One of the responsibilities that an owner must provide his or her horse is horse care. Horse care is vital as it ensures the optimal health and long life of the horse. There are aspects that affect the way the owner needs to care for his or her horse. These aspects include age, breed, activity level, season and underlying health issues.
Horses must have enough exercise everyday to satisfy its physical needs. Horses kept in stables may develop stable vices. Stable vices are bad habits developed as a result of being confined with insufficient exercise, if they are not given work or turnout. Examples of stable vices are wood chewing, biting, wall kicking, pawing or digging.
For your horse to have enough exercise, you must provide it with enough land to run. An average land area for one horse is one to three hectares. The land must also be free from hazards, trash and poisonous plants. If the terrain does not provide natural shelter in the form of heavy trees or other windbreaks, an artificial shelter must be provided.
You must provide your horse with a shelter to protect it from the sun, rain and wind. Usually, a horse is sheltered in a box stall. The size or dimension of a box stall depends on local cultural traditions, the breed of horse, the gender of the horse, and any special needs. Just make sure that it is large enough to fit your horse.
Box stalls usually contain a layer of absorbent bedding such as straw or wood shavings. Compared to wood shavings, straw is less expensive. However, wood shavings are cleaner and more hygienic to use.
Box stalls and beddings need to be cleaned daily. There are health risks to the horse if forced to stand all day in its own waste. Remove any droppings using a shovel and wheel barrow and always disinfect the stable.
Horses need enough food, approximately 1.5% to 2.5% of its body weight in food per day. You can feed them with forages such as grass or hay, and concentrates such as grain or commercially prepared pelleted feeds. Also, they need sufficient water supply that is fresh and clean. Make sure that there is water in the water container for your horse unless there is a specific reason to limit water intake for a short period of time.
Grooming is also important for your horse to keep its coat healthy. Proper grooming prevents chafing and rubbing of dirt and other material, which can cause sores on the animal. Also, keeping feet clean and dry whenever possible helps prevent both lameness as well as hoof diseases. Grooming as well as hoof care and shoeing are good ways to gain the trust of the animal, therefore allowing you to check for injuries.
Horses need a regular veterinary care, which includes vaccination, parasite management, deworming and dental care. Vaccinations are given to protect horses against any number of sicknesses. Parasite management, which includes deworming, is done to get rid of the parasites and reduce parasite infection. Horses teeth also need to be checked as uneven teeth and sharp edges may cause problems to horses when eating or being ridden. - 16887
Horses must have enough exercise everyday to satisfy its physical needs. Horses kept in stables may develop stable vices. Stable vices are bad habits developed as a result of being confined with insufficient exercise, if they are not given work or turnout. Examples of stable vices are wood chewing, biting, wall kicking, pawing or digging.
For your horse to have enough exercise, you must provide it with enough land to run. An average land area for one horse is one to three hectares. The land must also be free from hazards, trash and poisonous plants. If the terrain does not provide natural shelter in the form of heavy trees or other windbreaks, an artificial shelter must be provided.
You must provide your horse with a shelter to protect it from the sun, rain and wind. Usually, a horse is sheltered in a box stall. The size or dimension of a box stall depends on local cultural traditions, the breed of horse, the gender of the horse, and any special needs. Just make sure that it is large enough to fit your horse.
Box stalls usually contain a layer of absorbent bedding such as straw or wood shavings. Compared to wood shavings, straw is less expensive. However, wood shavings are cleaner and more hygienic to use.
Box stalls and beddings need to be cleaned daily. There are health risks to the horse if forced to stand all day in its own waste. Remove any droppings using a shovel and wheel barrow and always disinfect the stable.
Horses need enough food, approximately 1.5% to 2.5% of its body weight in food per day. You can feed them with forages such as grass or hay, and concentrates such as grain or commercially prepared pelleted feeds. Also, they need sufficient water supply that is fresh and clean. Make sure that there is water in the water container for your horse unless there is a specific reason to limit water intake for a short period of time.
Grooming is also important for your horse to keep its coat healthy. Proper grooming prevents chafing and rubbing of dirt and other material, which can cause sores on the animal. Also, keeping feet clean and dry whenever possible helps prevent both lameness as well as hoof diseases. Grooming as well as hoof care and shoeing are good ways to gain the trust of the animal, therefore allowing you to check for injuries.
Horses need a regular veterinary care, which includes vaccination, parasite management, deworming and dental care. Vaccinations are given to protect horses against any number of sicknesses. Parasite management, which includes deworming, is done to get rid of the parasites and reduce parasite infection. Horses teeth also need to be checked as uneven teeth and sharp edges may cause problems to horses when eating or being ridden. - 16887
About the Author:
Author Lisa Brooks Blackstone is an equestrian and owns and operates Arabian horse training and breeding business. She has a niche clientele of horse owners, farms and training facilities. For more information on horses visit Horse Facts and Used Horse Trailers.
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