loving your pet: looking after your first horse
DESCRIPTION
If you've just bought your first horse then check out the new GJW Titmuss guide on how to look after and care for your four-legged friend. With top tips and advice, this guide has all the information you need to look after your horse properly.TRANSCRIPT
Loving Your Pet: Looking After Your First
Horse
Created ByGJW Titmuss
ContentsYour First Horse Slide 3Responsibilities Slide 4
Equipment and Supplies Slide 5Living Space Slide 6
Integration with Other Horses Slide 7Children and Horses Slide 8
Registering with a Vet Slide 9Insurance Slide 10
Vetting Slide 11Vaccinations Slide 12
Health Slide 13Worming Slide 14
Food and Diet Slide 15Food and Diet (Part 2) Slide 16
Social Details Slide 17Image sources Slide 18
Your First HorseIf you’re thinking about owning your first horse, this guide will give you the information and advice you need to do so successfully.
Remember that caring for an animal of this size requires dedication and time, as well as love and attention too.
Of course it’s possible to live happily with a horse, or indeed horses, but take a look at our tips from the team at GJW Titmuss beforehand so you know exactly what’s involved.
ResponsibilitiesFirst of all, remember that horse ownership requires the following from you as a responsible owner:
• Mucking out their stable• Providing them with fresh food and water• Grooming duties• Making regular appointments with the vet• Ensuring they are looked after properly• Maintaining a strict and dedicated routine
If you have any reservations about the above then you may need to reconsider whether owning a horse is right for you.
Equipment and SuppliesIf you are committed to buying a horse then don’t forget to purchase some of the following items before your animal is brought back to their new home.
• Saddle• Bridle• Halter• Lead rope• Stirrups• Grooming items• Buckets• Fly spray and mask• Feed and feed tub• Hay• Bedding• Water trough
Living SpaceWith horses being large animals, it’s imperative that they have enough living space to thrive, and develop naturally.
Horses kept in a field should be securely enclosed so that they can’t escape but they do have enough space to roam.
Stabled horses also require a secure and locked environment so that they can’t get out from the inside when unattended.
Without space, the horses’ ability to live a happy and sufficient life will be restricted.
Integration with Other Horses
Where applicable, give your horse time to settle in before they meet other horses.
When the time is right for integration, follow these steps:
• Complete the integration process gradually so that your horse isn’t bullied by the herd
• Where possible, see if interaction can be achieved with other horses over a fence or barrier initially
• This will allow the herd or other horse to become used to a new face in the same surroundings
• By introducing each horse gradually you shouldn’t have any major problems with integration
Children and HorsesIf young children wish to interact with your new animal, you need to set a few ground rules first for their own safety.
Tell children not to:
• Shout at the horse• Move towards their hind legs• Approach them head on• Duck under the horse’s neck• Enter the stalls when feeding• Sit down or kneel next to them
Teaching children these rules will prevent the chances of injury.
Registering with a VetIt’s important to register with a vet at the earliest stage so that health issues can be addressed as soon as they arise.
The vet will help with:
• Vaccinations• Health and medical issues• Dental care• Injections
Failing to register earlier on could cost you more in the long run if any problems do occur.
InsuranceEquine insurance is also strongly advised to help with:
• Vets bills• Injuries and accidents• Liability of your horse• Equipment• Trailers and horseboxes
When taking out insurance, check that the policy and cover matches your individual circumstances and requirements.
Protect both you and your horse by purchasing the most suitable insurance.
VettingBefore buying your horse, it should be vetted to inspect its current state of health.
This will allow you to determine if any areas will need addressing now or further down the line.
The vetting process will monitor the following in five separate stages:
• Skin, heart, lungs, legs, teeth and feet• Walk, trot and assessment of movement• Ridden exercise, trot and canter• Strenuous workout, eyes• Second trot and flexion tests
VaccinationsSpeak to you vet about the required vaccinations needed for your horse.
Vaccinations will help protect your horse against catching or passing on the following:
• Flu• Tetanus• Strangles• Rotavirus• Equine Herpes Virus (EHV)• Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA)
As vaccinations will vary depending on the gender and size of your horse, be sure to seek veterinary advice at the earliest stage possible.
HealthInfection Symptoms
Tetanus (lockjaw) Protrusion of the third eyelid, stiff neck, muscle stiffness resulting in a ‘sawhorse’ stance
Influenza Dry cough, fever, watery nasal discharge, loss of appetite, signs of depression, weakness
Strangles Yellow nasal discharge, fever, swollen lymph nodes beneath the jaws
Rabies Loss of appetite, signs of depression, difficulty swallowing, aggressive behaviour, convulsions
Rotavirus Watery diarrhoea, loss of appetite, signs of depression
Colic Pawing or scrapping the ground, restlessness, flank watching (moving the head to look at the abdomen)
WormingA strict worming routine should be carried out• The dosage will need to match your horses body
weight• Worming is required at least twice a year• If you are unsure what to do, please speak to your
vetREMEMBER – Prevention is better than cure
Food and DietHorses can eat the following as part of a stable diet and all feeding decisions should be based on their weight and how much exercise they engage in.
• Hay• Forage• Grain (smaller portions)• Compound feeds• Chaff• Crushed barley• Carrots• Oats• Sunflower seeds• Wheat germ
If your horse is grazing all day feed them once, if not, twice will suffice.
Food and Diet (Part 2)Stick to a tight feeding schedule so that all meals arrive at the same time every day of the week – yes including weekends!
Big changes in feeding times will have a negative impact on your horse, so this should be avoided where possible.
GJW Titmuss
@GJWTitmuss /GJWtitmuss
Contact us today:
www.gjwtitmuss.co.uk
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Image Creditshttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-8290371/stock-photo-beautiful-horse-runninghttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-27580769/stock-photo-young-lady-stroking-her-horsehttp://www.gjwtitmuss.co.uk/p/HW0905/horse-fly-masks/equilibrium/equilibrium-midi-field-relief-without-ears-uv-protection#.U1j1cPldUgghttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-1348982/stock-photo-girl-saying-goodbyehttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-34677848/stock-photo-palomino-horse-portraithttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-22950695/stock-photo-pet-insurancehttp://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-1501319/stock-photo-horses-at-the-ranch