Taking care of horses is a lot of work. You must feed them, house them, and keep them healthy. If you miss signs of illness or malnutrition, it can be detrimental to their health. It’s essential to learn all you can about your horse to ensure it leads a comfortable life. Here are the biggest health problems horse owners should know about.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a fairly common health problem you should pay attention to when caring for your horse. This degenerative joint disease damages the cartilage and creates chronic pain. Noticeable symptoms may include stiffness of the limbs, refusal to move or exercise, and swelling of joints.
The best way to treat arthritis in your horses is to perform regular therapy. Massaging, resting, and applying topical ointments can relieve their pain. Daily exercise is essential to reduce stiffness and promote an active lifestyle.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is another health problem horse owners need to be aware of. Horses with diarrhea will produce liquid feces consisting of mostly water and moist stool. Parasites, stress, and ulcers can cause diarrhea. You may need to give your horse medication or change their daily lifestyle to treat the problem. Treating food-related causes of diarrhea in horses is a simple matter of changing their diet.
Colic
Colic is a common gastrointestinal symptom that horses often suffer from. While it’s not an illness, it’s commonly attributed to overfeeding and fermentation of the gut. A horse constantly biting or scratching at their belly, lying down, or rolling on the floor is showing signs of colic.
You can prevent this health problem by diversifying your horse’s diet, limiting grains, and giving them plenty of exercise. The symptoms may also arise due to the horse ingesting sand and other small particulates, a behavior that indicates they need more hay in their diet.
Give Your Horse What It Needs To Thrive
No matter how long you’ve owned horses, you must ensure your noble steeds have everything they need to thrive. Ignoring common symptoms or basic care practices will invite common diseases. The biggest health problems horse owners should know about can put your animals at risk. Learning what to do when they’re showing the signs of illness will help them live long, happy lives.
