Holistic Horse Care

Horses are like us, they need sufficient sunlight for vitamin D production and bone formation.

An excertp from the book, Beyond The Track (see our other blog).  The article talks about the  common causes of weight loss in off-the-track Thoroughbreds (OTTBs).

Common reasons for weight loss poinnted out by the books are-: 

What are the potential caused of gastric ulcers?
-    Long period between meals and resulted in buildup of stomach acid
-    Low forage diet
-    Stress
-    Medications
-    Intense training

Beyond the Track Retaining the thoroughbred from Racehorse to Riding Horse by Anna Morgan Ford with Amber Heintzberger

Personally, I think being able to give a new and happy life to a off track thoroughbred (OTTB) is a very admirable thing to do. 

Signs that a horse might have a dental problem include:

- head tossing,

- turning the head sideways when chewing,

- feed being dropped while chewing,

- resisting the bit or fighting bit placement, 

- reluctance to work or move in one direction, 

- mouthing the bit excessively,

- excessive salivation,

Concrete and asphalt may seem like a simple way to achieve a solid, level stall-floor base that's durable, inexpensive, and easy to clean but experts recommend against both.

Horse sweat patterns – can tell you more than you think! (The amount of sweat is also directly related to the weather so when you do your sweat patterns observation, take the weather into account.)

Per Holistic Horsekeeping:

The pressure against the inner structures of the front feet causes extreme discomfort particularly for horses with Laminitis.  A horse may shift his body weight onto his hind legs to relieve the pressure by tucking the hide legs under the belly.  His hooves and coronary bands feel warm to the touch.

We have heard Rosehip does magic to pain but have you heard:

- Rosehip was nearly three times more effective at reducing osteoarthritis pain

- Rosehip was also 40 percent more effective than the common alternative osteoarthritis remedy glucosamine