| Next to dogs, horse care is more familiar to man than | | | | grooming. Proper brushes should be used to help blood |
| the care of any other animal. Horses have been a | | | | circulation and massage that encourages a healthy |
| close companion to human beings since the times of | | | | conditioned coat. A mane comb should be used to |
| some our oldest civilizations. If horses were used for | | | | avoid tangling of mane and tail. There are a variety of |
| transportation and battles then, now they are mainly | | | | products in the market like detanglers and conditioners. |
| for leisure and sports. But, whatever the use, breed | | | | Be sure to use shampoos and conditioners specially |
| and type of horse, proper care for these animals is | | | | for horses to avoid any irritations. |
| always important. | | | | Horse care involves taking proper care of each and |
| Basic horse care provides for essential needs like | | | | every part of the horse's body. And, for a horse, the |
| shelter from foul weather and rain, shade from the sun | | | | most important part is its hoof, which is essential to its |
| and flies, clean and fresh water, adequate forage and | | | | well being and usefulness. Proper cleaning and trimming |
| enough space to graze. It is advised to provide the | | | | of the hooves are necessary for the safety of the |
| horses with food that is 1.5% to 2.5% of its body | | | | horse as well as the rider. Hooves have to be trimmed |
| weight in pounds. Since they eat less at a time but | | | | shod every 4 to 8 weeks. Keeping the hooves dry |
| more often than we do, horses don't need large meals. | | | | and clean prevents lameness as well as hoof |
| Provide them with food that contains proper nutrients | | | | diseases. Similarly, the legs and feet of the horse also |
| like protein, minerals and vitamins. Sufficient forage is | | | | should be checked routinely for lacerations and |
| essential for optimum health and growth. The place | | | | swelling. Regular cleaning and trimming of feet and |
| they graze should be properly fenced and kept devoid | | | | timely treatments of foot diseases adds to proper |
| of poisonous plants and seeds. Also, the nutrients that | | | | horse care. |
| you provide should be given at the right time and in the | | | | Depending on how much work your horse will be doing |
| right proportions. It is also important for horse care how | | | | during the winter, you need to decide on whether to do |
| and where you store the horse food to prevent it | | | | clipping. Clipping will aid the comfort and increase drying |
| from attack by pests or damp. | | | | time of the horses coat. Also, it depends on the |
| Regular grooming is also essential in horse care. This | | | | individual horse and their living environment to decide |
| has to be done before everyday and before the | | | | when and why to clip and what clip style to use. And |
| horse is bathed or ridden. Grooming removes any dirt, | | | | once clipped, the horse will need a rug. This again is |
| dust and mud and avoids chafing and rubbing of dirt | | | | based on the kind of work the horse does. There are |
| and also helps you to discover hidden cuts, bites or | | | | a variety of rugs available for different work purposes |
| bruises on the horse's body. And, as you know, nothing | | | | and living conditions. You need to know how to put on |
| brings a horse and its owner closer than frequent | | | | and take off the rugs for the horse's safety. |