Canadian Horse Journal - SAMPLE - Winter 2020

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Canada’s Only National Horse Magazine DISPLAY UNTIL JANUARY 31, 2021

PHOTO COURTESY OF FEI/PEDEN BLOODSTOCK

RESEARCH

Flying Horses

Developing guidelines for health and well-being of horses transported by air.

By Mark Andrews A new study will investigate how to optimise the welfare of horses being transported by air. Horses are among the most travelled domestic species, and although there has been plenty of research into road travel, less is known about how they cope with travelling by air.

Dr. Barbara Padalino, associate professor at the University of Bologna in Italy, is leading research into how horses are managed when travelling by plane. The project aims to identify factors that affect the risk of health or behaviour problems, and is funded by the Morris Animal Foundation.

Findings will be used to develop guidelines to optimize the health and welfare for horses traveling by plane, and may result in revised protocols for organisations such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

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“Right now, IATA’s guidelines are largely based on the experience of industry professionals with little scientific evidence or validation. They focus on air safety and cargo requirements, with limited provisions for the welfare needs of horses. We need to update flight regulations using evidence collected in a scientific way,” said Dr. Padalino in a statement issued by the Morris Animal Foundation.

In this prospective study, researchers will work with horse owners, air cargo operators, flight grooms, and veterinarians to determine the incidence of health and behavioural problems observed in overseas air-transported horses. Dr. Padalino’s team will train the stakeholders on how to fill out surveys with questions tailored to their respective roles.

For instance, veterinarians will be asked about horses’ body

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conditions, heart rates and levels of alertness, among other observations, before, during and after a journey.

Data will be collected from departure to five days post-arrival, which is when symptoms usually become apparent.

Dr. Padalino hopes to gather data on about 2,000 horses flying on routes between Europe, the United States, South Africa, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Australia. She hypothesizes that not only is air transport a mental and physical stressor for horses, but that horses with different temperaments or with less transport experience or training will have a higher incidence of transport-related health problems.

“Researchers and air cargo service providers have rarely had the opportunity to collaborate like this, which has left gaps in our knowledge of the

consequences of horses’ movements by air,” said Dr. Padalino. “By working together, I believe we can develop evidence-based guidelines to improve the lives of horses that are flown worldwide.”

Morris Animal Foundation, a leader in advancing animal health, has awarded nearly $1 million in large animal health research grants, supporting 14 projects. Other horse-related research supported this year includes: a study of the variation of the gut microbiome as it relates to the health and wellness in group of feral horses; an investigation into a novel treatment for ocular surface squamous neoplasia; and a study into whether genetic variants can help identify horses at high risk of developing potentially fatal b cardiac arrhythmias.

Printed with the permission of Mark Andrews, Equine Science Update.

Equine Pain and Welfare App

By Mark Andrews

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Printed with the permission of Mark Andrews, Equine Science Update.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FEI/PEDEN BLOODSTOCK

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How do you tell if your horse is in pain? You may just know straight away that something is not right. But people are not always able to correctly interpret the signs of pain displayed by horses and donkeys. After all, having evolved as prey animals, it is in their interest not to show signs of pain that might bring them to the attention of a predator looking for its next meal.

Dr. Thijs van Loon and colleagues at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University in The Netherlands have been researching pain recognition in horses. Their work resulted in the development of composite pain scales that the researchers showed could be used to accurately measure pain in horses as well as donkeys.

Such scales generally comprise several indicators, including behavioural parameters (such as lying down, rolling and scratching), physiological variables (heart rate and respiratory rate), and facial expressions (positioning and movement of the ears, nostrils, eyelids, and mouth).

These signs are particularly useful for detecting pain or discomfort in patients suffering from colic, facial, or orthopaedic pain.

Assessment methods developed in the studies have now been distilled into an App, the Equine Pain and Welfare App (EPWA), which provides a reliable way to recognise pain and calculate a pain score.

The App guides the user through a two-minute pain assessment based on facial expressions, or a five-minute assessment of body language. Users are advised to contact a veterinarian for horses scoring above five on a scale of 0 to 18.

The scores can be stored on the App, allowing users to monitor changes to a horse’s welfare over time.

Other features of the App include a diary where you can keep track of how much your horse eats, the amount of exercise he gets, and any medications he receives.

