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| By N2H | ||||||
Recent Articles
- How were horses domesticated?
- How good are a Horses Senses?
- What are Stable Vices?
- How often should I run my Horse?
- What is a Kiang?
- What is an Onager?
- Donkeys Definition
- Hinny Definition
- Mules Definition
- What is a Hotblood?
- What is a Warmblood?
- What is a Coldblood?
- What is a Horse Gait?
- What is a Wild Horse?
- What is a Feral Horse?
- What are Working Horses?
- What are Sporting Horses?
- What is Horse Therapy?
- What is Horse Vocabulary?
- Horse Sleep Patterns
What are Worms?
Worms are parasites, and can be found in horses, dogs, cats, and also… people. All horses have a burden for parasites and the management and treatment is necessary on a periodic basis, such as once every year or two, unless evidence is found of an active infestation in the horses’ feces. Worms are one of the most common parasites to afflict a horse, as several can be transmitted fairly easily between horses, and humans to horses - along with horses to humans through contaminated fecal matter and consumption of it. Worms cannot be completely eliminated in horses, therefore most modern horse owners and caretakers give them wormers to reduce the amounts inside a horse.
There are risks to worming a horse, with some of them causing blockages in the intestines should the animal be heavily infested with live parasitic worms in the small intestine, these blockages could become quite painful, and the body may be overwhelmed by the toxins released by the dying worms (this is also true in humans who are infested with worms in their intestines). The best way to prevent problems like this is to use a less powerful agent that gradually kills them off, and then later doing a large dose to clear their system of worms. There is also the possibility (as in humans, and dogs, and many other animals) that the chemicals used on the worms could also kill the healthy bacteria normally found in the small intestine of the horse - thereby causing discomfort and colic, so it is common now for horses to be administered (and humans) probiotics (healthy bacteria) after the worming to stave off any ill effects from such a massive cleaning. Although many humans do not realize it, about 1.5 billion (25%) of humans have worms too - but do not notice it until the infestation grows to an exponentially dangerous size.
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What is Lameness?
Lameness is laminitis, or inflammation of a part of a horses foot called the laminae. It can afflict just one foot, or all of them depending on the severity and has many causes. The front hooves are the most common to be afflicted with this deadly disease - deadly because it hinders the horse and often they are put down to prevent further pain and suffering. Thankfully for humans we can go through life with one or two bad legs - dogs can have one bad leg (and sometimes two if proper replacements are supplied for hind or front legs where mobility is restored) however a horse can not suffer a leg failure because of their weight and size. The causes of laminitis (lameness) are varied, and often compounded by more than one issue. The most common causes are carbohydrate overload, insulin resistance, nitrogen compound overload, hard ground, lush pastures, frosted grass, freezing of the feet, overheating of the feet, untreated infections, colic, Cushing’s disease and its variant peripheral Cushing’s disease, retained placenta, drug reactions and exposure to agricultural chemicals.
Lameness presents itself in many symptoms, the most common being trouble walking, sweating, flared nostrils, walking tenderly, repeated easing of affected feet, increased vital signs and body temperature, visible trembling, anxiety, and a pounding pile in the digital palmer artery. The destruction of the laminae results in the hoof wall separating and pus leaking out from it - along with rotation of the third phalanx that causes immense pain for the horse, and if untreated it can rotated and crash through the sole of the foot causing extreme pain for the animal. However with intense treatment it can be cured in some cases. There is no direct cure for laminitis, however with proper treatment a horse can recover fully, or partially and remain active for many years. It is important to keep treatment consistent so the horse does not get worse, as it will eventually be fatal.
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Horse Lifespan
In the wild, horses live about nineteen to twenty human years, while domesticated horses live about twenty five to now thirty years, with many reaching the golden age of forty or more. Some are record holders still alive to day at more than an entire forty five years! With advancements in horse nutrition, care, handling, and medications it is expected that horse lifespans will increase further, and so will their working ability. Much like dogs today, horses are living much longer than they were half a century ago, and with that comes more health problems that we normally did not see. Horses, like humans, apes, dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals can develop dementia and also some forms of animal alzheimer’s where their minds gradually deteriorate over time. It is important to keep the animal active, as the horse’s lifespan increases you can prevent dementia and other behavioral problems by keeping their minds active. Letting them do things, taking them on walks, and if they can handle it, still ride them to new areas and let them see new things. It may sound somewhat inane to think an animal can learn new things when they are older - but Mythbusters proved age is not a factor in the ability of an animal to learn new ticks or new commands. Horses can be verbally trained to do certain things if enough patience is given, and teaching your old horse something new for treats can be both rewarding for the horse and for you.
In addition to the horses lifespan causing problems with the mind, it can also play a number on the joins and bones. As all animals seem to do, horses develop arthritis and other ailments that we do, and it is through our advancements in pharmaceutical chemicals that we now have adequate pain relievers for older horses, that can keep them spry and feeling young without side effects. there are also joint lubricants that can be given to horses to help keep cartilage sustained, and if given while still young and throughout life may decrease the effects of arthritis and slow down its progression significantly.
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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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