Horse Care
The usage of saddle pads has long been used to protect the horse’s back from extreme heat, pressure points, gouging and galling due to uneven weight distribution during horse riding. It is located between the saddle and the horse’s back in order to make it easier for the horse to perform at its best. There is a wide variety of saddle pads to choose from and the owners are responsible to decide on which size would fit their horse properly.
What to Look for in a Saddle Pad?
Saddle pads are simple yet valuable cloths that are added on the back of the horse. Since there are many options, owner must be able to identify the ideal characteristics of the pad in order to be effective. The first thing to consider is the materials and the proper fit of the pad. It should prevent the pressure from the bars of the saddle to penetrate to muscle. Moreover, it should be flexible and re-conform as the weight of the object shifts. Heavy weight without proper support can lead to the impediment of blood flow to the muscles resulting to soreness of muscle and create damage. See to it that the pad is cushioning the edges and corner of the saddle seat to prevent it from digging into the horse’s back and shoulders. Poor blood flow can hamper the optimum performance of the horse.
In view of the fact that horses are not equally developed on both sides, the pad should fill in the difference in the less-developed side. If not attended to immediately, the saddle will continuously put more pressure on the weakest side on the back of a horse, making it more uncomfortable due to the poor blood circulation in the area. A good saddle cloth is also able to pull sweat away from the horse’s skin. It can reduce the presence of heat and cool down the horse’s back.
Choosing the Most Suitable Saddle Pad
It is important that owners must understand the reason why a saddle pad is being used and how their zealous effort to look for the suitable pad will make a difference. Since there are various options for a saddle pad, knowing how it will function can help with the selection. As for cutting horse, it needs flexibility, thus the pad should not inhibit the horse’s agility or gouge into his flank or shoulder as he pops back and forth. A thinner saddle pad with close contact will be fine. Alternatively, a roping horse absorbs a huge impact when the steer hits the end of the rope, driving the saddle bars deep into the pad. The pad should be able to absorb shock. Long trips may require a pad that will not trap heat and moisture. While, leisure ride may need a pad that will help distribute the weight evenly to also absorb shock and keep moisture away.
Make your horse feel loved and make every horse riding experience a memorable one by choosing the best saddle pads.
Queensland Itch is a term that is given to a horse that has had an abnormal reaction and increased sensitivity to insect bites. It generally occurs in humid, moist climates during the summer months. The reaction can be brought on by an assortment of insects as well as other, unrelated, conditions.
Generally, the main causes of Queensland Itch horses are bites received from midges, horse and black flies. The affected animal’s skin reacts to the saliva left behind after a bite and the result is that the affected area becomes unbearably itchy.
This causes the horse to unceasingly rub against objects in an attempt to relieve the itching, but unfortunately the more a horse rubs, the more it makes the condition worse including rubbing the area raw and opening up the possibility of secondary infection from the open wound.
A horse that is suffering from Queensland Itch will display the following signs:
A ruff and dull coat
A hardening of the skin around the affected area
Main and tail damage
Bald patches on the body with flaking skin
In serious cases, weeping sores with ulcerated skin and open lesions will be evident. The most effective way to combat Queensland Itch is via prevention as opposed to treatment of the symptoms. Preventative measures focus on preventing insect bites by one means or another.
One of the best ways to prevent the horses being bit is by the regular use of rugs and fly masks. The only downfall with this method is that it still leaves areas around the head and pole exposed which can become susceptible to the itch.
A more extreme measure is to keep the effected horse in a stable that is fully enclosed with fly wire, but owners generally don’t wish to go to the extra expense associated. Also the continual stabling of a horse brings with it its own set of problems.
One method of treatment that is effective is to have a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and olive oil added with bi-carb soda to make it into a paste. The mix will not only provide a soothing effect for the itching but when applied every two days will form a barrier against further bites. This treatment should be used in conjunction with rugging.
Be cautious when using insect repellants as they can cause further allergic reactions and they can also cause irritation to broken skin.
Remedies including glucocorticoids have been found to be of benefit, but care should be taken. Pregnant mares and horses prone to laminitis are not suited to these formulations.
When practical, a horse that is infected with Queensland itch should be kept in a yard or a paddock that is free from trees and other items that it can use to scratch against. Although this in the short term can be uncomfortable for the horse, it is far more kind in the long run because it will stop the breaking of the skin and the resultant problems that accompany it.
Horse Care is a vital element in the bond between man and horse. How well a horse performs for its owner is greatly influenced by the calibre of its stabling, care and feed. The follow article will help to give understanding of the basics of horse care.
Daily Grooming
The purpose of a daily grooming routine is to remove any dust, dirt or other material such as burs or dried sweat from the horse’s coat. Daily grooming also helps to massage the skin and promote blood circulation. Therefore it is important to understand that it is not just something that you do before a ride but it actually helps promote not only the health and wellbeing of your horse but helps its performance as well.
In the wild horses will actually groom themselves on a daily basis by rolling as well as scratching and licking each other. However with the domesticated horse and especially one that is kept in a stable it is the responsibility of the horse owner to ensure that their horses are properly groomed.
The basic elements of a grooming kit include a hoof pick, a hard and soft brush, a curry comb, a comb and bush for the forelock and tail as well as a sponge and a squeegee for after your horse has been washed.
Before you begin grooming your hose it is important for safety that its head is tied in a way that will control the horse but allow it to be released quickly in the event of an emergency. This can be done with either a quick release stable knot or a panic clip.
Firstly the coat is gently scuffed with a hard brush to remove any hard crusts of mud or dried sweat. It is advisable to keep this technique for fleshy areas of the horse and not areas such as the face. Once that is completed the horse should be cleaned with a soft brush, working from head to toe and following the grain of the hair. As you are brushing it is important that you continually tap the brush clean to ensure that you are not removing dirt from one area and depositing it in another.
To finish off the horse is either wiped with a cloth or hosed and dried off with a squeegee to remove any last traces of dust.
With a wet sponge you can then gently wash out the nostrils, corners of the mouth as well as the underside of the tail and the anus. Ensure that you use a different sponge for the different ends of the horse.
Main And Tail
To properly care for your horse’s tail it should be brushed on a daily basis to remove any foreign matter that has been tangled up. When brushing the tail ensure that you grip the tail higher than the area that you are brushing so that you do not pull out too much hair. The tail can be washed as required with a little water and a suitable shampoo. The mane and forelock are combed or brushed flat with a damp brush.
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