There is also a handy check of whether your horse is showing signs compatible with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) or Equine Cushing’s disease.

The research team say that the current version of EPWA has been downloaded thousands of times already and is helping owners to recognise pain and discomfort in their horses and donkeys, thereby improving their health and welfare.

They are now working to develop a version specifically aimed at working donkeys in rural communities and developing countries. The Working Equine Pain and Welfare App (W-EPWA) will be provided free of charge in order to encourage its widespread use and improve the health and welfare of horses and donkeys worldwide.

EPWA is a joint initiative of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Utrecht University and Stichting de Paardenkamp. It is available (free) from the b usual app stores.

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HEALTH

Developmental Orthopedic Disease MANAGING NUTRITION FOR SAFE GROWTH IN YOUNG HORSES

By Shelagh Niblock, PAS

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For any horse owner, the birth of a foal is always an eagerly awaited event. That baby, the product of the carefully planned mating of two superior parents, can elicit a range of emotions for the owner, including excitement and awe, but often anxiety and worry as well. One of the concerns the owner of a newborn foal may have involves the risk of the foal developing developmental orthopedic disease (DOD), which is a name applied to a group of conditions that can affect the growing foal, including physitis, acquired angular limb deformities, flexural deformities, cervical vertebral malformations, acquired vertebral deformities, and finally, osteochondrosis (OC).

DOD conditions are caused by a disruption of skeletal development and maturation in the young horse. Skeletal development in horses occurs when the protein matrix (cartilage) at the growth plates in the bones of the juvenile skeleton is mineralized by specialized cells called chondrocytes. Cartilage is ossified or mineralized into bone at these sites by a process called endochondral ossification. Anything that disrupts this process will cause weak or structurally compromised bone, such as bone lesions, that can result in chips or fragments breaking loose. Bone lesions are of particular concern at the joints or junction of bone surfaces, and can result in osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). The diagnosis of OCD or any one of the above-noted conditions in a young horse can be a life-changing development, depending on what age it is discovered and if and when remedial action is taken.

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/DAMONA

Development issues can start in utero, and research shows that the nutrition the pregnant mare receives can impact her foal’s ability to grow healthy bone.

DOD usually develops in the growing foal during the first 24 months of life, and the period of time around weaning is when the owner needs to be especially vigilant. In some cases, the developmental issues are initiated in utero, and research shows that the nutritional regime of the pregnant mare can have a bearing on the ability of her foal to grow healthy bone. The key factors thought to be involved in the development of DOD in the growing horse are rapid growth, diet, biomechanical stress, and hormonal influences. Genetics also are suspected of having a significant role in the development of these disease conditions.

Bone Growth and Osteochondrosis Oseochondrosis (OC) is the subject of a great deal of ongoing research about why the process of mineralizing cartilage to healthy bone in the growing foal might be interrupted. As mentioned earlier, genetics may be significant, and potential sites within the genome of horses have been identified as relevant.

Other research suggests that blood flow may be impaired to the affected sites in the growing bone, creating pockets of dead tissue, which may eventually become detached from the bone and migrate into the joint. The nutritional regime of the growing horse is also very important, as is the rate of that growth.

In horses, the development of OC lesions is likely to happen in the first few months of life, but remedial treatment, such as diet, can facilitate the correction of defects providing they are

introduced soon enough. The period of growth between six months to one year of age is known to be especially significant in terms of correcting early stage OC bone lesions through diet and feeding regime changes that facilitate slow consistent growth. Compensatory growth in foals that have suffered growth setbacks due to management or health issues can be rapid, and may result in the development of OC lesions. Lesions that are not detected until after 12 months of age tend to be less responsive to diet changes, but surgery to remove bone fragments may be appropriate for some of these horses.

Nutrition The diet of both the growing foal and his dam is an important part of a management plan for safe growth in the foal. Attention to the dam’s diet both before and after parturition is important, particularly from the tenth month of gestation onward. Diet also affects milk quality and quantity in the lactating mare, another important aspect of the nutritional management of a growing foal.

Energy and the Relationship to Hormonal Control The impact of energy provided by feed on the development of OS, and potentially DOD, is a subject of great interest to scientists. The research is not conclusive, but it does suggest that young horses fed experimental diets high in starch and sugar, from very early in life, are more likely to have high plasma insulin and, potentially, be insulin resistant.

