More Tips For a Happy Horse
Spending time with your horse not only enables a close bond to develop between you both, but it also enables you to learn how your horse responds to situations and how they are in themselves. Over time you will be able to read their body language. A calm and responsive horse is generally a happy one. He will keep a low head, relaxed jaw and have soft eyes. A happy horse will seek affection from you and show respect by not invading your personal space. One sign that your horse is relaxed and calm is that of yawning – this does not mean he is bored. A horse will show that he is uncomfortable in a number of ways, including holding his head high and with a tense jaw, darting his eyes around, and not wanting to stand still. Allow the horse time to settle himself slowly in order to avoid the onset of “flight” mode and further stress.
Grooming your horse gives you the opportunity to check him over regularly. You should perform regular inspections of your horse’s teeth, eyes, hooves and shoes as well as keeping an eye on his droppings. Any change in the normal should be reported to your vet at the earliest opportunity – any delay could cause you extra worry, expense and a potential claim on your horse insurance. Regular appointments for worming and routine vaccinations are essential. There are many different types of worms and parasites and you should rotate medications to get the best benefits and to stop them building up immunity. Colic, heart and immunity problems can all be caused by lack of suitable medication. Vaccinations for encephalitis, rhinoneumonitis and influenza are essential for a healthy horse. Also advisable while not necessarily essential would be vaccinations against tetanus and rabies. Regular users of trailers at show and equestrian events may need to show a negative Coggins test for presence of the incurable virus EIA or equine infectious anaemia.
Having regular farrier visits is also essential for a happy and comfortable horse. A horse’s mood and performance will be adversely affected if his hooves are allowed to get too long as this will cause discomfort and imbalance. Your farrier will need to trim your horse’s hooves every six weeks or so.
Your horse will need a blanket or coat during the wet and cold winter months and during the summer, a fly protective horse sheet or mask is advisable. You may wish to use a horse cooler rug after exercise to help your horse calm and cool down. Horses are not supposed to drink water after being ridden as it could put their bodies into shock. Normal body temperature needs to be regained after exercise and before feeding your horse. You shouldn’t exercise your horse straight after eating – leave it for at least an hour.
Horses need to have a purpose, whether it is riding, showing, therapy, carriages or dray. Horses glory in feeling worthwhile. A horse needs to feel a purpose and that everything is ok – a young horse in particular should be praised often even for simply standing still. Horses by nature are inquisitive and will gain in confidence the more new experiences they are introduced to.
A horse is a beautiful and magnificent creature that deserves a good home for life with excellent care. Providing the best type of healthcare possible is a responsibility which you, as the horse’s owner, agree to take on when purchasing a horse. Keeping a horse can be a very expensive business, and without good horse insurance provided by a specialist equine insurer, it is possible to quickly run into financial problems if your horse should become sick or sustain an injury. Providing the very best for your horse will reap you the rewards of love, loyalty and devotion from your equine companion.