MANAGEMENT OF HORSES
Surbhi Gupta1* (PhD Veterinary Medicine), Gurpreet Singh Preet2 (Assistant Professor)
1Department of Veterinary Medicine, 2Department of Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex
College of Veterinary Science, GADVASU, Ludhiana, Punjab (India)-141004
*Corresponding author: surrometra05@gmail.com
Owning and managing a horse involve significant time, financial investment, and planning. Since the past few years, keeping and breeding of indigenous horses have attracted increased interest in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and many other states. To succeed in this endeavour, one must familiarise themselves with numerous facets of management, nutrition, breeding, and illness prevention. The management of horses involves a variety of factors. In order to ensure that horses are healthy, sound, and free from disease, horse breeders and veterinarians should make substantial efforts to stay up to date on the most recent developments in equine management. This will help to make horse ownership a financially successful and in demand hobby.
Living Environment
The only things the animal requires are a dry place to eat and shelter from the wind and weather. Do not mistake what will make you more comfortable as the horse owner with the demands of the animal. Horses need a place to exercise as well as protection from the elements like wind and rain. Animals may occasionally be kept in a barn or stable for management’ convenience or weather protection, among other reasons. Fields and barns can be rented from a private landowner by horse owners who do not own their own land, or boarding farms may rent out space for a single horse. Whether being ridden, led, or put out for free time, horses that are not on full-time turnout in a field or pasture typically need some sort of frequent exercise. However, a horse may need to be confined to a stable, typically in a box stall, if it is ill or injured.
Horses need constant access to clean, fresh water and enough feed, such as grass or hay. Horses need to be fed every day unless they can be fully maintained on grassland with a natural open water source. It is preferable to provide small amounts of feed throughout the day rather than a huge amount all at once because horses have developed as continuous grazers.
In the winter, horses grow a heavy hair coat to keep warm and usually stay warm ifwellfed and allowed access to shelter. But if kept artificially clipped for show, or ifunder stress from age, sickness or injury, a horse blanket may need to be added to protect the horse from cold weather. In the summer, access to shade is well-advised.
Bars and Pens
Fencing made of wood or synthetic materials that resemble it is elegant and traditional. Horses have evolved to thrive on prairie meadows and travel great distances without being constrained by man-made boundaries. Therefore, the risk of an accident must be taken into account when fencing. Horses will try to get through fences using their heads and legs in order to get to the forage on the other side.
Stables
Stable box stalls must to be well-built and kept clean every day. The usual box stall size ranges from 10 by 12 to 14 by 14 feet, depending on regional cultural customs, the breed of the horse, the gender, and any particular requirements. In the UK, a box stall is referred to as a “stall” but in the US it is termed a “box”. Double stalls are frequently used for housing pregnant mares. Larger quarters are frequently provided for stallions because they are typically kept alone with limited turnout. Warm blood or draught horses may require larger box stalls, whereas ponies may live in smaller ones. Horses maintained in stables require daily exercise, and if they are not given employment, they may develop stable vices. A horse produces about 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of manure and many gallons of pee per day; box stalls typically have a layer of absorbent bedding like straw or wood shavings and must be cleaned daily. If a horse is made to stand in its own excrement all day, there are health problems. The majority of healthy horses, however, are equally, if not more, comfortable in a field or paddock with a straightforward three-sided barn that protects them from the weather. Stables are constructed as much for the convenience of humans as they are for horses.
Feeding
Similar to humans, horses have distinct dietary needs. The nutrients that horsemen are most concerned about include energy, water, salt, protein, calcium, and phosphorus. Based on the requirements of their workload, horses are categorised into five different nutritional groups. The divisions are as follows:
- Maintenance
- Lactation
- Growth
- Exercise and Work
Horses have a peculiar digestive tract which can be divided into foregut and hindgut. The digestive tract of the horse, in contrast to ruminants like cattle, goats, and sheep, has a comparatively small capacity. This makes the rate of passage of feed through the stomach relatively fast. Horses are physically unable to vomit or belch. Therefore overfeeding and rapid rates of intake are a potential problem. Horses may eat roughly 2.5% of their body weight each day. Horses do best when fed smaller amounts of food, especially concentrate, at least twice daily, spaced around 12-hour intervals apart. One of the unique features of the horse digestive tract is the presence of a large microbial population in the cecum and colon. These microorganisms are responsible for extensive fermentation of residues following digestion and absorption in the foregut. The microbes have the ability to utilize the cellulose present in forages.