Consistently high-circulating insulin has a cascade of effects on other hormones in the foal’s body, including the growth hormone insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and important thyroid hormones. Research suggests that high levels of plasma insulin in the foal may delay the maturation of the WINTER 2020

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IN THE EQUINE DIET

Should you worry about iron overload?

Horse owners who are interested in equine nutrition, and actively involved in planning the composition of their horse’s diet, will know that iron intake has become a subject of much discussion.

Terms such as “iron overload” are easy to find using a Google search, and the risks associated with “free radicals” and “oxidative stress” are often coupled to the amount of iron in the equine diet. Iron levels in typical equine diets have been targeted as the reason for many equine health issues, including metabolic condi24

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tions, reduced immune function, poor hair coat and hoof wall, and developmental disease in growing horses. The internet has several popular websites available for the average horse owner to “educate” themselves about iron in the equine diet. Frequently, these sites also have products offered for sale or have links to sites that sell products that are supposed to help the horse with “iron overload.” So just what is iron overload in the equine diet, and do horse owners really need to worry about it?

By Shelagh Niblock, PAS

Iron Metabolism in Horses

Iron is a trace mineral which, in small amounts, is essential for life but can be toxic if overfed. Iron uptake from the digestive tract of horses is very tightly regulated by a system of hormonal controls.

Iron is primarily responsible for oxygen transport in the blood and muscle, in the form of compounds called hemoglobin and myoglobin, respectively. Three-quarters of a horse’s total iron stores are located in the liver, spleen, and muscles. Within the liver

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/OKSANA PERKINS

IRON

PHOTO: ISTOCK/SOMOGYVARI

HEALTH

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/OKSANA PERKINS

PHOTO: ISTOCK/SOMOGYVARI

Although the typical equine diet often supplies high levels of iron, the actual incidence of true “iron overload” is rare thanks to the natural ability of horses to safeguard themselves from it by regulating their iron uptake.

and spleen, a large percentage of the iron is located in the macrophages (large white blood cells), making iron an important part of the horse’s immune system. Iron is a constituent of some enzymes and, therefore, responsible for several metabolic processes in the equine body. And finally, as a component of lactoferrin found in mare’s milk, it is essential for its bactericidal role in the mammary gland of the mare, as well as the gut of the newborn foal.

How Iron Uptake is Regulated in Horses

Iron is transported from the small intestine into the enterocytes (cells lining the gut wall), by transporter proteins responsible for the transfer of several different trace minerals. Horses control iron uptake in their digestive tracts through a hormone called hepcidin, so that as more iron is transported through the gut wall, more hepcidin is produced, thereby down-regulating the transfer of iron into the horse’s circulatory system. Hepcidin

also increases the amount of iron sequestered, or captured, by the macrophages in the blood stream. Circulating free iron Fe2+, liberated from spent red blood cells or macrophages, is transferred back into the small intestine via bile. This process limits any excess of oxidative free iron Fe2+ in the bloodstream that might accumulate as a result of normal red and white blood cell turnover. All of these processes serve to limit and regulate the amount of iron actually present in the horse’s body to what the horse actually needs metabolically, and to prevent excessive free iron from accumulating.

Once the iron absorbed from the small intestine is actually in the bloodstream, it is transported by a protein called transferrin to the liver and spleen for production of hemoglobin, myoglobin, or a storage form of iron called ferritin. Ferritin, stored in the liver and spleen, keeps extra iron not immediately needed by the horse in a safe non-reactive form, so it is available for use by the horse when needed. Excessive free

iron Fe2+ in the circulatory system of the horse will cause oxidative stress and tissue damage consistent with what is called iron overload, but fortunately, the equine metabolism is well-equipped to ensure that this rarely ever happens.

Facts About Iron and Horses

There is plenty of misinformation on the internet about the effects of excessive iron in equine diets. Always look for peer reviewed research if you are in any doubt about anything you read online. The reality is that horses do need iron in their diets. According to the National Research Council (NRC) 2007 Nutrient Requirements of Horses, mature horses require a daily intake of 40 mg of available iron per kg of dry matter intake. That means a mature 500 kg horse eating 2 percent of his body weight in dry matter will eat 10 kg of dry matter per day, thus 40 mg/kg x 10 kg = 400 mg of available iron is necessary daily for normal metabolism in our horse. As the workload of a horse goes up, the dry WINTER 2020

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By Annika McGivern, BA Psychology, MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology 32

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PHOTO: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO: ISTOCK/LOTTAVESS

How to Build High-Performance Belief Systems for Equestrian Athletes

Beliefs shape us. They are an essential part of the framework we use to understand ourselves and how the world works. They shape our perspectives and choices, and influence the very realities we create for ourselves. In short, they are an extremely important element of performance. And yet, because they exist at a subconscious level, we are rarely aware of their influence on our outcomes and success.

