In September 2025 Lucy spent a weekend at Velni Country Hotel in Crete, hosted by Sabine and Manolis. With a direct flight from East Midlands, I arrived in Heraklion late Friday evening. Met by Sabine, the owner of Velni Country Hotel, I was whisked through the mountains of Crete slowly climbing the stony tracks towards []The post A Weekend in Crete Velni Country Hotel appeared first on In The Saddle.

Lois tells us about her travels (in June 2025) to the Maasai Mara in Kenya with Offbeat. An exciting journey filled with wildlife, horses, nature and dedicated people who are rightly proud of the perfect area where they live and work. The Maasai Mara in Kenya was the focal point for many wildlife documentaries that []The post The Maasai Mara A true wildlife-lovers paradise appeared first on In The Saddle.

On Oct. 9, a 5-year-old Standardbred cross gelding in Highland County, Ontario, tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The unvaccinated gelding developed clinical signs on Oct. 5, including limb weakness and ataxia. He is recovering.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.WNV 101West Nile virusis transmitted to horses via bites from infected mosquitoes. Not all infected horses show clinical signs, but those that do can exhibit:Flulike signs, where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed;Fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculation (involuntary twitching);Hyperesthesia (hypersensitivity to touch and sound);Changes in mentation (mental activity), when horses look like theyre daydreaming or just not with it;Occasional drowsiness;Propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); andSpinal signs, including asymmetrical weakness; andAsymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia.West Nile virus has no cure. However, some horses can recover with supportive care. Equine mortality rates can reach 30-40%.Studies have shown thatvaccines can be effective WNV prevention tools. Horses vaccinated in past years need an annual booster shot, but veterinarians might recommend two boosters annuallyone in the spring and another in the fallin areas with prolonged mosquito seasons. In contrast, previously unvaccinated horses require a two-shot vaccination series in a three- to six-week period. It takes several weeks for horses to develop protection against the disease following complete vaccination or booster administration.In addition to vaccinations, owners should work to reduce mosquito population and breeding areas and limit horses mosquito exposure by:Removing stagnant water sources;Dumping, cleaning, and refilling water buckets and troughs regularly;Keeping animals inside during insect feeding times (typically early in the morning and evening); andApplying mosquito repellents approved for equine use.

On Oct. 10, a 26-year-old Morgan gelding in Oakland County, Michigan, tested positive for strangles. The gelding developed clinical signs on Sept. 28, including an abscess and fever. He is now recovering.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.About StranglesStranglesin horses is an infection caused byStreptococcus equisubspeciesequiand spread through direct contact with other equids or contaminated surfaces. Horses that arent showing clinical signs can harbor and spread the bacteria, and recovered horses remain contagious for at least six weeks, with the potential to cause outbreaks long-term.Infected horses can exhibit a variety of clinical signs:FeverSwollen and/or abscessed lymph nodesNasal dischargeCoughing or wheezingMuscle swellingDifficulty swallowingVeterinarians diagnose horses using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with either a nasal swab, wash, or an abscess sample, and they treat most cases based on clinical signs, implementing antibiotics for severe cases. Overuse of antibiotics can prevent an infected horse from developing immunity. Most horses make a full recovery in three to four weeks.A vaccine is available but not always effective. Biosecurity measures of quarantining new horses at a facility and maintaining high standards of hygiene and disinfecting surfaces can helplower the risk of outbreakorcontain one when it occurs.

One horse at a veterinary hospital in Douglas County, Illinois, recently tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The horse was euthanized.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.WNV 101West Nile virusis transmitted to horses via bites from infected mosquitoes. Not all infected horses show clinical signs, but those that do can exhibit:Flulike signs, where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed;Fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculation (involuntary twitching);Hyperesthesia (hypersensitivity to touch and sound);Changes in mentation (mental activity), when horses look like theyre daydreaming or just not with it;Occasional drowsiness;Propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); andSpinal signs, including asymmetrical weakness; andAsymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia.West Nile virus has no cure. However, some horses can recover with supportive care. Equine mortality rates can reach 30-40%.Studies have shown thatvaccines can be effective WNV prevention tools. Horses vaccinated in past years need an annual booster shot, but veterinarians might recommend two boosters annuallyone in the spring and another in the fallin areas with prolonged mosquito seasons. In contrast, previously unvaccinated horses require a two-shot vaccination series in a three- to six-week period. It takes several weeks for horses to develop protection against the disease following complete vaccination or booster administration.In addition to vaccinations, owners should work to reduce mosquito population and breeding areas and limit horses mosquito exposure by:Removing stagnant water sources;Dumping, cleaning, and refilling water buckets and troughs regularly;Keeping animals inside during insect feeding times (typically early in the morning and evening); andApplying mosquito repellents approved for equine use.

