5 ways you’re actually doing more harm than good
Yikes.. harsh right!?
But the truth is, we’ve been lied to. As an industry, there a thousand gimmicks, tricks, and quick fixes that we’ve been sold. So how do you wade through what’s truth and what’s fiction? With the help of a professional! Let’s explore 5 things you’re doing that you think are good for your horse… that are actually not so good.
1. Exclusively feeding from hay nets. Hay nets are a great way to ensure your horse has ample access to forage 24/7 so that they aren't going long periods without food (which can be detrimental to gut health!). However, if your horse is eating most of their forage from hay nets hung up high - you are causing unnatural strain on the neck and back as well as unnatural and uneven wear of their teeth. If you use a haynet, try feeding it low in an enclosed feeder (don’t feed it low if it’s not enclosed if your horse is shod - mesh + horseshoes = bad combo). Or, ensure it's not the ONLY source of your horse's forage (let them eat off the ground other times!).
2. Asking your vet for “preventative maintenance” injections. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE INJECTIONS. Steroid injections, especially, can lessen the longevity of the joint. So, you get a horse that (maybe?) can work slightly harder when they're 4, but has to be retired by the time they're 12 because of damage and deterioration from injections. I'm not a vet, but please do your own research before injecting your horse! A good place to start is S1,E16 podcast episode "Joint Injections" from Straight From the Horse Doctor's Mouth (35 min).
3. Keeping your horse clean, dry, and “pampered” in their stall 23 hours a day. We do everything to make our horses "comfortable"... but are we actually doing them more harm? Horses are not meant to be in a 12x12 stall for the majority of their life. If regular turnout and socializing is not part of your horse's routine, you're damaging your horse's mental welfare. Harsh, but true. Let your horse be a horse - give them ample time to do horse things (run, buck, eat off the ground, play with friends, etc.) One of the best things we can do for our horses is to provide friends, forage, and freedom. If turnout or pasture is not available to you, spend time hand-walking your horse around the property or down neighboring trails. Give them time outside of working to be out of their stall!
4. Only riding on nicely maintained footing. Nice footing is amazing. We looooveeee a nicely groomed arena, but if you only ride your horse on maintained footing... you get a horse who can only confidently maneuver on maintained footing. It would be like if you had only ever walked on carpet your whole life...your balance, joint strength, and ability to adapt to a trip or stumble would be non-existent. The same goes for horses! Give your horse the opportunity to learn how to use their bodies in a variety of situations (hills, dips, sand, rocks, logs, brush, etc.)!
5. Picking a farrier/vet/bodyworker because your friend/sister/cousin/trainer suggested them. This one is tough. I am so thankful for my clients who tell their friends "Use Liz, she's great!", but it is also imperative that you do your own research on the people who touch your horse (check certifications, education, experience, etc!). An unqualified person can do more damage than good.
Moral of the story… question everything. Okay, that’s a little dramatic… maybe don’t question everything, but do be smart about how you interact with your horse. Next time you do something just because you’ve always done it that way… pause to consider if there is possibly another way to do it, would that way be better, worse!? Use Google, use your professional team, use your intuition. You’ve got this, horse pal!
