Providing Necessary And Adequate Equine Care
Any horse owner can provide good, basic equine care. A consistent program that provides for the natural needs of horses can prevent most problems and illnesses. Minor things can be taken care of, although there will be times when the professional advice of veterinarian and farrier is needed.
Hoses are creatures who naturally live outside, eat grass, and drink copious amounts of water at regular intervals. They live in herds, travel over an extensive territory, and get a lot of exercise. They raise young, escape from predators by running away, and have a life span in the wild of ten to twenty years.
Today many horses are raised in solitary conditions, have limited pasture or are confined to a pen or stall, get less than the natural amount of exercise, and are often solitary. Grain is often too abundant. Hay that is given to replace grass might be lacking in food value or be musty or dusty. Water buckets and troughs can be breeding grounds for algae.
These unnatural conditions can lead to illness. However, those who love horses can make their animals comfortable and happy even though they might not be able to provide the conditions of roaming the wilderness. All it takes is understanding and planning.
Plenty of clean water is within the scope of any situation. If one bucket is not enough, hang two. Scrub buckets and troughs often to keep slime from growing on the sides and bottom. Tubs are sometimes better than huge troughs, and there are many kinds of automatic waterers. Ideally water should be cool in summer and slightly warmed in winter to encourage sufficient intake. Mineral salt should always be available.
Grass is the natural food for a horse, but not all owners can provide pasture. If you have only a stall or paddock, you can take your horse out on a lead line to the nearest grassy patch. This gives the animal a chance to get fresh food loaded with vitamins land minerals, as well as a tasty treat all horses love. Good quality hay can replace pasture and provide the roughage that a horse's system is designed to process. It should be free of dust or mold, have a pleasant aroma and a good color, and be given as the staple of the diet. Grain is only an energy food and should not be overfed.
Horses that live in one area pick up parasites, will not wear their hooves down as wild animals do, and have a more monotonous existence. Regular worming and hoof care is necessary, as well as exercise for weight control, toning of muscles and the digestive tract, and entertainment. You can even give your horses toys to play with, like the pasture balls that can be rolled and tossed. Teeth should be checked annually to keep painful irregularities filed down.
These attempts to replace what modern conditions have taken away are the foundations of equine care. All horse owners should know the signs of problems like colic, lameness, or lack of appetite that may signal the need to call a professional vet or farrier.
Hoses are creatures who naturally live outside, eat grass, and drink copious amounts of water at regular intervals. They live in herds, travel over an extensive territory, and get a lot of exercise. They raise young, escape from predators by running away, and have a life span in the wild of ten to twenty years.
Today many horses are raised in solitary conditions, have limited pasture or are confined to a pen or stall, get less than the natural amount of exercise, and are often solitary. Grain is often too abundant. Hay that is given to replace grass might be lacking in food value or be musty or dusty. Water buckets and troughs can be breeding grounds for algae.
These unnatural conditions can lead to illness. However, those who love horses can make their animals comfortable and happy even though they might not be able to provide the conditions of roaming the wilderness. All it takes is understanding and planning.
Plenty of clean water is within the scope of any situation. If one bucket is not enough, hang two. Scrub buckets and troughs often to keep slime from growing on the sides and bottom. Tubs are sometimes better than huge troughs, and there are many kinds of automatic waterers. Ideally water should be cool in summer and slightly warmed in winter to encourage sufficient intake. Mineral salt should always be available.
Grass is the natural food for a horse, but not all owners can provide pasture. If you have only a stall or paddock, you can take your horse out on a lead line to the nearest grassy patch. This gives the animal a chance to get fresh food loaded with vitamins land minerals, as well as a tasty treat all horses love. Good quality hay can replace pasture and provide the roughage that a horse's system is designed to process. It should be free of dust or mold, have a pleasant aroma and a good color, and be given as the staple of the diet. Grain is only an energy food and should not be overfed.
Horses that live in one area pick up parasites, will not wear their hooves down as wild animals do, and have a more monotonous existence. Regular worming and hoof care is necessary, as well as exercise for weight control, toning of muscles and the digestive tract, and entertainment. You can even give your horses toys to play with, like the pasture balls that can be rolled and tossed. Teeth should be checked annually to keep painful irregularities filed down.
These attempts to replace what modern conditions have taken away are the foundations of equine care. All horse owners should know the signs of problems like colic, lameness, or lack of appetite that may signal the need to call a professional vet or farrier.
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