Do's and Don’ts of Horse Colic.

Spencer — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:41:44 +0000

Dos and Don’ts of Horse Colic.

Horse colic is the leading cause of death for horses. Yes, we know as a horse owner you’re cringing at the very mention of it, but you also need to know about it, in order to save your horse. When the gastrointestinal tract is upset, abdominal pain occurs. This is the cause of horse colic. It is important to know that colic is not a disease/ailment, it is only a condition, and with timely attention it can be cured. You, as an owner, need to know and notice in time the symptoms of horse colic so that you can recognize it early on and take steps to prevent harm to your horse when there still is time for treatment.

The following are the danger signals of a horse beginning to suffer from colic: rolling around, kicking at abdomen, lying down more than is usual, restlessness, sweating or hyperventilation. Violence may be noticed in reaction to abdominal pain. Consult the vet immediately if any of the above symptoms are noticed. It is advisable that you keep the horse in the stall and do not give it any feed or water.

Torsion colic, gastric rupture, enteritis or colitis, impaction, spasmodic colic and gas are the various types of colic that might afflict your horse. Read on to know more about each type.

The first two-displacement and torsion-are almost inevitably fatal when not taken care of. The former occurs when an intestine is placed in an unnatural position, while the latter is a result of the intestine getting twisted. Immediate surgery is the only way to save your horse when either of these two occurs.

Your horse might be prone to overeating, and this might cause what is commonly known as gastric colic or gastric rupture. This happens when the horse’s stomach expands due to overeating, and since the horse is not designed to vomit, the excess food might cause the stomach to rupture when pushed past its limits. This too, is nearly almost always fatal.
Enteritis/colitis is a result of inflammation of either the small or the large intestine. The vet should immediately be consulted to prevent prolonged discomfort to the horse.

Partial or full blockage of the intestines causes impaction, and this condition is comparatively lighter as proper medical attention clears it in a short time.

Abnormal, quick and strong contractions of the intestines cause spasmodic colic. Parasites are the usual cause and, like the former, this too can be treated. The last, gas, causes the intestines to expand, but usually no treatment is needed.

What you should always keep in mind is that the fatal types of colic usually manifest with similar symptoms as the other types. So, all types should be given equal attention as you can never tell whether your horse’s discomfort might prove to be fatal or not.

Next we shall tell you about the symptoms of horse colic. The following are the most typical symptoms:-

The horse lies down and then gets up, and finally lying down again
Biting at its gut, the horse might bend its head and heck towards its abdomen, indicating discomfort. It also frequently tries to kick his abdominal area.

-The horse paws the ground repeatedly.
-It rolls around on the ground
-Your horse has trouble while defecating, and passes out less manure than is usual.
-It curls its upper lip, sweats profusely and hyperventilates.

The first thing you should do when you notice any of the symptoms is remove all food and water, and call the vet. Inform the vet about the changes in behaviour, eating habits or manure amounts. Unless your horse is acting violently, check its temperature, pulse, and capillary refill time (you can do this by pressing your fingers against the horse's gum, and then releasing and counting the seconds until the gum returns to normal color.)

Prevent any form of stress to your horse. To avoid violence, try to walk it slowly. This is turn, will prevent the horse rolling around on the ground. Try to keep it calm and avoid loud noise until medical intervention arrives. The vet will check and determine which type of colic your horse is suffering from. The treatment, if available for that particular type of colic, should be started immediately.

To prevent colic, take the following measure:-

-The feeding schedule should be regular. Half of the diet should comprise hay and forage, including more hay and water instead of grain. Excessive grain may play havoc with your horse’s system. Food changes, if at all necessary, should be introduced gradually over a period of time, and not abruptly.
-Immunizations should be kept up to date in order to prevent intestinal parasites.

Early diagnosis of colic is treatable. So don’t wince at the mention of the condition. Instead, take good care of your horse, try to prevent colic(prevention is better than cure), and if at all it occurs, proper and timely attention can cure your horse to give it back a healthy life.

Before the vet arrives: First aid tips for horse owners

michael — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:08:32 +0000

Horses as strong animals, but are susceptible to injuries nonetheless. Owners of horses must thus know some basic first aid for horses. However they should not try to heal injuries which are very severe, but should administer first aid and then seek the professional aid of a veterinarian. Injuries to horses are either minor ones which can be treated by the owner, or severe ones which require the aid of a vet.

