How do you keep a horse healthy and fit? There are many ways to achieve this. When your horse's health is not in order, the horse will not function properly. You will notice this through various physical complaints and behaviors. In this blog, we explain what to look out for.
Did you know that we - together with a rehabilitation specialist - have written an e-guide about the importance of exercise for your horse? Movement is an essential part of a horse's health. The more your horse moves, the better it will feel.
Download the free e-guide here.
When a horse gets too much stall rest, the animal not only becomes unhappy. It also quickly develops physical complaints. This is not good for your horse's health. Therefore, ensure that your horse gets enough exercise daily. Did you know that an animal in the pasture is often not sufficiently encouraged to move? So three hours outside, does not necessarily equal three hours of movement.
That's why it's important to give your animal enough attention. Going for a ride together, lunging enough, and a daily walk in the horse walker ensures that your horse gets enough exercise. The more attention and movement for your horse, the healthier the animal becomes.
The health of horses is easily reflected in their behavior. Is your horse sadly staring into space in the stall or pasture? Then it's not doing well. Also, when the animal is weaving, scraping its hooves or crib biting, you know that it's not doing well. More attention and movement for the animal is then needed to make your horse healthy and fit again.
Physical problems can arise when the horse doesn't move enough, but it can also lead to mental problems. You recognize this based on certain health characteristics. An unhealthy horse that spends too much time in the stall becomes fat, stiff, and the coat becomes dull. If you recognize these characteristics, it's time to let your horse outside more and grant it extra exercise. Read our blog about the different health characteristics of horses.
Are you convinced that your horse is healthy? Being in balance both physically and mentally is very important and movement plays a significant role in this. Enough varied movement already provides a certain health guarantee. Want to take an extra step? Make sure you also ride with your horse outside of the familiar environment.
A ride through the forest or along the beach does wonders. The animal is both physically and mentally challenged and is taken out of its comfort zone. This will benefit the health of both the horse and the rider. This way, you ensure that the animal becomes more confident. Now that's how you keep your horse healthy and fit!