Everything you need to know about horse breeding. Breeding horses and proper care for them

Breeding horses is a fascinating and profitable business. Income reaches up to 300% of the initial capital. will require a starting investment of thousands of dollars, specific skills, and a love for animals. It is impossible to provide horses proper care without putting your heart and soul into it. Let's consider what you need to know in order to competently organize the breeding, care and maintenance of horses.

The business is very profitable, but it requires starting capital, skills and love for animals.

Keeping horses is impossible without hay. It forms the basis of the diet. Each year it takes 4-5 tons per head. It should be dried (fresh will cause colic), fragrant, healthy Green colour. You should absolutely not feed dusty or rotted hay. This can cause horses serious illnesses. Sometimes hay can be partially replaced with barley or oat straw. However, it should be remembered that with a high fiber content, which will give the animal a feeling of fullness, nutrients there's less. It is important to feed your horse at the same time.

The daily diet of an adult horse should consist of 10-13 kg of hay, 5 kg of oats, 1.5 kg of bran, 2-3 kg of carrots. From succulent food, it is good to give beets, apples, watermelons, and a little cabbage. A briquette lick of table salt is required in the stall. Once a month it would be a good idea to pamper your horse with mineral and vitamin supplements. In winter, you can give freshly cut branches of birch, spruce, and aspen. For your friend, they are not just a source of vitamins, but also a welcome treat.

The horse must receive enough water, otherwise problems may begin. gastrointestinal tract. The animal needs to be watered 2-3 times a day. Drinking must be clean and fresh. At the same time, you should not limit the horse’s amount of fluid consumed. On average, he drinks from 20 to 30 liters of water per day. You can install automatic waterers, but not all horses like them.

Drinking bowls with clean water. A horse drinks up to 30 liters a day.

Drinking containers should be washed daily. Immediately after a walk, while the animal is still hot, you cannot give it water.

Place to rest

Raising horses will require a lot of space. When preparing a stable in a private house, make sure that it is spacious, warm, well ventilated, and sufficiently lit (ideally with natural light from the windows). Cold and dampness in a stable are unacceptable. Horses are sensitive animals; in a damp room they will get sick and literally waste away. With the right temperature conditions, within +8...+15 degrees Celsius, it will be easier to care for horses.

A stall so that the horse can not only stand, but also turn around freely and also lie down. The bedding made of hay or sawdust is changed every day. One animal will need 5 kilograms of well-dried straw or 15 kilograms of dry sawdust. Therefore, when planning a stable, it would be advisable to immediately build a separate room or at least a covered place where all the bedding material will be stored.

Pasture

Proper care and maintenance of horses must include daily walks. For these purposes, you can use special fenced areas - levadas. It is important that there is levada correct form. Long but narrow strips of land are not suitable. The more space you can allocate for levada, the better.

A horse needs at least two hours of exercise every day. After the walk he should go to mandatory clean, check the hooves and look for wounds or abrasions on the legs. Please note that if the horse is grazed on the levada, then it already receives its necessary load.

Cleaning a horse at home

Combing, cleaning the skin and hooves are part of the animal's daily grooming routine.

Daily horse care necessarily includes brushing the skin, trimming and washing the hooves, combing the tail and mane. This is done either by the owner himself or by a hired groom. Cleaning is a very important procedure, since dirt and dust that collect and accumulate in the wool can cause serious illnesses.

It is very important to know how to care for a horse correctly. You have to start with the hooves. Remember not to stand behind the horse. Standing to the side of the horse, clean the dirt from the hooves on one side, then walk around the animal and clean the hooves on the other in the same way. Cleaning is carried out as follows:

• running your palm down over your leg, grab it tightly and bend it at the knee;
• use a hook to remove dirt and stones from the hoof;
• carefully inspect for any injuries;
• lower your leg.

After this, apply ointment to the hooves. It will protect them from cracking. Next, move on to combing your bangs, mane and tail.

Now you can begin the actual cleaning. Take a soft brush and scraper. Use a brush to gently clean the face. Then move on to the neck and chest. It is convenient to periodically shake off the brush on a scraper. Clean particularly dirty areas with a scraper. Movements should be wide, strong and confident. After this, move on to the sides and croup. Repeat the same on the other side.