First Aid:
Timely first aid can be the difference between life and death for a horse. These basic steps can prevent permanent damage to the horse’s health too.
Approaching an injured horse:
Remember, horses are proud animals. Great care must be taken in approaching an injured horse. First assess the degree of the injury. If the injury is severe and the horse is in a state of great distress, it may be difficult to approach it. Approach it with caution. Remain calm, or else the horse will get more excited. Remove it to a familiar area if you can, and gently stroke it to calm it down. Try talking to it and soothing it, while you observe the injury.
If the horse is too excited to safely come near it, just call a vet and in the mean time, observe the changes in the injury.

Treating wounds:
Firstly, never treat a wound if it is too large. Call a veterinarian immediately. If you do venture to help a horse bleeding severely, take the following steps-

1. Apply a thick pad of gauze or a clean cloth folded many times to the wound. This acts as a pressure pad.

2. The pad puts pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding. So make sure that the pad is firmly in place. Secure it by tying it. If that is not possible, simply hold it in place till the vet arrives.

3. Even if the pad is soaked with blood, do not remove it. Add another pad over the stained one and hold that in place.

4. Remember that horses bleed severely, so do not be alarmed if it takes over an hour for the bleeding to stop.

First Aid Kit:
A first aid kit is your best friend when there is no other help at hand for your horse. So keep it close and keep it well stocked. Every stable should have one, and you should carry one while riding too. It is advisable to keep it in a traveling kit, within a waterproof bag. Hook the kit on to the saddle, or attach it to your belt while riding.

Items to keep in your kit:

1.Basic items: Thermometer, Stethoscope, Latex gloves (for sanitary handling of wounds)

2.Tools: Flashlight (handy for seeing hidden wounds), Blunt nosed scissors, Knife (for making bandages or preparing a splint), Wire cutters (in case the horse is entangled in wire fencing), Twitch, Hoof-picks.

3.Medicines: Electrolytes in both powdered and paste form (re-hydrates the horse), Neosporin (anti-fungal), Diluted iodine solution (an antiseptic for deep cuts), Corona Wound Powder or Furacin or Nolvasan (antiseptic agents), Hydrogen peroxide, Ophthalmic Polysporin (used to treat eye injuries), Epsom salt, Betadine solution and scrub.

4.Bandages and bandaging materials: Wire gauze, Telfas (non-stick gauze), Diapers (used as pads on wounds), Duct tape (for securing the dressing), Leg wraps made of cotton, Elastoplasts of 1" and 2" varieties, Saran wrap, 6" of brown roll gauze, Med-Rip bandage tape.

5.Sprays and syringes: Irrigating syringe, 18 gauge needles, Anti-biotic spray.

6.Other useful items: Safety pins, Zip-lock bags, Petroleum jelly, frozen cooling packs or portable ice-packs.

This safety kit should be kept near at hand by every owner. The owner should also have some working knowledge of first aid and basic medicine, so he can help the horse at any time.

The Anatomy of a Horse

Lina — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:00:44 +0000

The horse’s anatomy consists of the skeletal system, the digestive system, the teeth, the hooves, and the senses.

The skeletal system of a horse is significantly different from that of a human skeleton. The horse as an average of 205 bones. They do not have a collarbone, but have a front limb system that is attached to the spinal column by a powerful set of muscles, ligaments and tendons that attach the shoulder blade to the torso. The legs and hooves are very unique as they are proportionately different from those of a human. The knee of a horse if very much like the carpal bones of a human (the wrist bones). The hock bones of a horse are like the ankle or heel bones of the human. The lower leg bones of the horse are very much like the hand and foot bones of the human. The fetlock is the proximal sesamoid bone between the cannon bones (like the metacarpal or metatarsal bones of the human - fingers and toes) and the proximal phalanges of the horse are located where one might find the "knuckles" on a human. Interestingly enough the horse has no muscles below the knees and hocks, only skin, hair, bone, tendons, ligaments and cartilage and a very specialized and assorted tissues that make up what is called the hoof.

