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We all want to keep our horses as healthy as possible for as long as possible. How to do this is the tricky part.

Fortunately we have a superb source of information available. Studies of wild horses show just how well these amazing animals have adapted to suit their environment. It follows then that by recreating the horse’s natural environment as far as possible you will be promoting his health and well being. One of the most obvious differences between the environment of a wild horse and that of our domestic horse is the amount of space they have available.

Wild horses are free to roam, and typically cover great distances each day. Most domestic horses on the other hand are kept in small paddocks, barely a few strides from one side to the other. The impact of this incarceration on the horse can be significant, both in terms of mental health and physical health.

Boredom:

In a small paddock there is very little to keep the horse occupied, and extreme boredom is a real possibility. This can promote the development of bad habits such as wind sucking, crib biting and the rest. Horses are generally curious, active and intelligent creatures. Being contained in a small square however dulls the senses and it is hardly surprising that such horses invent ways to keep themselves busy.

Musculature:

Horses in the wild typically display enviable condition, being both fat and fit. People often explain this as the result of not having to carry riders. In fact, it is not being ridden that impacts the condition of our domestic horses as much as the restriction of their natural environment. Wandering across distances as great as 30km per day,

every day, builds tremendous stamina in the wild horse, as well as conditioning the musculature. Domestic horses are largely stationary, with infrequent bursts of high energy usage when ridden. This is not the best way to ensure your

remains fit and sound.

Hoof Wear:

The inability to roam means a big impact on hoof wear and the circulatory system. Wild horses wear their hooves naturally. Domestic horses are usually shod. As a result the hoof cannot wear normally, and the mechanics of the hoof action depend upon the skill of the farrier.

Circulation:

The hoof typically plays a large part in assisting the circulation of the horse. In fact it has been said that the horse has five hearts – a cardiac pump and four hooves! Unshod, a horse’s hoof flexes as he walks, with each step drawing blood into the hoof and then forcing it out again along the veins. If the horse’s movement is dramatically reduced, this pumping mechanism is drastically reduced, leading to the pooling of blood in the extremities and decreased blood flow from the hooves.

Feeding Patterns:

In a small paddock a horse typically cannot graze 20 hours a day as he would tend to in the wild. In order to make up for this horses are often fed concentrated feeds. This provides the necessary amount of calories that the horse requires, but falls short in other ways. Firstly, a horse’s digestive system is built to handle a constant flow of fibre. Without this, the horse will feel hungry, even if he is receiving sufficient nutrition in total. There is also evidence that few high-calorie feeds lead to ulcers in the horse. Not surprising, considering the stomach is empty for most of the day. Secondly, concentrated feeds can upset the bacterial balance of the horse gut, leading to complications such as laminitis and colic. There is no doubt that any good horse diet must consist primarily of fibre, and lots of it. A biscuit of hay now and again is not sufficient!

What to Do:

It’s very simple. Provide the maximum amount of space for your horses that you can. If you have large paddock try and ensure that your horse spends as much time there as possible. If you have several small paddocks, open them up and let your horses wander at will. This will provide them with another natural factor – company. Your horses will reward you by being more curious and active, happier, healthier and more fit with less effort. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful result?

Carol Botha is passionate about horses, having been involved in riding and caring for them since she was a toddler. She has participated in numerous equestrian disciplines, and has several years of experience in studying the psychology and behaviour of these wonderful creatures. Read more about horse care and training at [http://www.placeofpets.com]

Author: Carol A Botha
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Buying your first horse is exciting and can be very rewarding. When buying your first horse there are a number of things you need to consider. Owning a horse is a huge responsibility but the rewards are worth it; they are amazing animals and their love is never ending.

Firstly choosing a horse for your needs is the most important thing to do. If you want a horse to just quietly hack out on the weekend then you would look for a horse that has a kind and quiet temperament and is what we call ‘bomb proof’ it should be educated in all areas. It is also an advantage if he is a ‘good doer’. This means that your horse will be little or no maintainance with his feed. Types of horse that are generally most suited to this are stock horses, quarter horses or most types of ponies. If you were looking at competing and you are able to ride most days then you would look for something that specializes in the area you want to go into like show jumping for example. We are seeing more and more Warmbloods emerge from our own breeding stock but also imported stallions and mares. In Europe warmbloods are used mainly in show jumping and dressage but now they are breaking into eventing. Temperament is a major factor in buying a horse, you have to look at ground manners, and it’s temperament when being riden. It’s trainability is a huge part of temperament.

Main Factors to look for when selecting the horse to view:

Your ability – make an accurate assessment of how well you ride, always try and be honest as this will allow you to get the perfect horse for you!

