Equine Husbandry Flashcards
What is Domestication?
The Process of taking a species and allowing it to thrive and survive in captivity
What is the mutual co-evolution between humans and horses?
Horses can feed off fields and protect from predators and over time they become more social and less aggressive
What horses are stabled?
If they are active in controlled exercise, there is insufficient land for pasture, if they are under veterinary supervision
What must stables be?
Comfortable, have ease of access and adequate drainage and ventilation
What can poor stable design lead to?
respiratory diseases
How often should stables be checked?
Twice a day
What do horses need adequate space for?
Lying down rising and turning around
What space do horses ponies and foals need?
12x12, 10x10, 14x14
What are the main considerations for a stable?
Wide doors, height, no sharp edges, non-slip flooring
What are the two types of stabling?
Open or American barn (open has better ventilation but less cover)
What must horse bedding provide?
Warmth, protection, non-toxic and not dusty
Straw bedding
Cheap but dusty
Shavings as bedding
More expensive but comfortable
Rubber matting as bedding
not the most comfortable or warm but easier to clean
Communal barns
Groups of horses kept together
Must provide-
» Adequate access to hay, feed and water
» Sufficient space to lie down
Select groups that are compatible
Segregate aggressive horses
What is involved in the pasture management programme?
Avoid overgrazing
Help with worm control
Maintain good drainage
Control weeds
What should pasture fences be?
Strong and high enough to prevent escape!
Designed and maintained with no sharp
projections
What fencing can be used?
Electric, Wooden and Vinyl
What fencing shouldn’t be used?
Barbed wire
What do horses need to be able to shelter from?
Wind, Sun and Flies
What are the two types of shelter?
man made or natural
What horses need a rug in winter?
Less hardy breeds, Clipped or Elderly
What are the important factors when choosing a rug?
- Correct fit and type
- Regularly removed to check underneath
- Ensure horse not too hot or cold
Ragwort
very toxic for horses and must be removed
- can result in fatal liver disease
Buttercups
Less toxic but can cause liver damage
What is Tethering?
Securing an animal by an chain to a centre point or
anchorage causing it to be confined to a desired area
What are the issues with tethering?
Not suitable for long term management
» Risk of horse becoming entangled or injuring itself
» Regular supervision important
* At least every 6 hours
What is fly Grazing?
the illegal grazing of horses on land where owners have not obtained permission
The Control of Horses Act 2015 (England)
* The Act gives landowners the ability to remove horses that are being fly-grazed from their
land quickly –before they suffer
How often should horses be inspected?
Horse should be inspected
* At pasture – at least once a day
* Stabled – at least twice a day
What should be done daily with horses
» Hooves should be picked out daily
» Regular grooming
» Check under rugs once daily
What is the diet of horses?
Horses are trickle feeders
* Should have access to forage(grass, hay, haylage, straw) feed
during most of their non-active hours
» Feeding from the floor mimics the natural grazing position &
allows mucus drainage from respiratory tract
* Haynets/Hayracks increase dust inhalation
» Concentrate feeds are not always required
* Overfeeding of concentrates can predisposed horse to clinical
conditions e.g gastric ulceration, tie up
» Over-feeding leads to Obesity
* Increases risk of disease
2. Suitable Diet
Impact of Mod
What are stable vices?
Repetitive behaviours which become fixed in form and orientation it is a warning that a horse is in a frustrating environment
What are the 3 types of stable vices?
Oral
Locomotor
Other
What are the consequences of stable vices?
weight loss, colic, injury
property damage
animal welfare issue
Crib-Biting
Seizing a fixed object with incisors
» Lower neck muscles contract to retract the larynx caudally
» Air drawn into cranial oesophagus (+ swallowed) with “grunt”
Wind-Sucking
Similar to crib biting except without the grasping of a fixed object
Wood-Chewing
Chewing rails, posts, mangers
Weaving
Swaying of horse’s head laterally
* Usually occurs when horse is standing
with its head over the stable door
What are some causes of stable vices
Confinement
* Lack of socialisation
* Temperament
* Boredom or over stimulation
* Sudden changes in routine
* Unnatural feeding schedules or feeds
* Insufficient exercise
How to prevent stable-vices?
Provide company
* Minimize confinement – exercise/turnout
* Stall toys & enrichment products
* Provide forage ad lib
* Windows
* Companionship
What were horses trained for historically?
Work and Transportation
What are horses trained for today?
