Posts Tagged ‘equine insurer’

Spending quality time with your horse is important in allowing a natural bond to develop, as well as allowing you to learn your horses responses and reactions to different situations. In time you will learn your horse’s body language. A horse that is calm and responsive is generally happy. They will keep their head lowered, and have soft eyes and a relaxed jaw. By not invading your personal space your horse is showing affection by seeking your love and respect; this is a sign of a happy horse. A horse is not showing he is bored by yawning – rather this is a sign of relaxation and calm. You can tell by the way a horse holds himself if there is something wrong; a troubled horse will be reluctant to stand still and will hold his head high with a tense jaw and darting eyes. Allow the horse time to settle himself slowly in order to avoid the onset of “flight” mode and further stress.

Grooming your horse gives you the opportunity to check him over regularly. Pay close attention to your horse’s eyes, teeth, shoes and hooves and inspect his droppings regularly. Any change in the normal should be reported to your vet at the earliest opportunity – any delay could cause you extra worry, expense and a potential claim on your horse insurance. Ensure you have made appointments with your equine vet for the administration of vaccinations and worming treatments. There are many different types of worms and parasites and you should rotate medications to get the best benefits and to stop them building up immunity. Colic, heart and immunity problems can all be caused by lack of suitable medication. Vaccinations for encephalitis, rhinoneumonitis and influenza are essential for a healthy horse. Tetanus and rabies are also advisable, but not essential. A negative Coggins test for equine infectious anaemia (EIA) may need to be shown if you regularly use hired trailers for horse events – this is a serious incurable equine virus.

Having regular farrier visits is also essential for a happy and comfortable horse. When your horse’s feet are allowed to get long and unbalanced, it is inevitably uncomfortable and will in time affect the horse’s mood and performance. Your farrier will need to trim your horse’s hooves every six weeks or so.

During wet and cold weather you should provide a blanket or coat for your horse, and in the summer he will need a fly-protective sheet. You may wish to use a horse cooler rug after exercise to help your horse calm and cool down. Drinking water directly after exercise could put a horse’s body into shock. Normal body temperature needs to be regained after exercise and before feeding your horse. Leave it for an hour after meals before exercising your horse.

Horses need to have a purpose, whether it is riding, showing, therapy, carriages or dray. They love to feel useful. It is important for a horse’s sense of purpose and focus that he receives regular praise – especially when young – for performing simple tasks such as simply standing still or in the right place. Introducing new experiences to your horse will help his confidence and satisfy his inherent curiosity.

A horse will be at its happiest when given the very best in love and care that it is possible to give. Before even purchasing a horse you need to be aware of the responsibility you have as a horse owner to provide the best in health care and welfare. Keeping a horse can be a very expensive business, and without good horse insurance provided by a specialist equine insurer, it is possible to quickly run into financial problems if your horse should become sick or sustain an injury. The rewards to you for providing the very best for your horse are priceless, as they will give love back to you a thousand times over.

Spending quality time with your horse is important in allowing a natural bond to develop, as well as allowing you to learn your horses responses and reactions to different situations. In time you will learn your horse’s body language. A happy horse will generally appear calm and be responsive to you. He will keep a low head, relaxed jaw and have soft eyes. Your horse will both show and seek affection and will not invade your personal space – these are signs of a happy horse. Surprisingly, yawning is a sign not of boredom but of relaxation and calm. You can tell by the way a horse holds himself if there is something wrong; a troubled horse will be reluctant to stand still and will hold his head high with a tense jaw and darting eyes. Allow the horse time to settle himself slowly in order to avoid the onset of “flight” mode and further stress.

Grooming your horse gives you the opportunity to check him over regularly. It is advisable to check your horse’s teeth, eyes, hooves, shoes and droppings frequently. Any change in the normal should be reported to your vet at the earliest opportunity – any delay could cause you extra worry, expense and a potential claim on your horse insurance. It is also important that your vet has regular worming and vaccination appointments set with you. There are many different types of worms and parasites and you should rotate medications to get the best benefits and to stop them building up immunity. Colic, heart and immunity problems can all be caused by lack of suitable medication. Horses should always be vaccinated for encephalitis, influenza and rhinoneumonitis. Also advisable while not necessarily essential would be vaccinations against tetanus and rabies. Regular users of trailers at show and equestrian events may need to show a negative Coggins test for presence of the incurable virus EIA or equine infectious anaemia.

Having regular farrier visits is also essential for a happy and comfortable horse. A horse’s mood and performance will be adversely affected if his hooves are allowed to get too long as this will cause discomfort and imbalance. The farrier should trim hooves every six to eight weeks or more often if needed.

During wet and cold weather you should provide a blanket or coat for your horse, and in the summer he will need a fly-protective sheet. You may wish to use a horse cooler rug after exercise to help your horse calm and cool down. While it may seem logical to give your horse a drink after exercise, this could in fact put his body into shock. Normal body temperature needs to be regained after exercise and before feeding your horse. Do not exercise your horse for at least an hour after he has finished eating.

Horses are happiest when they know that they have a purpose – this could be showing, jumping or therapy, for example. Horses glory in feeling worthwhile. It is important that your horse has a focus, especially when young and not broken in; a simple praise when they stand still or in the correct place makes them feel that everything is ok. Introducing new experiences to your horse will help his confidence and satisfy his inherent curiosity.

Horses are wonderful creatures that deserve all the love and care you can give. You have a responsibility as a horse owner to provide the very best in care and welfare. Keeping a horse can be a very expensive business, and without good horse insurance provided by a specialist equine insurer, it is possible to quickly run into financial problems if your horse should become sick or sustain an injury. A horse will show you vast amounts of love in return for the simple effort of attention and care for his well-being.