The digestive system is well suited for an herbivore, which horses are. They mainly grass on grasses and other plant material. There are basically 3 categories of horse feed; pasture, hay, and concentrates. Pasture food is the greenery found in pastures. Horses doing light work can get along well with just pasture grazing if the area is large.

Hay is the basic food of most domestic horses. You need to feed horses good quality hay that has been inspected carefully before buying to guarantee that it is not green, that it does not contain dust, or mold. Hay can be soaked before feeding to be sure there is no dust content. There are three basic types of hay (Timothy, Brome and Alfalfa).

Concentrates are used to feed hard-working horses or pregnant horses or nursing mares, or very young horses. Concentrates are given to supplement the hay. Concentrates include grains (whole, rolled or cracked) sweet feed (grain mixed with molasses), or manufactured feeds (pellets, cubes, or extruded). You can feed beet pulp for additional bulk if needed. Beet pellets must be soaked first.

Horses need lots of fresh water. They can drink anywhere from 5 to 10 gallons of water each day.

Horses are known, as ruminants, which mean that they only have one stomach, just like humans. They have a "hind gut" that is called a cecum, or some people call it a "water gut", because food goes through this before reaching the large intestine. A horse surprisingly cannot vomit, so digestion problems can occur that can be serious even fatal, such as colic.

The teeth of a horse are perfectly designed for grazing. The horse has 12 incisors (six on top and six on bottom) that the horse uses to bite off grass and other vegetation. The horse also has 24 teeth for chewing. Stallions and geldings have four more teeth behind the incisors that are like canine teeth and are called "tushes". Some horses may develop small vestigial teeth in front of the molars, known as "wolf" teeth. If they develop these wolf teeth, they are usually pulled because they interfere with the bit.

The hooves are very important to the horse for movement. The hoof consists of distal phalanges (like a human fingertip or toe), which is surrounded by cartilage and other specialized soft tissue, which is rich in blood (laminae). There is an exterior hoof wall and a horn of the sole, which is made of the same type of material as the human fingernail is made of. Horseshoes are made to protect the horse's hooves. The hooves need to be trimmed and the horseshoes reset approximately every five to eight weeks.

The senses are more developed than those of a human because they are prey animals (other animals prey on them). This is why the horse has large eyes and excellent vision day and night. They have only a limited range of color vision though. Horses have difficulty distinguishing between the colors of green, brown and gray. They have a better sense of smell than humans. They have an outstanding sense of balance and sense of touch, which helps when it comes to warding off flies and mosquitoes. They need their keen sense of taste to tell the difference between good food and food that is poisonous or spoiled.

Dressage Life: Check Horse's Mouth for Osteosarcoma

Winston — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 02:58:48 +0000

Horses have been in my life since I was a little girl. My parents couldn’t afford lessons, so I made do with Breyer horses growing up. They galloped in place and took me on many an adventure on the shelves my dad built for me in my room. It’s been 26 years now that I’ve been a recreational dressage rider and had a horse in my life thanks to my great husband (who gives me the opportunity to make one a part of our lives).

Throughout all these years, I’ve told many girls whom I’ve taught riding, “Being in love with horses is like a disease, it’s in your blood. It’s a part of you.” This is an analogy, but a disease is not really a good thing. Like a disease, you have to watch for signs that something might be wrong. How many times do you check your horse’s legs, give his body a once-over every time you get him from the pasture, take him out of the stall, or lead him to the barn? Do you ever think to check the inside of his mouth on a regular basis? If not, you want to add that to your checklist.

My partner for the last 10 years is a retired, Third level, Thoroughbred gelding that just turned 27. He was retired from the show ring at age 17 when I was introduced to him. He's still doing Third level work and even started jumping three summers ago and loves it. But that's not the real story.

Everyone that knows Rom knows he's special. He spent his show career throughout the state of North Carolina. Rom’s nickname became the "Energizer bunny." Yes, as the name implies, he keeps going and going and just gets better. But, this winter in the mountains of North Carolina, he faced the test of his life. Early in January, I stopped at the barn to check on him and he seemed fine. I went back two days later and there was an egg-shaped growth protruding from his right upper jaw. I called his vet, Dr. Amber Melton of Healing Springs Animal Hospital in Galax, Va., and after a quick exam, she found what appeared to be a large necrotic (black, dead tissue) mass surrounding the upper canine tooth. She immediately suggested a referral to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Va., for mass removal and further diagnostics. Rom was trailered up that day and settled in.

