Horses fall into the unfortunate position of being both livestock, and pets. It's my opinion that people consider these animals to be whichever one suits them at the time.
Many many people own horses, especially here in Southern Alberta, The Cowboy Culture we have here in Alberta encourages almost everyone both Urban and Rural to be involved one way or another with these four legged friends. Unfortunately like any big purchase, people don't realise all the things it means to take on a horse.
When people buy a car, they spend the utmost time and energy picking out the one that suits their needs, fits their budget and their lifestyle. Most people understand that cars require maintenance, regular oil changes, new tires, washes, shines ( that's all I can come up with i'm not a mechanic lol)
What people don't realize is that Horses require this much maintenance also.
DENTAL
Did you know that horses until they hit their senior years are constantly growing their teeth? like the tip of the iceberg when horses are born their teeth show only the very top and continue to grow not only up and out of their gums, but their teeth also grow outwards into sharp edges into their cheeks which often causes sores that can develop into ulcers. On top of that, Did you now that the shape and cut of your horses teeth can seriously affect their movement?
Have a look at this photo below. This is a 5 year old horse who has not had his teeth done for many years if ever. See the outside of his teeth along his cheeks? there are pointy sharp edges that dig into the inside of his mouth. See the brown spots along his cheeks? Those are ulcers. This gelding was having big issues with giving to the bit, he was obviously uncomfortable with having pressure on his mouth, And in frustration had turned to bucking. After having his teeth floated and a few days off to heal his ulcers he was happy as a clam.
These photos are of a 9 year old mare who had never had her teeth done. She too was badly tossing her head and in frustration had taken to bucking.
The photo in the right is what it looks like after horses teeth have been floated. The certified equine dentist or Veterinarian in this case ( We use Dr.Oviatt at Ranch Docs in Lethbridge) used a very fast file that actually has DIAMONDS on the end of it. You can put your hand on this file as it is going and feel no pain so rest assured that the horse does not feel pain either.
Maintaining your horses dental health is CRUCIAL to ensuring you have a happy and willing partner.
BLANKETING
This tends to be a controversial subject but I will share my opinion.
I blanket all the horses that I use on a regular basis. They wear blankets that are appropriate for the weather and the season, everything from a heavy winter to a mesh fly sheet.
I do this for A few reasons including cleanliness, avoiding bite and kick marks from herd mates, reduced hair growth** The reason for that is in the wintertime, horses will grow big fluffy coats to keep them warm, when you take your horse with a big fluffy coat into the arena and work him for 20 minutes that big fluffy coat makes him VERY sweaty. Now if you have a heated barn this is a non issue as your horse doesnt grow a coat and has a nice warm place to go after a workout. Most people however myself included have there horses turned out year round which means no warm place for the sweaty horse to go after a ride. A winter blanket keeps your horse warm enough that they do not need to grow their big coat and therefore doesn't get as sweaty and can be turned out easily after a ride.
CHIROPRACTIC/ MASSAGE
"I don't even get these treatments for myself, no way I am going to be doing it for an animal"
Well! Here is the deal. A broke, well mannered, great tempered horse will still give it his all despite being in pain. but WHY!? It doesn't matter whether you are doing trail riding, roping, or anything inbetween. When you are expecting your horse to perform for you it is common courtesy to make sure he is comfortable while doing it. Not to mention the horse who is not going to react... thats a dream horse. It is very very common for even a broke horse to kick up, crowhop or buck due to body pain. But pain doesn't just present in the form of bad behavior. It can also be as subtle as your horse not picking up a lead on one side quite as well as the other. Or maybe he doesn't have the spring i his stride that he used to.
There are many things that can cause a horse to become "out of alignment" just like us. It could have been a little to much fun in the field, a slip, an awkward kick out to a heard mate (and guess what, horses are still ridiculous even if they are all by themselves!). It could be related to having dental work done (when the teeth are in line the body needs to adjust also). Could be from a poor saddle fit, could be because the RIDER is out of alignment. Horses are so awesome, they will do their best to compensate not only for their body problems but yours as well.
I cannot express enough the importance of these treatments and the incredible difference doing this is going to make for you and your horse. Picture this, you get on your horse and after your routine warm up you ask for a left lead and up pops his back feet. naturally you respond with a swift kick and a big ol excuse me!? but this behavior repeats day 2, 3, 4 and you start to be concerned. Do you have a bucker on your hands? I can assure you a few $100 treatments is a lot cheaper than a new saddle or a month of training! When I have a horse in my care that has shown a behavior like this the first thing I always do Is have a chiro/massage done on them. 9 times out of 10 when the horse realizes it no longer hurts to make that motion, the behavior completely stops.
Therapists that I recommend
Adrielle Westrop - Out West Equine Sport Therapy - https://www.facebook.com/Out-West-Equine-Sport-Therapy-147461088748901/ - 403-915-5898
Shane Bullock- Crooked Creek Ventures (Chiropractic) - http://www.crookedcreekventures.com/ - 403-752-6001
Julie Parsonage- Horses In Harmony- http://horsesinharmony.ca/- 403-807-1941
TRAINING
If you have the patience, the ability and the time to train your own horse... go for it! But if you are the average horse owner with dogs and kids and a husband who eats a lot you might not have time to see your horse daily (Here here!) There is NO SHAME in sending your horse out. I would recommend you do this not only to get a great start on your four legged friend but also yearly or as needed to keep all of his buttons operating properly. There are small simple things that can get out of hand real fast if you aren't confident in handling them. From a trainers perspective, the dream horse owners would send their horses back yearly for a month long "tune up", nothing nicer than a horse thats been kept up on! PS- this is for your sanity, safety and happiness. Trust me, a horse at his best, one that you can jump on an ride down the road or in the arena on a whim and not worry about getting planted is the horse that makes riding fun!
The reality is I could go on and on and on with all of the things you should/ could do to keep your horse performing at his best. I challenge every horse owner to give these things a try and I guarantee you will be thrilled with the results and the change you will see in your animal!
Happy Riding!!
1 comment:
Such a great post Lindsay!!
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