Horse Welfare in Endurance: A glimpse from Top riders

Journal D'Endurance - Horse Welfare Podcast

June 15 2026
A Conversation by Journal d’Endurance

Castelsagrat, France | CEIO2* 120 km | 35°C | A few hours after the finish

In scorching temperatures and on one of the most demanding tracks of the French calendar, Melody Théolissat and Yalla de Jalima secured second place, only seconds ahead of Virginie Atger and Raya de Jalima, after a perfectly judged race and a memorable final sprint. Paul Bard, who was set to compete the following day in the CEI3* 160 km with Hasna Valarbin, a home-bred mare, also joined the conversation.

Beyond the sport results, this discussion provided an opportunity to explore one of the most important topics in endurance riding: horse welfare. How do top riders balance performance with respect for their equine partners? What signs do they rely on to assess their horses’ physical and mental well-being? How do they manage training, travel, and race strategy to keep their horses comfortable and motivated? Drawing on their experiences, successes, and the mistakes that helped shape them as horsewomen & men, Virginie Atger, Melody Théolissat, and Paul Bard share their perspective on horse welfare in endurance riding and explain why, in their view, it is one of the key foundations of performance...

Read more here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SlN6ikh-BhvC6ttAMa7fEVTMrlfXOoDT/view

Who Will Answer the Next Emergency Call?

HorseSport.com - Full Article

Equine veterinary medicine is struggling to attract and retain practitioners. Three different perspectives suggest that preserving access to care will require changes from veterinary practices and horse owners alike.

By: Horse Sport staff | June 10, 2026

When a horse colics at 10 p.m., the owner’s first thought is panic. The second is: call the vet.

For the equine veterinarian who answers, the call may come after a full day of appointments, while eating dinner, attending a family event or finally getting to sleep. When the emergency is over, the next day’s scheduled work will still begin as usual.

After-hours emergencies have always been part of equine veterinary medicine. Increasingly, however, the profession is questioning whether the traditional model is sustainable.

“The number one issue is the lack of people that want to go into equine practice,” says Dr. Mike Pownall of McKee-Pownall Equine Services, an equine veterinarian who has spent years studying and speaking about wellness and mental health within the profession. “Recent surveys show less than two per cent of graduating students in North America want to enter equine,” he says. “That’s less than 200 people a year for all of North America,” which is not enough to replace veterinarians who are retiring or leaving the field...

Read more here:
https://horsesport.com/magazine/business/who-will-answer-next-emergency-call/?vgo_ee=itb9xEAbpXVHm%2BpWDPrGyv8f1O%2FMpmeHqSoS3EM%2BfpHQW%2BO%2Bnyiv%3AqLLH0nZ3PSxoRFP3%2F26HNzRa78wzZhgu

'Living the dream': From Northland’s wild horses to Mongolia’s open plains

SportNation.nz - Read Article and listen to podcast

Sport Nation • May 15th, 2026

Most New Zealanders associate wild horses with the iconic Kaimanawa horse that roam the ranges of the Central North Island. But according to Chloe Phillips-Harris, there are wild horse populations all across New Zealand - particularly in the far north, where hundreds roam areas including 90 Mile Beach.

Speaking with Erin Speedy on The Rural Roundup, Phillips-Harris reflected on more than a decade working with wild and feral horses through The Wild Horse Project, while also sharing how a life-changing trip to Mongolia led her towards a career built around adventure, animals and remote expeditions.

“They get all the media attention (Kaimanawa horses), but all over New Zealand, especially here in Northland we have our own wild or feral horse populations and I have been working for over 10 years now to help manage in some situations, help home, help muster a lot of the wild horses.”

Her connection with horses eventually took her far beyond New Zealand. More than 12 years ago, Phillips-Harris travelled to Mongolia to compete in the Mongol Derby - a 1,000km endurance race across the Mongolian steppe that is widely regarded as the world’s longest horse race...

