How to Keep Your Horse Healthy

How to Keep Your Horse Healthy

Keeping a horse healthy is very important if you intend to preserve your investment and more importantly ensure that he or she lives a long, productive life. To see that this happens, you need to know the three major parts of general care, which are diet, dental hygiene, and immunization care. Below you will find further details pertaining to each of these aspects of care and their importance to your horse.

Feeding

Horses are herbivores and usually prefer to eat constantly throughout the day. However, this is not always possible. Fortunately, if you know a thing or two about hay, you can provide an optimum diet for them. There are several plant species of hay that have good amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamins. Some of these are, alfalfa, clover, fescue and bermuda. Varieties of hay are grouped in two types, legume and grass. Usually grass hays (fescue and bermuda) are the choice hay to feed to older horses, while legume hays (alfalfa and clover) are fed to younger horses and race horses.

Dental

Routine maintenance of your horse's mouth and teeth is essential not only to their health, but comfort and happiness too. Poor performance and a foul odor from the mouth are some common signs of problems with a horses teeth. By caring for your horses teeth with periodic checks, you will be able to catch any dental problems that may arise.

Immunizations

Immunizations are the most important barrier between your horse and diseases. You will need to have your horse set up for de-worming on a regular basis along with a program of immunizations, which you can discuss and set up with your veterinarian.

Keeping a horse healthy is very important if you intend to preserve your investment and more importantly ensure that he or she lives a long, productive life. To see that this happens, you need to know the three major parts of general care, which are diet, dental hygiene, and immunization care. Below you will find further details pertaining to each of these aspects of care and their importance to your horse. Feeding Horses are herbivores and usually prefer to eat constantly throughout the day. However, this is not always possible. Fortunately, if you know a thing or two about hay, you can provide an optimum diet for them. There are several plant species of hay that have good amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamins. Some of these are, alfalfa, clover, fescue and bermuda. Varieties of hay are grouped in two types, legume and grass. Usually grass hays (fescue and bermuda) are the choice hay to feed to older horses, while legume hays (alfalfa and clover) are fed to younger horses and race horses. Dental Routine maintenance of your horse's mouth and teeth is essential not only to their health, but comfort and happiness too. Poor performance and a foul odor from the mouth are some common signs of problems with a horses teeth. By caring for your horses teeth with periodic checks, you will be able to catch any dental problems that may arise. Immunizations Immunizations are the most important barrier between your horse and diseases. You will need to have your horse set up for de-worming on a regular basis along with a program of immunizations, which you can discuss and set up with your veterinarian.