Proper Horse Care

In order to have a horse, you need to be able to give it proper care. This includes appropriate food, clean water, hygiene, including farrier care, veterinary care, dental care, proper shelter (a stall in a stable, kept in good condition), a big fenced-in space for them to run around in, and proper grooming care. All of these means of care are required for a healthy horse.

Feeding

Just like humans, horses need food. Although all stables are different with different feeding schedules and food plans, it's recommended that you feed at least soaked alfalfa pellets and grain pellets (supplements may be needed and the amount of this you give is depending on your horse's health), and hay (amount also depending on your horse's health). Mealtimes depend on how much you give of the food, and if you feed more than once a day.

Your horse's water should be emptied and filled up with clean water at least twice a day.

Hygiene

A horse's hygiene consists of farrier care (hoof care), dental care, grooming care, and veterinary care.

Farrier Care

The farrier should come an average of every 4-6 weeks, to fit and make horseshoes for your horse, and to trim your horse's hooves.

Dental Care

Just like humans, horses need dental care. The equine dentist should float*, examine, and clean your horse's teeth. The frequency of your equine dental appointments should be at least once a year. But, all horses are different with different situations, so some dental examinations may be more frequent or less frequent depending on the horse.

Grooming Care

Steps to grooming your horse:

1. Secure your horse with a halter and lead rope

2. Use a currycomb* to loosen excess dirt and mud

3. Use a stiff brush to remove dirt and mud

4. Use a soft brush to remove any remaining dust or groom sensitive areas

5. Use a damp sponge or washcloth to wash your horse's face

6. Use a wide-tooth comb to comb out the mane and tail

7. Use a hoof-pick to clean out your horse's hooves

8. Spray your horse with fly spray to keep your horse from getting bitten

It's important that you groom your horse regularly. The frequency of your grooming sessions depends on what situation your horse is in. If your horse is a lesson horse, carrying a student across a dusty arena, you should brush your horse before you put the saddle on, and after you take it off. If your horse is a trail horse, brush your horse off before and after every trail ride. If your horse is a show horse, brush your horse off before and after every show. Yet, everyone has different grooming routines.

Veterinary Care

It's so important that the vet examines your horse every year or so. Since every horse is different, some might see the vet more than once in a year's time.

Horse veterinarians provide vaccinations, examine your horse, treat injuries, diagnose and treat diseases and perform surgery on horses.

Proper Sheltering

Your horse should be kept in a stable when temperatures are harsh outside or when weather is currently not great for your horse to stay outside. Every horse should have a lockable stall in a well-kept, lockable stable. The stable should be free of any gas or water leakages, and sharp tools left out where a horse could be hurt. It should also have all of the proper care tools and devices such as food, grooming tools, and rakes and wheelbarrows to scoop poop with. Your horse's stall should have a bucket for water and a container for grains. This is not required, but it's recommended that your horse should have a hanging hay net (a net that is stuffed with hay and horses eat out of the holes in it).

Paddock, or an outside area.

All horses need a fenced-in outside area to run around in. This is called a paddock. All paddocks should include a water bucket close to water source, and some sort of lean-to shelter to protect your horse from brief rain showers.

Thank you for joining me today in learning about proper horse care! Hopefully this post helped you out in caring for horses. Come back for my next post! And remember, comments and questions are always welcome! Leave your questions and comments in my blog's communication system. There, it will be available for me to see!

*****************************************************Definitions***************************************************

1. *Currycomb =

a comb made of rows of metallic teeth or serrated ridges and used especially to curry horses.

2. *Float a Horse's Teeth =

to remove sharp points on horse's teeth