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Horse Facts - A Little Basic Anatomy

March 6th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

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I wrote an article for another publication a couple of days ago about Laminitis, a crippling condition.  It occurred to me when doing this that among the horse facts any owner should know are a few basics of anatomy so I have put together some thoughts here. If you want  to be sure that you are looking after your horse in the best way possible you should undertake some basic study of horse anatomy. You can do this by studying on your own or you can speak to your vet to find out the basics.

One basic thing that most horse owners know but rarely remember is that  laying down is not easy on your horse.  A horse’s body is  not intended to lay down for long periods of time, which is why you should be aware  that if your horse is laying down, there is probably something wrong with him.  If a horse lays down for any amount of time they  risk damage to their internal organs, so if you observe this you should call your vet immediately and discuss it with him.

A  horse’s legs are probably the most easily damaged part of his anatomy. They carry his weight, and support him while he is sleeping, despite the fact that they are very thin. If a horse gets a broken leg, there will potentially be many problems because he won’t be able to lie down to rest it, which means that the healing process can be quite painful and long drawn out. What this means for you is that you have to be sure to always care for your horse’s legs and feet.  Hoof care is a also critical and warrents a whole topic to itself

Another thing that you must  take care of  is your horse’s skin and coat.  You should focus on them because they protect your horse and help keep him happy and healthy.  You should be grooming your horse daily, and especially after each time you ride him.  Make sure his coat is clean and his mane and tail are free of tangles and any bits of twig or briar that may have caught whilst you were out.

Horses are incredible strong animals with very bodies that are designed to work well when being ridden or just running free.  Don’t take advantage of your horse’s willingness to work and overtire him.  He needs his rest just as much as you do.  There is a great deal more to be said on horse anatomy but these few short tips will add to your store of horse facts and help keep your horse healthy.

Horse Management – Is Your Horse Traffic Shy?

February 25th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

This is the time of year when our thoughts turn to pleasant rides in the countryside to enjoy all the beauties of spring.  Many horses feel cooped up after the winter and it is so good to be out on a soft warm spring day, enjoying the fresh air and the freedom.  Riding out like this almost inevitably involves roads and if your horse is traffic shy you can have some problems.

Some horses are just nervous round traffic and if you don’t have good control of your mount that exacerbates the problems and can lead to some nasty accidents.  A lot of the problems with nerves are just lack of familiarity.  If you can, take your horse out with friends whose mounts are quiet and relaxed with traffic.  If they are reasonably experienced riders they and their horses will help to protect you until he settles down a little.

If you try to go out at quieter times of the day when there isn’t so much traffic around that helps.  Try and pick a route where drivers are aware of horses and more sensitive to the needs of equestrians too.  Alternatively you can ask one of your more experienced friends to ride him on the roads for a little while as your worry and concern about his behaviour will make his fears even worse.  He will certainly sense any tension you are feeling through your seat, knees and hands.

In terms of general acclimatisation to road noise and traffic, if you can arrange for your horse to be turned out in a field close to a road this may help, especially if there are other horses or animals who are not bothered by traffic to keep him company.

Generally speaking with patience, care and good horse management most horses will acclimatise to road conditions and you can ride out safely and enjoy all that nature has to offer.

Dancing With Horses - A ‘Must’ For Equestrian Sports

February 24th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Success in any equestrian sport is dependent on the rapport between horse and rider and it takes hard work to achieve that. Horses have personalities just like people and it is just as necessary to bear those in mind and work with them as it is with any social interaction. Dancing with Horses is an excellent book that I would recommend to anyone who is working to communicate with their horse and develop their relationship. Klaus Hempfling’s book has been around a while but is only recently getting the coverage and recognition it deserves.

To quote from an article in The Library Journal by Deborah Emerson

“The author’s approach combines his backgrounds in communications, theater, and dance with more traditional means. The result is an unusually harmonious relationship between horse and trainer, in which there is complete understanding and communication through body language. Hempfling’s method has proven successful with all breeds of horses and makes the learning process fun for both horse and rider…. “

There have been many reviews of the book but one particularly caught my eye as I think it summed up the benefits that can be achieved - it came from Tuike Ekroos of Helsinki and summed up the desperation some riders can feel

“I have a so called problem horses. He was almost dangerous to handle and not so much interested in me. Now I have found my way to communicate with him without using violence. This book is really easy-to-understand with its advice. On this book there is the Hempfling’s key philosophy but you can also find really concrete advice from this book. I really have to say i love Hempflings way to communicate with horses.”

