Let us guess, are you particularly concerned about the good health of your horse This is not surprising. After all, you have invested a lot of time and money into this special animal. But when it comes to equine health, it's not necessarily the most expensive routines that will be the most effective!

In truth, start by remaining attentive on a daily basis, and putting in place a few simple reflexes. This will allow you to relieve small injuries and detect the warning signs of more serious problems. Time for advice!

Avoid direct horse-to-horse contact

Of course, there are plenty of dangerous things in your horse's environment. Mesh fences. Potholes. Traffic cones. Small puddles that can reach a certain depth. But when it comes to your horse's health, one of the most threatening things is the presence of another horse.

Each horse is a veritable germinal station. All kinds of microorganisms live on and in it. And the horses are only too happy to share them with their little friends. It's a bit like the first day of school with the kids, except for horses, it's like that every day.

Tip #1 Prevent your horse from being in direct contact with other horses. It's not just for your horse, but it's for each other too. Your horse is just as likely to be carrying something toxic and contagious. Of course, this tip is especially important if your horse is sick, but even seemingly healthy horses can carry disease.

Of course, after a while in the same pasture, you may let your guard down. You will pay attention again when a new individual arrives, or during your walks.

Check your horse daily and take its temperature

Infectious diseases do not always start with a visible disorder. Here, you will need to remain attentive.

Make sure your horse eats. Make sure he drinks. Check for any visible signs, and also take their temperature.

There are tutorials on how to take your horse's temperature online. You don't need to consult your vet about this!

Avoid horse-human-horse contact

You too could be a source of disease transmission. If you're moving from one horse to another, take the time to clean your shoes between stalls or paddocks. Wash your hands, use disposable gloves if you handle objects then throw the gloves away before moving on to the next horse and putting on another pair.

Your jacket, your shirt, your pants… Just about anything can carry infectious materials from one horse to another. Be careful and clean, this will help prevent the transmission of disease between horses if you are dealing with sick horses. And it will help keep horses healthy.

Also, avoid sharing equipment unless you clean and disinfect it thoroughly between uses. Take the time to soak your grooming equipment in a disinfectant solution such as diluted bleach. This also applies to saddle pads.

Avoid the use of common water sources

Does your family eat from the same plates at dinner Is there only one big glass of water for the whole table Do you share your towels You get the idea.

While there is nothing more convenient than a large water trough for a large group of horses, it is also one of the places from which diseases can most easily spread. A sick horse dragging its nose around and through a water trough can make the whole group sick pretty quickly. There's nothing like humidity to help germs persist in the environment.

Of course, if you have control of the horses on your property and no new horses are arriving, there is no reason to completely avoid having a common water source. But if you go off property, bring a bucket. This will help your horse's health in the long term.

Minimize your horse's stress

Horses are sensitive and nervous creatures, making them 10 times more likely to be stressed. And, as a result, get sick.

Here's how you can avoid it

  • Always keep your horse with another horse.
  • A horse should always be handled patiently. Take special care when training a new horse. Try not to be too loud and impatient.
  • Don't overwhelm a horse by introducing lots of new things at once. Go slowly and gradually.
  • Horses love to simply pass the time. Watch, ride, run freely, enjoy. Try to give them some free time from time to time.

Never miss annual veterinary exams

Just like humans, horses also need to have regular annual checkups and see their veterinarian every year. A horse may appear beautiful and healthy on the outside, but if you forgo annual veterinary exams, there's a good chance an internal problem is hiding undetected. So, to avoid greater risks, schedule annual veterinary exams.

Vaccinate your horse every year

There are several diseases, including equine encephalomyelitis , influenzarhinopneumonia , and West Nile virus that horses should be vaccinated against. Vaccinations also vary depending on the country and weather you live in.

Offer quality food

There is a popular saying that you are what you eat. And this one also applies to horses. A horse needs fodder to stay in shape. When purchasing a horse, be prepared to spend a good amount of money on good quality hay to keep your horse healthier. Good quality feed is even more essential if you are preparing your horse for show jumping .

File your horse's teeth regularly

When horses live with humans, their teeth tend to wear down unevenly , due to the same food they are given over and over again. Therefore, it is strongly advised to file their teeth regularly.

This will also ensure regular detection of other problems such as an abscess or loose tooth.

Take good care of your horse's hooves

You won't be able to do activities if you don't take good care of your horse's legs and hooves.

Consider regular deworming

Internal parasites can cause unexpected damage inside your horse's organs. To avoid this, deworming at regular intervals should be carried out. Deworming is inexpensive and easy to do with several deworming products available on the market today.

Leave room for exercises

Letting your horse out of the paddock will help him exercise and keep his legs fit and healthy. Exercising your horse every day will help improve its circulation, digestive system and create a positive attitude

Maintain an optimal weight

Always keep your horse at an optimal weight. Being overweight puts extra strain on a horse's legs, and being underweight is a sign of weakness. Therefore, you should increase feed intake if your horse is underweight and reduce grain intake if your horse is getting too fat.

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