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Story: Nicole Weidner

How old is a “senior” horse? That’s a tough question to answer, as it depends on a number of factors related to each individual horse. Differences in breed, previous use (e.g. recreational vs. competition), disease presence and genetics can mean that horses may be considered senior at many different ages. Attendees at the first of the Equine Education Workshop series on February 8, 2018 in Erin, ON learned about this topic and more from Equine Guelph’s director, Gayle Ecker.

Ecker covered topics related to aging, senior horse welfare, and the difficult, but important planning and decisions necessary to be prepared for when the time comes to say goodbye. The workshop was well attended, and participants (this media intern included) were engaged by Ecker’s vast and useful knowledge of the area. You can find more information on the topics covered by Ecker through several Equine Guelph resources, including the Senior Horse Challenge and the Euthanasia fact sheet.

The 2018 Erin Winter Equine Education workshop series is sponsored by the Town of Erin and Budson’s Farm and Feed Company. The final workshop of the series will be held on March 8th and will cover hoof care, looking at barefoot vs. horse shoes. Dr. Jeff Thomason from the Ontario Veterinary College will be participating in this presentation.

Equine Guelph is the horse owners' and care givers' Centre at the University of Guelph. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government – for the good of the equine industry as a whole.

For further information, visit EquineGuelph.ca.