Horse Care For Beginners

While horse parasites may be out of sight, they do extensive damage internally. Parasites can steal nutrients from your horse and cause gastrointestinal irritation.While horse parasites may be out of sight, they do extensive damage internally. Parasites can steal nutrients from your horse and cause gastrointestinal irritation.

Is equine influenza likely to affect my horse?
This is a question I cannot answer, but I should state that equine influenza ( often known as EI) is not the most common disease that may affect your horse, but it is essential that horse owners remain vigilant to any of the disease symptoms which I’ll cover in this post. Should you suspect that your horse may have contracted the disease it is vital that you immediately report this to your vet.

In it’s simplest terms it refers to pain originating in the abdomen. So, if there is any disturbance of gut function your horse will tend to show signs of pain. The two usual causes of colic are either impaction or a build-up of gas in the large intestine. In the case of a minor form of either of these forms of colic and the pain it causes may, with appropriate care, pass quite quickly. Should it be severe your horse will need to have immediate veterinary treatment.

Horses that are not worked regularly on hard ground may not need shoes. In fact, here in Australia there’s quite a move away from shoeing. But bear in mind that horse’s hooves cannot take wear and tear which is why iron shoes are used to protect them. Should you be considering working your horse barefooted, talk to your farrier and get expert advice. I’ll mention here that with my horse, a percheron/thoroughbred cross with large and near perfect foot structure, I rarely resorted to shoeing over many years.

But very quickly my local Saddle Club made me aware of the many problems that could happen with a horse without the proper care, and that I’d need to find a vet for help if ever the need arose. So I did some research and learned of the many health problems that could occur without the proper care.

Horse first aid kits are just for providing a horse help in emergencies before a vet arrives. These are just for preventive measures, meaning they can’t cure your horse. It is still important to always call a vet for assistance and treatment after applying any first aid.