certified Farrier Exam.
PHOTO: CHAD LAUSEN
PHOTO: LYNN FLEURY
FROM Grassroots TO Grand Prix
Like many other equestrians who have been active in sport over the last few decades, no one needs to tell me twice that our sport is waning like the water supply in a mid-summer drought. Local venues are becoming scarce, big sponsors have fallen off the grassroots scene almost completely, and the costs of participation along with everything else keep climbing. Added to that is the increasing conversation regarding equine sport’s social license to operate hanging like a guillotine over the heads of equestrian competitors across the globe. These factors accelerate the general public’s opinion of equestrian sport as
being elitist and inaccessible, preventing lifelong equestrianism for many before it ever gets the chance to blossom.
If you’re like me, you may be used to hearing phrases along the lines of… Why don’t you just travel out of province? or There are only a few “A” shows in the region now — that’s why my barn goes down to California or Florida for three months each year!
Yet, we seldom hear long-term, practical, and sustainable solutions or community planning to save our local sport. There seem to be no solutions put forward for those of us who will have to quit if the costs keep hiking and the venues keep dwindling.
How rebuilding public engagement can revive the future of equestrian sport.
By Valerie E. Leighton MA Social Justice and Human Rights, EC Registered Coach
Where do the grassroots, rural-based equestrians go with this trend? How do we, as a national equine community, reclaim our spirit and power before we disappear into history’s quiet stable?
For my undergraduate education, I had the privilege of traveling with my horses across Canada, from Nova Scotia to Alberta. That opportunity opened my eyes to how our sport has grown in some areas while diminished in others, from the grassroots to the elite. It also provided me with a few insights into areas within sport that make or break the success of active competitions — a subject which has become exponentially more
Remember when you were that horse-crazy kid who wanted a pony more than anything in the world? Hope at the grassroots level clears the path for future Olympians to gallop all the way to the podium.
important in the wake of the postpandemic national economic downspin.
The first thing I noticed when showing in Alberta was the absolute barrage of sponsorship compared to the Maritime Provinces — every single piece of equipment in use at competition venues is sporting a sponsorship logo. And the gear available at vendor booths usually falls into one of two categories — upscale chic or farm folk rustic. This is a combination many equestrians wear with pride. Yet grassroots level in most regions simply doesn’t draw in sponsors like the big names, and even the larger shows are often limited to sponsors with deep and longstanding connections to the sport. How often have you attended a show and noticed a familiar family name in the prize book or on the championship cooler, or an equine family’s non-horsey business logo? I notice this almost every time I attend an event. This is deeply intertwined with my next observation.
The second thing that immediately got my attention in Alberta when competing at top venues like Spruce Meadows and
PHOTO: ISHUTTERSTOCK/ ANZHELINA
HORSES WITH JOBS
By Li Robbins
People often say, “a horse needs a job,” as though life as an equine couldn’t be complete without trotting into the office occasionally. Historically, horses really did take on essential work, from carrying soldiers into battle to driving the gentry around town (as anyone who’s watched The Gilded Age knows.) Even in our own times, when horses are less necessary for most human activities, they’re still sometimes pressed into service. Of course, it helps if a horse is wellsuited to their assigned occupation. So, before recruiting a horse for any of the following positions, consider some of the necessary qualifications.
A Patient Teacher THE SCHOOL HORSE
There may be no horse job more integrated into 21st century life than that of the school horse. School horses are the first equine teachers for many of us, and if you learned to ride aboard one as a child it’s likely you still remember that horse’s name. In the case of this writer, it was “Shadow,” a fuzzy black pony who possessed one of the key qualities a school horse must have, described as “the patience of a saint” by Sue Iwan, co-owner of Toronto Equestrian North in King City, Ontario.
“A good school horse is the most valuable horse a rider will ever ride,” says Iwan. “They should be versatile, a real all-rounder, have a good brain and disposition. They must be as safe as is possible, reliable, predictable, and
well-trained. And they must be over five years of age.”
While it’s true that one of the chief jobs of school horses is to tote around beginners, school horses may also be required to be “scalable,” accommodating more advanced riders as well. Horses at Toronto Equestrian North, for example, sometimes take part in schooling shows, or carry their students on hacks and around small cross-country courses. That said, school horses are not usually asked to jump much more than two-foot fences for the horse’s sake.
“Riding schools appreciate the workload their school horses carry and are committed to managing that load for the sake of the horse’s health and longevity, so higher jumps are rarely an option,” notes Iwan.
