Taking care of your horse is not an easy task since there are several rules to maintain your horse’s wellness. And even if you obey the rules, your horse can still encounter common health issues such as rain scald, bad teeth, or digestive problems. Therefore, read the following essential considerations to maintain your horse’s health.
Genetics
When you purchase a new horse, the initial aspect to consider is healthy from the start. You will find many cheap to own horses since they have wellness problems. It would help if you avoided them as you will probably spend more on veterinary bills than you could save your money.
Food Quality and Type
There are situations when a horse needs a particular kind of feed (for example, an adult horse with dental problems, a vulnerable horse that requires more service). However, to keep a horse healthy, a pure diet is excellent for its health and mental well-being. In addition to the type of feed, you need to make sure that it is of excellent quality. In particular, you should not give a horse food that has mold or fungus (visible to the sense of smell or sight).
Natural Environment (Pasture and Herd)
For a horse to eat natural forage, it must give as much time as possible in a natural environment. Being with other horses provides a sense of security (horses have powerful herd instincts), and social interactions provide emotional stimulation. A horse that spends much of its day in such an environment is more challenging and less likely to develop bad manners like cribbing due to dullness or anxiety. Horses kept in a hygienic environment tend to be fitter.
Quality of the Stall
If a horse spends a lot of time in its stall, the stall environment should be healthy. It should be large enough so that the horse has some freedom of movement. It should have bedding and be clean. Mainly, bedding that is fungal (fungus or mold) should not be applied.
Safe Pasture
One of the most prevalent problems of injury to horses is inadequate fence wire. Someone should not use barbed wire because it could pierce the horse, causing not only accidents (which could be fatal if a major artery is hit) but also abscesses and other severe conditions. If someone does use wire, it has to be a variety that breaks before it causes a severe injury, and it almost certainly has to be alive to keep horses from pushing it.