Is Your Horse In Good Health How To Keep Them Healthy And Strong

Every horse owner depends on their horse for one reason or the other. Whether participating in horse races or during farm inspection, you’ll need a healthy and robust horse to help you with the task. On the other hand, your horse depends on you to look out for its health and well-being. 

With that in mind, it’s vital to understand what you can do to ensure your horse remains in tip-top shape. That said, here are some tips to help you keep them healthy and strong:

Ensure It Exercises Daily

Before anything else, your horse should exercise if you want to maintain its health and strength. In most cases, horse owners whose horses don’t participate in sports or heavy training don’t think they should exercise frequently. Unfortunately, this shouldn’t be the case.

Whether or not your horse participates in sports, you must provide enough time for them to run up and down the field daily. Such activities will promote good health and maintain an ideal weight. If you have no idea how long your horse should stay active per day, consult a veterinarian.

Always Groom Your Horse

Invest in high-quality horse grooming tools. They’ll help you take care of your horse’s skin and coat. Additionally, grooming reduces the chances of contracting or developing ailments like thrush. On the other hand, grooming improves the bond between an individual and the animal. Finally, this activity can alleviate stress after a terrifying experience.

Aside from grooming, you must also limit their sun exposure to protect their coat. This is because although genetics determines coat color, excessive sun exposure may cause sun-bleaching of your horse’s coat. That said, routinely groom your horse and consider stabling them on extremely hot days.

Cool Your Horse Properly

Maintaining correct temperatures and a healthy heart rate for your horse is vital. If you notice something different, there may be a problem, and consider seeking immediate help.

During hot seasons, take off the saddle and pad from the horse. Then, hose it to lower the temperature before drying it with a towel. Meanwhile, during windy, but hotter days, take off the saddle and the pad and lower the temperature with a cooling blanket. It’s also vital to ensure the horse is hydrated during hotter days.

During winter, use a towel to rub against their body. When walking, ensure it walks normally to prevent temperatures from dropping drastically. A wool collar will also help during freezing weather.

Ensure Your Horse Is Vaccinated

Like in humans, vaccination helps protect against life-threatening diseases in horses. For example, an unvaccinated horse is likely to contract diseases such as Eastern equine encephalomyelitis, West Nile virus, or rabies.  Unlike what most people think, horses, too, can contract diseases and infections successfully prevented by vaccines.

When buying a horse, always ask if it’s vaccinated. If it’s not, consult your vet to schedule the vaccinations. This way, you’ll prepare your horse accordingly. Besides protecting against diseases, horse vaccinations can also improve the horse’s immune system to help fight common illnesses and diseases easily.

Massage Your Horse Before Workouts

Just as it isn’t advisable for humans to begin workouts before warming up, so it’s when it comes to horses. Before any exercise, you should provide a good massage session to the horse. Massage before workouts prevents injuries in horses while promoting smooth recovery. You can either do the massage or hire a trained equine therapist to do so correctly. If you prefer doing it yourself, ensure to use a massage gel. This gel will help release confined heat, loosening tension in the horse’s muscles.

Keep Your Horse’s Temperature On Check

You should always check your horse’s temperature. This is even crucial during summer since horses overheat easily. However, you shouldn’t neglect to check a horse’s temperature during winter, especially if it’s participating in extreme workouts.

Monitoring your horse’s temperature will help you determine when the heat is too much and identify effective ways to lower the heat. High temperatures can also alert you when the horse isn’t okay, enabling you to seek medical advice as soon as possible. That said, always have a thermometer handy and keep temperature records.

Deworm Your Horse

Deworming is essential in animals as it’s for humans. This practice keeps worms at bay while promoting good health. However, you should avoid frequent deworming to avoid resistance. Also, consider how frequently your horse mingles with other animals and how much it moves in and out of the property before deworming it. Consult a trained vet if you’re concerned about your horse’s deworming.

Conclusion

Horses are very gentle. Therefore, they require much care and attention. Slight neglect can have a negative toll on your horse’s health. Consider taking note of the above information to ensure your horse stays healthy and strong.