While Iwan says she’s proud of their entire herd, it’s true that some horses are
PHOTO: ALAMY/MANFRED GREBLER
We always remember our first equine teacher, the
that introduced us to joy
better suited than others to life as a school horse. She singles out a 20-year-old Quarter Horse named Coal as an example of a “quintessential” horse for the job.
“Coal is kind, a ‘more whoa than go’ ride, talented, safe, able to take an absolute beginner or an advanced rider,” says Iwan. “He’s a great teacher, a stickler for correctness, and an invaluable asset in teaching the art of turning and leg aids.”
Level-Headed & Confident
THE QUADRILLE HORSE
Quadrille is sometimes described as “horse ballet” since, like dancers in the corps de ballet, the horses and riders execute demanding patterns that require impeccable timing and control. As a result, when performed at a high level both ballet corps and equine quadrille showcase the beauty of synchronized
Twenty-year-old Quarter Horse, Coal, has all the attributes that make him ideal for his job as a school horse.
school horse
of horses and riding.
PHOTO:
PHOTO: SASHA LOUBERT
Make Goal Setting Work For You Become the Rider You Aspire to Be
By Annika McGivern, MSc, Sport and Exercise Psychology
“I’m not really a goal-setting type of person. I just want to ride and enjoy my horse. Goals make it stressful. There’s no point — so much is out of my control.”
Sound familiar? Many equestrians quietly sidestep real goal setting, telling themselves that goal setting doesn’t work for them. This avoidance often comes from unconscious thinking errors such as fear of failure, perfectionism, or not believing that you have any real control over your results. For many, the simple process of setting a goal can feel overwhelming and even deeply uncomfortable. However, the truth is that well-crafted goals don’t make riding more stressful; they make it clearer, more motivating, and more rewarding for both
horse and rider. Goal setting can be an exciting process that supports confidence and skill development.
Let’s look at goal setting in equestrian sport, why riders often avoid it, and practical ways to start using goals to accelerate your progress without sacrificing fun along the way.
Common Reasons Why Riders Avoid Goal Setting
1 Fear of Failure: You’re scared of not achieving your goals. Fear of failure and perfectionism are well-established barriers to goal setting in athletes. For many riders, the thought of setting a goal is quickly followed by the thought: But what if I can’t do it? There’s something very vulnerable about making
goals “real” through a goal-setting process. Now other people know your goal and will know if you’ve failed or succeeded. Riders worry about letting down their families, coaches, and horses. They worry about the impact of feeling like they’ve failed. Will they stop believing in themselves? What does it mean to fail at something we have worked so hard to achieve? These thoughts can be overwhelming, and riders may conclude that it’s safer not to set a goal at all and to just “see how it goes” because this way, they can’t fail… right?
2 External Locus of Control: You don’t believe goals change anything. The more external your locus of control is — in other words, the more you believe your outcomes are ultimately outside of your control — the less likely
you are to set goals for yourself. This mindset makes you think that your success or failure is determined by factors such as the judge’s opinion, the arena footing, the weather, or your horse’s mood on the day… you get the idea. Thinking this way makes setting goals seem pointless.
3 Low Self-Efficacy and Self-Worth: You don’t believe in your ability to achieve your goals.
Research shows that people with low confidence in their ability to learn and achieve things (low self-efficacy) and/or a low assessment of their value as a person (low self-worth) are less likely to set challenging goals or to set any goals at all. Self-worth protection theory suggests that people avoid activities where they could be evaluated and fail, which may seemingly confirm their low self-worth and self-efficacy. I see this in equestrian sport when a rider who doubts their ability avoids goal setting to protect themselves from feeling incompetent if those goals don’t come to fruition. The frightening thought of being evaluated as a bad rider can influence riders to play small and not take on challenges.
Why is This a Problem?
At first glance, avoiding goal setting may appear to be a legitimate way to approach riding with less stress, less pressure, and more fun. In my experience, the problem is that many riders who avoid goal setting struggle with fear of failure, perfectionism, external locus of control, and low selfworth and self-efficacy regardless. What is especially interesting is that even riders who prefer not to state their goals out loud usually have some sort of standard or expectation they are aiming for or measuring themselves against. I find that riders who don’t formally set goals are more at risk of holding themselves to vague, unrealistic expectations and feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and not good enough when those expectations inevitably can’t be met.