Given that one can have so much success with a problem horse, you can imagine the benefits with a horse that is less difficult to handle. Dancing with Horses is a great investment for anyone who takes part in Equestrian sports.

Horse Health – Equine PMT

February 18th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

We are all used to wives, daughters and girlfriends suffering from PMT, it can be distressing for anyone and is certainly not a subject to be treated lightly. Horses are no different and many mares suffer from hormonal mood swings and the equine equivalent of PMT. To maintain good horse health you want to do all you can to alleviate this to make life safer and more pleasant for everyone.

Many mares can become extremely moody when coming into season. If you are at all concerned you should consult your Vet, certainly if you want to use hormone supplements to help handle the problem. There are many herbal ‘remedies’ that you can use including Vervain, Yarrow, Valerian and Chamomile. Do be aware though that some herbs can lead to positive tests for some prohibited substances – Vervain is one of the main culprits and you should always check with the manufacturer before using if this is likely to be an issue.

Good diet is important as always, make sure your mare has plenty of good slow release carbohydrate energy foods including small quantities of sugar, together with plenty of fibre, starch and oil bearing foods.

If you do decide to go along the hormonal supplement route you must take advice from your vet and the correct handling of these medications is essential. Certainly no one who is pregnant or trying to become pregnant should handle these medications.

Finally spend time with your mare, plenty of exercise and just time spent with her with go along way to steadying those mood swings that can so undermine your horse’s health and sense of well being.

Horse Health – Strangles, A New Development

February 16th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

One of the greatest threats to horse health is Strangles, which is epidemic in the Equine world and causes enormous distress to both horse and rider. Nothing is worse than seeing your horse in pain and distress from this dreadful disease. Research done by the Animal Health Trust has brought about a breakthrough with the development of a blood test to check if a horse has been exposed to Streptococcus Equi, the bacteria which causes Strangles, further developments in their DNA diagnostic test will hopefully reduce the diagnosis time from 72 hours to 24 which can be critical in treatment. You can find out more about these tests and the work of the AHT at www.strangles.org

For your information, the symptoms of Strangles are a pussy discharge from the nostrils and swelling of the lymph glands under the jaw. These swellings can develop into abcesses which can burst and become further infected. Horses suffering from Strangles can develop a fever, stop eating and become depressed.

Strangles is very contagious and spreads rapidly, foals are especially vulnerable – it would be heartbreaking to think of this little chap being infected. All equipment must be thoroughly sterilized and affected horses should be kept isolated as they can spread the disease up to eight or nine months after recovery.

Most horses recover but they must be carefully nurtured and not do any heavy work or training for three or four months. Good horse health depends on your vigilance so do watch out for symptoms of this pernicious disease

Photo courtesy of Taliesin

Horse Training Success

February 15th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

I came across an excellent ebook the other day which was drawn to my attention by a fellow rider when discussing training methods to help deal with some of the behavior problems you can encounter with your horse. When you first buy your horse you have to spend some time getting to know each other and it is during this time that you may discover problems that have not been addressed by the previous owner.

Horse Training Success is full of very practical information on how to train your horse into good behavior patterns presented in a step by step fashion that is easy to find your way around. The book is based around real problems presented by real riders of real horses rather than just a theoretical, airy fairy approach which does nothing for you or your horse. Problems such as biting, bolting, kicking and bucking which can cause nasty injuries are dealt with in a no nonsense fashion which will help both you and the horse to get rid of those unpleasant habits. There are a number of practical approaches to the things that make your horse skittish and jumpy like cars, blowing rubbish and other animals, not to mention getting him into a trailer without a fuss. Feeding time can often cause issues, especially if you have a strong willed horse that likes to take control and I was impressed with some of the solutions presented in the book.

The manual doesn’t only deal with horse behavior problems but also with basic training and riding techniques in plain English with no jargon or waffle - invaluable! Phil Tragear has put together an enormous amount of information and shared the benefit of years of experience both in basic horse training as well as problem management. Horse Training Success is one of the best all round manuals I have come across in a very long time.

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