By Chris Gould / CWHBA
Photography: Courtesy CWHBA, Totem Photographics

Canada's most western province is this month's feature in our ongoing series about Warmblood breeding in Canada. Most people are familiar with the slogan ‘Beautiful British Columbia’ as a tourist mecca, but few people are aware of its vibrant Warmblood breeding industry.

With a vast Pacific Ocean coastline plus Vancouver Island, a large portion of British Columbia (BC) enjoys a relatively mild Mediterranean climate. Snow when it comes to the coastal plain is very short lived. In contrast the interior of the province is composed of a series of mountain ranges with fertile valleys culminating in the eastern portion with the famous Rocky Mountains. Parts of the interior can be extremely dry and suitable for vineyards and fruit growing, while the northern section has forest and excellent ranch land.
Breeding operations are therefore divided into four distinct areas: Vancouver Island, the lower mainland, the interior and the north. Each area is confronted with different advantages and challenges. Island breeders are generally small scale operations, confronting relative isolation and higher production costs, but enjoying mild weather year round that is conducive to a very active and closely knit equestrian community. The lower mainland outside the city of Vancouver is the most densely populated area and while the weather is generally mild, it can be rainy in the winter months. Again breeding operations are small scale and focused on high quality to meet the demand for performance horses that are required for the very active competitive amateur and professional shows... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber

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