In the first post to the ‘Healthy Horse Secret’ sequence we talked about feeding quality hay as the primary source of nutrition and GI support for a horse. Now that we have established the importance of ‘good hay’ in a horse’s diet, the question lingers- What hay is good??? The answer to this has a constant portion and a variable portion, and I am so excited to talk about both!
Check Out Kitt After 2 Weeks Into His Senior Wellness Restoration!
It’s no secret that feeding horses is one of my favorite things to do. With a vast spectrum of breeds, disciplines, environments, and body types, formulating the right diet for any horse can be a bit of an art. However, there is a constant across all feed programs that gives horses shiny coats, proper muscling, healthy GI tracts, and strong immune systems. This constant is feeding good quality hay!
Coming out of a sedentary life style, Kitt’s muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons are unaccustomed to physical stress. Even moving to a field with a hill was a wake up call for Kitty! With the goal of going from atrophied to excellent, my mind started to spin with the question- Where do we start??? The answer came pretty simply after watching all the sleek Kentucky Derby contenders march around the paddock. Kitt would build muscle the same way the thoroughbreds start- Hand Walking!
Kitt is an 18 year old thoroughbred who has done it all! Starting his career on the track, Kitt raced for several years. He then moved on to be a successful polo horse. At the end of his polo career in 2015, Kitt was donated to Bearfoot Ranch, where he has been retired for 3 years. Now, Kitt is preparing to shine as he jumps into his senior wellness restoration program!
I find it helpful to have a baseline for each horse’s health. In order to keep track of this, I’ve created a standard scale to rate and note on a horse’s health and wellness. Updating this form on a monthly basis, I can keep track of all the horses under management with with information specific to their individual development and needs.
It’s time for Dazzle & I to head to our home farm in Georgia for the summer, and with this we have an 8-hour trailer ride. As I’m preparing her for the trip, I realize how much we can do for our horses’ wellness by investing in a healthy, comfortable trailer experience. Over the past few years, I’ve come to follow a sort of check list to ensure my horses’ optimum wellness during and after trailering. I’m so excited to talk about my
Top 5 practices in promoting a well horse on a long road trip!