Goals help us to be more structured, intentional, and mindful in our approach to growing our skills in the saddle, regardless of whether those goals include competition. Regularly setting goals will help you challenge and outgrow your fear of failure and perfectionism by forcing you to get good at managing mistakes. Goals help you focus on the things you have control over and build your selfefficacy and self-worth as you observe
your progress and ability to learn. When we learn to stop fearing mistakes, understand what parts of the puzzle we can control or influence, and see our ability and worth as riders clearly, riding really does become less stressful and more fun. I believe that riders can achieve this faster when they use goal setting as a tool rather than avoiding it.
How to Overcome Barriers to Goal Setting
1 Change your mind about what goals represent.
The purpose of setting a goal is not simply to achieve it (yes, you read that correctly). If someone believes that goals are only meaningful if they are achieved, they are far less likely to set them. The real purpose of a goal is to direct and focus effort on moving us forward toward our full potential. The amazing thing about goals is that even if the specific goal you set is not achieved, you are better off for having set and strived for that goal than if the goal had never been set in the first place. This is true because doing so will have developed your skill, ability, knowledge, and confidence. The real benefit of goals is that they move us forward, guiding our growth and progression in a way that is intentional and aligned with what we truly want to improve.
2 Set process goals to support your outcome goals.
Outcome goals are the results you hope to achieve — such as a clear round, a certain percentage, or a championship title. These types of goals are useful for defining the challenges you are working toward. Process goals are focused on how you will go about achieving those outcome goals — such as committing to riding six days a week, working on your mental skills to stay calm after mistakes, developing your seat by riding without stirrups, and building your relationship with your horse. Process goals also capture the type of rider you want to be, regardless of whether those outcomes are achieved — such as making continual improvements at being calm, patient, positive, and focused in the saddle.
3 Create a process that works for you.
A quick online search will reveal many different goal-setting models, tips, and strategies, which can be overwhelming. Where is the best place to start?
Here are a few research-based tips to keep in mind when starting goal setting or
refining an existing goal-setting process. Be as clear and specific as possible: Vague goals are ineffective at directing our effort. The more you can add detail to what you are aiming for or working on, the more easily you will be able to progress. The clearer the goal, the deeper our understanding of what we are trying to achieve.
Start small: Instead of overwhelming yourself with a list of 25 goals, start with one outcome goal and one process goal. When you achieve the first process goal, add a couple more. Building this habit slowly will support confidence and help you feel a sense of achievement early in the process. Take time to notice and celebrate the micro-skills and improvements that happen along the way. Doing so increases motivation, confidence, and enjoyment.
Write down your goals and share them with a trusted partner: Both steps make your goals real, create opportunities for reflection and feedback, and increase accountability and follow-through. Revisit and adjust regularly: Things can change over time, and you can flex and adjust your goals to change with them. When you review and adjust goals you practice flexibility and help yourself see the value of the goal-setting process instead of becoming overly fixated on the outcome.
Support your goals with mental tools: Use simple yet effective mental tools such as visualization before your ride, positive self-talk after mistakes, and breathing exercises to manage fear or frustration. Riders with well-developed and practiced mental tools tend to have more fun working toward their goals.
At the end of the day, there’s no avoiding the uncertainty and vulnerability that accompanies setting real, tangible goals and sharing them with the people whose opinions we value. But, if you are willing to accept some vulnerability and embrace the uncertainty, setting goals will help you progress toward the rider you aspire to be — and are fully capable of becoming. Along the way, goals will help you build confidence, resilience, and motivation. The clarity, energy, and feeling of growth and achievement that comes from goal setting is worth it. b
> Annika McGivern is a frequent contributor to this magazine — read her bio on page 102.
Nova Scotia’s Pony Express
By Tania Millen, BSc, MJ
Shortly after 5 pm on Wednesday, February 21, 1849, a lone rider galloped from the pier in Halifax, Nova Scotia west towards Digby, 232 kilometres (146 miles) away on the east coast of the Bay of Fundy. He carried a highly sought-after news packet that had arrived just moments earlier by the Cunard Royal Mail steamship Europa, from Liverpool, England.
Travelling 29 kilometres per hour over hill and dale in all weather, our rider changed horses about every 20 km. Halfway to Digby, he passed the allimportant news packet to a second rider at Kentville, Nova Scotia. Together, they completed a total of 12 stages with 12 different horses, travelling the entire
distance in just over 11 hours. It was the first of many hell-bent Pony Express rides that occurred over the next nine months.
