Tips to Take Care of a Rescue Horse
Right now, horses are being abused and neglected somewhere. Almost all of these fractious horses end up at auction. These auctions are a wonderful place to find horses that need rescuing. Horses do not have to be registered with a perfect pedigree and parentage to be an excellent pet, resulting in many horses needing help. After you rescue the horses, you need to clean them and use the best hygiene products. Aside from that, there are many essential things that you need to do to your rescue horses.
Understand Their Body and Needs
Rescue horses often do not function exactly like horses that have been properly cared for. They may not have received proper nutrition and health care for a long time, affecting their metabolic and digestive processes. In most cases, they have not received proper medical care and are prone to laminitis, among other hoof problems. They almost always need tooth changes, especially in older horses. They may have skin conditions that need to be treated. Fungal infections are extremely common, and they need immediate testing by a capable veterinarian and special solutions to bring them back to health without ruining their particular system.
Imitate Their Diet to Feed Them the Right Way
The first thing to keep in mind is that you should not feed the horse. The most crucial point to keep in mind is that all adjustments should be gradual and small. These two dietary basics could be used over and over again. If you give them to him, the horse could be colicky. A mixture of 10-11 percent protein is sufficient. Feed three times a day until you reach the amount specified by your veterinarian as the standard daily dose for your horse.
If your horse maintains the daily change in diet, you should increase the daily ration by one pound every ten days. If your horse is older, you should give him old pellets instead of the standard feed because it is too demanding on his digestive processes. Horses take a long time to recover from malnutrition. Don’t be discouraged. It can take a year or so for the horse to reach health. Keep an eye on her for a few weeks; that’s a long time to achieve that.
Get Rid of Any Hooves and Parasites
The other important thing to do is call the farrier immediately and get him to look at the rescued horse’s hooves. Hoof care is very important in a horse’s life. There are different opinions on flea control for rescued horses. You need to feed your horses Pyrantel Tartrate for two weeks. You can then add Ivermectin suitable for their weight for the next four weeks and then continue with a regular worming rotation program.
Get Your Rescue Horses in a Quarantine
A newly rescued horse must be quarantined. If it harbors parasites or disease, you certainly don’t need it to infect other horses you have. Normally, quarantine should not last less than fourteen days. It is also recommended that the rescued horse be housed separately from other horses during its recovery to reduce stress from fighting over food, dominance in the herd, etc. Furthermore, the horse should be tested for Coggins.
That said, you will have to wait to see if the results are negative. It may take a few days to get the results. Keep the horse as clean, hygienic and comfortable as possible. Ensure the first thing you do is visit your veterinarian to examine the horse and determine what wellness issues the horse may have. You also need to maintain their stable hygiene as they still can catch other diseases.
