Marisa Markey, DVM

Let’s talk about the birds and the bees... Well, not really. But as the weather gets warmer, the birds and the bees plus a multitude of other insects are get...ting busy doing their thing. Besides being very irritating, some of these insects can spread infection and disease to your horse (and, in some cases, to you as well). A very smart strategy is to control the problem before it gets out of hand, and minimize populations from the beginning. The attached infographic contains some suggestions to get you started. Please keep in mind that there are many variations of these suggested programs that will still meet the same goals and follow the same principles. If you’re interested in reading more about external parasites and vector control, comprehensive guidelines are available on our website at https://aaep.org//external-parasite-and-vector-control-gui And as always, contact your veterinarian for more information and recommendations suitable for your horse’s specific situation!

Some of my favourite days are when I can steal one of these amazing humans to come on the road with me and clients can put a face to the name they hear every time they call. They are such an important part of the team and we couldn’t do what we do without them. (We could try but it would be very messy!)

This might just be the best way to start a weekend on call. A healthy newborn filly passing her new foal exam with flying colours! Mom and filly are both doing well, just a little sleepy

There’s nothing like a good springtime sunshine nap!

Thank you to Equestrian Canada for putting together the following biosecurity posters for around the barn. With EHV-1 cases present in Ontario, we hope these sm...all reminders will help stop the spread. If you would like the PDF version of these posters, please email the OE office: [email protected] #ONequestrian

EQUINE VALENTINE This stunning photo is of stallion Flurry with his mare Filigree. We think for Valentine's day we should celebrate stallions and indeed all h...orses being able to socialise with horses of the opposite sex, as sadly so few of them have this opportunity. Of course the ideal would be that they could live naturally in mixed groups like this. Horses should be able to have a normal social life, even if it can only be for part of their day. However, it does seem to be the norm now that many horses are kept in single-sex groups (or in individual paddocks) and this can lead to a number of behaviour problems. These horses belong to Connemara owner Mary Prewitt, and we don't get to hear about this kind of horse behaviour often enough. Mary's stallions live in natural groups together with their mares and foals. The stallions see the birth of their own foals and raise the youngsters together with Mum. Huge thanks to Mary for letting us share this photo, please respect her copyright.

What a fantastic initiative! It always saddens me how often people will simply drop off a cat near a barn and expect someone else to take care of it. Or that barns are a magic oasis for every cat? I’m not sure of the logic behind it.

ARTICLE | Water consumption is always crucial. Without enough water, a horse's body and digestive system cannot function properly. During winter, horses may begin to drink less as the water gets cold and freezes. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3oAokJn