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2007, 2008

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Horses

Combat Boredom

Floating Teeth     Colic

Removing Tangles

Removing Tangles From Your Horses Mane or Tail - Dirt is the primary cause of tangles in your horse's mane and tail.   To make removing tangles easier, first wash the mane and tail with a shampoo and conditioner.  After the hair has dried, apply a small amount of Corona Hoof Ointment to several places on the mane and tail. This ointment is high in lanolin and will help the hair too!  Rub the ointment in thoroughly (if tangled badly, apply the ointment directly to the comb).  Using a metal comb or hair brush, start at the bottom of the hair and working up gently comb out the tangles.  This ointment will also make the hair very shiny.  

Horse Boredom - Need a way to combat your horse's boredom while your otherwise occupied?  There are horse balls on the market you can tie in the stall or leave loose for your horse to roll on the ground.  Try leaving a barrel in the corral for them to nudge or itch on.  Our favorite is a orange safety cone with a treat hidden underneath which they also love to throw around.

Floating Teeth - When your horse reaches the age of about 10 years old, it is a good idea to have your vet check his teeth once per year.  As a horse ages, his teeth become irregular and elongated sometimes causing malnutrition because the horse cannot chew his food properly.  Floating the teeth is a common procedure preformed by vets to file the teeth down and make them level, thus, allowing the horse to chew better.   Usually the procedure is preformed under a mild sedative but some horses will allow the procedure to be done without any sedatives.  If your horse is over the age of 15, has never had his teeth floated and is showing signs of losing weight, call your veterinarian for a complete check-up and to see if he may need his teeth floated.

Colic - One of the most common health problems in horses is colic.  Colic is a term used for any pain associated with the stomach and intestines and the complication of twisted intestines.  A first instinct for a horse that has a stomach ache is to roll.   Unfortunately, this instinct can prove to be dangerous.  When a horse rolls, sometimes its' intestines can become twisted which is life-threatening.  If you notice your horse has a lack of appetite, is pacing, getting up and down and trying to roll, he may have colic.  Call your vet immediately and do not let him roll!  It is important to keep your horse walking during bouts of colic. This keeps him from rolling and some moderate exercise can get their bowels moving.   Causes of colic or stomach aches range from too much grain (needs more alfalfa hay), not enough water causing impaction, sand from eating off the ground, changes in diet and severe cases of worms.   You can prevent some cases of colic by deworming on a regular schedule, making sure water is warm in the winter and not iced over, give two flakes of alfalfa hay per day, get food bins off the ground away from sand and dust, and exercise.