If you own a horse, sooner or later you'll have to have your horse's teeth floated. The term may not make sense are first as it conjures up images of teeth being loosened or floating in the horse's mouth. However what it actually entails is filing down the teeth of the horse so they even and give your horse an even bite for eating.

A vet or equine dentist will use a specialized dental rasp which is also called a float to file down the teeth. You will need to have your horse's teeth floated at least every few years and some horses will need it even more often. The only way to know for sure is to check your horse's teeth on a regular basis and make sure he or she has healthy, even and aren't causing your horse pain.

Unlike your teeth which come in and won't grow any more, horse teeth will grow throughout their lives as in the wild they eat foods that grind down teeth and that is nature's way of combating the problem. However domesticated horses don't eat fodder that wears down their teeth as quickly so they need to have their teeth floated on a regular basis to stay healthy.

If you've never floated your horse's teeth, early signs it needs to be done will include difficulty eating, inability to hold food in his mouth and shunning anything to do with his mouth including taking treats from your hands as his teeth have developed sharp edges and are cutting and painfully poking the inside of his mouth.

Having his teeth floated will return your horse to his old self in a short period of time along with his previous appetite.

Labels: horse, horse-care

Anyone that saw the 2006 Preakness Horse Race saw a very real reminder of why horse racing is dangerous for horses and how dangerous a broken leg can be. A heavily-favored-to-win horse named Barbaro took a misstep shortly after leaving the starting gate and broke his leg. Barbaro was loaded onto a specialized ambulance for horses. Barbaro was one of the unlucky horses who unfortunately developed other problems around the break and unfortunately are in the majority and do not recover from a broken leg and it results in the horse needing to be euthanized as there is no chance of recovery.

So you're thinking, people and even dogs and cats get broken legs and they recover, why can't a horse? Basically, it can take months for a horse to heal from a broken leg and their other three legs normally can not bear the weight of the horse for that long of time. A horse is compelled to move freely at all times and when it can't it will begin to attempt to move and injure itself worse and worse until there is no hope of recovery. People have even tried to sedate horses for the recovery period and found most horses can not survive that as a horse feeling trapped in a cramped stall tends to tap dance, which can easily aggravate the original broken leg.

There are treatments for broken legs that involve cold laser treatments and they are only considered for the youngest and strongest of horses as it's still a long and hard recovery process. Even sling treatments are dangerous. Keeping a horse hoisted in a sling while their leg heals is also dangerous as the horse will fidget and wiggle and cause chafing which leads to dangerous sores that can develop an infection.

Watching your horse's weight, regular hoof care and controlled riding techniques can go a long way to helping your horse avoid the tragedy of a broken leg.

Labels: horse

Horses can become nervous for a lot of reasons. Abuse, neglect and lack of human interaction and sometimes it's due to their emotional make up and they are naturally a little more skittish than other horses. Fortunately, working with your horse on a steady basis will help him become desensitized and learn not to react to people, places and things he would have previously feared. Another name for this type of training is called "bombproofing".

Basically, the training entails exposing your horse to things that make him nervous (one thing at a time) to the point he accepts it as part of his daily routine and no longer fears nor even pays attention to the object or place.

The process is simple, first allow your horse to approach a suspicious item from a distance and work him slowly closer and closer to the object. He will stop as soon as he isn't comfortable any longer. This is the distance you need to bring him in from. If you're riding, dismount and lead your horse slowly forward and talk to him and reassure him he's okay. He may not make it to the item the first or even fourth time you try this and that's okay. Repetition is the key to getting your horse comfortable. It must be the same every time or the process won't work. Meaning, when he approaches the object that makes him skittish such as a car, he needs to know it won't do anything different every time he sees it.

Once he will be get near enough to touch the object, allow him to sniff, taste and bump the object with his head, in this way he'll learn it will not hurt him and soon he'll get bored with it. You can use this method with almost everything your horse is exposed to, just remember repetition and constant, patient training is the key.

Labels: horse, horse-training

In many cases if you're looking for family oriented horse and you have your heart set on a boy, consider a gelding, or rather a male horse that has been neutered.

Stallions were originally the horses used in battle because of their aggression. A stallion would be taken in to battle by a rider because the horse would usually fight as well with their teeth and hooves. A stallion is a thousand plus pound animal that is full of male hormones and can be as territorial and aggressive as he can be alternately sweet and nice. When neutered (made into a gelding) the stallion will lose most of his aggression and the sweet and nice parts of his personality will be brought out.

A gelding makes a wonderful companion animal and you'll find if you don't have to fight the hormone battle that is raging in most stallions during your training period, it will go much better. The territorial and challenging aspect your horse's personality will be greatly lessened and his want to please and be a companion will be increased.

Gelding is best done on young horses. Some vets won't work on an older horse and in many cases, once the horse has reached maturity, gelding him won't damper his stallion spirit too much. Once you've removed the hormonal rush factor in your horse, you'll be seeing a wonderfully trainable animal that will make a fabulous companion for years to come.

Labels: gelding, horse

After a horse is placed in our rescue, finding them a good home is a priority. Many of the horses that are placed in rescue are there not because their owners were cruel or physically abusive, but because they didn't understand what it takes to properly take care of a horse.

Having a horse is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have; however the flip side of that reward is that having a horse is a lot of work. You have a 1000+ animal that depends on you for good food, clean water, clean surroundings, vaccinations, on-going medical care, companionship and grooming. If you can't give all those basics to a horse, owning a horse isn't in the cards for you at this time.

If you're willing to work a little for and with your horse, you can create one of the greatest friendships that ever existed. People that have never experienced a horse - human friendship are often surprised at the depth of feeling and emotions that a horse can convey. Once you learn the body language and sounds your own particular horse makes, you'll find that he actually has a language that you can understand.

It's hard to find good homes for horses that meet those basic qualifications and while they are waiting for a good home, we give our horses all the basics they need along with lots of love.
If you're ready to add a horse to your family, visit a rescue near your home. A rescue horse will make as fine of a companion as any other horse and there's a very special bond that develops between a horse that's been given a second chance and their new human companions.

Labels: good-home, horse

When you have a horse, you'll find they need a good amount of exercise. Horses that have bowed tendons, which is a painful condition usually found in former race horses that have actually stretched the tendons in their legs, need gentle exercise while they heal. They can usually be reconditioned through light training to be fantastic riding horses but usually need to have been healed about six months to a year before doing so.

Never ride a horse that has had bowed tendons until the vet gives the all clear or you can aggravate the injury and prolong the condition. Exercises for these horses will consist of walking on a lead around eventually up to a good trot as they heal. Take it slow.

If you have a horse that is in good condition, most horses enjoy a good galloping run or a healthy trot through a local riding area. Horses enjoy going for rides in areas they know so they can relax. Try to have a regular place to work your horse out and he'll be a lot more relaxed if he knows beforehand the objects and people he's likely to encounter. Remember, a horse is psychologically wired as a prey animal and can get skittish in new surroundings.

Always cool down your horse after exercising. Just walk him until his breathing is normal and he seems to have cooled down. Working with your horse on a regular basis will give you a healthier and happier equine friend.

Labels: exercise, horse