Read more and listen here:
https://sportnation.nz/article/living-the-dream-from-northlands-wild-horses-to-mongolias-open-plains

Can I Let My Colicking Horse Lie Down While Waiting for the Vet?

Thehorse.com - Listen

May 7, 2026
Posted by Haylie Pfeffer

Dr. Michael Fugaro discusses when it’s okay to let your horse move around and lie down during a colic emergency and when you should keep him standing.

Allowing a horse to move quietly and even lie down while showing signs of colic is generally acceptable, as long as they’re not putting themselves at risk of injury. Forcing a horse to continuously walk isn’t necessary—rest can be appropriate if the horse remains calm. The priority is monitoring closely and preventing violent rolling while you wait for veterinary care. In this Ask TheHorse Live excerpt, Michael Fugaro, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, owner and founder of Mountain Pointe Equine Veterinary Services, in Hackettstown, New Jersey, describes when it’s okay to allow your horse to lie down versus when you should keep him standing or walking during a colic emergency.

This podcast is an excerpt from our Ask TheHorse Live Q&A, “Equine Colic 101.” Listen to the full recording here.

A Woman is Riding 25,000Km on Horseback Across the Americas

Explorersweb.com - Full Article

April 20, 2026
Ash Routen

Canadian Olivia Cazes, 30, is a year into a mammoth horseback journey from Ushuaia, in southern Argentina, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, following the length of the Pan-American Highway. The journey began in February 2025 with Australian rider Ben Hann. The two met while working on a ranch in Alberta, Canada.

Hann had to leave the journey last October due to a health issue. Cazes then returned to Canada to upgrade her equipment and then headed back to Argentina this past January to pick up where she left off.

Balancing the expedition with her studies, Cazes is somehow completing a master’s thesis while on the road. As of early April, she has traveled around 2,850km, maintaining a daily pace of 20 to 25km. Cazes estimates the journey could take another five years...

Read more here:
https://explorersweb.com/a-woman-is-riding-25000km-on-horseback-across-the-americas/

Conditioning Horses on Different Surfaces

Thehorse.com - Full Article

April 1, 2026
Posted by Nancy S. Loving, DVM

Varying the surfaces on which you exercise your horse can help produce a strong, well-rounded equine athlete.

When training your horse, you likely put in a lot of work developing his skill set for a chosen athletic endeavor. Yet, similarly important is the degree of conditioning your horse achieves over time. Conditioning offers multiple benefits, including building the musculoskeletal tissues of the limbs, core, topline, and neck. It also improves the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, nervous system, proprioception (awareness of position and placement of limbs and body), and balance; provides mental stimulation; and builds a horse’s confidence.

Varying the surfaces on which you exercise a horse can bring additional benefits that develop the physical strength of a well-rounded equine athlete mentally engaged in his work...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/1122411/conditioning-horses-on-different-surfaces/?lid=lbh2rj0awf7x&%20Lameness&uuid=01922f47f62f001a2720598a0e2705075009a06d00dc4

Long-Lost Horse Found And Rescued After Seven Months in Wind River Mountains

Preston Jorgenson photo

CowboyStateDaily.com - Full Article

Mouse the horse had been missing since July 2025, only to be found alive by snowmobilers in the Wind River Mountains. Several people, specialized snow machines, and a river raft were enlisted Sunday to reach and rescue the horse.

Andrew Rossi
January 27, 2026

A horse that had been lost in the mountains above Dubois for seven months was found and rescued by a team of ingenious snowmobilers and cowboys.

Mouse, the horse, had been missing in the mountains since July 2025. On Sunday, a group of snowmobilers was enjoying the powder in the vicinity when they found Mouse, still alive and thrilled to finally see people again.

“He was a true survivor, by all means,” said Tim Koldenhoven, owner of Union Pass Rentals. “You could tell that he was worn out and was tired, but was happy to have some company up there...”

Read more and see video of Mouse's snowmobile ride here:
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/01/27/long-lost-horse-found-and-rescued-after-seven-months-in-wind-river-mountains/