A photo of Rom’s mouth, including the osteosarcoma, a rare equine form of bone cancer

The growth and canine tooth that the tumor surrounded were scheduled to be removed the next morning. During the night, Rom must have removed the tumor himself, by rubbing it off against the stall wall. That morning, the surgeon removed the diseased tooth, scoped and X-rayed his nasal passages. All results were normal. The histopathology report came back as an ossifying fibroma, which is a benign tumor that is unlikely to recur. I was thrilled and made several calls to all Rom’s “human friends” letting them know he was all right.

However, after getting him home, the growth came back three days later. I emailed Dr. Melton photos of his mouth and she suggested bringing him to Healing Springs Animal Hospital. After arriving, Dr. Melton debrided (scraped tissue) the area and sent off another sample for testing since the mass was not supposed to recur. She removed multiple tooth fragments and a large area of abnormal tissue from the previous procedure and performed cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen.

Rom stayed at the hospital following the surgery. He had a port stitched to his neck for his antibiotics (Potassium Penicillin and Gentamicin) and anti-inflammatory (Banamine) drugs. He also had twice daily mouth flushes. Throughout the ordeal, he was a good patient. He was able to chew his pellets on his left side, but hay was tough for a few days. Dr. Melton and I were sure he had one heck of a headache!

While we waited for the second histopathology report to come back, unhealthy, black tissue began forming again. This histopathology report came back as osteosarcoma, a rare equine form of bone cancer, which explained why the mass continued to recur. This cancer is so rare that Dr. Melton had never experienced it. There's not much out there, even when you Google it.

Dr. Melton discussed with me further treatment options for Rom including referral for radiation therapy or trying to further debride the area under general anesthesia. She and Dr. Jamie Cassell (also of Healing Springs Animal Hospital) worked together to perform Rom’s second surgery. After anesthetizing him, they successfully removed a large area of tumor and soft tissue surrounding the part of the maxilla (upper jaw) while also removing the tooth root. This time my calls to Rom’s "human friends" were to ask for prayers.

Rom spent a total of 10 days at Healing Springs Animal Hospital. Not only was I worried about Rom, but I was also stressing over when I could get him home. This past winter has been the worst in the North Carolina mountains since the early 60s. We had over 70 inches of snow and ice. I was able to go up and visit Rom one day when the roads were clear. We had one window of opportunity to get him home between snowstorms on Feb. 8 and had to take it. We were unable to trailer to the barn due to snow and ice and were forced to unload Rom on a main road. I had to walk him a quarter mile to the barn in snow that was over eight inches deep. His ears perked up when he saw his stall mate, Doc; he was glad to be home and so was I.

Dr. Melton came to our barn for spring shots in early April and was amazed at Rom's recovery. At the time of her visit, it had been eight weeks since the last procedure and as Dr. Melton said, “It's as if he never had a tooth there, there's not even a scar.” I now check Rom’s mouth a couple times a week and will do so the rest of his life.

It is spring now, and I’m working him. The first time I rode him since the surgeries, I had tears in my eyes. I wasn’t sure I’d have this opportunity again. We don’t know if or when the cancer will come back. Osteosarcomas appear to be locally invasive in horses, but can recur at the original site. This means that they do not tend to metastasize or spread to other areas of the body, but do tend to grow back even after surgical excision. But, right now we both have a smile on our faces, as life is good each and every day he’s here. Rom has given so much to so many people throughout his dressage career, and he just keeps giving now. He has given me another gift, more days with him, and that is a blessing I will cherish as long as I have him.

Feeding Horses Treats

Lina — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:08:29 +0000

There are many visitors to horse stables who unintentionally do harm to horses by feeding them treats without asking the permission of the horse's owner. There are many reasons why giving a horse a treat may cause harm to the horse.

When a stranger feeds a horse a treat they do not know the horse. They are not aware of how many treats the horse has already had and the fact that too many treats could give the horse colic. The stranger does not know what kind of diet the horse is on, what kind of medications or if the horse is restricted in any way regarding feed and treats.

