In This Chapter
Despite their size and physical
strength, horses are actually rather delicate creatures when it comes to their
health. When a horse gets sick, he can be a real hassle to his owner: Bills can
add up quickly, a sick horse means time lost in the saddle, and horses are
notoriously difficult to medicate. For these reasons and more, horse owners
need to work hard at preventing equine illness. Horses require regular
preventive care to keep them healthy and able to perform the tasks asked of
them.
The Doctor Is In: How a Vet Helps Your Horse
The best way to take care of your
horse’s health is to find a good veterinarian and work with him or her to
establish a preventive care plan for your horse. Although the cost of
preventive care may tweak your wallet a bit, anteing up is well worth the
money. In return, you’ll have a happy, healthy horse who can do whatever you
ask, and lower vet bills in the long run.
In the following sections, we
cover how to find the right vet for your horse and the procedures that a vet
usually handles for keeping a horse healthy.
Searching for a vet
One of the most important things
you can do for your horse’s health is to find a good veterinarian. Just like
human doctors, veterinarians vary in skill, knowledge, dedication, and bedside
manner. Finding a horse doctor who can provide you with these elements ensures
that both you and your horse feel well taken care of.
Warning!
Choose a veterinarian before your find yourself in an emergency situation. A vet already familiar with your horse can be a huge plus during an emergency. If you’re a regular client, your request for an emergency barn call receives priority treatment over a similar request from a nonregular client.
Start your search for a vet the
moment you realize you’re adding a horse to your family. The timing may be
after you have purchased your horse but before you bring him home.
Locating a good equine
veterinarian usually takes a bit of research. Don’t settle for the first name
you see in the phonebook or use the vet your next-door neighbor is using
without doing some investigation first.
Remember
The best choice for your horse’s health-care provider (preventive, regular, and emergency care) is a veterinarian who specializes in horses. Equine veterinarians are specially trained to diagnose and treat equine illnesses, and they have more knowledge of horse issues than their small-animal counterparts. If you can’t find a vet in your area who deals exclusively with horses, make sure that the vet you choose has at least moderate experience in equine medicine.
Follow these steps to finding a
vet who really knows equine stuff:
1. Get referrals. Unlike cat and dog owners, horse owners religiously share veterinary information with each other — and that includes opinions on local vets. You can easily identify the veterinarians in your area who have the best reputations among horse owners just by listening to conversations around the stable concerning vets. You can even go so far as to ask your fellow horse owners which vets they prefer. Make note of the names you hear time and again in a positive light, and put them on the top of your list.
If horse owners are few and far between where you live — or if equine veterinarians are scarce — you may be limited to only one or two names.
2. Ask questions. After you’re armed with a couple of names of equine veterinarians, call each one to get more information. Because most equine vets have limited or nonexistent office staff, you may be posing your questions directly to the actual veterinarian. Find out whether more than one doctor works in the practice and whether the vet or vets are available 24 hours a day for emergencies. (The answer should be “yes.”) Also, ask about the qualifications of the doctors in the practice. Look for a specialization in equine medicine and several years of experience.
Make certain the vet provides routine care for horses, and doesn’t just specialize in one area of equine health.
3. Meet the vet. Based on what you hear from other horse owners and over the phone from the veterinarian or practice staff, decide which vet or practice is your first choice. Then schedule an appointment for your horse’s next inoculation or deworming. When the vet comes out to see your horse, talk to him or her and try to get a feeling for the vet’s bedside manner. Pay close attention to the way the vet behaves with your horse. The vet should answer all your questions in a clear and understandable fashion. You’re looking for someone who feels comfortable around horses and who knows how to handle them.
At this point in the process, you can pretty much go on gut instinct. If you like and you feel comfortable with the vet, make him or her your permanent vet. If not, call the vet who came in second on your list and perform the same evaluation.
Tip
If you already went through an evaluation process when choosing a veterinarian who performed the prepurchase exam on your horse and were happy with the service you received, consider this individual as your horse’s regular vet. See Chapter Making the Big Buy for more about prepurchase exams.
Taking a shot at vaccinations
A number of dangerous infectious
diseases plague the horse world, but the good news is that vaccines exist for
many of them. To keep your horse in his optimal state of health, you need to
commit to a regular vaccination program, developed with your veterinarian, to
protect your horse from serious illness.
Remember
Although a host of other vaccines exist, the four that follow represent the absolute minimum your horse needs.
- Influenza/rhinopneumonitis: These two respiratory illnesses strike with the same kind of regularity as human flu viruses and with similar symptoms. Your veterinarian may recommend that your horse be inoculated with flu/rhino vaccine as frequently as every three months, or only twice a year if the horse is at minimal risk of exposure — isn’t exposed to many other horses.
- Equine encephalomyelitis: Three strains of the same encephalomyelitis illnesses — Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE), Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE), and Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) — can infect horses through mosquito bites. Encephalomyelitis attacks the central nervous system and can cause severe neurological symptoms and even death. Your veterinarian can recommend inoculation against one or more of these diseases at least once a year.
