Posts Tagged ‘Carnivores’

Most horse owners make the mistake of assuming that the horse see the world as we humans do and that is not the case at all. It is true that we are both mammals and that makes us close in great many aspects such and nutritional needs as well as need for rest. However the human evolution and the horse’s evolution brought us in two different directions and will therefore give the horse a very different reality than ours.

Horse Evolution Makes It Eat Grass
Mammals are basically divided into two categories where one (the predators) live by eating meat, being other animals, where as the other category lives by eating vegetation from trees and other plants. Humans have evolved into eating both by we are by nature primarily predators eating meat.

Horses on the other hand have evolved into eating grass and are a more defensive prey animal that just wants to be left in peace. Their most active periods are in the early morning and the late evenings where humans are more active during the day. That is just one of the many parts that separate man and horse.

Being an outdoor creature the horse has developed great bodies that are perfect for running outside and grazing plains. They also have a very adaptable mind that is a quick learner and never forgets.

Another interesting thing is that, being different from humans, a horse can go from a sleeping state to wide-awake and moving within a few seconds. Try that out in the morning if you will Horses are also fantastic runners and their body gives them the ability to go from 0 to 40 miles an hour in 3-5 seconds, which in fact is faster than most cars.

Because the horse can become a prey for carnivores it has a kick that it powerful enough to kill or at least disable anyone that wants to hurt it. The horse’s bite can have a similar devastating effect if you get too close.

The horse has many more nature evolved skills to help it in the wild and is has become a formidable survivor. Unfortunately this list also shows us how poorly our view and management of the fantastic animal is.

Signals from the senses
A horse has a great ability to feel a touch and even the slightest touch on the coat will be felt. That is probably also why a horse will be less able to stand pain compared to humans. The sense of taste of the horse is very similar to humans and it can taste sweet, salt, bitter and sour. There are three senses where a horse separates from those of human beings. Those are the ability to hear, to smell and to see.

The hearing range of a horse is not only much wider than that of a human but it can also hear sounds at a much higher frequency. This greater level of hearing comes from the unique ears with a shape and a moving capability that improves the sense significantly.

Just like dog, you will find that horse’s ability to smell if far superior to ours. Even smells that come from a mile away can be picked up. The sense of smelling is used for identifying other animals as a protection mechanism.

The eyesight of a horse makes them able to have an almost 360 degrees view with only a few black spots where one of them is strait in front of their head. Another impressive ability is that the horse’s eyes can process two different pictures simultaneously. As for colors we can’t say for certain but Horses probably can’t see the colors yellow and green.

Conclusion
Horses, being prey animals, are designed to run first and think later. This tendency can however be overcome by the trainer’s strong, calm and empathetic attitude when managing the horse. It is the horse’s nature to act the way it does and has nothing to do with being stupid.

Being able to smell better and hear better than us humans the horse will also experience at lot more from the world than we ever will. If we could read the horse’s mind he might think that humans are stupid because we clearly miss out on so much.

The key to a rewarding relationship between your horse and you is found in a two-may communication and in trusting each other. If a horse trusts you and know that nothing bad will happen to it by following your instructions, he’ll be much more likely to do it. On the other hand we will also have to accept that the horse has heightened abilities and senses that we can’t possibly understand. So building a relationship with your horse is just like building a relationship with another human. It takes commitment, trust and time but then there is nothing more to it.

If you want to know more about horses and horse feeding you can come visit us at HorseTrailerUniverse.com where you will find everything from different types of horse food to information about training your horse. You will also find information about what to look for when buying used horse trailers

Author: Hank Westwood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Colic is the most common cause of pre-mature death in domestic horses. It is also the most frequent cause of major veterinary bills. However, the vast majority of colic cases could be easily prevented through correct management. A study of the existing research into this illness, including case studies covering thousands of cases of horse colic, which has identified the most common causes of colic, is the basis for the following recommendations.

Worming. Ensure that the horse is on a regular deworming schedule. All other horses which share the same pasture should be on a synchronized deworming schedule, to prevent cross-reinfection. If a horse has a heavy infestation of worms to start with (e.g. if it has not been dewormed for a long time), then the actual deworming itself can be dangerous, so one should use a laxative to reduce the worm population prior to starting a deworming schedule. 

Food and Pasture. Horses have evolved to eat and digest throughout the day. Their digestive systems are based on ‘continuous processing’, rather than periodic feedings (such as one finds in people or large carnivores). Consequently, restricting them to feedings only twice or even a few times per day is unnatural and places a strain on their system. The ideal situation is for the horse to spend the majority of its time on pasture, constantly eating and moving. If this is not possible, it should be fed as often as possible so that one comes as close as possible to the ‘continuous processing’ it has evolved for. One should never feed food which has gone off (e.g. moldy, fermented).