The horse will learn a behavioral habit when stranger feed him. The horse will expect and seek out treats if it becomes a habit to receive treats when he comes up to the front of the stall. If he has learned this behavior and comes up to the front of the stall and a stranger does NOT give him a treat, the horse may resort to nipping, being pushy or other demanding and poorly mannerisms to beg a treat. This is a learned behavior fostered by the unthinking treat giving strangers who have come before you.

The horse owner has the right to ask that you not give treats without permission because the owner after all is the one that has the time and financial investment in the horse. The owner knows what kind of diet the horse is on. The owner knows if the horse is taking medications that may restrict what kinds of treats he may have and how many. The horse owner knows if the horse has any food allergies and the stranger does not know this information.

Be kind to the horse, by respecting his dietary needs; ask the owner first before giving the horse a treat. Part of keeping a horse healthy is regulating what the horse eats. It is difficult to regulate the horse’s diet if strangers are feeding him treats.

Another hazard that occurs when strangers feed treats to stabled horses or horses in a corral is that they sometimes leave empty plastic treat bags, or twist ties on the ground where the horse can pick it up and ingest it. Ingesting items such as these can lead to death!

Respect the health and well-being of these magnificent creatures by asking before giving treats (ask the owner not the horse). If you truly love horses, you will understand the need for the owner to control what treats the horse receives and how often he receives them.

Asking the owner if you can give a horse a treat may lead to you finding out that the horse owner prefers the treat to be placed in the manger instead of to hand-feed the treat, or that the horse is on a special diet and the treat you wanted to give him would have made him sick.

Feeding another person's horse a treat without asking permission is just as rude as a complete stranger coming up and feeding your child or dog a treat without asking permission to do so.

Next time you are tempted to give a treat to another person’s horse, stop and go ask permission first.

Important First Aid and Wound Care Tips for Horses

Lina — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:06:03 +0000

Every horse owner should know basic first aid for horses. There are two types of first aid that may be needed to be rendered to a horse: treatment for injuries or wounds that do not require vet attention and first aid measures that should be rendered while waiting for a vet to arrive.

First aid given to a horse can make a difference in the outcome of the horse's recover and future health.

The owner or other individual performing first aid on a horse must first of all remain calm. Someone who panics may cause further harm to the horse or may become injured if the horse becomes too excited or scared. Make sure it is safe to approach the horse. If it is not safe, do not go near the horse, but wait for the vet. You can watch the horse so that you can report any changes to the vet when the vet arrives.

If the horse can be moved, bring the horse to a familiar area where you can work on the horse while calming the horse down. Rub the horse's neck or talk to it while you move slowly around the horse to assess the injuries or the wound.

Wound care:

Always seek a vet's care if the wound is large, or you do not feel comfortable treating it by yourself. It may take up to an hour for fresh wounds to stop bleeding so do not be alarmed if it takes this long. If there is severe bleeding, you will need to apply a pressure bandage directly to the wound using a thick pad of gauze or clean cloth folded several times. If you cannot wrap the bandage to keep it in place, then you will need to hold it in place until the bleeding stops. If the pad becomes blood soaked, DO NOT REMOVE IT. Place another pad over the soaked pad and continue to apply steady pressure until the vet arrives.

A first Aid Kit is a necessity:

You should have a first aid kit in the stable and with you while traveling with your horse. Use a waterproof bag for the traveling kit. You will want to attach the kit to the saddle or to your belt if riding.

Items you should have in your first aid kit:

Thermometer

Stethoscope

Flashlight

Electrolytes (powder and paste), used for dehydration

Neosporin

Diluted iodine solution

Nolvasan, Furacin, Corona Wound Powder (antiseptic)

Hydrogen peroxide

Knife for making a splint or for cutting bandages

Wire cutters in case the horse get tangled in fencing

Twitch

Hoof picks

Fly lotion

Ophthalmic Polysporin for eye injuries

Bandaging materials such as gauze, Telfas, which are non-stick gauze, duct tape, diapers to be used as pressure dressings

Cotton leg wraps

Elastoplast (1" and 2")

Saran wrap

6" brown roll gauze

Med-Rip bandage tape

Latex Gloves

18 gage needles

Irrigating syringe

Antibiotic spray

Safety pins

Zip lock bags

Epsom salt

Betadine solution and betadine scrub

Petroleum jelly

Blunt-nosed scissors

If possible it is good to have some frozen cooling packs or other portable ice packs to be used in cold therapy.