- Tetanus: Tetanus isn’t contagious but can be contracted through open wounds. This bacterial disease can result in serious neurological symptoms, such as extreme sensitivity to touch and spasm of the neck and jaw muscles, and ultimately death in many cases. Because horses are particularly susceptible to tetanus, veterinarians recommend an inoculation of tetanus toxoid for your horse at least once a year.
- West Nile virus: The insidious West Nile virus has now spread across the United States and Canada, threatening the lives of thousands of horses. Humans, birds, and equines are the only creatures seriously affected by the disease, which is spread by mosquitoes and attacks the nervous system. Horses that contract West Nile virus can become permanently damaged, and death often results. Vaccinating your horse once or twice a year (depending on which vaccine your vet uses) is vital to protect him from this terrible disease.
Remember
Reputable boarding stables require that all horses on the property be kept up-to-date on inoculations against contagious diseases. If your horse is boarded, maintaining a consistent schedule of inoculations is imperative.
Getting the bugs out with deworming
Horses, like most other animals,
are quite susceptible to a number of internal parasites. These parasites, more
commonly known as worms, can cause serious damage to your horse’s internal
organs. When left uncontrolled, they can result in chronic colic (stomach pain)
and even death.
Approximately 150 different species
of internal parasites can infect the horse. Don’t worry. We won’t bore you with
all 150, but the more common ones include strongyles, roundworms, pinworms, and
bots.
Remember
Although keeping worms from infecting your horse is nearly impossible, you can control their numbers. Regular deworming with a chemical agent that is safe for horses kills parasites in their various stages of growth and is a necessary part of your horse’s preventive care. Discuss your horse’s deworming needs with your vet so the two of you can come up with an effective program.
Tip
Several over-the-counter dewormers are available to horse owners at feed stores and can be used on a regular basis under your vet’s supervision. You can also ask your veterinarian to deworm your horse for you and or recommend a dewormer rotating schedule to ensure the parasites in your horse’s gut don’t develop a resistance to any one product.
Keeping track of teeth
Your own dentist probably preaches the importance of brushing, flossing, and maintaining your choppers. Horses depend on their teeth just as much, if not more than humans. Because the food they eat is so difficult to chew and digest (try downing a sprig of alfalfa
hay sometime and you’ll see what we mean), maintaining your horse’s healthy
teeth is vitally important.
To combat the normal wear that
occurs from chewing such tough, fibrous foods, nature has equipped the horse
with teeth that slowly erupt from the gum as the top layer wears off. However,
the horse’s upper jaw is wider than his lower jaw, so the upper outside teeth
and lower inside teeth have nothing to wear against as they erupt, and ridges
and sharp points result. These ridges and points restrict the horse’s normal
side-to-side rotary chewing motion, resulting in poor and painful chewing and
the dropping of food. Horses with this condition tend to chew up and down
instead of side to side, making horses with neglected teeth prone to problems
like choking and colic. These sharp points also hurt the horse when the
noseband is tightened and when the bit hits the horse’s teeth.
Remember
To keep sharp points from interfering with your horse’s ability to chew and subsequently digest his food, have your veterinarian file down those pointy teeth as often as once or twice a year, depending on how fast they grow. Called floating, this procedure is an absolute must in preventive care.
Have your veterinarian examine
your horse’s teeth at least twice a year to determine when his teeth need
floating. During these exams, the vet can also spot other dental problems that
may be developing, such as infected teeth or abnormal wear.
If the Shoe Fits: The Work of a Farrier
Nearly as important as finding a
veterinarian for your horse is finding a skilled and qualified farrier, a
specialist in trimming and shoeing your horse’s hooves. Choose your farrier
wisely: The health of your horse’s hooves and legs depends on it.
In the following sections, we
discuss the selection of a farrier and the healthcare tasks usually assigned to
a farrier.
Finding a farrier
The best way to locate a good
farrier is through a referral, and the first person to ask for a referral is
your vet. Most equine vets are well acquainted with the farriers in their area
and can recommend one or two good ones.
You can ask other horse owners
for referrals as well. If you go this route, be sure to take a consensus and
see which farriers get the most thumbs up. Don’t base your decision on the
comments of only one owner — you want to get a feeling for which farriers are
able to successfully handle horses with different shoeing needs.
Remember
Before you settle on a farrier, find out where the person was educated and how long she has been in business. You want to select a farrier who has a strong background in the trade, through both education and hands-on experience. Pick someone you’re comfortable with who seems willing to discuss your horse’s needs in a friendly and articulate manner. Find out whether this person is available if your horse needs corrective shoeing to fix a leg problem, or if your horse loses a shoe.
After you have chosen a farrier,
monitor his work closely. Does the farrier come when he is supposed to, or do
your horse’s feet go weeks overdue because the farrier doesn’t show up on a
regular basis? Does your farrier trim or shoe your horse too frequently, just
to pad his pockets? Most horses need shoes and/or trimming every six to eight
weeks. If your farrier wants to work on your horse more often than this, ask
him for a detailed explanation as to why.
Consider how your horse feels
after being shod. Is he “ouchy,” walking gingerly after a trim, or stumbling a
lot after he gets his new shoes? Does he become lame often (start limping),
with a diagnosis related to poor shoeing? If so, your farrier isn’t doing a
good job.
