Rules for Maintaining Horses.

• Posted by Ben Denison September 13, 2022 Filed in Other #Animal Care.  760 views
  click to rate

  Good horse care is the basis for the satisfaction of this noble animal and its owner. So what are the methods and procedures for caring for horses? Primarily regular mane brushing, bathing, grazing, and feeding with appropriate feed, vet checkups, and the like. We have prepared the most important facts you should know if you own a horse or plan to buy one. Before you get into horse breeding, be sure to take care of them so that you can take care of them in a comprehensive way. The living conditions will affect their appearance and health, and it will also directly affect the efficiency of your business. Be sure to adhere to the main rules so that the herd grows healthy and you - can get the desired income.

  The care of horses involves the need to:
  - create the proper living conditions for the horses: build a stable and provide places where the animals will walk);
  - choose the right feed and plan the feeding regimen;
  - clean and shoe the animals;
  - provide professional veterinary supervision.

  

  Methods of housing horses.
  Horses can be kept in different ways. They depend on the climate and characteristics of the particular area, the desired purpose, and the financial solvency of the owner.
  If you want to arrange horseback riding, it is not necessary to create a large farm - it will not be required. If you plan to raise breeding and thoroughbred stallions, be prepared to invest more money and provide optimal housing conditions.

  Horse housing systems
  There are three main systems by which horses are kept. We will talk about each of them.

  - The herd system.

  - The stayer system.

  - Mixed system.

  
  Peculiarities of keeping and feeding horses.
  The original natural food for horses is grass, oats, and hay. However, in today's environment, horses live in a rather unnatural environment, and thus humans are adopting the role of nature. Therefore, choosing the right food, both in quality and quantity, is a responsible task. For these animals, as for humans, dietary variety is important.

  A balanced diet.
  It should contain the right balance of ingredients such as water, proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, fats, and minerals. It is also important to remember that the horse needs enough energy in winter to maintain its body temperature. Therefore, it is recommended that animals be given unlimited amounts of fiber-containing hay during this cold season.

  Today, compound feed is also highly nutritious. This includes oats, barley, rye, corn, millet, flax seeds, peas, beans, and soybeans. Flaxseed improves the coat - it becomes softer and shinier, and oats provide the necessary nutrients for horses. From time to time, it will be advisable to enrich the diet with animal food, such as milk, eggs, or cheese. The animal remembers the time and place where it gets its food - it is advisable to respect this habit. In any case, if you decide to change your pet's diet, it should be changed gradually so that the digestive system gets used to the new food ration.

  It is also important to remember to drink enough water. A horse consumes an average of 20-50 liters per day, depending on the time of year, temperature, and age of the animal. This amount is about 5% of its life weight. Therefore, the owner needs to ensure that the horse has access to enough water at all times. And in winter, this can be provided by an automatic heated waterer for stable.
  

  The main requirement when feeding concentrated feed to horses is cleanliness. Old and dusty feed always has less energy value. There is also a rule not to disturb the horse when feeding or afterward. During the procedure, blood flow to the muscles is increased, while digestive activity is decreased. If the horse doesn't have enough time to eat, he may also swallow un-chewed food - and this can then affect his well-being.

  

   

  Walking and grazing horses.
  In normal nature, the horse is constantly wandering and grazing. It travels long distances every day, so it can choose different types of grasses and plants for its diet. Because of the ever-changing demands on horses, their feeding has changed considerably. Horses need a lot of movement. This requires 20-50 m2 of a paddock for an adult horse and 0.5 ha of pasture for grazing.

  

  Horses love to graze and generally spend time in wide-open spaces.
  On average, horses graze about 70% of the time. So, if they have 24-hour access to a pasture, they will spend up to 17 hours there. However, a number of factors will affect grazing time:

  - The time devoted to grazing decreases when the weather is severe (cold or hot);
  - increased availability of forage pastures;
  - being alone;
  - times when flies or other insects are disturbed.

  In general, grazing time is inversely proportional to the quality and quantity of forage pastures. That is, a horse will spend less time grazing in a lush spring pasture compared to a dry mid to late summer pasture with less forage availability.

  When horses are kept in stalls and fed a free choice of hay, they spend a similar amount of time eating. Of course, it is more characteristic that foals are fed twice within a 24-hour period: under these circumstances, consumption time is only about 15% of that period.