Do You Know What Horse Colic Is?

Winston — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 11:49:30 +0000

Horse owners cringe at the mention of the word, "colic". Colic is the number one cause of death for horses. Colic is abdominal pain that occurs when there are gastrointestinal tract upsets. It is not a disease or illness, it is a condition. Owners need to be aware of the symptoms of colic so that they can understand what is happening to their horse early on, when there is still time for medical attention.

Symptoms to look for include a horse that is rolling around, kicking at his abdomen, or lying down more than is usual or who appears restless, may be sweating, or have an increased rate of breathing. Some horses may react in an almost violent way to abdominal pain. If you notice any of these symptoms, keep the horse in his stall and do not give him any feed or water. Call the vet immediately.

There are several types of colic including displacement or torsion colic, gastric rupture, enteritis or colitis, impaction, spasmodic, and gas.

Displacement is when an intestine is placed in an unnatural position. Torsion is when the intestine is twisted. These two conditions are very similar and are highly fatal. They both require immediate surgical intervention to save the horse's life.

Gastric rupture is when the horse's stomach expands due to overeating. The horse is not designed to be able to vomit, so when he overeats he cannot vomit the excess food. The stomach when pushed past its limits can rupture. This kind of rupture is fatal.

Enteritis/colitis is when the small or large intestine swells due to an inflammation. This causes great discomfort for the horse. A vet should be notified immediately so treatment can be administered.

Impaction is a partial or full blockage that happens in the intestines. When medical intervention occurs the conditions clears.

Spasmodic colic occurs when the intestines contract in abnormal, quick and strong fashion. The cause is usually parasites. The condition is very uncomfortable for the horse. If the vet is contacted immediately, the condition can be treated.

Gas can cause the intestines to expand a little bit and is a little uncomfortable, but is relieved when the gas is passed. Usually no treatment is needed.

The fatal types of colic have the same symptoms as the other types of colic so it is important to treat all cases as if they were the fatal type.

Typical symptoms of colic:

You may notice the horse lying down and then getting up, and then lying down again

The horse bends its head and neck towards his abdomen. When doing this horse may bite at his gut

Repeated pawing of the ground

The horse tries to kick his abdominal area

He rolls around on the ground

You notice a decrease in the normal amount of manure from the horse

He curls his upper lip, may sweat profusely, or breathe rapidly

Remove all food and water from the horse and immediately call the vet.

Let the vet know about any unusual behavior, eating habits, or change in manure amounts. You may need to check the horse's temperature (do not do if the horse is acting violent), pulse, and capillary refill time (press fingers against the horse's gum, release and count the seconds until the gum returns to normal color).

You want to prevent your horse from rolling around on the ground, so try to walk your horse slowly until the vet arrives. Try to keep the horse calm. Keep him away from loud noises. Do not overexert your horse. Do not stress the horse in any way.

Your vet will examine the horse and determine which type of colic he has. An appropriate treatment will be started if there is one for the type of colic your horse has.

Preventing Colic:

Every horse should be on a regular feeding schedule. Half of a horse's diet should consist of hay or forage. There should be more hay and water than grain. Avoid feeding excessive amounts of grain to your horse. If it is necessary to make any feed changes make sure to gradually make the change.

Avoiding intestinal parasites by keeping your horse up to date on his immunizations will also help to prevent colic.

Colic that is caught early can be treated and your horse's life saved. Horse's can survive colic and go on to live a long and happy life.

Everything you need to know about horses and treats

Winston — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:52:46 +0000

A lot of you may think treating horses to food at any time is a good idea. But giving a horse a treat without knowing its dietary habits can cause a lot of harm to the animal’s health.

As a stranger, you are always unfamiliar to the fixed dietary habits of the horse. You don’t know how much it’s already eaten or whether certain foods are restricted for that horse. You may not know it, but the horse may be taking special medication that disagrees with the treat you are about to give it. Also, feeding it too much could give it colic and other such digestive problems.

