Archive for the ‘Horse Health’ Category
Equine Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease, which spreads rapidly among susceptible horses. It is rarely fatal except in young horses. The incubation period of influenza is ~1-3 days. Clinical signs begin abruptly and include high fever (up to 106 degrees F [41.1 degrees C]), serous nasal discharge, and coughing that is dry, harsh, and nonproductive. Depression, anorexia, and weakness are frequently observed. Clinical signs usually last less than three days in uncomplicated cases. Cough develops early in the course of infection and may persist for several weeks. Nasal discharge, although scant and serous initially, may become mucopurulent due to secondary bacterial infection. Mildly affected horses recover uneventfully in two to three weeks; severely affected horses may convalesce for up to six months, which is very undesirable, especially in the case of performance horses. Recovery may be hastened by complete restriction of strenuous physical activity. Respiratory tract epithelium takes ~21 days to regenerate; during this time, horses are susceptible to development of secondary bacterial complications such as pneumonia and other illnesses. Complications are minimized by restricting exercise, controlling dust, providing superior ventilation, and practicing good stable hygiene.
Clinical Signs
High fever, cough, nasal discharge, and decreased performance.
Treatment
Rest and nursing care are required. Horses should be rested one week for every day of fever with a minimum of a three-week rest. The administration of antibiotics may be necessary, especially in the case of secondary bacterial infection.
Prevention Vaccination (every three to six months), isolation of newly introduced horses for two weeks, and isolation of infected horse to reduce contamination of the healthy herd.
See Influenza in Horses for more information.
Millions of Americans read the book or saw the movie, “The Horse Whisperer,” and were amazed at the connection between trainer and horse. How can a human being communicate so effectively and intuitively with a creature that doesn’t speak our language? The answer is pretty straightforward- by learning to communicate like a horse. Natural Horsemanship is based on understanding the natural herd hierarchy or pecking order, how horses use body language to communicate and the understanding of horses’ ‘explosive flight’ instincts that have helped protect them from natural predators.
What is Horse Cribbing and How can I get my Horse to STOP?
WHAT IS CRIBBING?
Do you know that CRIBBING is not only rough on barns and fences, but it also may be detrimental to a horse’s health? The horse wears down his teeth and swallows air, which can lead to inappropriate digestion and colic. Cribbing can lead to serious health problems, such as poor digestion, colic, and various dental problems.
Owning your first horse can be a dream come true. Yet many new horse owners may find their new-found dream less-than-perfect as they struggle with issues of behavior, manners, training and respect. Perhaps they are inadvertently harming the very creature they’ve fallen in love with. Even though they’re large, majestic animals, horses require a lot of gentle TLC. Unfortunately, many of the long-standing practices in traditional horsemanship may be harmful. Growing numbers of horse owners are seeking more humane ways to train, ride and care for their horses.
Horses are amazingly beautiful and sensitive creatures. Horses require not only understanding and patience to have a horse as a pet, it also requires a whole lot of care.
Herd Mentality:
Observe horses in the herd system, each horse’s welfare in the wild depends upon an instinctive submission to the discipline of the herd. The instinct is for immediate action. To the horse, action is survival. When horses live in an herd environment, they often take turns sleeping and standing guard for any predators. When the leader of the herd signals danger they take flight.