A belief usually starts as an idea. This idea is then reinforced through our experiences and the feedback we get from others, until it becomes something that feels essentially true about ourselves or about the world. An example would be the belief that most people are kind, or that most people only care about themselves. Our brains are designed to constantly make

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PHOTO: ISTOCK/LOTTAVESS

PHOTO: CLIX PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO: CANST CK/PAVEL1964

Every single one of us holds certain beliefs that limit us in some way.

Everything you need to be successful as a rider can be broken down into skills you are capable of learning.

Mistakes and failures do not define us; rather, they provide us with opportunities to learn and progress in our riding.

meaning of the events in our lives, and that meaning is assigned based on the framework of our beliefs. A rider who believes they are not talented enough may experience a fall, and take that fall to mean that they don’t have what it takes to compete at that level. In contrast, a rider who believes they are a good rider may experience a similar fall and just assume it means they need to practice their combinations more, or spend more time building a relationship with their horse. The first rider backs away from sport and tries less, so as not to risk further embarrassment. The second rider pushes on and seeks improvement. Over time, the second rider experiences far more success because of their consistent

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efforts to develop their skills. At the heart of these two different reactions lies opposing belief systems, one limiting, and one that helps us grow.

A limiting belief is a belief that holds us back from achieving our full potential — just by believing it. In our previous example, the first rider was limited by his belief that he was not a good rider, because that belief influenced his reactions and choices and moved him away from pursuing his sport. The reality is that every single one of us holds certain beliefs that limit us in some way. As equestrians seeking mastery of a complex, risky, and rewarding sport, learning to identify limiting beliefs, challenge them, and invest in beliefs that support high-performance instead, is a hugely important element of

our ability to be successful. We will now look at some common limiting beliefs among riders, and the shift in perspective required to replace them with highperformance beliefs that will support our progress and success.

LIMITING BELIEF NUMBER ONE:

I am not a good enough rider.

In my experience, this belief is remarkably common in equestrian sport. It comes from a variety of experiences, but once it takes up residence in a rider’s mind it can cause all sorts of problems. To challenge this belief, we must first decide what defines a “good” rider. Is a good rider someone who wins a lot of ribbons? Is it someone who doesn’t fall off? Is it someone who seems to easily ride every horse they come across? Or is it someone who has the WINTER 2020

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By Alexa Linton, Equine Sports Therapist

The mammalian nervous system is an incredible thing, with its complex functionality, and all the ways it regulates our systems, adapts to change, restores itself, and even mirrors the nervous systems of those around us. If any year was going to introduce us to the limits and resourcefulness of our unique nervous system, 2020 would be it. In this one year, every one of us has found out exactly how we cope with global uncertainty, massive change, potential scarcity of resources, and possible threats to the health of ourselves and our family and friends. Our nervous system is an integral part of how we cope with stress and change, working behind the scenes to recalibrate, reorganize and bring us into new ways of being in a healthy or not-so-healthy state.

How does all of this relate to our horses? A few ways actually, and in this article we are looking at the role of play in nervous system resiliency, regulation, and adaptation. Have you noticed how, when things get stressful and we shift our focus to survival, some of the very first things to leave our routine are play, creativity, and social engagement? As you 36

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PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/HORSEMEN

THE POWER OF PLAY

read this, you may be thinking that you can’t recall the last time you or your horse truly played.

When my mare, Diva, and I first got together 17 years ago, neither of us had much concept of playfulness. Until then, riding had been a rather serious, methodical, and often stressful event, one ripe with agendas and expectations of myself and my horse.

