Horses are most happy in a natural environment where they are free to roam, socialize and graze at will. They require close attention and care. A horse needs a safe pasture, good fencing, access to salt and minerals, adequate shelter from the weather, a continuous supply of fresh clean water and a high quality staple diet. Horses also need companionship, from other livestock and from you. Make sure to monitor your horse on a daily basis for any illness or injury. These are the tenets of being a good horse owner.

Health problems can often seem to come out of nowhere. One day your horse seems perfectly content and healthy, then the next day he is suddenly struck ill. Most horse-related illnesses can be avoided by taking preventative measures against all common diseases and disorders. As a horse owner, you will have to learn to take preventative measures. Here are some of the most common illnesses that can affect your horse.

Equine Respiratory Disease Complex

This condition, also known as ERDC, is incredibly common among horses. This condition is a result of the stress of transportation or strenuous exercising. It can also develop from exposure to new surroundings and other animals. A horse can easily become vulnerable to an ERDC viral infection as well as a secondary bacterial infection like Streptococcus zooepidemicus. The latter is a species that is probably one of the most common organisms isolated from foals with pulmonary abscesses or pneumonia. Pneumonia is another relatively common condition caused by the inflammation of the lungs. Viruses like equine viral arthritis, equine viral rhinopneumonitis or other forms of bacteria can cause it. Viral pneumonia can often weaken the horse, making them more vulnerable to secondary bacterial infections.

Signs and symptoms of this condition include nasal discharge, cough, increased respiratory rates and a fever of at least107 degrees F. Most afflicted horses appear depressed and will refuse to eat. S. Zooepidemicus can also create toxins that damage the horse’s airways, which can result in pneumonia and abscess formations.

In order to make a complete diagnosis, veterinarians will need to take the horse’s full history. The horse will need to conduct a full examination before deciding on a course of treatment. Most of these veterinarians will base the diagnosis on their previous clinical experience, so make sure you find an experienced vet that you can trust.

Laminitis is another common illness that results from a short-term disruption of blood flow to the laminae structures in the foot. This can affect one or all of your horse’s feet. The condition is most common in the front feet. This condition remains a mystery, but we do know that the underlying causes often begin as a disturbance somewhere else in the horse’s body. Some potential causes of this condition may include toxins released in the horses system, digestive upsets, excessive amounts of lush forage, high fever, severe colic, metabolic disorders, and retained placenta in a mare. Other factors that can increase a horse’s susceptibility are overweight and breed (draft horses appear to be more susceptible).

Signs and symptoms of this condition can include an increased digital pulse in the foot or feet, lameness, a reluctance to walk, pain in the toe area, rings or bruises on the hooves, flat feet, dropped soles or dished hooves. The sooner a diagnosis is made, the quicker that the recovery process can begin. Diagnosing Laminitis early is often challenging as it often begins somewhere else in the horse’s body.

Colic is another common problem that is often used to describe a wide range of abdominal discomforts. Colic can include worm infestations or even a twisted intestine. Colic is one of the biggest health threats to all horses. Causes of colic may include ingesting sand or other non-feed materials, over feeding, irregular feeding, poisons, bad feed, worms or a twisted intestine. Most colic is put into one of three categories: Intestinal Accidents, Intestinal Dysfunction and Ulcerations.

There are many signs and symptoms that can point to colic, including personality changes, not interested in feed or water, general unease, excessive rolls, sweat and tired appearance. Your horse’s body temperature may be higher than normal even though the pulse and respiration remains level. Other signs may include a horse stomping on his hind leg, swishing his tail, turning to look at his belly and nipping at his sides. Horses with severe pain may roll their eyes, groan, kick his belly and stretch out on the ground.

Visit your vet immediately if colic is suspected. The vet will take the horse’s vital signs. Write down all the symptoms you have noticed before the vet arrives. This will help the vet make the right diagnosis.

Product Description Oster ECS Line of Grooming Tools feature control touch handles that are ergonomically designed to reduce hand fatigue. These one-of-a kind grooming tools are made to last and offer uncompromising results in horse grooming.
Buy Oster Equine Care Series Sweat Scraper, Pink at Amazon
Buy Oster Equine Care Series Sweat Scraper, Pink at Amazon

There is definitely something beautiful about snow in winter. The cold weather recalls moments of cuddling and family time. However, winter can be hard on your animals, especially horses. Horses have a lot more health problems in the winter than any other season. When the temperature drops, horses tend to get sick faster, especially if they are not protected properly.

Here are some of the major health problems that a horse can suffer from during the cold winter months.

Colic is a serious stomachache that horses sometimes suffer from. Colic doesn’t always appear in the wintertime, but horses appear more susceptible to it in cold weather. Horse reacts to having colic by not eating. They tend to lie down and keep getting up, trying to soothe the pain. In some severe cases, some horses will roll and thrash violently, kick at their bellies and grind their teeth. Immediately call a vet if you notice any of these things. This means that they need to get serious medical attention. Why do some horses seem more prone to colic during the cold months?

