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SUMMER 2016 ISSUE
EQUINE MATTERS
8
HEALTHY HORSES
We are all familiar with the phrase ‘no
foot, no horse’, and it is all too true when
considered in the context of a competition
horse
(figure 3)
. Regular farriery, at least
every six weeks, will help to keep your
horse’s feet balanced. This in turn, will
reduce the risk of your horse developing
lameness. If your horse already has a
problem, remedial farriery can help to
manage existing conditions and allow
your horse to continue to compete
comfortably. Basic foot care is also
important. Horse’s feet should be picked
out twice daily and assessed for signs of
damage. Hoof ointments and supplements
can be used to help maintain healthy feet.
Foot care
Feeding
Figure 3. Foot care is critical in keeping
your horse healthy
Make sure your horse is in good body
condition and monitor him/her regularly.
You can use a weightape to monitor
weight loss or weight gain
(figure 2)
.
Whether your horse is a ‘good-doer’ or
not, they require good quality forage,
making up as much as 80% of their diet.
Forage comes in many forms with hay
being the cheapest. Be aware that dusty
or mouldy hay can irritate the airways and
lead to conditions such as recurrent airway
obstruction (RAO). This condition can
cause poor performance in affected
individuals, so to avoid this feed only
good quality hay. Haylage can also be
fed as this is less likely to contain dust
and mould spores. If in any doubt, hay
can be soaked but this must be for at
least 30 minutes to be effective. There
are many compound feeds on the market
for specific disciplines. Read the bag very
carefully to work out if your horse really
needs these extra calories. Feeding a
balancer alongside good quality forage
and access to grass is enough for many
horses. Extra calories can also safely be
provided in the form of oil.
Intense activity during competition or
training will cause your horse to sweat and
lose electrolytes. For effective rehydration,
both water and electrolytes are needed.
Adding an electrolyte supplement to your
horse’s water is one way to achieve this,
but if they refuse to drink the solution, you
may have to try an alternative method such
as adding electrolytes to the feed. Always
provide fresh water alongside any
electrolyte solutions. Making the feed wet
and slushy and adding succulents such as
apples and carrots, can encourage your
horse to consume the electrolytes. Adding
soaked sugar beet is an easy way to tempt
horses to eat and has the added benefit of
supplying highly digestible fibre.
Figure 2. Weightapes are simple to
use and help you know whether your
horse is gaining or losing weight
Water
It is good practice to get your saddle
checked at least once a year. As the
seasons change, so does the shape of your
horse and this can lead to discomfort in the
saddle area. Saddlers registered with The
Society of Master Saddlers can come to
you, assess the saddle and your horse and
can then adjust your saddle or make you a
made-to-measure one. Make sure your other
tack, e.g. bridles are clean, oiled and fit
correctly. Check stitching and buckles
regularly for wear and tear.
Saddle/tack checks
Physiotherapy in the form of grooming
after competition can be beneficial to the
horse. Also remember to warm the horse
up slowly before the competition and
cool them down properly afterwards.
Assessment and treatment with a chartered
or ACPAT registered physiotherapist can
also help to identify problem areas with
your horse. Physiotherapy can help to
address and manage these problems,
preventing lameness and poor performance
in the future. However, if you think that
your horse is lame, you should contact
your vet.
Physiotherapy
Conclusion
There are many things to consider
when attempting to keep the
competition horse healthy. Whatever
the level of competition, small things
can make a big difference.