Looking back, I realize that despite my instructor’s regular requests for me to breathe and relax, riding created tension and often activated my sympathetic fight response. This was mirrored in the horse I was riding, creating a bit of a tricky and dangerous feedback loop, which was the very opposite of fun and playful. With Diva, after realizing my harmful pattern was negatively impacting our relationship, I made a conscious effort to bring fun, play, and enjoyment into our rides together. Looking back, I realize now that I was working with my nervous system to move into a zone where social engagement, creativity, and connection was possible. Let’s talk more about how that works.

Our autonomic nervous system (and that of our horse) runs most of our automatic functions (heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, breathing) and is responsible in large part for our survival. It is made up of two main parts: the sympathetic (flight-fight) and parasympathetic (rest-digest). Thanks to Dr. Steven Porges and the Polyvagal Theory, we now have a more complex understanding of the parasympathetic nervous system as being made up of two main branches: the dorsal vagal, and ventral vagal. The ventral vagal branch is the one we are going to be learning about today — this branch focuses on

PHOTO: DREAMSTIME/THES2680

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK/HORSEMEN

You and your horse do not learn well in stressful, fear-based, disconnected environments.

Play with your horse might be an activity that focuses on relaxation and connection.

social engagement, play, and connection as essential to survival, and innervates the facial muscles (for expression), and the mouth, throat, and heart. This is the part of our nervous system we connect to and strengthen when we interact playfully with others. This is a space of safety where learning and growth can easily occur. For more resources on the autonomic nervous system and its role in regulation, play, and trauma in horses and humans, visit www.equusoma.com.

When we are working with horses, it is important to consider whether the environment we are creating internally and externally is conducive to connection and therefore to learning.

Physiologically, you and your horse do not learn well in stressful, fear-based, disconnected environments. More research is coming forward to indicate that learning and adaptation is substantially reduced in situations where either the sympathetic nervous system (flight-fight) or the dorsal vagal branch of the parasympathetic nervous system (learned helplessness/shutdown) are activated. So, let’s go back to where learning and growth happen in abundance — creative play and social engagement.

How do we play with horses?

I like to think of playfulness in the bigger context of social engagement and connection. Essential to my ability to connect are relaxation of my own body and mind; my willingness to step outside of the box, be silly and weird, and “listen” to my horse; my ability to let go of rigid expectations or timelines, and be creative and inspired by my environment and horse; and my desire for activities and experiences that focus

on connection and being together. With my own horses, play might look like a trail ride, a technical ride of playing with a cool new skill, a massage or butt scratch, a quiet wander or a fun gallop around the field, liberty work, or clicker training with a toy. I try to listen to what might feel interesting and fun for me, and I listen to my horse (body language says a lot!) about how she would like to engage on any given day.

Be curious about the state of your nervous system and that of your horse — you may notice a tendency to move into a hyperactivated sympathetic state, or into a shut down dorsal vagal response. All of this is great feedback, and allows us to “play” with new engaging ways of interacting that facilitate connection and presence. When we play in this way, being creative without fear of having to get something perfect, just for the fun of it, we allow room for learning and mistakes, and the potential awkwardness of trying out something new.

Some of my favourite playing teachers are kids! Watch the kids in your world as they use their imaginations, play games, make mistakes without self-criticism, and concurrently learn what works for them and their nervous systems. Also, watch your horses and the horses in your barn to see how they choose to play together, and how they enjoy spending their time.

In terms of horses, I love the outlook of my trainer Heather Nelson — she knows how to play! I have also been enjoying the work of Sharon Wilsie of HorseSpeak (horse-speak.teachable.com), Elsa Sinclair of Taming Wild (www.tamingwild.com) and Hanna Weston of Connection Training (www.connectiontraining.com).

You will find episodes from all four teachers on my podcast, at www.wholehorse.ca.

Have fun! b > Alexa Linton is a regular contributor to this magazine.

Read her bio on page 83.

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PHOTO: ISTOCK/DUNCAN 1890

“On an errand of charity — Christmas morning.”

An engraving by Johnathan Charlton printed in the London, England illustrated newspaper The Graphic in 1880.

Riding Aside The Heritage and Skill of Riding Sidesaddle

By Margaret Evans

In the summer of 1381, Anne of Bohemia, only 15 years old, left her home at Hradschin Palace in Prague in the Kingdom of Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic). Ahead of her lay a 1,100-kilometre trip on horseback across Europe to Calais, France, where she and her entourage would take a boat across the English Channel to England, to her arranged marriage to Richard II, the King of England, also 15 years old, whom she had never met.