A 3-year-old Quarter Horse filly in Grey County, Ontario, recently tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). The unvaccinated filly was referred to an equine hospital around Sept. 20 due to acute ataxia. She is now recovering.This is Ontarios eighth confirmed equine WNV case of 2025.EDCC Health Watch is an Equine Network marketing program that utilizes information from the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) to create and disseminate verified equine disease reports. TheEDCCis an independent nonprofit organization that is supported by industry donations in order to provide open access to infectious disease information.WNV 101West Nile virusis transmitted to horses via bites from infected mosquitoes. Not all infected horses show clinical signs, but those that do can exhibit:Flulike signs, where the horse seems mildly anorexic and depressed;Fine and coarse muscle and skin fasciculation (involuntary twitching);Hyperesthesia (hypersensitivity to touch and sound);Changes in mentation (mental activity), when horses look like theyre daydreaming or just not with it;Occasional drowsiness;Propulsive walking (driving or pushing forward, often without control); andSpinal signs, including asymmetrical weakness; andAsymmetrical or symmetrical ataxia.West Nile virus has no cure. However, some horses can recover with supportive care. Equine mortality rates can reach 30-40%.Studies have shown thatvaccines can be effective WNV prevention tools. Horses vaccinated in past years need an annual booster shot, but veterinarians might recommend two boosters annuallyone in the spring and another in the fallin areas with prolonged mosquito seasons. In contrast, previously unvaccinated horses require a two-shot vaccination series in a three- to six-week period. It takes several weeks for horses to develop protection against the disease following complete vaccination or booster administration.In addition to vaccinations, owners should work to reduce mosquito population and breeding areas and limit horses mosquito exposure by:Removing stagnant water sources;Dumping, cleaning, and refilling water buckets and troughs regularly;Keeping animals inside during insect feeding times (typically early in the morning and evening); andApplying mosquito repellents approved for equine use.

Ocala, FL World Equestrian Center Ocala (WEC) welcomes families back for another enchanting year of Winter Wonderland presented by AdventHealth. This beloved holiday tradition returns November 28 through December 23, Wednesday through Sunday with activations from 5pm to 9pm. Each year the monthlong event transforms the backdrop of the Grand Plaza with more than a million lights and showSource

International equine charity Brooke has stressed that the global donkey skin trade is an urgent crisis and a serious threat to donkey populations. Demand from China drives the trade, which fuels the trade from Africa and Latin America.China Animal Agriculture Association has stated it needs to increase its access to donkeys to meet demand forejiao, a gelatin boiled from donkey skins which is used in skincare and food supplements. Six million donkey skins are used each year for ejiao, with the majority sourced from Africa.This cruel trade, which devastates communities globally, is being fuelled by demand from China, said Head of Global Policy at Brooke, Anna Marry. We must secure a global ban or could see Africa lose half its donkey population by 2040.The ongoing threat to donkey populations from the illegal skin trade is an urgent crisis that requires immediate action.Demand in China is driving up prices for donkeys, which has devastating effects on communities where these animals are sourced.The donkeys are often stolen to meet the demand and our research in Africa exposes horrific cruelty. Donkeys are walked for miles to exhaustion, then bludgeoned and beaten before their throats are slit.Working animals, including donkeys, are a vital asset to African communities, which home the worlds largest donkey populations. Although many countries have banned the trade of donkey skins, working animals are being stolen to be traded illegally, leaving communities at risk and, in many cases, women and girls then taking on the role of water-gatherer, meaning they can no longer have access to education.When there is no donkey to do the work, the women and children often become donkeys themselves doing hard labour to source vital water for health and crop irrigation, said Ms Marry.Breeding and farming will never be the answer to the growing demand for the skin from these beautiful and sentient animals.We must unite to end this exploitation and secure a future where donkeys are valued and safeguarded, for generations to come.Lead image by BrookeMore from Your HorseRider anxiety: how to get past it and enjoy your horse againAcorn toxicity and poisoning: how to protect your horse this autumn9 critical things to get right when youre taking care of a horseDifferent types of clips for horses explained, including diagramsThe post Africacouldlosehalf its donkeys: Industry announcement sparks fear appeared first on Your Horse.