Horse Facts and Equestrian Sports

Horse Health - Taking A Horse To Water

Tane Moores — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:27:08 +0000

The old adage ‘you can take a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink’ is a very true saying. To maintain your horse in good health you must make sure that he drinks enough and this can be an issue in the warm summer months.

If your horse is out at pasture you must check daily that there is an adequate supply of water. Most animal rescue calls to organisations such as the ASPCA and the RSPCA regarding horses during the summer months are because they don’t have sufficient water. A horse is a large animal, they sweat freely when it is warm and need to replace the lost fluid, it is even more important if they have been working hard.

If the weather is particularly warm then you may need to add some electrolytes to the water to help replace lost salts and minerals to ensure good horse health. This can also be useful when traveling. Some horses are notoriously fussy about the water they drink, and when away from home they will refuse water if it doesn’t taste right. If they are used to having electrolytes in their water, the taste will mask the difference in the water and they will be much more likely to take on sufficient fluid. It is a useful trick to have up your sleeve!

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Horse Health - Caring For An Older Horse

Tane Moores — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:39:09 +0000

Quality of life is as big an issue for the animals we care for as it is for ourselves, it’s never easy on us when we have to watch the animals we love so much get old and infirm. Maintaining good horse health in an older animal can be difficult, it has to be approached in a totally different way. It is very important that you make sure that you’re providing your older horse with the appropriate care. There are many things that you can do to make certain that your elderly horse is capable of enjoying a productive and happy life that he will enjoy for a long time.

It is essential that, when your horse reaches retirement age and you are no longer riding him hard, you turn him out onto good quality pasture where he can spend his retirement. This ought to be an area where he can be with other horses. Horses are social animals and need company, it should also be an area that is big enough for him to wander as he wants. Ideally the pasture should have an area that is sheltered, whether this is a barn or some other structure that the horse can use when it is raining or cold. In other words give your faithful friend a pasture that allows him to choose what he wants to do, and provides the wherewithal for him to do it.

If you spend a lot of time with your horse, you need to still spend time with him when he is older and retired. He will have grown used to your company and will be lonely if you abandon him, thinking a life with no work is enough for him. It isn’t - he still needs your love and affection. Company of some sort is vital to the horse’s well being. You often see older horses pastured with a donkey for company and they do get on well together, but a horse on his own in a field is a sad sight.

Regular visits ensure that your horse’s health needs are met and that he is getting any medical care that he needs. You need to be aware of any changes in his behavior - this can be the first sign of an illness or an injury, If this is the case you need to be sure you are taking care of it at once. An older horse will be more prone to injuries and ailments so make certain that you are watch him carefully and deal with anything that needs to be done as soon as possible.

Your horse has given you many years of service, fun and companionship and to spend a little time and effort on ensuring that his retirement care conforms to good horse health guidelines is the least he deserves.

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Horse Health - Avoiding Training Stress

Tane Moores — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:11:21 +0000

Equestrian Sports require a great deal of training for both horse and rider. We are well aware that we get stressed by the ups and downs - but what about your horse? What do you do to keep the training sessions as stress free as possible.

There are three simple things that I do which make our sessions a great deal more pleasant and productive for both of us. First and foremost - talk to your horse, tell him when he is doing well and let him know by the tone of your voice how pleased you are. I keep up a constant stream of conversation, talking my way through the session, which is both calming and relaxing for both us.

Make sure you give yourselves some breaks, training sessions are demanding both mentally and physically and you need to take a breather. Give your horse lots of encouragement during the break, especially if he has done something well. In an ideal world you should try to take breaks so that they fall just after a particularly successful moment.

Last but not least, at the end of a session. let yourselves unwind. Let your horse walk round and stretch on a long rein for a while so that he relaxes slowly and lets go of the mental effort as well as the physical. None of these take any time at all and will ensure that you and the horse both end the session feeling you have achieved something and you feel better for it.

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Horse Health - Equine Worms and Fecal Egg Count

Tane Moores — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:12:50 +0000

Equine Worms are a real and distressing problem for any horse. They can cause serious damage horse in a fairly short space of time so you should be vigilant in checking for any signs of infection. One of the most useful tools in any parasite control program is the fecal egg count, that is a microscopic examination of fresh manure for parasite eggs. This simple test allows your veterinarian to find out which parasites are present and how bad the infection is. A sample of 2 or 3 fresh fecal balls is usually enough to check the egg count. If you have several horses stabled or pastured together you should collect samples from at least two or three to check if there is likely to be infection in all of the group. Fecal egg counts before treatment identify the kinds of parasites and the level of infection. Samples checked following treatment should be 7-10 days after treatment.

Effective parasite management includes regular deworming, fecal egg counts, timing of treatment, and rotating products to minimize resistance. Pyrantel pamoate is effective against tapeworms, and many veterinarians recommend giving it once a year at high dose for effective removal of tapeworms, but you should always consult your own vet before administering any treatment. High fecal egg counts of more than 500 eggs per gram might be taken to suggest that the interval between deworming is too long.

However, fecal counts are not always a reliable way to assess parasite infestation. Some stages of parasites are not found in feces. Negative fecal tests should not be interpreted to mean that there are no longer any larvae in your horse. Damage inflicted by parasites may cause intestinal disturbances long after they have been eliminated so you need to keep a watch on your horse particularly if the infestation has been heavy and he may need ongoing treatment to help him recover fully.

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Driftwood Horses

Tane Moores — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:02:06 +0000

A series of beautiful images landed in my inbox yesterday - there are too many to show more than a couple here but you can view them at the artists site http://www.jansch.freeserve.co.uk/index.htm

This brillliant artist creates horse sculptures from scrap and driftwood - the site is well worth a visit

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Does Your Saddle Really Fit You And Your Horse?

Tane Moores — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:42:48 +0000

Most professional trainers and riders will agree that without buying a custom made saddle for every horse you ride, the correct pad is your only salvation. Knowing that saddles are made for the average back we are faced with the frustrating task of accommodating it to the horse. The perfect saddle fit will reduce stress by putting uniform pressure on the horse’s back. The spine and withers, of course, should bear no weight at all. As simple as it may sound, it’s not. Horses come in different shapes and sizes just as people. The Pro-Tech closed cell perforated inserts in the Cush-N-Air pad act as shims, redistributing the weight over a large area, thereby reducing the pressure per square inch.

Cush-N-Air: The greatest possible PROTECTION from soring & abrasion.
Completely WASHABLE - Rinse off with hose.
LIGHTWEIGHT
Firm cushion SHAPES NATURALLY.
This pad keeps a COOLER BACK using less energy in perspiration - will increase endurance.
Contoured to fit the horse’s back for a more comfortable fit, keeping a CLOSE CONTACT.
The Cush-N-Air Pad is a TOTAL PADDING SYSTEM, designed to be used without an over or under pad.

Find out more about the Cush-N-Air Pad

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