As horse owners, we are constantly trying to find the “best” methods to care for our equine companions effectively and compassionately. In this article, I want to drive home the importance of preventative care, which I affectionately call “prehab.” From my experience with my business, Stable Instincts, we have always heavily emphasized the power of pre-hab to keep your horse not only happy and healthy but also performing at their best! So as show, jackpot, and rodeo season ramps up, let’s explore how preventative care helps avoid reactionary methods and injuries that can affect the season for both you and your horse
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I am going to focus on broad-based issues that impact your horse’s overall health. These types of issues not only impact a horse’s mental and physical state but can also require extended downtime and challenging and/or expensive rehab. These are some of the most common issues I have seen.
- Musculoskeletal: Strains, sprains, and fractures commonly occur with overexertion, body imbalances, accidents, etc.
- Hoof problems: cracks, abscesses, laminitis, or overgrown hooves can impact a horse’s mobility and overall condition.
- Sickness: Disease and illness can impact overall health and lead to complications that can even be fatal.
Through my experience and business, we have always advocated for a whol-istic care approach that involves soft tissue specialists such as myself, farriers, and veterinarians!
The Cost of Reactive Methods
The time allocated to rehab is also often considerable. Between juggling additional appointments and sometimes intensive daily care routines (such as bandaging, changing of dressings, monitoring, and specialized exercise regimens), there is no denying that the time demanded for care is high. Not to mention the time lost from not being able to go to equine events, clinics, etc. during the recovery process, which can take anywhere from a few days to a few months. Post-rehab, retraining, and conditioning to bring horses back to their previous performance levels and health must not be forgotten either.
Last but certainly not least, there is a mental and emotional cost to rehab for both the horse and handler. When problems in care occur, it can be anxiety-inducing for both the horse and the owner, just for different reasons. The horse is experiencing discomfort, which translates into negative emotions and stress on the body, whereas the owner often experiences stress from worry regarding their beloved companion’s health and recovery! Not to mention, it can be draining and weigh heavily on the owner’s brain space trying to accommodate modified schedules and routines. When a horse requires a long recovery period, it can cause behavioural changes or unexpected habits to pop up (such as cribbing, stall weaving, and getting pushy), which can be emotionally and mentally taxing for both the horse and rider as well. Importance of Regular Bodywork – Regular bodywork with a soft tissue specialist allows for musculoskeletal maintenance, which ensures optimal muscle and joint function.
Main Benefits of Regular Bodywork
- Improved Circulation
- Reduced tension in muscle and connective tissue
- Increased flexibility
When you keep a regular routine with bodywork, it allows for early detection and potential correction of any soft tissue-related issues and range of motion limitations. A proactive approach prevents common injuries, ensuring your horse is able to continue to be in the best form! As briefly touched on, by providing regular soft tissue work, you can refine your horse’s performance. Regularity mitigates imbalances and identifies tension, which in turn can extend your horse’s active years! This allows for a more sustainable and consistent performance career. When you don’t have a regular routine, minor issues can develop into large ones and turn into serious injuries. Untreated muscle imbalances can cause chronic pain and long-term damage that’s not always reversible. When tension and stiffness persist, it not only increases the chances of injuries, but the discomfort can also cause your horse to display undesirable behaviours and be sour when worked in any capacity. What is considered a regular routine varies for every horse, their life stage, and their workload, so make sure to have a rapport with your equine soft tissue specialist in order to find the right routine for your horse. With farrier work, it is best to take a proactive approach, as it can help identify signs of developing abscesses and manifestations of laminitis, and it can correct hoof shape before problems occur or escalate.
The Role of Regular Farrier Care and Benefits
- Balanced Hooves
- Tendon and Joint Support
Ensuring your horse’s hooves are well-maintained reduces the risk of hoof-related injuries significantly! Keeping a regular schedule (which is typically recommended every 4-6 weeks) can reduce lameness, pain, discomfort, and muscular asymmetry. As I am not a farrier, I will focus on the impacts that hoof problems have on body confirmation and muscle tension. When hooves have been overgrown or improperly farriered, it puts a horse at a higher risk of bone deformities and tendon or ligament strains. It adds unnecessary stress to joints due to imbalances that can cause uneven weight distribution. This can contribute to altered posture, which can translate to altered gait patterns. When a horse’s hoof angle is incorrect, it can put increased pressure on their shoulder and neck muscles, which in turn affects the musculature, making it tense and causing discomfort. Over time, this can lead to deformities that are permanent, or at the very least, time-consuming and costly to correct!
The value of veterinary care
Touching base with your veterinary care provider on a regular basis and creating a relationship with them is important for fostering a well-rounded care plan for your horse. Veterinary teams can help owners troubleshoot unknown issues as well as detect them early on using diagnostic tools such as blood work, scopes, and lameness exams. One way in particular that veterinary care is preventative is through health exams, floating teeth, and vaccinations, which minimize outbreaks and potential health issues. Regular vaccinations and deworming not only protect your horse but also contribute to something called herd immunity.
These proactive health measures help keep the horse community active, healthy, and thriving! By regularly assessing if your horse’s teeth need floating, it prevents sharp edges from forming, causing discomfort and malnutrition. When these preventative care measures are neglected, it leaves your horse vulnerable to weight loss, outbreaks of disease, infections, and even death.
Article written by Britain Mills-Dawes,
About Britain
is the owner of Stable Instincts, an equine business dedicated to equine wellness. As an equine practitioner, Britain has made a name for herself in the industry through her knowledge and hands-on experience with horses. Specializing in soft tissue manipulation, she brings a meticulous and professional approach to her work, ensuring the highest standards of care and business. In addition to her practice, Britain is a well-versed public speaker, sharing her insights and knowledge through digestible clinics, demos, and presentations. Britain has been a speaker and demonstrator at one of the largest equine events in western Canada, the Horse Expo, solidifying her position as a respected figure in the industry. You can also catch her doing demonstrations at the 2024 and 2025 Calgary Stampede. To work with Britain, contact her at [email protected] or visit her website at www.stableinstincts.ca.