If your horse is gaining or losing weight, adjust his feed. Your horse’s weight should remain stable regardless of how much work he is doing or how cold the weather is. The basic rule for feeding horses is to feed little and often. The more meals you can split the day’s feed into, the better for the horse. For practical reasons, most people feed two or three times a day. Keep to a regular schedule and allow the horse an hour between work and feeding.
Over feeding can be a problem. While some horses will eat only what they need, mostwill eagerly overeat if given the chance. Don’t feed concentrates unless your horseneeds them. A fat horse is as unhealthy as a thin one.
Pasture
If a horse is kept in a pasture, the amount of land needed for basic maintenance varies with climate, an animal needs more land for grazing in a dry climate than in a moist one. Horses turned out to pasture full time still need to be checked frequently for evidence of injury, parasites, sickness or weight loss. Horses cannot live for more than a few days without water. Therefore, even in a natural, semi feral setting, a check every day is recommended; a stream or irrigation source can dry up, ponds may become stagnant or develop toxic blue green algae, a fence can break and allow escape, poisonous plants can take root and grow; windstorms, precipitation, or even human vandalism can create unsafe conditions. Pastures should be rotated when plants are grazed down to avoid overgrazing or deterioration of pasture quality.
Green Fodder
Seasonal green fodder is fed to horses when kept in stables. Green fodder like Oats, Lucerne,Maize and sorghum are preferred fodder depending upon their availability.
Hay
Hay is the basic food of domestic horses. Hay should be dust and mould free and of good quality. Feeding mouldy hay can induce colic and dusty hay may cause respiratory problems. Basic hay types are grass hay, Lucerne hay and oats hay. Lucerne has higher protein contentthan grass. Oat/Lucerne mix is considered the best for horses. Hay alone cannot provide enough nutrition for hard-working horses, pregnant and nursing mares or growing youngst
Concentrates
Concentrates are required to supplement the hay. However, hay should still provide the bulk of the diet. Feeding too much grain can cause problems. Concentrates include grains (whole, rolled or cracked), sweet feed (grain mixed with molasses), and manufactured feeds. It’s best to physically separate horses to feed the grain ration. At the very least, use separate feed bins spaced wide apart. A horse will learn to anticipate mealtime, so feeding at the same times each day is encouraged. Irregular feeding schedules can lead to feed bolting and digestive problems. It may also cause undue psychological stress. Equal amounts of concentrate should be provided with each feeding. Hay should be provided when offering concentrates to stabled horses, with the bulk of the hay given in the evening, providing night time activity.
Fresh water
On the pasture or in the barn, clean, fresh water and trace-mineralized salt should be regularly or freely available. Horses will deteriorate more quickly from a lack of salt or water than from being deprived of food. Fresh water is a vital part of the horse’s diet. Horses drink from 25 to 50 liters a day. Water consumption has a positive correlation to feed intake. If water intake is restricted, dry matter intake will also be reduced. Reduced water consumption can be a sign of unpalatable or low quality water. Horses do not readily consume stale or dirty water. Clean water should be available at all times except when the horse is very hot from work. Horses from strenuous exercise should not have free access to water. They should be allowed only a few sips every three to five minutes until they have adequately cooled down. Inadequate water consumption also increases the risk of impaction colic.
Mineralized salt block
A mineralized salt block should be available free-choice. There are a variety of good qualitymineral and vitamin supplements on the market. Using commercially prepared mineral and vitamin supplements at the recemmonded level will provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals, so no additional supplementation is necessary in special cases, However you must consult your veterinarian while selecting a supplement.
Vaccination and Travel Requirements
Horses and ponies need annual vaccinations to protect against any number of sicknesses, though the precise vaccines required varies depending on the part of the world where the horse lives and the uses to which the animal is put. In most nations, rabies and tetanus shots are commonly given to horses. As a generalrule, a horse that has never had a particular vaccination will be given an initialvaccination and then a booster a few weeks later, then normally once a year after that .Animals kept in a public boarding facility, those shipped for breeding and those frequently on the show circuit often require more vaccinations than horses that are not exposed to outside animals and who do not travel. Some type of veterinary health certificate is often required for horses to travel or compete, especially when crossing state or provincial boundaries.
