Standardbred Canada (SC) is partnering with Equine Guelph (EG) to offer a free online course to SC members on Racehorse Gut Health & Colic Prevention in March of 2022.

The Racehorse Gut Health & Colic Prevention course will be offered from March 7 to March 18 and available FREE to the first 150 SC Members that register. To register, click here.

Given the demanding life of the equine athlete, a high number of racehorses are at risk of digestive tract health concerns such as ulcers and colic. In this online short course by Equine Guelph on TheHorsePortal.ca you can learn from experts how to reduce the chance of digestive tract issues in your barn and improve your horse’s performance on the track.

Standardbred Canada and Equine Guelph’s educational partnership was officially launched with SC’s sponsorship of the Racehorse Respiratory Health Course, made available free to SC members last winter.

One hundred and thirty SC Members took part in the course, which delved into reducing risk of respiratory issues in racehorses with daily management routines and improving the horse’s performance on the track. The course featured respected industry experts as the course instructors - Dr. Melissa McKee from Ontario, and guest expert Dr. Patty Hogan from New Jersey.

The ongoing Standardbred Canada-Equine Guelph partnership also provides a 15 per cent discount on all short courses for its member owners, breeders, trainers, caretakers and drivers to receive online industry training on The Horse Portal.

“Standardbred Canada recognizes Equine Guelph's initiatives in supporting and promoting horse welfare,” said Dan Gall, President and CEO of SC. “We were extremely pleased with our partnership with Equine Guelph this past year. We had a strong enrollment in the Respiratory course and hope to replicate that again with the Racehorse Gut Health & Colic Prevention course next March. Equine Health and Welfare is a priority for our association, and through this partnership we hope to provide some of the educational opportunities and tools that members need to ensure the well being of their horses.”

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 Standardbred Canada, Ontario Racing, Central Ontario Standardbred Association, 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 Gut Health & Colic Prevention course and ongoing 15 per cent course discount at TheHorsePortal.ca/SC.

Stay tuned for the announcement of instructors and guest experts. For those who have never taken an online course before, no prior online learning experience is required.