Recreational and sporting pursuits
What is the goal of horse training?
The horse to be safe for humans to handle and able to perform a useful task
How do horses learn?
through trial and error, they have good long and poor short term memory
How do you ‘break-in’ wild horses?
Rapidly introduce wild horses to equipment, they buck and rear until they begin to trust the human
How are domesticated horses trained?
Foals are handled at a young age, bridle introduced at 2 years (can take 3 this is when they are shoed) Sport horses get further training for 2-3 years
What is Backing
Rider is placed on the back of the horse and taught riding aids
Natural horsemanship
Based on premise of working with horses in tune with
their natural social behaviours.
o Seen by many to be a ‘kinder’ form of breaking in –
less confusing.
o Techniques used at all ages.
o Elements of natural horseman-ship training
incorporated into older style training regimes.
How are racehorses trained?
Racehorses are handled prior to the yearling sales
o They are broken in at breaking stables at around 18 months old
o The “breaking in” process takes about 3 weeks
o Following breaking in they undergo fitness training
o Often racing as 2-year-old horses
What is Twitching?
A type of restraint that involves grabbing loose skin on the neck causing horse to relax (by releasing endorphins)
The role of equine husbandry in preventative medicine
Demeanour & behaviour
» Appetite
» Water intake
» Defecation/Urination
» Coat
» Body Condition
» Obvious clinical signs e.g lameness
» Vital Signs
* Temperature
* Pulse
* Respiration rate
When do you call a vet?
Diarrhoea, Colic signs, Opthalmic issues, Choke
» Management strategies to optimise health and minimise risk of injury, disease and illness
- Parasite control programme
- Vaccination programme
- Foot care
- Shoeing Programme
- Dental Care
- Fly control in summer months
- Infectious Disease- Isolation procedures on yard
Parasite Control Programme
High worm burden can result in weight loss, colic, diarrhoea and even death
» Anthelmintics aka “wormer” administered to treat high worm burdens
What can you use to assess worm burden?
worm egg counters
What are methods of control for Worm egg burden?
» Interval Dosing
» Strategic Dosing
» Targeted Strategic Dosing
How do you control parasites?
Remove faeces from pasture (“poo-pick”) at least twice weekly and preferably every couple of
days
2. Avoid overstocking and overgrazing
3. Rotate grazing with sheep or cattle or rest pastures regularly
4. Avoid moving horses to clean pasture within 2 weeks of worming
5. Muck out stables regularly especially when they contain foals and weanlings
Why are vaccination programmes good?
Prevention is ultimately better than cure
» Control the spread of infectious disease
» Primary course followed by booster vaccinations
» All recorded in Horse Passport
Foot care in horses
Hooves continue to grow throughout life
» Feet trimmed regularly by competent person (Farrier)
» Pay attention to growth and balance
» If unshod-require careful management and hoof care
to ensure they do not become sore on difficult
surfaces/stony ground
Shoeing in horses
Any horses ridden or driven on hard roads/rough
surfaces will require shoes
» Must be a registered farrier (Farriers
Registration Council)
» Hooves trimmed and re-shod every 4-8 weeks
as advised by the farrier
» Frequency depends on health, nutrition, age,
type of work
Dental care in horses
Teeth continue to grow throughout life
» Teeth should be inspected by a vet or qualified equine dental technician at
least once a year
» Rasped and treated as necessary to remove any sharp points and ensure
the horse can eat comfortably
» Horses with sharp or abnormal teeth are unable to chew properly which
can result in:
* Quidding (half chewed food dropping out of mouth)
* Weight loss
* Difficulty accepting the bit
* Dental pain
Fly control in summer months
Flies can cause huge irritation in summer months
* introduce infection into wounds
* allergic skin conditions
» Sweet itch→ Hypersensitivity to bites from Culicoides midge
* Results in pruritis (itchy skin) and self-trauma
* Mainly affects mane and tail
Fly control in summer months continued-
Preventative Fly and Midge Control
» Fly rug or fly masks
» Fly repellents
» Midge sensitivity
* Stable at dawn and dusk
What is a recommended vaccine for all horses?
Tetanus
What protects the wellbeing of all horses?
Animal welfare act 2006
What is imprinting?
handling the foals from a young age
What vaccine cant you compete without?
equine influenza
What is sweet itch?
hypersensitivity to midge bites, mainly affecting the mane and tail
What are the vital signs in horses?
- Temperature
- Pulse
- Respiration rate
