6 Ways To Keep Your Horse Healthy And Happy

If you have a horse because you want to be an aspiring horseback rider or you need one on your farm, it’s important to know how to keep these beautiful animals healthy, strong, and happy. Although horses are known for their physical abilities and strength, you still need to ensure that they’re always at their best. Besides, they deserve to be loved and cared for like every other animal.

Unfortunately, keeping a horse healthy and happy is quite a big task to take on, especially if you’re a first-time horse owner. However, it doesn’t have to be complicated. By keeping the following in mind, you can be assured that your horse will enjoy a happy and healthy life:

• Provide Proper Nutrition

One of the ways to keep your horse healthy and happy is to provide them with proper nutrition. As a start, ensure that your horse food is organic and includes quality ingredients. You don’t have to choose the most expensive food for your horse. Even affordable pet food can be great for your horses as long as they contain natural and healthy ingredients. If you want to save money on quality pet food for your horse, make sure to check out some pet food specials in stores.

You can also ask for your vet’s recommendations or advice if you don’t know what type of food you can give to your horses.

• Get Your Horse Vaccinated

Your vet will provide a schedule for your horse vaccinations, and it’s essential to stay up to date with it. Like other living creatures, horses are prone to infectious diseases. With vaccines, their immune system will improve, making them less prone to various illnesses.

• Keep Your Horse Hydrated

Hydration plays an essential role in keeping your horse healthy. So, make sure that your horse has several water sources available throughout the day, especially during the summer months. This is because horses consume more water during hot seasons.

If you weren’t able to fill and check your horse’s water intake, you have to consider outsourcing this task to someone who can pay attention to your horse’s needs. If possible, you can rent a stable from a reliable boarding facility, which may help you care for your animals properly.

Boarding facilities are great options because they’re made to provide horses with the care and attention they deserve. However, before you select a place to board your horse, always do your homework first and read online reviews of your preferred boarding facilities to choose the right one.

• Cool Down Your Horse Properly

After performing activities for a certain period of time, you must know how to cool down your horse properly. With this in mind, it’s necessary to check your horse’s pulse rate, temperature, and respiration rate, and ensure that they’re at normal levels.

If it’s a hot summer day, rub your horse with a damp cloth. If possible, get a cooling blanket for your horse after removing the pad and saddle if the weather’s windy and nippy. Then, massage your horse and focus on the flanks, neck, and on the place where you put the saddle.

• Groom Your Horse

If you own a horse, another way to keep them healthy and happy is to meet their grooming needs. As a horse owner, you should buy all the grooming essentials for your horses since grooming will enhance your horse’s coat and skin. Moreover, it can lessen your horse’s risk of contracting various health problems.

Other than that, grooming strengthens the animal-human bond. By grooming your horses, they develop trust, which is important. Plus, grooming can greatly lessen the stress of horses, especially if they encounter a frightening experience.

• Provide Proper Housing

Even if horses live entirely outdoors, it’s crucial to note that they also require shelter from the elements. In wild settings, it comes from the heavy tree cover, windbreaks, and natural geographical barriers.

When it comes to an open pasture setting that has no natural protection, three-sided sheds provide adequate shelter for active and healthy horses. However, whether you own a sport horse or an ordinary one, it’s still important to provide horses with a clean, safe setting, and effective shelter against heat, snow, rain, and wind. Depending on your state’s climate, horses should be housed in open-sided sheds, barns, or stables.

• Conclusion

Making your horses healthy and happy won’t only benefit their overall health, but it can also improve their quality of life. So, even if it’s challenging at first, you can be assured that it’s worth your time and effort because your horses will feel loved. 

Just make sure to always ask for professional help in case you need assistance on other things related to horse care that you’re not familiar with.