If your horse is having trouble
with his hooves or legs, consider the job your farrier is doing, and talk to
your vet about the possible causes. A farrier can make or break a horse’s
soundness (ability to move without pain).
Caring for a horse’s hooves
If you want your horse to do more
than just look good, you have to take care of his feet. A horse with poorly
treated feet can be plagued with chronic lameness and may eventually end up
unrideable. Regular trimming and shoeing by a qualified farrier are keys to
good hoof care.
Trimming
Horses’ hooves are always
growing, just like human fingernails. For your horse to stay sound, his feet
must be kept neatly trimmed at an angle parallel to the slope of his pastern
(ankle). No one is better qualified to perform this trimming accurately
than a professional farrier.
Each horse’s feet grow at a
different pace, so the frequency between trimmings varies from horse to horse.
The time range for most trims can be anywhere from six to eight weeks. No horse
should ever go longer than eight weeks without a trim.
Shoeing
The vast majority of horses
ridden for pleasure and show have to wear metal shoes for protection. Shoes
guard a horse’s hoof from cracking and splitting, two problems that can result
with normal riding.
Depending on the strength of your
horse’s hooves and what you’re using him for, you can opt to have your horse
shod on all four feet or on just the front hooves where the majority of
pressure exists during exercise. If you ride your horse lightly or he has very
tough hooves, he probably doesn’t even need shoes. In addition, horses that
spend all their time at pasture rarely need shoes. Because each individual
horse is different, discuss your particular shoeing needs with your farrier.
Most horses need new shoes every six to eight weeks, depending on how fast the
hoof grows and how quickly the shoes wear out. Your farrier can help you
determine the frequency of shoeing for your horse.
Warning!
Every now and then, one of your horse’s shoes may fall off — in other words, the horse throws a shoe. Never ride your horse with a shoe missing from his hoof. Doing so can result in damage to the bare hoof and possibly to the other legs. If you’re riding when the shoe comes off, dismount, retrieve the shoe, walk your horse back to the stable, and call your farrier to have it nailed back on. You can also keep an item known as a hoof boot with you when you ride, and use this as a substitute for a shoe until you make it back to the barn. If you find your horse in his stall with a shoe missing, skip riding until the farrier replaces the shoe.
In Control: Understanding Your Role in Preventive Care
In addition to having a good
veterinarian and farrier, two other factors play a large part in determining
the general well-being of your horse: food and exercise. You can have the best
veterinarian and farrier in the world, but if you don’t feed and exercise your
horse properly, you won’t have a healthy horse.
Feeding time
Remember
The quality of the feed you provide, the frequency with which you feed it, and the feed’s consistency are big factors in your horse’s health:
- Quality: Good feed is vitally important when it comes to your horse’s general well-being. Poor hay or pasture lacks nutrients and may cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Moldy or diseased hay can make your horse sick. Don’t scrimp on your horse’s feed. Buying poor quality hay, or grazing your horse on poor pasture just to save a few bucks will come back to haunt you in the form of poor health for your horse. (See Chapter Establishing an Everyday Routine for details on determining the quality of hay.)
- Frequency: Horses evolved as grazing animals, and so they need to eat often. Their digestive systems can’t tolerate long periods of time without eating. If you force your horse to go too long between meals, you’re asking for trouble in the form of colic and other problems. Feed your horse at least twice a day at regular times, with three times a day the ideal. Or, supplement your horse’s regular feedings with low-calorie grass hay to keep him occupied. Even better: Keep your horse in a pasture that provides access to quality grass at all times.
- Consistency: Any sudden change in feed can cause considerable disruption and even serious illness to your horse and its digestive system. If you want to change your horse’s feed from one type to another, do so gradually over a period of at least two weeks. The same goes for changing the amount of feed you’re giving your horse. If you want to increase the amount, do so gradually during a week or two.
Getting exercise
Nature designed horses to be on
the go all the time. Wild horses walk constantly as they graze, and stand still
only for a few hours a day to sleep. Contrast this reality with the life of a
typical stabled horse, who spends most of his time standing around and moving
only a few hours a day! The result of this sedentary life can be a host of leg
and digestive problems for your horse.
Remember
In the same way your own doctor has espoused the importance of getting your rump off the couch and exercising, the same goes for your horse. If you keep your horse in a stable, you need to make special efforts to keep his body in good working order. Provide a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day to increase circulation, loosen muscles, and provide mental stimulation. Be sure to warm up and cool down with at least 10 minutes of walking before and after a workout to help your horse’s body stay healthy. (See Chapter Establishing an Everyday Routine for more about daily exercise.)
Exercise is not only necessary
for your horse’s physical well-being but also for his mental health. If you
spent most of your time standing around inside a box with nothing to do, you’d
get pretty bored. Horses are no different, and need time and exercise outside
their stalls to keep from developing neurotic habits (known as stable vices;
see Chapter Understanding
Horses from Head to Hoof) and other assorted misbehaviors.
If your horse lives in a pasture and can graze at will, the need for structured exercise is less important than for a stabled horse.
by Audrey Pavia with Janice Posnikoff,DVM
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