Pet Care Tips Blog

Three standard indicators of a horse's health are temperature, pulse rate and respiration. These can be used not only to determine if your horse is ill but also can indicate the type of illness.

Horse's Temperature

The normal temperature for a horse is about 38C (100.5F). Individual horses may vary half a degree either side of this, so you may want to take your horse's temperature when it is healthy so you know what its healthy temperature is exactly. There can also be a variation of up to half a degree due to time of day and activity. Variations of more than one degree indicate a problem, which should be treated accordingly..

Those who own hoses know how wonderful these animals are to have as a companion. They are smart, sensitive, and fun to be around. These beautiful and majestic animals require a lot of care and love. It is important to make sure your horse is happy so you can have a pleasant and gentle companion.

The following are the top 10 ways to make your horde happy:

1. Properly feed your horse. Because it is in a horse's nature to constantly graze, have set times of the day to feed it. Horses like a routine so feed at the same times of the day. A horse requires a lot of fiber so give him fresh grass or hay. As well, give him grain, but not too much as it can upset his gut. He should have access to water at all times. Water keeps the food able to ferment so it won't get solid and hard in its hind gut.

The food which we feed to horses needs to meet seven fundamental requirements:

- Energy. It needs to provide sufficient energy (calories) to meet the requirements of the horse. If the weather becomes colder or the horse is used more actively, the amount of food will need to be increased accordingly. Likewise, as winter turns into summer or if the horse is less active, the amount of food should be decreased.

- Minerals and Vitamins. Aside from energy, horse feed needs to provide a variety of essential minerals and vitamins, in the required quantities.

Just like humans, horses can have a number of different types of allergies. The most common types of horse allergies are respiratory and skin. Respiratory allergies are also known as 'heaves' and are often similar to asthma in people.

A horse can be allergic to things in the air (e.g. pollen, dust, mold, spores), certain foods or nutritional supplements, or insect bites. Normally, allergies develop over time with exposure. For example, a horse may not have an allergy to straw but if exposed to moldy straw over a long period of time may develop an allergy to straw mold.

Symptoms

Just as people can have many different allergic symptoms (itchy eyes or skin, bumps or rashes, difficulty breathing), horses can have a variety of symptoms as well. Common symptoms in horses include:

There are many different types of horse rugs, with various characteristics and functions. Therefore, the first step to choosing a horse rug is to decide which type you require for your horse. To assist you in this decision, following is a list of the main types of rugs and an explanation of their function:

- Fly Rug. The purpose of this is to protect the horse from flies that bite or sting. They are more commonly and accurately referred to as 'fly sheets' rather than 'fly rugs', as they are typically a thin plastic sheet or mesh, rather than a fabric rug. One can also get 'fly masks', which are made out of the same material and are intended to protect the head (especially the eyes and ears) from flies. As they are a thin sheet they provide little warmth or insulation, although some can provide protection from wind and rain.