Dehydration is the major reason that a horse may get colic. When winter sets in and it begins to get colder, horses don’t care to drink cold water, especially frozen water. Horses don’t get many nutrients from snow. When they do drink, their body temperature will begin to drop. This means that their body has to work twice as hard to produce enough heat. When a horse becomes hydrated, its intestines become easily affected. This can cause your horse extreme pain. To avoid this, set a pan of lukewarm water in the barn and fill their water troughs twice a day with warm water.

Everyone loves warm food or hay, and your horse is no exception. Overfeeding in the wintertime is a common problem. Many horse owners think that since its cold out, they should feed the horses more. When your horse consumes its food too fast, it can cause problems such as colic or laminitis. Instead of increased feeding, try to feed more hay of a better quality about three times a day.

Horses will usually not eat weeds and stalks mixed in hay, as they simply won’t digest it as well as some animals. Your goal is not to make the hay moldy as this can cause Botulism.

Another problem is rain rot. This occurs when the ground is soggy and wet and bacteria moves onto the horses skin and dirt. Rain rot looks like tiny bumps or large scabbing along the front of the horse’s legs. This condition can spread rapidly if not treated right away. Try a betadine scrub bath and if this doesn’t work, a vet should prescribe antibiotics.

Just like humans can get it, horses can contract pneumonia as well. This condition has to do with fluid in the lungs from a viral or bacterial infection. Antibiotics can wipe it out if caught early enough, but it can lead to premature death if not treated promptly. Keep your horse in a stall in the barn that is clean and warm. A horse blanket can help raise a horse’s body temperature to fight off the infection. Make sure to pamper your horse in order to help it heal faster. Consult your vet if you have any question about caring for your horse in intemperate weather.

Horses, like people, need shoes to protect their feet. Most breeds of horses have hooves that are simply not strong enough to sustain them in their working environment. The horse that spends all day working on a farm needs the kind of foot protection necessary for long working life. Most horses work through mud, dust, water, and grass on a daily basis. Each of these things has a different effect on the foot. Foot infections, parasites, cuts to the foot and infection-all of these quickly invade the body and damage your horse’s health. So it’s clear that horses need shoes, but who invented these things?

There is no one clear line back to the first horseshoe. It appears that several societies noticed that their equine friends becoming injured and dying off too quickly from disease and injured feet. There is evidence that Romans devised a shoe that made of leather and cloth. The shoe apparently hugged the hoof and was tied down with the same leather straps that people used to make their sandals. With the development of the iron, many cultures began to make shoes that would last a long time and protect the horse’s feet from stones, sticks and other sharp objects found across paths and roadways. During the crusades, special horseshoes were made to protect the horse’s feet during battles. Ironsmiths were the secret heroes of many battles, capable of keeping the horses feet protected. It is believed that the iron horseshoe was invented in the 1600s, but it was not until the 1800s that the iron horseshoe was patented and mass-produced.

In the 1600 and 1700s, ironsmiths began to regularly produce horseshoes. This was exceptionally laborious work and many smiths could not keep up with the demand. After a horse died, the iron was often recycled. These horseshoes were often melted down and recast into new shoes. Nails were often put through the same process. Many iron horseshoes were used as currency throughout Europe. Automation was in its infancy during the 1800s, and the first massed-produced horseshoes are thought to have been sold in Boston, with a patent being developed soon after. Gone were the days of extensive waiting periods. Owners could now take their horses for a fitting and have new shoes by the next day. Horse labor became more attractive as less time was needed in order to fit a horse for a pair of shoes. Many horses were saved from early deaths thanks to these new innovations in hoof protection.

Horseshoes are now a staple that we can’t imagine living without. Even though most horses are used for racing or entertainment purposes rather than for regular work, every horse still needs a pair of reliable shoes that will protect their feet from the harsh conditions. When a hoof gets injured, this can easily lead to infection and even death. Thus, horseshoes have not lost their hold in the hierarchy of important horse accessories.

Horseshoes have taken on a whole new meaning in recent times. Hanging a horseshoe above a doorway is considered good luck. Iron has a history of being valuable, and it has long been thought to bring luck and prosperity to those who possessed it. This superstition persists to this day, although most people have horseshoe charm bracelets or such smaller objects rather than hanging real shoes over the door. Horseshoes have also developed as a source of entertainment, as in the popular horseshoe game. To play horseshoes, place a metal spike thirty or forty feet away and then take turns pitching horseshoes to see who can get the horseshoe around the spike. Although simple, the game can be quite challenging and fun, even spawning its own league of players.

The main purpose of horseshoes is still to protect the horse’s feet from objects that might injure it. A good set of horseshoes and regular maintenance can go a long way to protecting your equine friend’s health and well being for years to come.