Treating horses habitually is also not advisable. Horses may get conditioned into expecting the treats and then react adversely if the treat is not given. This establishment of a behavioral pattern is what classical psychologists call ‘conditioning’. Ivan Pavlov, a psychologist, discovered in his experiments with dogs, that animals may get conditioned into expecting food at a particular time. After this they will continue to salivate and expect food at that time of the day, even if the food is not given. Thus if you treat a horse often and then suddenly stop doing so, it may start nickering or nudging you when it wants the food. This kind of begging for food is considered unmannerly in horses. It is only because of thoughtless strangers who treat them, that they form such habits.

The owner of the horse must be respected. The horse is after all, his investment and he is the one who knows it best. The owner alone will know what the horse eats, what it must not eat and what medication it may be on. The horse may also have allergies that a stranger will not know of.

To respect both the owner and the horse, always ask the owner if it is ok to treat the horse. Horses are bred by conditioning and eating restrictions are part of their training process. If strangers keep feeding the horse, it will be impossible to restrict the horse’s diet to what it needs.

Another thing to remember is not to litter the stable or corral where the horse is kept. Sometimes, horses will accidentally ingest harmful garbage such as plastic bags that have been left on the ground by careless strangers. These substances are toxic and harmful to the health of the horse.

Remember that asking permission before treating a horse is not belittling to you. It shows that you truly love horses and respect their owners as well. Imagine if someone came up to your child or pet and fed it something without asking you. Feeding a horse a treat without asking the owner is equally unmannerly.

There are many advantages to asking permission first. The horse may prefer to be fed the treat in a particular way, which only the owner knows about. Say, it prefers for the food to be left at the stable rather than hand-fed to it. Forcing it to do otherwise is very rude and unwise. Or say the treat you are giving it is will cause the horse to fall sick. How would you know if your treat is safe if you don’t ask the owner?

Thus it makes great sense to talk to the owner of a horse before you try to feed it. Asking a few basic questions will reflect well on you, and it will be beneficial for the overall health of the horse.

Caring Properly for Your Horse

Lina — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:44:36 +0000

Caring Properly for Your Horse

There are many daily care tasks that are necessary for the health of your horse. Hooves need to be cleaned and checked, you need to check your horse's teeth, joints, and digestive health. You need to make good decisions regarding the right feed, watch out for foot and leg issues, buying proper tack and perform correct grooming. Your horse will need regular vaccinations and deworming, of course plenty of riding exercise.

To keep your horse healthy you need to be on the constant alert for any number of horse ailments that may crop up such as horse allergies, colic, Cushing's disease, dehydration illnesses, dermatitis and other skin conditions, Heaves, head shaking (a nerve problem or associated with allergies), stomach problems and ulcers, and also West Nile Virus.

Health care also requires regular vet care, learning how to care for your horse during cold weather, or caring for a horse after it has a surgery such as a castration, dealing with preventing heat stress and how to check your horse's teeth and perform dental care.

There are also less pleasant tasks such as preventing parasites, worms and insects from bothering your horse and making him sick.

Your horse also needs you to be able to recognize basic horse behavior changes and illness such as cribbing which is a sign of stress and nervousness, or hind limb interference which is when a horse hits its back legs together, or moos swings and temperament changes which could be a sign of illness and don't forget the bored horse which may kick a stall door in, or do a behavior called, "stall walking and weaving".

You need to know common horse first aid such as what to do for common injuries such as bumps and minor hematomas, knots and knobs.

Horses can also suffer from back pain, bowed tendons, broken bones, feeding issues and the special needs of older horses.

Part of properly caring for your horse is learning how to feed, groom train and exercise your horse.

There are special care needs for shelter and fencing, seasonal care, hoof care, parasite control, euthanasia decisions for older horses or horses that are seriously ill and decisions about breeding and buying additional horses. The life of a horse owner is never dull or simple, but it can be tedious as many of the tasks are the same day after day.

Taking proper care of your horse as time consuming as it may be it can also be very rewarding work. There is nothing quite so special as the bond between horse and rider, especially when the rider has a lot of time and finances invested in the health of the horse. One of the best ways to bond with a newly acquired horse is to groom the horse everyday.

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