Horses are perhaps one of the most elegant, distinguished creatures on earth. They have fun personalities which make them great companions. They even provide opportunities for enjoyable pastimes such as riding and racing. To ensure the best health and quality of life for them, consider the following horse care tips.
Veterinary Care
Horses should receive regular preventative medical care from qualified veterinary professionals. Regular vaccinations, examinations, de-worming and tooth care are all part of care for a horse. If you board horses or provide long-term care for other people’s horses, consider evaluating horse insurance cost to cover any unexpected injuries that may rack up high vet bills.
Nutrition
Horses thrive on a steady diet of fresh grass and clean, high-quality dry hay. They should also have unrestricted access to fresh, clean water. Mineral or salt blocks are also helpful to cover mineral needs. Occasional treats such as fruit, vegetables or commercial horse treats are also fine every once in a while, as long as the pieces are small enough to avoid being a choking hazard. In general, keep treats infrequent, to ensure that the horse’s digestive health is not negatively affected.
Hoof Health
Horse hooves grow rapidly. For best hoof health, get a horse’s hooves trimmed every six to eight weeks. If the horse is very active or is used for frequent riding or work, it may need to have shoes put on.
Rest and Exercise
Horses benefit from a balance of rest and exercise. They may get all the exercise they need by simply having continuous availability to turnout, but this may not be the best setup for all horses. If your horse must live in a stall, be intentional about getting it out for socialization and exercise on a regular basis, ideally on a daily basis.
Healthy Environment
Horses do best in a spacious pasture with plenty of room to roam and graze. The pasture should be clean, fenced with safe materials (such as wooden or plastic rails, or wire fencing) and free of dangers like potholes or loose wire. Shelter should be available for protection from inclement weather and breaks from the hot sun. Horses are social animals, so they fare best when they have a companion such as another horse, a mule or even a sheep or goat.
Horses are wonderful pets to have. They’re fun, majestic creatures to have around and can give you many years of enjoyment when cared for properly.
