Ontario Racing (OR), the Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA) and Equine Guelph are partnering to offer two free online courses to the racing industry in Ontario this winter.
Addressing the top two industry-identified health priorities, OR is funding the student tuitions of the "Racehorse Respiratory Health" course and COSA is sponsoring the "Racehorse Injury/Lameness Prevention & Care" course.
This one-time offer to enroll in one or both racing-exclusive courses (valued at $95) is available to the first 100 AGCO license holders who enroll. These practical, two-week online short courses from Equine Guelph are flexible, offering "24/7" access to owners, trainers and grooms busy with their racehorses.
Racehorses are elite athletes and peak performance can only be achieved with optimal health. Given the demanding life of the equine athlete, racehorses are at risk for respiratory issues, lameness and injury every day. There are daily practices that can be employed to reduce the risk.
“Respiratory issues are ranked the number one health issue in the Ontario racing industry and we are pleased to fund the tuition of trainers and grooms keen on learning about how to reduce the risk through management,” said Gordon Thain, executive director of OR. “Ontario Racing is committed to keeping the racing industry up-to-date on the latest information and education in regard to equine welfare, safety and performance.”
The "Racehorse Respiratory Health" course will give the racing industry an understanding of how horses breathe, how to help racehorses' respiration and avoid respiratory issues. The "Racehorse Injury/Lameness Prevention & Care" short course can be of benefit for all racehorse trainers and grooms in order to help prevent injury and how to manage lameness – improving the racehorse’s performance on the track!
“COSA is pleased to support the racing industry through its partnership with Equine Guelph,” said Bill O’Donnell, president of COSA. “Anything we can do to reduce injury and lameness can only benefit our horsepeople and the racehorse.”
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 this online training platform has become a national success, offering practical, common-sense training that can be used on a daily basis.
Current AGCO license holders within the Thoroughbred, Standardbred and Quarter Horse Racing sectors can register for the free courses at the following links:
For those who have never taken an online course before, no prior online learning experience is required.
(With files from Equine Guelph)