We all want our horses to be happy. As owners and caretakers, we put a lot of time and effort into making sure our horses are thriving in their life around the farm. Here are some tips to ensure our equine partners are enjoying their days.
Routine
Horses are routine animals, they appreciate a consistent schedule. It’s a simple way for us to keep their stress levels low. Since we cannot communicate verbally to our horses, it is difficult for them to understand why their routine would change day-to-day. Keeping your feeding, turnout and exercise times stable will keep your horse more relaxed and comfortable knowing what to expect every day.
Buddies and Visual Stimulation
No one likes to be alone all the time, whether it’s a friend on the other side of the fence or across the barn aisle. It’s nice for your horse to have company, in any shape or size. Turnout buddies are always nice but not always ideal or safe depending on the horse. Maybe there’s a window looking out at the riding ring in their stable or other horses to make grumpy faces at. Horses benefit by being visually stimulated in some way.
Exercise
Exercise is so important in the health and happiness of your horse. Movement helps circulate the blood around the body and helps with digestion. Not only is exercise good to keep them fit and healthy but most horses enjoy having a job. It keeps them busy and gives them a purpose. Their job can be big or small, it may be babysitting the yearlings or storming around a cross-country course. Either way, it is good for them to move.
Variety
Sometimes we get stuck in the same riding routine. Tack up, head to the ring and do circles. This can become mind-numbing for your horse and quite frankly, you too. Try to get out of the ring and on to the trails or ride in the field. Go for a hack down the road to start or finish your ride. Change up your exercises to keep it fun and fresh for you and your horse.
Down Time
As beneficial as exercise is for horses, adequate down time after a hard season is just as important. It’s nice to give their bodies a break and let their muscles recover and their minds relax. Most competition horses truly enjoy working but it’s always rewarding to give him a vacation period for their hard work. I often find they come back ready to work harder and feel better than before. This is also important in the daily routine, try to make sure they get some quiet time every day to chill and not be fussed over.
Proper Turnout
Horses are not meant to live in a 12×12 box stall. They enjoy moving around and grazing at their leisure. They have adapted to a domesticated lifestyle but at the end of the day, they are still horses. It’s important to find which turnout schedule works best for your horse, more commonly, the more time your horse is outside the better. If you’ve ever had a horse on stall-rest, you know they’re aren’t usually very pleased with it. They can form bad habits being stabled too long due to boredom, such as cribbing, weaving, pacing or chewing. Not to mention, the more time they spend outside, the less prone to illnesses they will be. Stables are a dusty, dirty environment, often with poor air circulation. The ammonia from urine and other substances in the air can be very damaging to their respiratory health.
Nutrition
Feeling good on the inside is a great start to a happy horse. Having access to quality forage and fresh water is a priority in horse health. Depending on your horse’s workload and body condition, adding in concentrates, such as grains, and supplements may be necessary but is best to discuss with your veterinarian.
Vet and Farrier Care
We’ve all heard the saying “No hoof, no horse.” It’s hard to be happy with sore feet, making sure your horse sees his farrier regularly will contribute to healthy hooves and therefore a happier horse! Yearly wellness exams from your veterinarian are important in making sure your horse stays healthy. They can notice smaller things that may not be obvious to us, such as checking teeth for sharp points and weight management.
Grooming
This is a great way to develop your relationship with your horse and increase your bond together. It is also so crucial in getting to know little things about them to be able to notice when something isn’t quite right. Get familiar with how their legs look on a regular day and their favourite itchy spots. Daily grooming will give you the opportunity to notice any cuts or abnormalities while spending quality time together and keeping their coats shiny and healthy.
Snacks
Who doesn’t love snacks? They make me happy and they definitely make your horse happy. Just make sure it’s within reason so they don’t get a sugar rush.
