H.O.P.E.

If you are a horse owner looking for ways to extend your hay, remember that horses need roughage just like everyone else — in fact, they need much more. Fifty percent to 100 percent of a horse’s diet should be forage of some sort.

Lower amounts of forages can lead to an increased risk for ulcers and colic.

A horse’s teeth grow continuously throughout its life and can develop uneven wear patterns. Most common are sharp edges on the sides of the molars which may cause problems when eating or being ridden. For this reason a horse or pony needs to have its teeth checked by a veterinarian or qualified equine dentist at least once a year.

All horses and ponies have a parasite burden, and therefore treatment is periodically needed throughout the horse or pony’s life.

A well-stocked equine (and human) first-aid kit should be kept in a place where it is easily accessed. Any used or out-of-date items should be replaced as soon as possible. However, other than for minor injuries, a veterinarian should be consulted before treating a sick or injured animal.

The basic items any equine first-aid kit should include are:

Horses and ponies need annual vaccinations to protect against any number of sicknesses, though the precise vaccines required varies depending on the part of the world where the horse lives and the uses to which the animal is put.

The legs of a horse require routine observation for lacerations or swelling. Everyday care involves brushing the legs with a brush to remove dirt and mud. A currycomb is generally not used below the knees. It is common even for pleasure horses to have excess hair trimmed from the fetlock to prevent excess accumulation of mud and moisture.

The hooves of a horse or pony are cleaned by being picked out with a hoof pick to remove any stones, mud and dirt and to check that the shoes (if worn) are in good condition. Keeping feet clean and dry wherever possible helps prevent both lameness as well as hoof diseases such as thrush (a hoof fungus).

Horses groomed regularly have healthier and more attractive coats. Many horse management handbooks recommend grooming a horse daily, though for the average modern horse owner, this is not always possible. However, a horse should always be groomed before being ridden to avoid chafing and rubbing of dirt and other material, which can cause sores on the animal and also grind dirt into horse tack.

Rolling

• Be sure that all feed is stored behind closed doors. If for some reason a horse manages to escape from their stall and gets into a feed bin or storage container, they can overload on carbohydrates resulting in colic.


• Do NOT allow horses access to any spoiled or moldy feed, stagnant water, or otherwise contaminated sustainance.