Look Out for These Common Health Problems in Horses

It’s easy to forget that animals require a healthy diet and checkups just as humans do to stay in good shape and live long lives.

If you are preparing for a new horse or simply searching for extra information to keep your animals safe and healthy, it is important to know the common health problems horses face so you know how to best care for them.

Here are just a few health issues that commonly affect horses.

Gastric Ulcers

Gastric ulcers are small erosions in the lining of the stomach, which are painful and can affect your horse’s appetite, appearance, demeanor, and overall riding experience.

Horses need to graze throughout the day. A horse’s stomach produces acid continuously, even when not eating. The longer a horse must wait between meals, the more acid will accumulate in their stomach, potentially leading to ulcers. Stress is also commonly associated with gastric ulcers, so minimaxing your horse’s stress can help prevent these.

Arthritis

Osteoarthritis, also known as Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), is common in horses, humans, dogs, and many other animals. It’s a slowly developing disease in which the joint tissues become inflamed, and the joint cartilage is damaged and worn down. Arthritis is very painful and reduces the range of movement in the affected joint.

Arthritis is caused by the natural wear and tear hard-working horses’ bodies will inevitably face over the years. There is no absolute cure for horse arthritis, but it can be managed by monitoring your horse’s weight, taking time to warm up and cool down after exercising, and limiting the amount of riding on hard surfaces.

Colic

Colic is the name given to abdominal pain in horses. Colic is a big concern for horse owners since its symptoms can range from a mild stomachache to a displacement or twist in the intestine that requires lifesaving surgery.

Common signs of colic are pawing and scraping the ground, rolling, restlessness, and turning to look at the abdomen. Understanding horse digestion is a great start in preventing colic along with keeping your horses active, controlling parasites, sticking to a feeding program, and making regular veterinary appointments.

Knowing what health issues to look out for in your horse makes taking care of them easier and less stressful!

Along with taking care of your animal’s health, it’s also important to have the proper equipment and accessories you both need to succeed. At Personalized Products, we make custom horse clothing and apparel. We can embroider or screen print your order of 1 to 10,000 pieces or more!

Browse our online shop or contact us at (262)673-6300 for more information.