| Owning a horse is a huge responsibility for owners of | | | | parasites does not do any damage to your horse's |
| any age. These magnificent creatures need care and | | | | organs. Contact your veterinarian to determine the |
| attention to ensure your pet is happy and healthy. | | | | deworming schedule, which should take place between |
| Caring for a horse is much like caring for a dog or a | | | | three and six times each year. |
| cat, although on a much larger scale. Many horse | | | | Colic is a serious problem with horses that can |
| owners find the most difficult aspect of caring for their | | | | become deadly. Causes of colic can vary from |
| horse is finding a reputable boarding facility. | | | | severe worm infection to dietary changes to ingestion |
| The cost of boarding a horse can be taxing to any | | | | of sand. You should always keep a careful eye out |
| budget, thus making this aspect of horse care essential | | | | for signs of colic, including rolling and kicking at the belly. |
| to work out before you buy your horse. Also, you | | | | If your horse displays any signs of colic, immediately |
| should be sure to research the breed, as each type of | | | | contact your veterinarian. |
| horse will have different needs. Contact your | | | | The final area for your horse's preventative |
| veterinarian to create a dietary plan specifically for | | | | maintenance is hoof and tooth care. Since horse's |
| your horse. If you own more than one horse, the | | | | teeth continue to grow throughout his life, the teeth will |
| dietary plan for each of your horses may not be the | | | | have to be ground properly. Most horses do not have |
| same. Depending on the age, breed, and size of your | | | | a problem correctly wearing down their teeth, but |
| horse, this plan may differ. Additionally, horses are | | | | some horses are not able to do so. For this reason, |
| notoriously picky and what feed suits one horse may | | | | you should check your horse's teeth on a yearly basis |
| not suit the other. | | | | after the age of four by a veterinarian. If your horse |
| The old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a | | | | has a problem correctly grinding his teeth, the |
| pound of cure" definitely applies to owning a horse. By | | | | veterinarian will be able to address the problem. |
| providing your horse with routine preventative care, | | | | Similarly, your horse's hooves must be properly |
| you will save you, your beloved pet, and your wallet a | | | | maintained in order to prevent debilitating hoof |
| great deal of pain. Perhaps the most important aspect | | | | problems. Each time you take your horse out, carefully |
| of your horse's preventative care should be its | | | | inspect his hooves upon return to ensure they are free |
| vaccinations and deworming. All horses need to be | | | | of stones or mud and your horse is not experiencing |
| vaccinated for tetanus and rabies. Some owners, | | | | any soreness or pain. A farrier should be contacted |
| depending on their location, choose to vaccinate their | | | | regarding maintaining the health of your horse's |
| horses against Eastern and Western Equine | | | | hooves, and should be called in every six to eight |
| Encephalitis, influenza, and Potomac Horse Fever. | | | | weeks to be reshod. Additionally, your horse's hooves |
| These vaccinations need to be updated on an annual | | | | should be trimmed on a regular basis to prevent painful |
| basis and you should keep comprehensive vaccination | | | | overgrowth. |
| records for each horse you own. As for deworming, it | | | | To find more information about caring for your horse, |
| should be known all horses will naturally carry a small | | | | just log on to the Internet and visit locations such as to |
| infestation of worms. There is no way to completely | | | | do a thorough search. |
| rid your horse of worms; although you should carefully | | | | © Copyright 2005 by Lynn Walls. All rights |
| monitory this infestation carefully to ensure the | | | | reserved. |