Once riders delivered the news packet to Victoria Beach near Digby, it was transferred to a ship that raced west across the Bay of Fundy to Saint John, New Brunswick. There, a telegraph
operator used Morse code to send the news south to Calais, Maine and onward to Boston and New York by electric telegraph wires.
The technology of the day could only deliver messages about 200 km, and each section of the single-strand wire was owned by a different company. So, about every 200 km the messages were transcribed by a telegraph operator and then retyped in Morse code and sent onwards. Regardless, short messages could be delivered from Saint John to New York in an hour or two. Longer Associated Press messages of about 3,000 words took three or four hours to transmit. Even at that rate, the Halifaxto-Saint John route utilizing Pony Express horses was about 12 hours faster
When News Travelled at
than steamships travelling directly from Liverpool to Boston.
Liverpool, England — at the time, a global port at the centre of the Industrial Revolution — was considered the “New York of Europe.” It’s still the home of the Grand National steeplechase that first ran at Aintree in 1839. It was also the centre of the slave trade, a financial centre, and could dock over 100 ships. Since Halifax is the closest port to Liverpool, mail ships that serviced North America arrived in Halifax.
Speeding up the transfer of news from Halifax to Saint John was the brainchild of Halifax’s Joseph Howe, publisher of the Novascotian newspaper. The route didn’t have telegraph service, and Howe thought he could speed up the transfer of
Joseph Howe is one of Nova Scotia’s most well-known public figures. He was a journalist, publisher, politician, premier of Nova Scotia, and the lieutenant-governor of Nova Scotia. He was charged with seditious libel, which was punishable by life imprisonment. He defended himself in court and was subsequently acquitted, largely due to his spectacular oration skills. His case was instrumental in gaining freedom for the press.
Howe’s statue was erected in 1904 on the grounds of Province House in Halifax, 100 years after his birth. Province House is where Nova Scotia’s legislative assembly has met every year since 1819.
news by utilizing horses and riders.
By 1835 there were over 1,200 newspapers serving the American population. Much like today, information about politics, trade, business, and who’s doing what, was incredibly important to the wealthy and politically astute. The first to know was the first to benefit, hence newspaper presses paid handsomely to receive news quickly. The presses that could print important news the quickest sold the most papers and were successful businesses.
The Canadian merchant class (businessmen), politically active, culturally interested, and those with agricultural investments, all wanted news, too. As printing became cheaper, presses became independent from their
political benefactors and could criticize government policies. The concept of an independent press evolved, and newspapers sought to drive change.
Mail steamships arrived in Halifax about every two weeks and could dock at any time of day or night, so the Express riders and 12 fresh horses had to be ready to start their ride at any time in any weather. News to the east-central provinces of Canada was primarily delivered by stagecoach from Halifax — the galloping Pony Express riders delivered news to America.
The second Pony Express ride began on Thursday, March 8, 1849, after the arrival of the steamship America, and only took eight hours and 27-and-a-half minutes to complete — two-and-a-half
Route of Nova Scotia’s Pony Express
the Gallop
PHOTO: ALAMY/JC LEACOCK
Riding Success With or Without a Trainer
By Lindsay Grice, Equestrian Canada coach and judge
Competitive and non-competitive, some horse owners choose to lean on a professional; others choose to do their own work. Those who opt for a trainer trust the leg-up afforded by a professional’s experience and oversight. Yet, in the age of YouTube, doing it yourself versus enlisting a professional has become a big thing. Do-it-your-
self amateur riders are often self-reliant, frugal, or simply find joy in every aspect of their relationship with their horses.
There are variations on these themes. I’ll share examples of riders for whom I’ve trained horses, coached, worked with at riding clinics, or known in the horse community.
Some years ago, I changed gears — from running my farm home base, training horses, and coaching up to 15 riders and their horses at shows — to a coaching-onthe-road model. I now meet riders at their home base for lessons and clinics. I also meet riders via video lessons. Mostly, I meet riders where they are in life. Do it yourself, hire a pro… or something in between?
PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDSAY GRICE
Whereas in my previous training practice I was catering to riders whose goal was the show ring, now the riders I coach have a variety of horse interests.
RIDER A. Sheila keeps her horse at her trainer’s farm. The trainer rides the horse five times per week. Sheila takes a weekly lesson and practices twice per week after work. At the horse shows, her trainer prepares Sheila’s horse and coaches Sheila, outlining a pre-class strategy and a postclass debrief. Why does this fit for Sheila? With a busy career and results-oriented mindset, Sheila finds fulfilment in competition and in setting and achieving goals. She has little extra time in her life to devote to daily horse care, preferring to leave that responsibility to a professional.
