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Looking
after a horse is a complicated and, at times, irritating experience. Part of a
well horse health program includes routine vaccination and de-worming.
In addition to caring for the inside, however, two simple ways to maintain horse
health are regular grooming and equine massage.
Horses are athletes whose backs are constantly "horizontally loaded." Due to a
number of factors, vertebrae and certain joints can become stuck or they can be
forced out of their normal range of motion by muscle spasms (typically involving
the shunt accessory muscles), as well as tendon or ligament injuries which alter
the suspension of the joint Typically back problems most commonly occur in the
horse being unable to bend well in a particular direction, limber exercises
can help prevent "stuck" joints. In cases of joints, which have fallen out of
their normal range of motion, scar tissue can develop in the joint capsules and
more definitive correction may be required.  Colic:
It is a dreaded term for anyone who has had to deal with a serious bout of colic
in his or her horse. This disruption of the horse's natural digestive process
can range in severity from a case of simple discomfort to a truly and agonizingly
life threatening condition. Colic is a general term, which applies to two
types of disruption of the horse's normal intestinal processes. Depending on the
cause of the colic, the horse may be experiencing a digestive spasm or his intestinal
activity may be reduced. Increased activity colic, can be caused by excessive
parasites, eating moldy or spoiled hay and can be triggered by heat cycles and
pregnancies Decreased activity colic, can be caused by excessive parasites, excessive
increase in grains, sudden feed changes, feeding grain to an exhausted horse,
allowing a very hot horse too much water, dental problems and ingestion of foreign
bodies and materials. Exact preventive measures and vet consultation is the right
method of treatment.
Dental
Problems: In horses the "cheek teeth" keep on growing throughout its
life.
The "cheek teeth" roots are several centimeters in length but they are progressively
worn down by their grinding function, known as dental attrition. Grass-based diets
increase the wear on teeth because of the abrasive content of silica in the dirt
and grass, compared to the low silica content of grain. Therefore, the extent
to which grain is used in a ration is an important predictor of early dental attrition.
Veterinary dental health care for horse's teeth, when applied conservatively can
promote oral hygiene and possibly increase the useful life of horses.
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