Horse Care Then and Now
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When you know better you do better. That’s an adage I’ve applied to myself and others as I see an increase in awareness and knowledge, and we change and adapt for the better. Horse care and riding is one place I can apply this to in my own life. There have been so many changes in how we look after our horses and ride them in the last forty years. Most of it has been for the good.
There was a time when every horse in our stable came in for the night. Most of the stalls were standing stalls. From the work horses, who actually worked, to my pony, who was tied in a corner, they all stood in their stalls every night before dark. Today, most of the stalls in the barn are box stalls, except two standing stalls used when the weather is terrible. The horses stay out all of the time, except in blizzard conditions. Only the stallion, and any newcomers are kept in, for safety sake.
We never blanketed our horses. I’m not sure that early on, we even owned a turnout blanket. Our horses stood out all day, no matter the weather, with no protection besides what nature provided. Of course, before dark, they were brought into the stable. Blanketed or stabled or not, I haven’t seen any great change in their condition or any increase of any illness.
One thing we never saw was rain scald. Rain scald is most likely to affect horses in poor condition, but I’ve noticed that over the past ten or more years, more horses are getting rain scald. Even horses in very good condition are getting it. My own horse, whose condition could be classified as ‘too good’ has had it a few times since I’ve had her. Why might this be? Is it a change in the ph of the rain? Are the microbes hiding in the soil?
Although our horses have always had regular veterinary care, dentistry was foreign to us. I shudder to think of all the horses that might have had difficulty carrying a bit, or even just chewing, because their teeth weren’t properly looked after by a dentist or vet. Now, dental check ups are common, and we don’t think twice about having their teeth floated to make them more comfortable.
Part of veterinary care was de-worming, and I remember the vet coming out to ‘ball’ or ‘tube’ the horses with their de-worming medication. Today’s pastes and gels make parasite control in our horses much easier and cheaper. Our stores of other OTC drugs have increased over the years to treat minor wounds and illnesses too.
Things like chiropractics, massage and other holistic and alternative approaches were unheard of. At one time, if you’d claimed you had a chiropractor adjust your horse, you’d be thought a little loopy. In the relative backwater we live in, these types of treatments weren’t as mainstream as they are now. The internet has helped spread useful information of course. Now many of these methods are common, and we don’t know how we got by without them. When we know better, we do better. |
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Winniefield Park
I wonder at what age the racehorses would be started at. Would they be allowed to mature, rather than run as two year olds?
I wonder at what age the racehorses would be started at. Would they be allowed to mature, rather than run as two year olds?
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Dec 29, 2014
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