What does it mean and how will it change the landscape of Canada’s horse industry? At the Equestrian Canada Convention November 2, 2019, the Coach Licensing Program, which was unanimously approved by the Board, was unveiled. The plan is for all coaches to be licensed and certified by 2025.

Creators of Functional Art - Two of the most intriguing questions about our relationship with horses are when were they first domesticated, and when were they first ridden. We will never know for sure, but some of the most fascinating evidence comes from the ancient Botai culture in northern Kazakhstan. Almost 6,000 years ago, the people living in a community of villages were foragers and hunter/gatherers. While the abundant wild horses were a staple part of their diet, the Botai came to see the horses as valuable working stock.

Career opportunities exist for horse guides, wranglers, and owner-operators through guest ranches, hourly trail rides, pack trip holidays, hunting guides, and outfitting. The job descriptions vary with the type of operation and so do the qualifications that these businesses look for in their staff. Everyone agreed that individuals who succeed in the areas of horse wrangling and guiding are self-motivated.

If you watch a cowboy at work today, forget that it’s the 21st century, and skip back in time to catch a glimpse of a working cowboy in the 1870s, they would look surprisingly similar. They would be doing basically the same cattle management tasks, be dressed in similar clothing, have similar core skills, and be thriving with the same horsemanship abilities that have made cowboying one of the most enduring careers for centuries.