Schedule Routine Fall Health Care

We’ve all dealt with getting our horses through the hot summer weather safely, and hopefully followed the recommendations of using a mister for cooling, protecting horses from flies, scheduling the horse’s work early, and all the other things we do to lessen environmental stress during hot weather.  Even though it is still pretty warm outside, we should be looking ahead to fall and winter and making plans for horse health during the transition to winter and for the cold months.  I’ll talk about some of the things that should be done in the fall to provide good horse health care.

It’s a good idea to schedule a date with a farrier during the fall to make sure that horses have healthy feet going into the winter months.  Ideally, a farrier visits the farm every couple of months, especially if the horses are being shown or worked.

Another date to get on the calendar is a visit by the veterinarian.  Regular vet checks are a lot less expensive than an emergency call.  At the fall checkup, the veterinarian can give any needed booster vaccinations, and they will check the horse’s teeth.  If equine dental work is needed, fall is a good time to get that done.  Usually more grain is fed to horses during the winter, and horses with good teeth will waste a lot less of those expensive supplements than a horse whose teeth need floating.

Everyone has their own opinion on deworming horses, including whether the horse needs it or not, how often it should be done, and what product(s) work best.  Fall is a great time to actually check the horse to see if deworming is necessary.  That is another job that can be made when the veterinarian visits, or this can be done on the farm – with the right equipment.  Conducting a fecal egg count is the best way to check whether or not deworming is necessary.  All it takes is a bit of knowledge about taking and processing the sample, a microscope, and something to count with.  If the parasite egg count is low, then a dewormer may not be necessary.  If the egg numbers are high, then take some care in choosing the right deworming product.  Also, be sure to vary the products used from treatment to treatment.  That will help slow the development of resistant species.  

It is a good idea to check stalls and other housing where horses are kept during the winter.  Make sure there are no projections sticking out such as nails that worked loose or splinters from old boards that could cause injury.  It’s a guarantee that the horse will find those if you don’t, usually by injury.  Manure should be removed frequently to prevent buildup in the stall.  This will help with hoof care, as manure can be pretty wet and can lead to hoof rot.

Make sure that the pastures and paddocks are in good shape, again with no hazards present that could cause injury.  Part of the health maintenance routine is to make sure that horses get enough exercise each day.  Even in winter months, horses need to be outside and not kept in a box stall, unless there is a good reason for confinement.

These tips will help make sure that the horse is ready for the winter months.  Some of these are pretty basic, but by taking care of the normal, “routine” stuff, the majority of potential problems with horse health can be avoided. Taking care of the routine items is the basis for a strong overall horse health care program.