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How to care for a horse broken leg?

In the past a broken leg for a horse was a near-automatic death sentence and even today it is one of the most common reasons for horses to be put to sleep, either because vets are uninformed of new treatment options, or those treatments may cost entirely too much money for many people.  Barbaro suffered a leg fracture, and the owners of this horse spared no expense, and tried everything they could to help the horse - however laminitis developed.  Treatments for a broken leg are complicated and usually unsuccessful if the leg is broken in more than one place - a horse cannot be immobilized like a human since they are unable to bear weight on just three legs.  Dogs, cats, and other smaller mammals are able to because they weigh less and the makeup of their limbs evolved different - for a horse three legs is suicide.  It takes a very long time for a fracture to heal in a horse, and most of the problems involved are compounded by the horses own behavior.  When a horse breaks a leg at a competition and gets carted off 99/100 times it is being taken to a quiet place to be euthanized or shot.

Slings can be used to help support a horses weight, however it will cause quite a bit of stress upon the injured animal, and could in turn make it more likely develop other complications from the broken leg unrelated to the actual leg.  Recovery from even a limited fracture is highly unlikely, unless your horse can bare the stress of recoveries, of surgeries, of constant care, and of being on a sling to help keep its weigh off that quarter of the body.  Prosthetic legs are are virtually limited use only, as a horse’s sense of sure footedness is destroyed by amputation, however some medical breakthroughs that leave the original leg are possible with devices that screw on and bear the wight, leaving the bone with a chance to heal.  However, successfully treating a broken leg is always at best a shot in the dark.  The least you can do is make your horse comfortable and have it chemically euthanized, however if you have the time, money, and willpower to save your horse from death, then by all means try.

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Horse Teeth

A horses teeth grow continuously throughout its lifetime, and all horses have between thirty six and forty four teeth with twelve premolar and twelve molars, along with twelve incisors.  Additionally horses may have four canine teeth between the molars and the incisors, which is usually in the male horse, although some females do have them as well.  Some horses may also have wolf teeth, between one to four, but usually none.  Like human beings, horses can develop problems in their teeth and are usually of the same variety, however because a horse uses their teeth more than we do (being that they eat food which is rougher on them, and to compensate the teeth never stop growing) it is important to have a horses mouth checked regularly for problems and issues.

Most dental issued involving the teeth of the horse come from normal wear and tear and wear patters (Areas that are used more than others) and can often be because of the feed.  Since horse teeth are designed to continuously be used they grow at a consistent rate, however if they are fed softer foods their teeth may become too long, or parts of their teeth may become sharp because they are not worn down as much - this requires immediate action and dental care.   Hooks are sharp points on their teeth, and usually develop on the outside of the teeth - but can be cured by dental care with filing or sometimes in extreme cases removal.  Other problems are open sores, loose teeth, cracked teeth, infected teeth, or retained caps.  if you notice any problems with chewing, weight loss, or anything else that may seem off (and especially if you see blood) contact your vet for an evaluation immediately.  If it doesn’t go away in a day, then it is probably here to stay; unless you do something to fix it.

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Grooming

Grooming is an important part of horse care, and the properly groomed horse not only looks better but feels better, and it is essential for horses used in competitions.  The main reason for grooming is to keep the health of the skin and coat at an optimal level, and to give it the luster it naturally has.  It can also decrease the risks or thrush, scratches, and other problems, along with the risk of chaffing during exercise or work.  It also give the horse groomer a chance to check the health of the horse and see if there are any injuries that would otherwise go un-noticed, and in the behavioral aspect the horse will begin to have a relationship with the person who grooms it, trusting it more and letting itself be handled more.

Hoofs are picked, the coat is brushed with a variety of tools and sometimes the hooves will be painted with a hoof polish that gives it a kind of artistic touch (pretty much like women doing their nails).  Usually brushes and combs along with soft brushes are used, the first brush is usually the hard brush, which pulls off all the big dirt and chunks, along with excess hair, followed by the soft brush with gets the finer particles - and if the horse is shedding a shedding blade can be used to help it along.   Bathing a horse is usually not required, but some do it once a month to make sure no finer particles may be trapped - also it is usually done after a heavy workout to help it cool down.   Horse shampoo and many human shampoos can be used at the most once a week, but even that can be too much.

Care for the mane, tail, and other hair consists of clipping, braiding and otherwise keeping free of burrs and other materials.  Although a horse does not usually need much but brushing, some clip the horses mane, hair, and tail for looks alone.

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Environment

Caring for your horse is not as simple as one thing, but rather split into five categories.  Environment, feeding, grooming, hoof care, and veterinary care.  We will cover the living environments of horses in this part of horse care, and then later cover the rest.

Horses and other equines are usually accustomed to living outdoors in pens with shelter from rain and other elements that would otherwise leave them exposed and susceptible to the dangers of changing weather and conditions.  They must have access to fresh water and food, along with room to run and exercise in, or else they can develop habits and problems that make them uneasy and hard to handle.  Because many horses have short hair or are clipped for show, they may need a blanket for when it is too cold, and shade for when it is too hot.  It is important for a horse to have the room it needs to roam around and be a horse in - land to run and to play in.  behaviors of the horse in their environments are usually better if kept near other horses because they are a herd animal and have the mentality of being in a herd much of the time.

An option is to keep a horse in a pasture, where they can roam around and graze as they wish.  The amount of land needed for basic care and maintenance caries with the weather climates and such, where an animal will need more land for grazing in a dry climate than in a moist one.  Usually two acres is a sufficient amount for one horse, so each additional horse should add two acres, thereby giving you the calculation H x 2 = Acres.  They must also still have shelter from the sun and rain, along with wind, and a place to go in the cold.   Fencing must be visible, and large enough so that the horse sees it, and cannot be harmed by it.

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Horse Nutrition

Horse Nutrition, or the feeding of horses, is something every caretaker for equines should know.  Proper horse nutrition is a necessary aspect of horse ownership, and you need to know what comes from what, and what is best for your horse.   The horse has a delicate digestive tract, and what goes into it must be free of all contaminants, like molds and chemicals that could be harmful to your horse.  Horses must NEVER be fed any contaminated fermentable, like lawn clippings and pre-fermented meal mixtures.   Horses need a constant supply of clean and fresh water at all times, as horses drink almost twelve gallons a day, and even more in hot weather or when eating dry forage like hay - and for a working horse or for a mare that is lactating water may need to be quadrupled in amount to adequately supply what the horse needs for that day, not only does it keep the horse alive it also plays a vital role in digestion of foods like forages and grains, which are eaten, chewed, predigested in the saliva, and then swallowed.  Horses produce over ten gallons of saliva a day.

Nutrition that supply energy for horses are fat and carbohydrates - protein is a critical element for muscle formation and upkeep. Horses that are pregnant, hard working, or lactating need higher amounts of feed and of water in their nutrition, in order to function, to remain healthy and to remain fit.  The fat that can be found in plant matter is usually in the low levels of the plant, and can be added to increase the available amounts of energy and density to the diet.  Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for a horse in its nutrition and are found in forage, such as hay, grasses, and grains - which have soluble carbohydrates that can be easily converted into glucose for energy.  It is important you do not shock the horses system with too many sugars or carbohydrates at one, as this can cause problems like colic and laminitis.

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