Horses are amazing animals that have been part of human history for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. From toting to carrying to pulling, they have always been there to make sure humans survived. Now you have one of those precious, stubborn, opinionated animals, and it is your task to keep him or her healthy and happy. It can be far easier than you think.
Exam
Just as you need a yearly health exam, your horse does too. Teeth, eyes, hooves, and joints all need to be routinely checked to make sure there are no problems. Since horse teeth wear unevenly, it is important to have your vet examine the teeth at least once a year. Your four-legged friend’s hooves are another point of consideration and should have a yearly inspection to keep legs and joints in good condition. To make sure your horse stays healthy, vaccines are an important part of the yearly routine and can help prevent some serious diseases. If you like online shopping, for horse vaccines visit vet products direct. Your vet can also provide the vaccines at your horse’s yearly exam when he deworms him or her.
Stress
Horses are jumpy, nervous creatures that get stressed about the world around them just because it is there; and just as stress is destructive to the human body, it can break down your horse’s body over time, too. Yes, most of the stress your horse endures is imaginary. You know – the noise, the light, the laughter, the scary little girl next door. Anything can cause your horse stress. One way to eliminate most of the stress is to introduce another animal to your four-legged friend. This can be a donkey, dog, cat, or another horse. Horses have been known to create a herd with many different types of animals, and since they are herd animals, with a herd mentality, having other animals around can greatly ease individual stress.
Weight
Horses can become lazy creatures if you allow them to be. Since they no longer wander over fields each day foraging for food, and since most are kept in stalls for many hours every day, it can be easy for a horse to gain unwanted weight. Fragile joints can wear more quickly when a horse is overweight, and legs can even break more easily. To prevent weight gain, take your horse on a daily walk, let your horse play games with the other horses in a corral, or leave him or her to wander around in search of tasty grasses for several hours a day. Whether the exercise is with a human or not, it is essential for many horse’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Yes, your horse has probably thrown a temper tantrum once or twice. These can often be eliminated with exercise because the regular movement can make a huge difference in the way your horse views the world and interacts with you.
Toys
A horse can get bored standing inside four walls for many hours a day with nothing to do except hope someone comes by to break the boredom. Wouldn’t you be bored under those conditions? To prevent monotony, and make his or her time alone more exciting, add a toy or two to his or her stall. The stall toys can keep him or her curious, active, and provide mental stimulation. Another way to help relieve the horse’s boredom is by making sure he or she can see some of the other animals around the stall or barn.
Your horse relies on you for protection, movement, health exams, and stress prevention. That makes you the center of his or her whole world. You can keep your horse healthy by using the tips listed above, and it is easier than you think.
