Free Global Registration for One Day!
Guelph, ON Feb, 24, 2026 - World Horse Day has been celebrated on March 1st every year since it was created in 2005 to raise awareness of equine welfare and protection. For the 21st 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,” says Equine Guelph director, Gayle Ecker. “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 kindly 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, Mike 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.
Take advantage of the FREE registration on World Horse Day, March 1, 2025 and sign up for Sport Horse Lameness/Injury Prevention, on TheHorsePortal.com.
Instructor Bio:
Dr. Brianne Henderson has been immersed in the equine world since birth, growing up on an Arabian and Sport Horse breeding/training farm in Niagara, Ontario. Her involvement in the world of endurance racing includes experience as a competitor and a line veterinarian from grass roots to an international level of competition. Henderson was the Assistant Team Veterinarian for Team Canada at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington Kentucky. Henderson graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh, Scotland, focused on equine sports medicine and surgery and is a board-certified veterinarian. Her love of the equine athlete and focused interest in surgery has bolstered a great love of anatomy and understanding “form to function”.
About Equine Guelph:
Equine Guelph is the horse owners' and care givers' Centre at the University of Guelph in Canada. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government - for the good of the equine industry as a whole. For further information, visit www.equineguelph.ca.
Story by: Equine Guelph
Web Link(s):
Story web link: https://thehorseportal.ca/2026/02/equine-guelph-offers-sport-horse-lameness-injury-prevention-course-to-celebrate-world-horse-day/
Source: Equine Guelph