Caring for Your Horses: The Top Horse Care Tips You Need to Know

Whether you’re considering the purchase of a horse or you recently added one to your farm, you should know about the logistics of caring for equines. Horses live for 25 to 33 years.

Every day of top-notch care counts toward a happy and healthy life.

Read on for some tips to get you started with proper horse care.

Basic Horse Care

Did you know that there are more than 400 different types of horses thriving around the world?

Though these equines vary in size and physical characteristics, they all need access to basic necessities including:

  • A large, gated paddock and pasture
  • A quality plant-based diet
  • Socialization with other horses
  • Lots of water
  • And consistent exercise.

Horses should eat a diet of fresh grains and grass. Keep in mind, though, that ruffage (grass) is more important to a horse’s health than grains are. A horse should feed on fresh grass equal to 2 percent of his body weight, and he should graze on small amounts of grains daily.

Your horse needs about 5 to 10 gallons of freshwater daily. A dam or stream in your paddock is an ideal drinking source.

However, if you have to fill a container with water for your horse, make sure it can’t tip easily. A large basin or bathtub works well for this purpose.

A Horse’s Dental Care

Your equine friend should be seen by a vet for regular dental examinations about once a year when he reaches adulthood. From birth to age five, your horse should have a biannual dental exam.

During normal grazing, horses grind down their teeth. This ensures that their mouths aren’t aching or punctured by their long, pointy teeth.

However, sometimes their teeth have to be floated by an equine vet. During this process, the vet files and smoothes the teeth.

Keeping Your Horse Clean and Happy

Whether you ride your horse or it’s an outdoor family pet, he needs regular grooming and comfortable conditions. If a horse is too hot or dirty, his performance and health will suffer.

Groom your horse daily. This helps you develop a bond with him, and it gives you a chance to check for any skin irritation or matting of the coat.

You should also do your best to keep bugs away from your equine companion. Not only do bugs irritate horses, but they can cause them to become ill.

Take a look at the best fly control spray for horses, and use it in conjunction with deworming medicine. Both tactics will help

you reduce the need for vet visits due to bug-related bacterial infections

Are You Ready to Care for Your Horse?

Horses are magnificent and intelligent animals who can bring years of joy and companionship to your farm family. Take good care of your horse and you’ll be rewarded for a lifetime.

To learn more about horse care or the nature of other animals in general, come back to our blog frequently for the latest content. We aim to fascinate and educate the nature lover in you.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *