Manage Your Horses Health
We all get distressed when our horses get sick or unsound, but could it have been avoided?. Lets take a look at ways you can manage your horse's health to prevent problems in the future.
Horse Health
Yearly Check-Up
You can find problems at an early stage and thus when they are more manageable. It will help your veterinarian establish a normal base for observations at a later date, improving the communication between you and your vet. It will help you understand what is normal and what isn't for your horse.
Having a check-up allows you to alter any part of his lifestyle that is likely to cause problems later. Not every horse needs the same type of check-up. If you are a showjumper you might want to have a more thorough check-up with x-rays and blood work, while if your horse is a pleasure horse you might not need to go to such extremes.
As many people schedule vaccinations for early in the year, this is a good time to get your horse a check-up while they are already at your property and you won't need to pay for a separate call out fee.
The Exam
You see your horse every day so you are the best one to know if that bump on his near fore has been there long or if it has ever caused any problems. Yet because you look at your horse every day you might not notice weight gain or loss as well as someone who only sees your horse on occasion.
The first thing the vet will look at is your horse's overall condition. Is he too fat, too thin?. Does he look as though he is close to founder or needs worming or better food?. Perhaps his teeth are in need of care. If his coat is healthy, then he is generally healthy. If the coat is dull or rough, he is probabaly lacking in something. The vet will also check for any skin cancers, to which greys are most succeptible.
The exam of your horse's eyes should be thorough to ensure there are no early signs of cataracts, inflammatory changes that cause blindness, or any degenerative conditions of the eyes.
The vet will aslo listen to your horse's heart and lungs. They will be looking for any irregularity in heart rate or breathing. Some horses will have a heart murmur that should be monitored regularly especially when in hard work. If your horse has a heart problem that affects his performance or wellbeing your vet might suggest an ultrasound to look into the problem further.
Next the vet will probably ask you to trot your horse up to check for soundness and evenness in movement. You will probably be asked to walk the horse away from and to the vet and then do the same at the trot on unpaved and paved surfaces. If your horse is short in one leg, or slightly uneven in one foot, they will look further into the reasons why. It might be obvious from first look that the problem is arising because of a hoof out of balance and might just need special shoeing. Arthritic problems can sometimes be helped by some of the new dietary supplements on the market. If the reason is not obvious the vet will palpitate the area, use hoof testers, do a flexion test or go into it as thoroughly as nerve blocks or x-rays.
Most vets wil discuss what they are doing but if you are unsure about the procudure or cost, make sure you ask. The vet will always look at your horse's legs carefully as this is on of the most common areas for a horse to break down. If there are any bumps or thickening in the tendons that seem suspect the vet might suggest x-rays or ultrasounds.
Finally you might wish your vet to take a blood and foecal count. Taking these counts can establish your horse's internal balance, making sure he has no worms, and his blood count is healthy. A blood count checks the red and white blood cells and alerts you if there are any discrepancies in the ratio of red to white. This simple exam can ensure your horse stays healthy and happy.
Worming and Vaccine
Prevention is better than cure. Worming your horse regularly and making sure it is up to date on vaccine boosters will ensure your horse is less likely to get parasites or catch disease.
This is most important if you horse is in contact with other new horses regularly, like those that compete regularly or keep their horses at large agistment centers. Your vet can advise you regarding the vaccinations most suitable for your horse and situation. Rather than wait until your horse gets injured and the vet asks if your horse has had a tetanus shot, keep up on the tetanus shots regularly.
Set up your worming and vaccination schedule and mark it in your calendar so you don't miss out and put your horse at risk.
Dental Rountine
Horses are naturally grazing animals and by feeding them hard feed we upset the balance of their teeth, thus requiring regular care. Horses that are in full competition require the dentist more often than those used for pleasure but make sure your horse gets at leat one check-up a year.
Hoof Care
Set up a good relationship with a qualified farrier and have your horse shod regularly. When you have your horse shod, book in your appointment for the next shoeing. Don't wait until your horse has gone seven weeks and realise the shoes are falling off. It is highly unlikely the farrier will drop everything and run to your side. You'll probably have to wait at least another week and end up with the feet deteriorating even more.
Take care of your horse's hooves. If the weather is dry use good hoof dressing. If the weather is wet be aware the hoof will grow faster and be more likely to lose shoes. This is because the hoof swells when wet and when it drys out the nail holes are larger, so the nails are easier to pull out. It is most often not because the farrier isn't any good !.
If your farrier suggests a type of shoe that will help your horse's conformation, movement or soundness, consider it, even if it is costly. It might mean the difference between a sound and unsound horse.
First Aid Kit
Hopefully you'll never need the kit but, chances are you'll need something out of it eventually. Often we take things out of our kits and never get around to replacing them, then when we need it next it's not there.
Make sure you know how to take your horse's temperature, check his pulse and respiration and listen to his belly for normal gut sounds.
For the First Aid Kit you will need:
A watch with a second hand
A rectal thermometer with a string and clip to attach it to the tail
A twitch
Syringes, dose and injectable (should only be used with the advice of your vet)
Needles (should only be used with the advice of your vet)
Petroleum jelly
A notebook with pen or pencil
Sharp scissors
Duct tape (reinforces foot dressings
Plastic wrap (creates an airtight film over poultices)
Aluminium foil (for use when wrapping hooves to draw out the heat of abscesses
Rubber gloves
Antibacterial wash
Roll of cotton
Roll of gauze, or gauze pads
Vetrap
Bandages
Small bucket
Antibiotic ointment (for wounds)
Saline soultion (for cleasing of wounds and eyes)
Brown wrapping paper (for use when poulticing)
Epsom salts (for soaking feet and legs with abscesses or bruising)
Ice wrap (reusable cold packs can help swelling)
Small clippers (to clip around wounds)
Overhaul the kit every year to make sure all medications are up to date and everything is in place.
Good Horse Management
Lastly, look after your horse.
If he has a hard day's work, hose his legs and use a poultice or support wrap to give care to his sore muscles. If you know the ground is like rock at your next event, don't start him in every class or better yet, don't take him at all. There is always next time and if your horse goes unsound from jarring on hard ground, he won't be going anywhere.
Look at preventative practices, like making sure your horse is fit and using protective leg gear. Possibly talk to your farrier about cushioning pads for your horse's hooves if the ground is hard.
The better care you take of your horse, the longer your partnership will be !