Whether you’re building new paddocks from scratch, or remodeling your current paddock system, you may be overwhelmed by choice when looking at fencing options. It’s important to learn the advantages and disadvantages of each type of fencing in order to make an informed buying decision, what might be best fence for your neighbour and his or her horses may not be ideal for you. In this post we will help you choose the best fencing for you, your horses, and your budget. Read more...

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a naturally occurring polysaccharide (carbohydrate) that holds moisture between cells. Synovial fluid declines with age, excessive exercise and under some disease conditions such as osteoarthritis. It can be successfully supplemented by injection (Vet) or through the feed and is efficacious and approved for use by both methods by Health Canada. It is derived from chicken combs or may be grown like beer in stainless-steel vats using micro-organism synthesis. HA improves both the viscosity (cushioning) and the lubricating action of the joints. Hence its growing popularity in the Hunter-Jumper World. Read more...

When you manage or work at a farm in Canada you can certainly relate to the frustration that comes with the country’s not-at-all-uncommon sub-zero winter temperatures. Making sure your horses have clean, fresh water should always be a number one priority, but freezing water can quickly become a challenge when temperatures dip below the freezing mark. It can be quite disheartening to wake up to temperatures below -20°C and know with near-certainty that you’re going to run into problems that day. If you don’t set up your farm’s water system correctly the first time you’ll be waking up each morning on cold winter days praying that nothing freezes. Read more...

Hydration is of dire importance with horses. There are many reasons this is true, including the most basic. Along with minerals, fat, vitamins, protein, and carbohydrates; water is the most important of the six basic nutrient categories that must be met for horses to live. Without water, horses would survive less than a couple of days. Without feed (and access to clean water) they would survive four to five times longer. Read more...

As we head into spring and start using our outdoor riding rings again we need to make sure that they are prepared along with the equipment used to prepare them. Arenas take a beating from snow, ice, rain, and wind, so it's important to create an optimal riding surface by harrowing and conditioning the arena before anyone uses it. Read more...

Many people underestimate the importance of having comfortable flooring in their horses’ stalls. Some horses spend up to 23 hours a day in their stalls, and without some sort of comfort system, it can be a very long day for them Read more...

If you’ve ever dealt with a colicing horse, you know it’s one of the scariest experiences a horse owner can go through. While most cases can be rectified without any invasive procedures, some require emergency surgery. It is my hope that you learn at least one thing from my story that could help you in the future if you ever have the misfortune of going through colic surgery with your Read more...

Let’s save the boring stats that every article discussing equine gastric ulcers quotes. If you keep your horse in a stall and/or do any level of training and you are still reading this article, there is an extremely high probability your horse has ulcers. Read more...

We all know that our horses can be the most graceful of creatures but we also know that many of them seem to be the clumsiest and most accident prone beings we will ever have the pleasure to deal with. For some, they never seem to be without some sort of scrape or cut. Some of them also can have especially sensitive skin, our pintos, chestnuts and heavily chromed horses that, despite our very best efforts, seem to pick up every fungus and skin condition out there. The skin or epidermis is the horse’s (and our own) largest organ, and it receives the brunt of life’s daily wear and tear. While horses are typically hardy animals with thick layered skin, constant skin irritation and disturbance can lead to an overall degradation in the health of your horse. Luckily, there are many methods and useful products to help us combat these problems. Here we will touch on one line of those products that is new to System Tack. Read more...