Facilities that are available to you – Climate and weather can affect your choice in breeds. If you only have fields available to you and you live in a cold climate then you will have to buy a breed that can survive through winter in a field. You may have to supplement his feed. If you have stables available then you have more choice.

Age – this will depend on your experience level, and what you want the horse for.

Height – a horse that is to short or to big for you can make riding much harder. Make sure you feel comfortable on the horse.

Breed – can be discipline specific. An example would be, if you wanted to go into show jumping – then a warmblood with a good form over a fence would be more appropriate than a thoroughbred that was bred to race.

Education – What has he done? What results has he received? Who has been riding him.? If he’s riden by a really experienced rider, or a beginner. For beginners a school master would be an appropriate kind of horse. This means that the horse has been correctly trained and educated. However, when looking for a school master be careful as the term is sometimes used very lightly and the ‘school master’ may not have a kind temperament.

Price – Price of course can be a limiting factor. Don’t be put off by a cheaper horse, no one else needs to know how much he was and if you’ve chosen well he will be a good horse anyway.

Things to do when you think you have the right one:

First before anything else when you go and see him, take a professional or experienced rider with you that knows your strengths and weaknesses. This will allow you to have some feedback on how you will go with him. Whether or not he will be tricky or be able to teach you anything. It will also give you an idea on his temperament, if the horse is willing to to behave for his rider. Some horses aren’t easy for beginners and an experienced rider will be able to help you assess whether or not the horse is suitable for you.

Always get on yourself if you feel safe. You may go and see a horse that your experienced rider suggests that you shouldn’t get on. Don’t worry if this happens, trust their advice. If you are not confident then don’t ride. Ask yourself why you are not confident. If it’s because the horse has been naughty for your experienced rider then it may do it to you as well which may knock your confidence. If you are just a little worried about a new horse give it a try in a small arena if it is available. Trust your own instinct. It would be good to have riden a number of different horses before you go to buy one so you already have a nice skill base and confidence to ride new horses.

Never buy the first horse the first time you see him. You can still come back and buy the first one you saw, but never ever buy on first sight. Always go at least twice to see the horse. The first time will be arranged but try to make the second one a ‘last minute’ decision. Call the owner when your half an hour away and say ‘we were just in the neighborhood and we’d thought we would just go and see the horse’. Even if you don’t ride him the second time, look at the horse, try to assess for yourself what the horse is like. Does he have the same temperament as the first time you saw him? That’s the point to see the horse in it’s own area with other horses and people. If you give them days to prepare the horse they can work him hard so he’s not to jumpy or even dope him to ensure he will be quiet. Your not trying to be cheeky or tricky you have to make sure that the horse is right for you!

If you’ve tried him once, and an experienced rider has confirmed he will be suitable, get him VETTED. Beginners always make the mistake of getting to excited and buying on the first look. This can end up being a nightmare. If you do not get him checked by a vet, any problems that he has had or still has, can not be detected. Remember that some horse people will try to sell you a dud horse. If you get him vetted the vet will tell you if there is anything that you should be aware of, or worried about. It is then your decision whether or not to buy. Get an independent vet, and do not let the seller arrange this. Unless it is a big name rider, although just to be safe I would still arrange it yourself. It’s a little more work but if you’ve arranged it then you can feel more relaxed that the vet won’t be getting a commission from the seller. I have heard many stories about people (even experienced horse people) buying a horse without being vetted and it having chronic lameness 2 days after it gets home. This is a disaster if you don’t get it vetted you can’t do anything about it without going to court and fighting to prove that the seller knew about it before they sold the horse to you.

Questions to ask:

1. How long have you had him (then who had him before you). Get his history.

2. Is he quiet to shoe, float, worm and clip? If he’s not ask if there is any reason that they feel he’s not OK with it?

3. Has he had any major injuries? Has he ever had colic or an operation for colic? Has he ever had laminitis, been lame or had any navicular damage? (At this point if he has had any major things happen to his feet you might want to just turn around and leave him there)

4. Why are you selling him? They could just have outgrown the pony, or be going to uni or not be interested in horses any more but if you think it might be because of any reason they aren’t telling you then ask more questions and try to find out why they aren’t telling you the truth.

My advice is if in doubt ASK someone. Ask a third party who isn’t getting paid by either party and only has your best interests at heart. Listen to your instincts, if you know it’s right and all the other information you have been gathering is saying the horse is right for you then go for it but on the other hand, if you have any doubts, then don’t buy. Or look into it more. If it’s something medical that is minor, then you might be able manage it. Research what it is, talk to experts including vets if you can.

If you do each step calmly and don’t rush into anything you will have found a wonderful pony or horse and will end up having a fabulous time bonding with your new best friend.

Author: Christine Turley
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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