Standardbred Canada (SC) and Equine Guelph (EG) are pleased to announce an online educational program for SC members. A free offering of Equine Guelph’s online short course will be the highlight of the new partnership in the winter of 2021. This one-time offer to enroll in the Racehorse Respiratory Health course (valued at $95) is available to the first 150 SC members that are in good standing to register into the course.

The free two-week online Racehorse Respiratory Health course will be offered from March 22 - April 2. Respected experts from the racing industry include course instructor, Dr. Melissa McKee from Ontario, and guest expert, Dr. Patty Hogan from New Jersey.

The new Standardbred Canada-Equine Guelph partnership will also provide a discount on all future courses for its members to receive online industry training on The Horse Portal. The discount offers all SC members including trainers, grooms, owners and drivers, 15% off short online courses that aim to give their racehorses a competitive edge.

“Standardbred Canada’s ongoing focus to equine welfare is tremendously important to our association and the over 6,000 members and tens of thousands of horses that are registered,” says Dan Gall, president and CEO of SC. “The work that Equine Guelph does to support and promote horse welfare is not only innovative but EG is also recognized as a leading institution around the world. We are honoured and thrilled to be an ongoing partner and supporter of Equine Guelph's initiatives and the work that they do for our industry.”

Equine Guelph has been a pioneer and global leader in online education for equine professionals since its inception in 2003. The Horse Portal was launched in 2017 and became a national success, partnering with 10 English-speaking provincial equestrian federations across Canada. It is a partnership platform for the equine community, available to everyone in the equine industry. The Horse Portal has quickly grown to include youth organizations, international safety associations, and horse racing partners including Ontario Racing, Horse Racing Alberta and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (2019-20 Online Training Pilot Project). Standardbred Canada members will be able to access their page for information on the free Racehorse Respiratory Health course and 15% course discount at TheHorsePortal.ca/SC.

Upcoming online short courses include:

• Equine First Aid: Jan. 25 - Feb. 1

• Gut Health & Colic Prevention: Feb. 8 – Feb. 19

• Fire & Emergency Preparedness: Mar. 8 – Mar. 15

• Racehorse Respiratory Health: Mar. 22 – Apr. 2 (free)

• Sickness Prevention in Horses (TBA)

• Horse Behaviour & Safety (TBA)

• Horse Care and Welfare (TBA)

• Lameness/Injury Prevention and Care (TBA)

Standardbred Canada and Equine Guelph look forward to working together to further strengthen the unity of the harness racing community and help their members deliver the best possible care for their horses.

“Through The Horse Portal, horse caregivers can access common sense, practical training that can be used on a daily basis,” says Gayle Ecker, director of Equine Guelph. “Equine Guelph is pleased to partner with Standardbred Canada, bringing racehorse owners and caregivers together to learn about optimizing equine health and performance as a community. A healthy horse is a top performer.”

For those who have never taken an online course before, no prior online learning experience required. For people busy with their racehorses, the course format is flexible with “24/7” access available. Registration for SC members is now open at TheHorsePortal.ca/SC.