In India, a certificate stating that the horse has a negative “Coggins” test, negative Glander’s test and negative Equine Influenza must be carried along in the vehicle carrying the horses while crossing state borders, and is often required for boarding or showing purposes. This certificate, authorized by NRCE Hissar certifies that the horse has been tested recently and does not have an incurable disease like Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) or Glanders or Equine Influenza.
Parasite Management
All equines have a parasite burden, and therefore treatment is periodically needed throughout life. Some steps to reduce parasite infection include regularly removing droppings from the animal’s stall, shed or field; If bot flies are active, frequent application of fly spray may repel insects. A small pumice stone can also scrape off any bot eggs that were laid on the hairs of the horse. However, internal parasites cannot be completely eliminated. Therefore, most modem horse owners commonly give anthelmintic drugs to their horses to manage parasite populations. A new way of combating drug resistance in adult horses is to deworm less frequently, by performing fecal egg counts on manure and deworming only horses with a highcount. This strategy is now recommended by most veterinarians and parasitologists,as it reduces the probability of resistance. For horses that are consistently deemed “low shedders,” it is still recommended to deworm at least 1-2 times per year with ivermectin + praziquantel or moxidectin + praziquantel to target tapeworms, bots, and small strongyles. This is typically done in the fall and spring. Dewormers come in several forms, including pastes, gels, powders, and granules or pellets. Powders and granules normally come in single-dose packaging, and the dewormer is normally mixed in with the horse’s feed. Pastes and gels normally come in a plastic syringe which is inserted in the side of the horse’s mouth and used to administer the dewormer onto the back of the horse’s tongue. A dewormer syringe has a plastic ring on the plunger that is turned to adjust the dosage for the horse’s weight.
Dental Care
A horse’s teeth grow continuously throughout its life and can develop uneven wear patterns. Most common are sharp edges on the sides of the molars which may cause problems when eating or being ridden. For this reason a horse or pony needs to have its teeth checked by a veterinarian or qualified equine dentist at least once a year. If there are problems, any points, unevenness or rough areas can be ground down with a rasp until they are smooth. Basic floating can be accomplished by the practitioner pulling the end of horse’s tongue out the side of the mouth, having an assistant hold the tongue while the teeth are rasped. The horse will not bite its own tongue, and will often tolerate the floating process if held closely and kept in a confined area where it cannot move. When complex dental work is required or if a horse strenuously objects to the procedure, sedation is used.
Dental soundness should be considered in deciding whether or not to process feed grains. Symptoms of improper chewing include feed falling from the horse’s mouth during chewing, wasted feed, indigestion, and large amounts of whole grain in the feces. A horse’s teeth may need to be checked if it is taking longer than normal to clean up its feed. Sore spots in the mouth may cause horses to bolt their feed to reduce the amount of time the sore is irritated. Strong, sour odors from the mouth can be indications of tooth cavities or food particles lodged in the mouth. Filing the teeth may be necessary to remove sharp edges produced from excessively worn teeth. A good management practice to follow is to check teeth once per year in adult horses and twice per year in aged horses.
Veterinary Care
There are many disorders that affect horses, including colic, laminitis and internal parasites Horses also can develop various infectious diseases that can be prevented by routine vaccination. It is sensible to avail services of a trained local veterinarian in case of emergency. The veterinary practice will keep a record of the owner’s details and where the horse or pony is kept, and any medical details. It is considered best practice for a horse to have an annual checkup, usually in the spring. Some practitioners recommend biannual checkups, in the spring and fall.
First Aid Kit
A well-stocked equine (and human) first-aid kit should be kept in a place where it is casily accessed. Any used or out-of-date items should be replaced as soon as possible. However, other than for minor injuries, a veterinarian should be consulted before treating a sick or injured animal.
Veterinary Medications – In most locations, these are prescription medications and can only be obtained through a licence veterinarian. They should generally not be administered without prior consultation with a veterinarian, either over the telephone or by specific advance instruction.
Summary
Before you decide to take on the challenge of keeping a horse on your own, there are several things to think about. Horse management requires a lot of preparation, money, and time. The better your chances are of having a satisfying experience for both you, the more investigation and fact-finding you can conduct before bringing the animals home. To learn how to properly care for your horse, it may also be a good idea to spend some time with a competent horse expert in your region.
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/care-and-management-of-horses-in-india/
https://horses.extension.org/an-introduction-to-horse-management/