Anne would ride a palfrey, a small, well-bred, highly prized horse of the Middle Ages.

With smooth, ambling gaits ideal for long distance riding, the palfrey was popular with nobles, ladies, and highly ranked knights. To maintain her modesty and dignity, Anne rode aside in a unique saddle that looked more like a chair. She sat sideways with her feet on a small footrest, or “planchette,” and had a rail to hold to steady herself.

But the design of the saddle and her position in relation to the forward movement of the horse would not allow her to control him with the reins. She sat at a right angle to the horse’s head. Likely, the sidesaddle itself was insecure. As a result, Anne’s horse was led by a male rider.

PHOTO: ISTOCK/DUNCAN 1890

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omen, of course, had been riding for centuries, mostly astride and sometimes aside.

The concept of keeping both legs on the same side of the horse was depicted on Greek vases and Celtic stones. Some images showed the woman seated aside and being led by a man, while others depicted her seated on a small padded seat called a pillion behind a male rider. But at all times aside, the woman was a passenger along for the ride.

Culture and modesty dictated the aside approach. For an aristocratic woman, it was considered unbecoming to straddle a horse with legs apart.

And keeping both legs together by riding aside was believed to protect the hymen, and thus the presumed resemblance of being a virgin.

Catalan bridal saddle with a “planchette” or footrest, and a matching bridle, from Wedding ceremonies in Spain collection, Muleteer’s Museum located in Igualada, Catalonia.

Sidesaddle from Iceland, circa 1682.

PH OTO :W

IKIMEDIA

Women wore long skirts when riding, but skirts were impractical, immodest, and downright dangerous should the rider get tangled up with a horse in a fall. Many women were dragged to their death. Riding aside, while keeping the skirt a bit more under control, still had its shortcomings,

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HOLIDAYS ON HORSEBACK

THE LURE OF

HORSEBACK ADVENTURE RACES

PHOTO: RICHARD DUNWOODY PHOTOGRAPHY

By Tania Millen

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Alberta veterinarian, Chris Peterson (right), competing in the inaugural 2020 Gaucho Derby in Patagonia, Argentina.

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The winners don’t receive medals or cash.

But for some riders, horseback adventure races are highly appealing.

Adventure racing — navigating over an unmarked wilderness course where the fastest person wins — has been a recognized sport for about 30 years.

But horseback adventure racing is still evolving, with international race organizers determining their own rules.

The best-known horseback adventure race is the Mongol Derby, where riders gallop across 1,000 kilometres of Mongolian Steppe riding feisty half-wild horses for ten days. Race the Wild Coast in South Africa traverses almost 400 kilometres of beaches and headlands in five days, with the unusual challenge of riders swimming their mounts across a number of rivers. The Gaucho Derby in Patagonia is the most recent addition to the international horseback adventure racing calendar.

It includes leading a pack horse for part of a ten-day, 500-kilometre adventure while navigating and camping in the mountains.

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ANNUAL O CONTEST PHOT

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Celebration of Horses

PHOTO CONTEST

Album of Winners

We were snowed under by the number of entries in this year’s Celebration of Horses Photo Contest. We received the most entries ever, in fact, triple the number received last year! Our sincere appreciation goes out to everyone who shared their special photos and wonderful horsey anecdotes with us.

Our 2020 Contest was generously sponsored by Summerside Tack & Equestrian Wear, and we are sincerely grateful to them for donating this year’s grand prizes.

And now, we are pleased to present the Winners and Runners-Up in all seven categories…

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STABLE STORK Beautiful Babies of 2020

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WINNER

Summer is in the Air This was Shooter’s first day out on pasture! Soooo many new smells out there!” says Evelyn Sabraw of Acme, AB. Shooter, (registered name “Cease Fire”) was 12 days old in this photo.

1ST RUNNER-UP

A Dream Come True

2ND RUNNER-UP

Welcome Daryl!

Rohan is a Canadian Warmblood filly by Coronado out of my eventing mare, Rinoa, a CWB mare by Rio Grande, explains Christine Chan of Burnaby, BC. “She was tiny at birth, but has grown into a feisty, gorgeous, red-haired girl.”

“Newborn donkey, Daryl, is adorable and already full of spunk,” says Kerry Manneck of Cardinal, ON. This little guy is sure to put a smile on anyone’s face.

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