Thrush is a disease of cattle, horses, and sheep. It is characterized by white or yellow foam that surrounds the horse’s mouth and throat.
Thrush occurs in rainy seasons, usually in summer and fall. The foam can be brown or red, indicating blood or blood products.
Thrush is more prevalent in older horses, debilitated horses, and those with extensive mouth and throat infection. Horses with thrush look coated and are hard to determine the age of because their coat may come off easier.
It can occur in healthy individuals as well, so always check! If you find your horse has Thrush, you must treat and vaccinate the entire body to prevent new Thrush from occurring.
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Thrush
Thrush is a horse health issue that many do not know about. Thrush is a abnormal growth that occurs in horses, mostly adolescent horses.
Thrush is a greenish-whiteulous growth that occurs in horses. It looks like a white circle with a black border, and it can sometimes look like an upside down peanut. It usually happens during winters, when there is not much snow to preventthrush.
This growth can be painful and uncomfortable for the horse, making it reluctant to move or even sleep frequent times. If left untreated, thrush can cause excessive eating, poor circulation, stumbling and falling, general unhealthiness and insecurity, and even death!
Luckily, this condition is more widely recognized these days so more healthcare professionals are aware of it.
Leather sick
When the only solution to a horse’s leather shoe problem is a trip to the vet, it is important to know what issues may cause a horse discomfort or unhappiness.
A horse that is wearing out his feet by being forced to stay on hard surfaces for long periods of time may be showing this by having difficulty walking. This is called secondary dyspraxia, and can occur in either normal or abnormal shoes.
A primary dyspraxia case may experience none of the above symptoms, but if the case were to disappear, then maybe it would return to normal behaviour! This is called idiopathic secondary dyspraxia (IIDS).
Luckily, the majority of horses with secondary dyspraxia do not need any special attention, as there are effective ways of addressing it.
Ice patches
A common horse health issue is ice patch. This is a problem that occurs when horses do not get enough water or are not drinking enough.
Ice patch is when a horse does not drink enough or doesn’t get enough water for an extended period of time. It can occur regularly, always, or sometimes.
Once it happens, the best option is to give the horse a cool box to stay hydrated and warm therapy to help with any sleep issues. Another option is trying to breed your horse if you have difficulty producing milk, which will help reduce the need for food and hydration.
If you notice your horse has decreased appetite, more frequent urination, or if they are sleeping less then what they are doing at night, then they may have ice patch.
Winter care
Winter care is a little more complicated than summer care. While summer horses are warm season, winter horses need special care to maintain warmth and proper circulation.
This includes regular application of warming blankets or hot pads, prompt treatment of overheating, and appropriate protocols for excessive cooling. This does not apply to breeding season horses, only to new foals when they arrive in the maternity ward!
Horses who do not achieve adequate tissue use during the winter can suffer from reduced activity levels, low morale, and even loose talk due to lack of stimulation. These issues can cause you to miss important events or competitions, causing you significant lost revenue.
Blanket care
It is not recommended to leave your horse idle for prolonged periods of time without constantly checking on him or her. This is called “blanket care” and it is not permitted when buying a horse.
He or she must be examined upon purchase, taken for a ride, and then again checked out for health. This can take a few visits depending on how often the horse gets out alone.
On the first visit, take the horse for a walk and check for any problems such as weak legs, nervousness, or uneasiness. If any of these issues are noted, do not buy them! Instead, find another horse that meets these needs that you believe would work well together.
Checking in with a horse every few months is called “referral” and helps maintain a healthy relationship between owner and horse.
Dropping hay in the stall
A big health issue in horses is dropping feed. Dropping feed is a sign of poor eating habits. It indicates that your horse is not eating enough, or finishing their food.
Dropping food can be a way to praise your horse for their hard work. It also shows them that they are doing good work, as they will often eat more than other crops.
Another way to tell if a horse is eating enough is by checking the hay they are consuming. If there is not enough food in their stall, then they will need to go into another smaller stall so that there is sufficient space for them to consume.
Lastly, check the hooves every week to see if they need help cleaning or protecting against harm. Hoof health can be important for more than just looking at the size of the feet.
Using a fan in the stall
The fan in the stall is a relatively new idea into the horse industry. People are learning that it corrects hot, dry horses and training them to use the stall as a cool area is important.
A horse that is not used to or does not understand the concept of a stall will stand with his front legs outside of it. This can be problematic when trying to teach him how to use the room or participate in group lessons.
A training tool such as a carrot or treats can be used to help your horse learn how to use the room. A good lesson plan can be created using a soundtrack and some analogies.
When teaching an animal who doesn’t get enough space what passage is, try having them sit in an empty chair for half an hour before offering them their own seat in case they are uncomfortable with being confined.
Hay quality matters
As we discuss in bullet point above, poor quality hay can cause your horse to back out of distance exercises or even die. Even if it does not effect his performance, this is a health issue that must be addressed.
Regularly changing your horse’s diet will help improve his overall health as well as his performance. One of the best ways to provide your horse with a good quality diet is to take it to the stud and buy slaughter-quality equine foods!
To help improve hay quality in your horse, make sure you give him at least a couple of square feet of rich, dry pasture per day. This can be bought by having at least one excellent quality field trial per week or by having a spot where he can go every day.
As we discussed above, having a pasture that is twice the size of his two daily needs for shelter and food storage and access.