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Your Horse's Health:

Last Modified: January 10, 2002

This guide has been developed for the “Pleasure Horse” Owner, as a guide to better horse care. It is for owners who want to know more about providing horses a healthy, longer life. It has been provided at this location, courtesy of Masterfeeds. A link to the Masterfeeds site is available at the bottom of every page.

A sick or injured horse is cause for immediate concern. Ailments can arise through injury, digestive disorder or disease spread by poor hay or straw, and/or contact with other horses.

It takes a great deal of experience with horses to be able to identify specific disorders, ranging from foot, joint and leg ailments, to eye, nose, mouth and respiratory problems, skin disorders, internal parasites or digestive difficulties.

For the horse owner, the best approach is to learn the signs of good horse health, and monitor for absence of any of these signs; alert ears and eyes, shiny coat and active tail, a steady gait and regular eating habits.

Normal temperature at rest is 38.3 to 38.6 C, pulse rate 30 to 35 beats per minute, respiration 8 to 16 breaths per minute. Droppings are produced 6 to 10 times a day. They should be in a balled form that breaks as it hits the ground. Healthy urine has a strong odor and is yellow and cloudy.

If you have any concerns about lameness or poor health, consult a veterinarian. Never leave a horse in pain without taking action. Ailments can take some time for the horse to recover from, even under the best of conditions. A delay in treatment could lengthen the recovery time significantly.

Common sense in handling and caring for the horse, and proper feeding methods will alleviate the bulk of potential disorders. At the first sign of injury, lameness or illness, remove the source of the problem (ie., stop exercising, allow the horse to rest, remove lead in the case of colic, choking, poisoning or diarrhea...) and consult with an expert.

Horses should be immunized against Tetanus, Influenza, Encephalomyelitis, Rhinonumanitis and Rabies. Consult your veterinarian to set up an immunization schedule, or if you have any doubts about horses in your care. Regular booster shots are required for protection against some of these threats.

Parasites pose a constant threat to horses, as they can easily be ingested during grazing. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a regular horse deworming treatment program to prevent this potentially serious problem. Horses need to be dewormed every 90 days, and the treatment should be rotated to control bots and tapeworms.

FIRST AID

Every stable should have a basic first aid kit on hand to deal with cuts and other injuries. That way you can deal with them immediately, then get professional assistance as soon as possible. It's also a good idea to carry a small kit on a long ride, or in the trailer when traveling.

A basic kit should include:

Aerosol antiseptic spray
Wound dressings such as sheet cotton, gauze or all-purpose dressing.
Bandages, elastic and self-adhesive type sufficient to wrap a leg or hold a dressing in place.
Cold packs
Scissors
Thermometer

The above content has been provided by and is copyright ©Masterfeeds.
It may not be reproduced without Masterfeeds written authorization.
Reprinted on this site with the kind permission of Beverley
at the Calgary, Alberta Masterfeeds location.

Masterfeeds
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Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Ph: (403) 327-2555 Fax: (403) 327-0550
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