RIDER B. Robert boards his horse at a nearby stable. His coach arrives weekly to teach him and his wife a lesson. They trailer their horses to several local shows during the summer, and their coach schedules training tune-ups for the horses a week or two before the first show and as needed during the season. Why does this fit for Robert? With two horses in the family, full-time training doesn’t fit the budget for Robert and his wife. And showing more than a few weekends doesn’t fit their family goals.
RIDER C. Barb keeps her horse at home Though she has no aspiration to compete with her horse, she does value honing her abilities as a rider and teaching her horse new skills. By attending clinics, she’s discovered new ways to enjoy her horse and new training techniques; when she gets stuck, she trailers to a coach she respects to take a lesson. Why does Barb choose this option? She values the relationship with her horse and the process of riding and training more than competition.
Though I do recommend seeking professional input in some form for amateur riders, how much input varies according to experience, preference, and budget. There are benefits and drawbacks of each model.
The Benefits of Leaning on a Professional
WISDOM. As a trainer, having learned what works and what doesn’t from my experience with hundreds of horses has shaped a training system and philosophy of working with horses that I can pass on to others. In consulting a professional about an issue, a rider doesn’t have to
If your goal is to be quickly and consistently in the winner’s circle, full-time training is a sound investment. If you find satisfaction in the process of training your horse more than in achieving results in the show ring, doing it yourself may be the way to go.
Experimenting on your own has its value. In training horses on my own, I learned to really think for myself — to problem-solve; to come up with a Plan B.
PHOTOS: PETER BRUCE
Simple Ways to
Through Curiosity, Connection & Choice Enrich Your Horse’s Life
By Alexa Linton, Equine Sports Therapist
If you’re reading this, chances are you have a special horse (or two) in your life and are curious about enrichment — how to make their world more stimulating, playful, and fulfilling. My goal is to bring those two worlds together: your love for your horses and the concept of enrichment. With the right ideas, you can make their daily lives more interesting, movement-rich, and deeply worth living.
What Is Enrichment and Why Does It Matter?
Enrichment is simply “the action of improving or enhancing the quality or value of something.”
In our horses’ environments, enrichment means creating conditions that promote curiosity, engagement, and well-being — in other words, a better quality of life.
If you board your horse, you might wonder if this applies to you. I’m happy to say it absolutely does. Even within the structure of a boarding facility, you can introduce creative, enriching elements — from simple additions like treat balls to more thoughtful changes that encourage movement and choice. There are always possibilities.
The Three C’s of Enrichment Curiosity, Connection and Choice
When planning any enrichment, I ask myself three key questions: Does it encourage curiosity? For instance, does it involve one of your horse’s senses — smell, touch, taste, or sight?
Does it promote connection? As I’ve shared in past articles, social connection is the most powerful form of enrichment. When possible, let horses live together. If full herd living isn’t an option, look for alternatives: safe fence-line interactions, hand walks or trail rides with horse friends, or group grass turnout when conditions allow.
Does it allow choice? Giving horses the ability to choose between options — whether types of forage, water, footing, or activities — increases their sense of autonomy and satisfaction.
Next, we’ll look at different ways to create enrichment. This list is only the start — your imagination is the limit. (I also follow the account @enrichingequines on Instagram for fun ideas and inspiration.)
Forage and Food
The Easiest Way to Start
One of the simplest ways to introduce enrichment is through food and forage. Many of my favourite ideas mimic how horses would naturally graze and explore in the wild.
• Offer multiple slow-feed hay nets in different areas of their space, ideally with different types of hay. This encourages movement and gives your horse the freedom to choose. Hang hay nets on trees, stumps, and even toss them on the ground to
Hand walks add variety and novelty.
imitate grazing. If boarding, ask your barn manager if you can store your own low-sugar hay or straw to use in slow-feed nets around the paddock.
• Add small amounts of horse-safe branches and leaves (willow, alder, elder, apple, pear) or medicinal herbs (comfrey, mullein, mint, sage, lemon balm, oregano, nettle, raspberry leaf) to a lower-use area of the horse’s space. This mimics how horses would naturally graze in the wild — eating not just grasses, but branches, plants, herbs, and much more. If you don’t feed forage 24/7, keep amounts small to ensure your horse isn’t eating the plants because they are hungry or stressed. You can also grow herbs outside their living space and take your horse there on “grazing walks.”