You will need the following tools:

• curry comb for cleaning large dirt and lightly massaging the skin;
• a stiff brush for thoroughly cleaning wool;
• soft brush for complete cleaning of the smallest dust particles;
• comb for mane and tail care;
• metal hook for cleaning hooves;
• a scraper that removes excess moisture from wool;
• a towel to completely dry the coat;
• cutting scissors (you can use an electric clipper).

Mating

Only healthy individuals who have reached a certain age are selected for mating.

Breeding horses at home requires the presence of at least two sires. Puberty in horses it occurs between one and two years of age. But by this time the animal’s body is still continuing to develop, therefore, if you want to get healthy offspring, it is advisable to allow the mare to mate no earlier than three years. In some individuals, the period of full maturation occurs only at five years.

Trotters happen from the age of three. Already after 2-3 years, an accurate picture of the horses is formed, since their offspring can be objectively assessed based on physiological and racing qualities. This is how the stallion’s value as a sire is determined. A good horse is used for procreation for 15-17 years.

The best time for mating is from early spring to mid-summer. It is very important that the horse is in heat.

When choosing parents, pay attention not only to the breed. The physical form of the animal, its age, the correct structure of the skeleton, and the condition of the coat are very important. Before purchasing, it would be a good idea to re-read articles describing the characteristics of the breed, or even invite a veterinarian specializing in horses with you.

Pregnancy and childbirth

The mare's pregnancy lasts eleven months. A good owner must understand how to properly care for a horse during this time. She needs daily moderate exercise. Special food should also be given. The diet of a pregnant mare must include roughage and vitamins. And a month before giving birth, you need to get an anti-tetanus vaccination so that the foal has strong innate immunity.

The birth itself does not last long - a maximum of 45 minutes. In the absence of pathologies, the mare copes with them herself. You cannot help a newborn get to his feet. As the ancients used to say, “many animals die from negligence, and even more from ignorance.” But if the need arises, you can help him find the udder. For the first two hours it is better not to disturb the horse at all. At this time, her care for the foal begins. She will not only feed him. The baby follows his mother everywhere, as if attached, gradually acquiring the knowledge and skills he needs under vigilant, affectionate control.

If there are no pathologies, there is no need to interfere during childbirth - the mare will do everything on her own.

Generally, all a horse needs when giving birth is clean, thick bedding. You can keep an eye on her, but it is advisable not to be in her sight. After foaling, the mother stands up and the umbilical cord comes off. The mare immediately begins to lick the foal, freeing her mouth and nostrils from the remnants of birth mucus. Then the dried-up baby tries to eat on his own for the first time.

The first month the foal feeds only on mother's milk, but from the second month onwards better development You can feed rolled oats as a top dressing. They start feeding with 100 grams per day, gradually increasing the amount of feeding to two kilograms.

Planned expenses

How much does it cost to keep one horse per month at home? Here is an approximate cost estimate:

• oats 90 kg - 500 rubles;
• bag of bran - 400 rubles;
• 350 kg of hay - 2000 rubles;
• vitamin supplement— 3000 rubles;
• dried nettle, flax seed, beets, carrots— 1600 rubles;
• straw for bedding- 3000 rubles.

According to conservative estimates, in a home stable, feeding and maintaining one animal will cost approximately 10,500 rubles. This does not take into account the costs of horse vaccinations, veterinary services, necessary medications and ointments.

For many centuries, man has walked through life side by side with a horse. This is not only a reliable helper in the household, but also an incredibly loyal friend and companion. Few people don't like horses. It is difficult to remain indifferent to their deep and expressive, almost human eyes.

Evolution of the horse

Domestic horses and their wild counterparts share a common ancestor. They are considered to be the animal Eohippus, which became extinct many millions of years ago. He was the size of a small dog and had a long tail. The front paws had four toes, the hind paws had three. Scientists call the American continent the prehistoric habitat of Eohippus.

In the Oligocene, the descendants of Eohippus, Anchytheria, appeared. By the appearance of these creatures one could judge the beginning of physiological changes in their structure. The legs lengthened, the back straightened, the body increased in size. Three-toedness became apparent, as the fourth toe on the front legs disappeared. The leg becomes adapted to fast running and strong jumps.

