World Horse Day has been celebrated on March 1 every year since it was created in 2005 to raise awareness of equine welfare and protection. For the 21th anniversary of World Horse Day, Equine Guelph at the University of Guelph will celebrate by offering horse enthusiasts the opportunity to reduce the occurrence of lameness in horses. On March, 1 2026, horse owners and caretakers around the globe will be able to sign up for the online course, Sport Horse Lameness/Injury Prevention, for free ($95 value) at thehorseportal.com for one day.

Everything from early detection of lameness, footing and exercise regime can have an impact on soundness. The Sport Horse Lameness/Injury Prevention course will run March 16-27. Join Equine Guelph expert instructor Dr. Brianne Henderson of Rivendell Equine Veterinary Services to learn daily practices that can optimize health and performance and reduce the risk of lameness issues in your athletic horse.

“On March 1, in celebration of World Horse Day, we aim to ensure everyone has the chance to engage with our welcoming learning community and the high‑quality, research‑informed content that attracts our students,” said Gayle Ecker, Equine Guelph director. “The goal of this course is to translate evidence‑based knowledge into practical tools for understanding the rapidly advancing world of injury prevention and rehabilitation.”

Students will delve into common lameness issues in horses along with strategies for early detection and prevention. The course introduces the horse’s musculoskeletal system, how horses move, best practices for recognizing lameness, practical assessment tools, effective management of the lame horse and insights from the latest research.

The Sport Horse Lameness/Injury Prevention course was developed in collaboration with leading industry professionals. Among the distinguished contributors is Dr. Jeff Thomason, recently retired from the Ontario Veterinary College. Well-known for his ability to bring anatomy to life, Dr. Thomason taught anatomy to generations of veterinary students at the Ontario Veterinary College. He was also a dedicated researcher who conducted internationally recognized research on the equine hoof, advancing our understanding of hoof structure, biomechanics and the factors that influence long‑term soundness. His contributions to this course draw on decades of scientific insight and teaching excellence, helping participants better understand how training practices and early warning signs of injury play critical roles in preventing lameness in sport horses.

The course is sponsored by Acera Insurance, with partner Mike King lending his expertise as a guest expert. As the national lead for Acera’s equine industry insurance and risk‑management programs, King brings decades of hands‑on experience as a horse owner, rider, coach, judge and facility manager. Today, programs under his oversight serve more than 80,000 equine enthusiasts across Canada. He is widely sought after to speak on risk management and equine‑industry insurance, and his insights provide valuable real‑world context within the course.

With no specified times to be logged on, The Horse Portal brings together a community of horse caregivers from around the world seeking the perfect combination of lively discussions, easy to understand evidence-based content and flexible learning.  The practical, common-sense training through its short-course format fits into the busy lives of equine enthusiasts.

Equine Guelph promotes the welfare of horses every day with award-winning programs and internationally renowned instructors and guest speakers.  

(Equine Guelph)