Tips for a Healthy Horse

Much like humans, as a horse ages, it becomes prone to certain health issues. Veterinary care for a horse can be rather expensive, but in many cases, most health complications can be prevented with some easy maintenance. Try these following recommendations to help your horse age gracefully, and reduce the chances of any health issues:

• Groom regularly. The importance of regular grooming cannot be emphasized enough. Proper grooming aids in body temperature regulation, blood circulation, and skin health.
• Use high quality feed. Your horse’s diet is a critical part of its long-term health. Use the highest quality feed you can afford, avoiding old, dusty, dirty, or moldy food. Feed your horse two-to-three times a day, rather than all at once.
• Exercise often. Keeping a horse locked in a stable for extended periods of time is a surefire way to trigger health problems. Ensure your horse is getting adequate exercise on a daily basis. This is especially important as your horse ages, as to prevent joint health and mobility issues.
• Keep a close eye. There is a wealth of information you can glean by simply observing your horse. Look for changes in behavior, appetite, and body condition to see if something isn’t right. Unfortunately, our horses can’t speak to us if something is wrong, so we have to keep an eye out for them instead.
• Provide clean water. Your horse should always have access to clean, room temperature water. Aim to change your horse’s drinking water as often as you feed them (2-3x daily), if not more.
• Schedule routine vet checkups. Veterinarians are trained to spot problems long before they turn into more severe conditions. By having routine checkups provided for your horse, you are ensuring their long-term health and happiness.

As you can see, keeping a healthy horse isn't an easy endeavor. They require a lot of care and maintenance. Despite the work involved, there is nothing quite as rewarding as having a healthy, happy horse under your care and supervision.