How to Keep your Horse Happy
Horses are incredibly sensitive and it is important that they get the care and attention they deserve. It’s not enough to only provide the bare necessities like food, shelter and whatever healthcare your horse insurance policy will cover. Like us, they also need to feel a bit special, and the little extra love will go a long way.
It’s best to keep your horse among other ponies or horses, as they are herd animals in nature and will need to have company. You should be also seen as part of their herd, ideally as the herd leader. A horse’s chewing or licking are both signs of affection and of sumbission to your status as leader. The development of trust and a lasting emotional bond with your horse relies on you spending quality time with your horse. When this is achieved, it will have a positive effect on all areas in the horse’s handling and riding.
The Three Types of Horses – Warmblood, Coldblood, Hot Blood
The three general categories of horses are warmblood, coldblood and hot blood. Each of the hundreds of different horse breeds fits into one of these categories.
The cold blood breeds originated in Europe. They were bred for heavy work and long hours, pulling farm equipment, carts, barges and other heavy items. They had to have both power and endurance but there was little need for speed. Consequently, they were bred to have well developed muscles, on heavy bones and large joints. They also need to have a calm, even docile nature, so that they would obey commands and would not frighten and run off with farm equipment or other loads. In response to the need to work in cold European winters, their tails, manes and coats had long, thick hair. The Shire horse and the Clydesdale are typical cold blood breeds.
Horse Cribbing
Cribbing is a behavioral problem, which sometimes develops in horses with insufficient mental stimulation (i.e. bored horses) and most commonly occurs in horses which spend long periods of time in stalls. Cribbing horses bite objects (such as fencing rails), while pulling backwards on the object and sucking air. It is believed that the horse does this because it causes the release of pleasurable brain chemicals (endorphins). The terms ‘wind sucking’ and ‘crib biting’ are alternative names for cribbing.
Horse cribbing is sometimes mistaken for ‘wood chewing’, which is a different behavioral problem. In wood chewing the horse nibbles on wood to occupy itself whereas in cribbing the horse sucks in air to trigger the release of endorphin brain chemicals. Both damage wood, but the physical activity and the purpose are completely different. If you watch your horse or examine the damaged wood carefully, it should be clear which of these two problems your horse has.
Laminitis and Founder in Horses
Laminitis is a serious hoof disease found in equines (e.g. horses, ponies, donkeys). Although it is very rare for laminitis to kill a horse directly, severe cases can result in the horse being put down for humane reasons (horse is in pain) or economic factors (horse is crippled and can no longer be used). Such euthanasia is sufficiently common that laminitis has become the second most common cause of premature horse death.
Approach your Horse using Three Ps of Horse Training
When you wish to train a horse you’ll have to catch it first. This sounds simple enough, but if this is your first attempt at doing so it can be surprisingly frustrating. This is actually the most important step of all in training. The trust foundation is laid in this step. No matter what you do with any horse at any stage of training, remember the basic 3 p’s- patience, persistence, and positive reinforcement. These three training elements work together and are relevant with each step of training along the way.
The most efficient way to begin the approach is to have the horse in an enclosure of easily manageable size. A round pen is ideal, but if you don’t have one a paddock or other large fenced enclosure will work.
Begin by approaching the enclosure with a casual demeanour. Do your very best to relax and give the impression of calm. Leave your life’s stress outside the pen. Since horses are prey animals, they are easily intimidated by anyone or anything that emits stress or aggression of any kind. This represents a possible threat and the last thing you want is for your horse to see you as a threat. Trust must be built between the two of you.
What to do About Horse Allergies
Some people are allergic to horses. Depending on the person, this can result in a combination of the following symptoms:
- Itchy or watery eyes
- Itchy or running nose
- Itchy skin, hives or rashes
- Sneezing or coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Asthma attack
The severity of these symptoms can range from a minor runny nose to a serious asthma attack. In the case of asthma sufferers, care should be taken when first coming into contact with horses, as there have been a few cases of fatal asthma attacks. This is doubly true for asthmatic children, who in the excitement of being with horses may not notice the early symptoms, so they should be monitored by an adult when first encountering horses to ensure that they do not have a serious adverse reaction.
Before Buying a Horse – Health Checklist
When considering a new horse, one should check its health before making any commitment. A veterinary’s advice (preferably one specializing in horses) is useful in this regard. There are also a number of checks which you can do in order to identify most of the potential issues.
One begins with the general external appearance. The coat should be even, shinny and lie flat. The body should be well filled out, with well toned muscle. It should not be overweight or underweight. It should stand evenly on all four legs, with all four hooves pointing straight ahead. It is normal to rest a hind leg (but not a front leg), provided that it is not always the same leg which is rested.
Best Horse Age
When looking for a horse, the desired horse age is an important consideration. Horses which are too young lack maturity and training while horses which are too old cannot provide many future years of riding. Following is a review the typical advantages and disadvantages of the various ages.
Horse of 4 years. Horses typically start training at 3 years, with basic training complete by age 4. Such a horse is old enough for riding immediately but still young enough for advanced training if you wish. Although it may be a bit more expensive than a younger horse, the difference is partly offset by saving the fees on basic training.
Horses – Cheap to Buy, Expensive to Keep
First-time horse buyers often look closely at the cost of buying a horse and will by influenced by a few hundred dollars difference in the purchase price of different horses. What they don’t realise is that keeping a horse is far more expensive they buying one.
In part, this is due to the fact that people involved in the horse business (breeding, selling, training) do not want to scare potential buyers off by telling them just how expensive horse ownership is. After all, if someone is unsure if they can spend a few thousand dollars to buy a horse, the seller will likely lose the deal if they explain that it may cost 000 to 000 over the next 10 years. Although there may be honest horse people that do go out of their way to explain the cost of a horse, in our experience they are in the small minority.
Cause and Treatment of ECD
Although cushings disease occurs in different animals (horses, dogs, even people), the symptoms for each species are different. For example, in horses it causes the coat to grow longer and thicker, often becoming curly, whereas in dogs it has the opposite effect of causing hair to fall out and produce bald spots. The equine (horses, ponies, etc.) version of this illness is known as ECD (Equine Cushings Disease).
