How To Take Care Of A Horse With These Insights

It is important to learn how to take care of a horse in all kinds of weather. Every season of the year would definitely bring a challenge to an outdoor animal such as this. And so, you must be prepared to care and protect it as its owner.

As soon as you have acquired a horse, its shelter must be your primary concern. To keep it warm during winter and cool during summer, you would need a well-ventilated barn. Stacks of hay are required to keep the floor cozy and suitable to lay on. Its roofs and walls must be free of hanging materials which could be harmful for your horse. Examples of these are lights, electrical wirings or toxic decorations which the animal can chew on.

Related to the barn is a fenced area where your horse can gallop around. Activity is valuable to horse health. This natural grazer needs to move freely in a spacious lot so that it can exercise its body. Constant exercise is helpful in keeping its bones and muscles healthy. Constant exercise also keeps its metabolism up tempo – breaking down all the grasses it has eaten to bring nourishment to its entire body. You read that right. Your lot has to be fenced to keep it from straying to the woods or your neighbor’s property.

As for its food, grass hay of good quality is recommended in sufficient amount. If it is not an active type, it can feed on grains in supplementary to grass hay. If it is used for work or if its is very active, feeding on grain can do it more harm than good as grain composition is known to pose serious problems on bones and joints. Clean and fresh water must be available at all times. However, there are times when trace mineralized salt is what it would need more than water particularly it is on strict hay diet.

The routine on how to take care of a horse that is stabled is different from that is set free to graze outdoors. A stalled horse must be fed two times a day and watered sufficiently. A grazing horse can eat and drink anytime provided that there is enough grass hay and water around. Both horse types would need to undergo dental care and hoof care. Checking on its teeth can only be done by a veterinarian. Checking on the hooves, on the other hand, may be done on your own every now and then. Twigs, shavings, pebbles and other small objects can get stuck in the hooves. They must be removed quickly to keep possible infections at bay. Moreover, the coat and skin of both must be checked to arrest potential problems immediately.

Asking a veterinarian’s help on how to take care of a horse is a wise thing to do. It is because caring for it requires more than feeding and grooming. Its internal parts must also be protected from harmful parasites which can claim its life in a flash. Medicines,supplements and vitamins have to be administered under a veterinarian’s supervision.