• Provide various types of salt blocks, loose salt, and even a bucket of salted water.
• Build a scent-based rock pile. Tuck treats like apples, carrots, or herbs into the rock pile to encourage sense of smell and curiosity.
• Try a hay or treat ball to make feeding time more interactive.
• Set up a water buffet, offering two to five buckets with different salts, herbs, and supplements. My favourites are magnesium, spirulina, and green clay. Watch your horse make their own choices! For herbs, make a tea using boiling water, let steep for eight to ten minutes, then fill the remainder of the bucket with
Playful Percherons at McFeetors Heavy Horse Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
PHOTO: ALAMY/KEN GILLESPIE PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO: ALEXA LINTON
PHOTO: ALEXA LINTON
Create various watering and feeding stations.
Fundamentals of
Equine Photography
How to Photograph Horses in Motion
Article and photos by Shawn Hamilton, Clix Photography
Have you ever looked through your photos after shooting your friend barrel racing, show jumping, or galloping across a field — only to find they’re all blurry? Or perhaps you’ve wondered why professional horse show photographers at ringside use those large, heavy lenses. Capturing a crisp photo of a horse in motion requires several factors to work together, and understanding those fundamentals can make all the difference.
My article in the previous issue (and on www.HORSEJournals.com), Fundamentals of Equine Photography: Portrait and Conformation, covered the basics of preparing your subject, lighting, aperture, and depth of field for portrait and conformation shots. In this segment, we’ll build on that foundation to explore how these same principles apply to action — how to capture that perfect moment of a horse suspended in midair, cutting sharply around a barrel, or galloping full stride through the open field.
A shutter speed of 1/1000 was necessary to stop these fast riders and horses in the Indian Relay Races at the Sheridan Rodeo in Wyoming. An aperture of f/6.3 allowed for a deeper depth of field to keep many of the racers in focus. An ISO of 500 was necessary even in the bright light of the day due to the small window or aperture necessary to increase the depth of field and keep a fast shutter speed.
A shutter speed of 1/500 was enough to stop Gustavo on Aguijón (Sting) cantering in the water at Rancho las Margaritas in Mexico.
Love of Horses
Depicting the Human-Horse Bond
Celebration of Horses PHOTO CONTEST Album of Winners
WINNER
Lamont Summer Sizzler Rodeo
The smiles say it all! Barrels of fun in Girl’s Barrel Racing at Alberta’s Lamont Summer Sizzler Rodeo.
by Gordon Hodgkinson.
Photo
Welcome to the 34th Annual Celebration of Horses Photo Contest — Canada’s longestrunning showcase of equine photography!
This year brought an outpouring of creativity and passion from photographers across the country. Entries reached new heights in both number and artistry, presenting our judges with the delightful challenge of selecting winners from an exceptional field. We were thrilled to see so many returning photographers alongside an inspiring number of first-time entrants who shared their love of horses through the lens.
1ST RUNNER-UP
Joy of Jumping
Twelve-year-old Ayla Gartly of Spruce Grove, AB describes this moment as the highlight of her summer.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who submitted their work — your images capture the spirit, beauty, and connection that define Canada’s horse community. We are especially grateful to ThinLine Canada for once again providing generous grand prizes in all six main categories, and to the Canadian Quarter Horse Association for sponsoring the Quarter Horse Division. Horse Community Journals Inc., publishers of this magazine, sponsored the runners-up in all categories.
We invite you to enjoy this year’s breathtaking collection of Winners and Runners-Up — a true celebration of the horse in all its forms.
“This was during a 2’6” open jumper round with my Welsh pony, Mozza. We were up against Warmbloods and adults at the North Peace Fall Fair Light Horse Show. In the earlier 2’3” junior jumper round, Mozza refused a jump because I hadn’t given him a good approach. I was upset at first but later realized he was teaching me. In the next round, I focused on giving him a fair approach, and he gave it his all — changing his lead over the jump, tucking his hind legs, and clearing the jump perfectly. I screamed YESS!! as we went over. We nailed the jump-off and won first place.”
Photo by Emma Fimrite.
2ND RUNNER-UP
Trash the Dress
Crazy fun at the 2025 Annual Second Shot Drill Team Beach Ride! “The ladies all dress in formal gowns for a ride at Boundary Bay, Delta, BC,” explains Debbie Thiessen of Langley, BC. “The evening always ends with a ‘trash the dress’ moment.”