The next stage of evolution is considered to be the hipparion, whose range has expanded significantly to Europe and Asia. Externally, the hipparion resembled gazelles modern look. It was replaced by pliohippus (one-toed horses) about 4.8-5 million years ago. Hipparions had not yet completely died out during this period, and for some time these two species lived in close proximity to each other.

Climate change has caused a change from savannas covered with lush grasses to rocky steppes. Pliohippus turned out to be more adapted to life in updated conditions. These animals spread to the western and eastern hemispheres. Many new species originated from the ancestor of Pliohyppus: zebras, tarpans, and modern domestic horses.

Breeds of modern horses

Since man domesticated the horse, he had to work for centuries to combine its external and physiological qualities into separate breeds.

Today, domestic horses are divided into three main groups: saddle horses, draft horses and ponies.

The riding breeds include the following: Russian Saddlebred, Holstein, Thoroughbred Saddlebred, Hessian, Bavarian Warmblood, Hanoverian, Akhal-Teke, Arabian and American Saddlebred.

The most famous breeds of heavy trucks:

Ponies are horses too!

Ponies are short riding horses, their height does not exceed 150 cm, but despite their small size, the animals are very strong and resilient. Essentially, this is the same domestic horse, its description appearance completely coincides with the description of its larger brother. There are as many breeds of ponies as there are riding and draft horses. Known breeds include the American riding pony, Australian pony, American miniature horse, Barmie pony, Bosnian mountain pony and many others.

A breeder of a domestic horse should know that the animal must have its own “home” - a stable, made according to special rules. First of all, a high ceiling is required - no lower than 3 meters. The walls can be wooden or brick. The main thing is to avoid dampness and drafts. Excessive moisture causes horses' hooves to rot. The stable must be cleaned daily, and the feeding troughs and drinking containers must also be kept clean.

Horses are used in the household, among other things. In addition, they are excellent friends and helpers in the fight against depression. as much as you like. Light physical activity is only good for her.

In order for a horse to feel good, it does not have to live in a stall. These animals by their nature are wild nomads, their elements are fields, steppes, and open spaces. A domestic horse can live well on a pasture.

Proper feeding

All pets need quality nutrition. The horse is no exception. The volume and nature of food depend on age, breed, weight and physical activity horses. Ideally, the diet is developed individually for each horse.

Feeding should be regular and provide the animal’s body with all the substances necessary for normal activity and vital functions.

Domestic horses should rest for an hour to an hour and a half before and after feeding, just like many other domestic animals. The horse should also drink at least three times a day, its daily water requirement is about 46 liters. On hot summer days, more water should be given - up to 70 liters, since the horse sweats a lot and loses a lot of fluid.

When choosing food, the owner needs to know that his pet is very picky about food. The horse is demanding about the quality and purity of the feed. In other words, she won’t eat just anything.

Traditional horse food is straw, hay, and oats. You can add silage, root vegetables, grass briquettes, wheat, rye, cakes and meals, molasses, combined feeds, and various vitamin supplements to it.

Salt and chalk are an integral part of the horse menu

The diet of any horse must include the Need adult in this product - 30-60 g per day, young animals need less salt - up to 30 g.

Chalk serves as a source of calcium. It is ground and washed if contaminated. For giving, chalk is mixed with any concentrated food. Every day a horse needs to eat 50-70 grams of chalk to maintain normal level calcium.

Horses, like other domesticated animals, require constant attention. To ensure that a horse that spends a significant amount of time in the stable does not weaken and lose the ability to actively move, it must be constantly walked. In addition to walking, the horse owner must pay attention to such important things as the conditions of keeping the horse, hoof care, cleaning the animal and proper nutrition. Despite the fact that the horse seems to be such a large and strong animal, its health can easily be damaged junk food or incorrectly selected horseshoes. We'll talk about what horse care includes and what you should pay attention to when building a stable.

The conditions in which horses are kept directly depend on the time of year. During the cold season, animals are kept indoors (in a barn or stable). The summer months are an excellent opportunity to keep horses outside, since when they are allowed to walk, they will be able to provide themselves with fresh food enriched with vitamins.

