About Me
With a degree in the biological sciences, Karen Briggs specializes in writing about equine health-care and veterinary-related subjects. Her background in the feed industry makes the subject of equine nutrition another natural focus. She has also spent many years covering the FEI disciplines of three-day eventing, dressage, showjumping, endurance racing, vaulting, reining, and combined driving (including the 1999 Pan American Games and the 2010 World Equestrian Games) as well as polo, mounted games, and jousting. Wherever possible, she combines her lifelong interest in horses with a passion for travel, to write about international destinations on horseback.
Karen is well-versed in travel writing, medical writing/editing, promotional and ad copy, media relations and press release writing. She has authored Understanding Equine Nutrition (revised ed. 2007) and Understanding the Pony, for Eclipse Press, and four children's books for Scholastic Canada, in collaboration with photographer Shawn Hamilton (Crazy For Horses, Still Crazy For Horses, Crazy For Ponies, and Totally Crazy For Horses).
She is also experienced in web writing and social media content creation, from 140-character Tweets to blog entries, white papers, feature articles, and everything in-between.
As the founder and ‘listgoddess’ for J-Equine. an invitation-only chatlist for freelance journalists and photographers who contribute to the 'nag mags', Karen has facilitated networking among independent writers, crusaded for fair contracts and pay, and mentored a number of up-and-coming young scribes. Active since the late 1990s, J-Equine has proven to be an invaluable resource and sounding board for some of the horse industry's most prominent contributors.
AWARDS
- American Horse Publications double award winner in 1999 -- first place in the "Service to the Reader" category, for "Communicating with Your Farrier" (orig. published in The Horse), and first place in the "Horse Care" category for "Vaccination: Rewards, Risks, Realities" (orig. published in Equus)
- Crazy for Horses named to the Canadian Children’s Book Centre “Our Choice” List, 2000
- Top Ten finalist for a Canadian National Magazine Award, 2003, for “Equine ER: A Day in the Life of the Ontario Veterinary College”.
- AHP reserve in 2005 in the “Instructional Series” category, for “The Parasite Primer”.
- AHP recipient of the Merial Human-Animal Bond Award in 2007 for “To Serve and Protect".
- Winner of the 2009 Equine Canada “Susan Jane Anstey Memorial Media Award of Excellence” for “Jamieson Jumps for Charity”.
- Winner of the 2010 Alltech A+ Media Award for "WEG Report Card" (orig. published in L'Annee Hippique).