Hay before Grain. The horse digestive system is designed for ‘high volume, low calorie’ food such as grass and hay; foods which are ‘low volume, high calorie’ such as grain do not provide the volume they require and can lead to various medical conditions (in particular, ulcers). Consequently, use high-roughage foods in preference to grains, unless there are specific reasons otherwise (e.g. for intensive sports, grain may be necessary).

Furthermore, if one is providing both hay and grain, the hay should be fed first. One reason for this is that by reducing appetite with hay, it is less likely that the horse will ‘bolt’ the grain (see ‘bolting’ below). Another reason is that there is evidence that hay following by grain is digested much better than grain followed by hay.

Soak Pelleted Food. It is advisable to soak pelleted food before feeding to horses. The main reason for this is that pelleted food expands in contact with water, so if a horse ‘bolts’ a large quantity of dry pelleted food, it can rapidly expand to an excessive volume upon contact with fluids in the stomach. By pre-soaking the pellets, the food is expanded before it is eaten. This also reduces the rate at which the horse eats, reduces the risk of choke and ensures that additional water is ingested (for horses that are poor drinkers).

Excessive Feed. Horses sometimes manage to get into the feed stores (e.g. where you store grain or other high-calorie food) and stuff themselves, which can result in colic. It is wise to keep the room with feed locked, so that if a horse gets out of its stable or pasture, it will not be able to get into the feed room.

Bolting. If your horse ‘bolts’ (swallows without chewing) its food, discuss options with your veterinarian. For example, with hay pellets one can pre-soak them in water.

Water. Ensure that the horse has access to water at all times. If for some reason the horse has not had water for some time, provide water in small amounts at first rather than allowing it to drink a large amount at one go (particularly after exercise). Likewise, if a horse has not been drinking for some time (horses often refuse to drink during transport), ensure that when it resumes drinking that it is gradual.

During winter, try to provide warm drinking water. A study by the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Veterinary Medicine determined that this increased water consumption by 40% (warm water compared to near freezing water). As inadequate water consumption is an important cause of colic (impaction colic), providing warm water is advisable. Further, there is strong anecdotal evidence that consumption of large quantities of cold water in a short time (e.g. after exercise or after water deprivation) can cause colic.

Exercise. Colic can be caused by inadequate exercise (e.g. horse spends most of day in stall), excessive exercise (especially if horse is out of condition), or rapid changes in the amount of exercise. Consequently, one should avoid these extremes.

Bedding. Ensure that the horse does not eat its bedding, certainly not in large quantities. If it persists in eating its bedding, change to another bedding type which it does not eat.

Sand and Dirt. Do not feed the horse on sand or dirt surfaces. Avoid stabling the horse on sand or dirt. Do not leave a horse on over-grazed pasture.

Dental Care. Correct and periodic dental care (e.g. annual examination, with work if required) will minimize the risk of horses not chewing their food properly due to dental pain.

Trapped. A horse will sometimes lie down or roll so that its back is against a fence or wall, with the result that it cannot get up. Remaining in this position for a lengthy period risks serious colic (e.g. movement of colon into a dangerous position), so if one sees a ‘trapped’ horse one should quickly move it, taking care to avoid accidental injury to oneself. Likewise, a horse that lies down in a paddock sometimes gets its legs trapped under or in the fence rails and needs to be freed.

Temperature. Extreme temperatures (very high or very low) and rapid temperature changes can cause stress on a horse, particularly those which are weak (old or sick). During extreme weather, consider keeping the horses in their stalls. Alternatively, there are a range of horse jackets to protect from rain and/or cold. These should be used if there are sudden extreme changes in weather or if a horse is weak. In addition, although stables should have good ventilation, they should not be drafty (in general, drafts are more of a risk than simple cold).

Change. Finally, one should be aware that horses do not react well to change or stress. One should minimise these as much as possible; if a period of change or stress is necessary (e.g. long distance transport, changes to feed), one needs to monitor the horse much more closely than normal and take special care of it. The ways in which change can affect a horse negatively are numerous. For example, horses will often stop drinking during periods of stress or if they are moved to another area where the water tastes different. As another example, adding or removing a horse from a herd can upset the herd social dynamics, resulting in considerable stress.

Colic is a complex illness, with many different causes. Currently, there is no management programme which has 100% success in avoiding it. However, following the above guidelines will greatly reduce the risk of colic.

Dr. Stewart is the owner of Horse Care. The above article is an extract from his detailed study at Horse Colic.

Author: Doug M Stewart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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