…how to improve your horse’s health in everyday life!
Many horse riders only think about how to improve their horse´s health when it is already suffering from injuries and diseases. Julia Greb explains that horse owners would be much better advised to act proactively and contribute something to the health of their horse every day. Julia speaks from her own experience as a physiotherapist and osteopath for horses. She knows the aspects that owners have to consider in order to have a healthy horse by their side for many years. In this article the horse expert reveals six tips horse owners should follow every day in order to keep their animal in good shape for as long as
possible.
Tip 1: Cleaning as a massage
What many horse owners do not know is cleaning the horse is not just about removing superficial dirt. It also has important animal health benefits. With a rubber curl you can achieve a massage effect by doing circular movements and thus improve the blood circulation in the horse’s muscles.
Tip 2: Mental training
Horses enjoy games and intellectual challenges as much as humans do. The mental work not only improves the horse’s attention, but also its physical perception, as Julia Greb knows from her years of work with the animals. Pylons and poles are a great way to change things up and improve a horse’s coordination.
Tip 3: Pay attention to the diet
When it comes to nutrition, not all horses are the same. A horse that is ridden little or irregularly has a different energy requirement than a high-performance horse. Accordingly, you should adapt the basic and additional feed to the training and figure of your horse, says Julia. Otherwise, a long-term “malnutrition” of the animal can lead to serious health problems.
Tip 4: Keep moving
Regardless of whether you own a younger or an older horse – movement keeps them mobile and mentally fit. Regular exercise should therefore take place at any age. Even if the horse’s first steps may be difficult at an old age, a walk is good and important for health and does not harm the animal.
Tip 5: Daily figure check
As Julia Greb knows, obesity and the associated consequences are becoming more and more common. Obesity can also result in various metabolic diseases. If you have an easy-to-feed horse, it makes sense to ration the feed into several small portions. At the same time you should make sure that the animal gets enough exercise.
Tip 6: Fresh air and grazing times
Fresh air in the pasture is not only good for a horse’s physical health, but also has a positive effect on the animal’s psyche. Therefore it’s not just your horse’s lungs and the immune system that will thank you in the long run.
©Julia Greb
About Julia Greb:
Julia Greb helps horse owners to improve their horse’s health and has made it her business to provide clients with intensive one-on-one coachings. Thanks to more than ten years of experience as an animal physiotherapist and osteopath, she knows horses’ particularities perfectly and can foresee which steps have to be followed in order for them to become healthier.
