Management of Horses Flashcards
How many canadian horses see at vet at least 1x per year?
more than 75%
what is the cost to keep a horse in canada?
$15,270
What percentage of the cost of equine care is vet care?
10%
What is boarding & how much do o’s pay?
- many Eq are kept at boarding facilities
- owners pay to keep their horse on someone else’s property ($400-900 per month)
what does boarding generally include?
basic needs (feed/water/shelter)
- highly variable as to what else is included/available
- indoor vs outdoor housing, riding facilities, etc.
- many facilities charge for a wide variety of additional services (feeding of concentrate/supplements, blanketing, turn out, etc.)
What percentage of horses are isolated/quarantined when returning to home farm?
- ~40% of o’s never isolate returning equids
- ~ 45% of o’s only isolate returning equids for a cause such as disease or exposure to disease
What are some management factors that affect equine welfare?
- shelter, feed, water, freedom of movement & exercise, company of other horses, vet care, hoof care, end of life decisions, emergency preparedness
What are the duty of care responsibilities of horse ownership?
- long term responsibility (time & $$)
- basic understanding of health & welfare needs (knowledge & skill to care for horses
How long do horses live?
25-30 years
What types of environments are horses kept in?
- Eq are happily kept in a variety of environments
- performance horses are typically managed much more intensively than Eq kept as companion animals (Stall confinement vs large range/pasture, diet/feeding schedule, exercise schedule, & travel & competition schedule)
How do horses do in outdoor conditions?
- adjust well to weather changes
- 24/7 turnout or access to outdoors is highly encourage (better for overall health)
- management of pastures & small enclosures is key (med/wet conditions can lead to skin & hoof problems like pastern dermatitis & thrush)
What kind of shelter can be provided to outdoor horses?
- natural (trees)
- constructed (run in shelter, “mare motel, etc.)
What is suitable fencing for horses?
- wood, metal pipe, wire mesh, vinyl, electric
- wire is commonly used by can cause severe injury (page = smooth, barbed, high tensile steel)
What is the thermo-neutral zone for horses?
5-20 C
- no energy expended to maintain normal body temp
What happens when a horse is cold?
- they shiver
- esp if damp
- produces heat
- horse is not comfortable when shivering
What does heat stroke look like in a horse?
- weak, disoriented, muscle tremors, shallow/rapid breathing
What is important about horse herds?
- horses prefer to live in grps (donkeys are particularly social)
- w/in any herd there is a dominance hierarchy (certain horses will be aggressive while others will be submissive; important when introducing new members or when dominant individs leave the herd)
Is indoor housing a requirement for keeping a horse?
NO
what to consider with indoor horse housing?
- safety, comfort, ease of access, adequate drainage, ventilation
what can poorly designed or managed horse indoor facilities lead to?
- the spread of disease or increased risk of injury
what kinds of indoor housing for horses are used?
- generally kept in barns or stables
- stalls w/in the building house individual horses (w/ exception of mares & foals)
- box stalls
- tie stalls
What should flooring in indoor horse housing be like?
non-slip, level, & well-drained
What is bedding used to provide in indoor horse housing?
- comfort, warmth, dryness, traction, & protection from injury
- a comfortable place to lie down & properly rest (necessary for health & well-being)
what types of bedding are used in indoor horse housing?
straw, wood shavings/other wood products, shredded paper, peat moss
How long do horses need to sleep (REM) for?
~ 1hr/day
What is important in regards to cleaning indoor housing for Eq?
- keep enviro as dust free as possible
- remove horses from building when cleaning stalls (decrease exposure to airborne particles; dust & poor ventilation contribute to airway disease)
- proper management helps maintain air quality
- excessive ammonia poses health threat
- good ventilation is key
what are signs of poor management in housing horses indoors?
- infectious disease outbreaks
- Thin/overweight Eq
- excessive rate of injuries
- increased incidence of Eq asthma
- stereotypical behaviours