The choice of stable or barn is determined by the number of horses that live on the farm. For one or two horses, a stable will be enough; a larger number of individuals requires the construction of a stable, consisting of two main elements:

• stall – are a horse’s rest area, designed for daily maintenance. The animal is also fed and cleaned in the stall. There is one horse per stall;
• stall - are compartments that differ from stalls large size, since they must accommodate a horse with outstretched limbs. The dimensions of the most compact stall should be at least 3.6 x 3.6 meters. Larger stalls should be used for females with foals.

Stable requirements

Since it is inappropriate to dwell on the detailed equipment of the stable in this article, we will highlight the main points on which this premises should be built:

Horse health

It makes no sense to dwell on the detailed classification of equine diseases, since this is a topic for a separate extensive article. Next, we will get acquainted with the main signs of a sick and healthy horse, since the horse breeder is required not only to make a correct diagnosis, but to suspect something is wrong in time and show the animal to the veterinarian.

The first manifestations of illness in many diseases are similar, which gives the right to a classification common features, characteristic of a sick horse.

Table 1. Signs of a sick and healthy horse

Healthy manifestations	Painful manifestations
A horse's normal temperature is approximately 38 degrees	The temperature of a sick horse decreases or increases by one or more degrees
In the absence of physical activity, the horse takes from 9 to 15 breaths per minute	The animal's breathing, like its heartbeat, usually increases as the disease develops
Horse's pulse calm state does not exceed 40 beats per minute	The horse experiences apathy, seems drowsy, or, on the contrary, overly excited
Non-inflamed mucous membranes of the animal have a pale pink tint.	Often in diseases there is hyperemia of the mucous membranes, consisting in their swelling and redness
One of the sure signs wellness the horse is its iridescent silk coat	In a weakened, sick horse, the coat becomes dry. When combing it falls out in large quantities

Experienced horse breeders know that the condition of a horse’s hooves determines how easily the animal moves and whether it moves at all. In the absence of care for this part of the body, the horse will sooner or later begin to limp, and if inflammation occurs, amputation will be in question. However, all these disappointing consequences can be avoided by following simple rules hoof care. Such rules imply the implementation of several procedures.

Hydration

The hoof horn tends to crack when there is a lack of moisture. A hardened horn becomes brittle and can be damaged if the circumstances are unfortunate. Normally, horse hooves should be elastic and resilient. There are several ways to achieve this condition:

Movement

No matter how paradoxical it may sound, however, the destruction of the horse’s hoof is more likely to be caused by a lack of horse activity than by its excess. Physical inactivity is the worst enemy of the hooves, as it disrupts their blood supply, thereby slowly destroying the structure.

As a result of this imbalance, the hoof tissues do not receive enough nutrients, which leads to rapid wear and tear. In this regard, horses that spend a large amount of time in the stall are required to jog (preferably on natural ground).

Beauty care

In relation to cosmetic care, the horse breeder must be careful and remember that overindulgence horse “cosmetics” can lead to negative consequences. There are two main cosmetic methods hoof care:

Cleaning

Regardless of the type of soil your horse walks on, his hooves under the horseshoes will soon become clogged and filled with foreign objects such as stones, sawdust, and so on. To prevent this debris from causing inflammation, it is advisable to carry out preventive cleaning of the animal’s hooves once every month and a half. This frequency prevents the hoof from becoming too clogged and makes it easier to care for.

There is a certain “ritual” of cleaning, which involves a strict procedure:

1. First you clear the arrows;
2. Then you switch to the sole;
3. The supporting edges of the hooves are processed last.

The main thing to remember when cleaning hooves is that you should not remove excess layers, as this can lead to lameness in the horse and pain while walking.

By the way! If you are not confident in your ability to handle the cleanup, you can “call in” a farrier, who often does both shoeing and finishing of horses’ hooves.

Forging

It is recommended to take forging into your own hands only if you are doing it professionally, otherwise contacting a specialist blacksmith would be the best solution. Note that some horse breeders refuse shoeing altogether. This solution makes sense if you rarely use your horse and do not subject it to great physical stress.

The following categories of horses need horseshoes:

• sport horses;
• individuals with incorrect placement of limbs;
• animals that have already encountered hoof diseases;
• horses used to transport heavy loads.

Of course, forging also has its drawbacks - the most obvious is the nails that undermine the walls of the hooves. In order for horseshoes to be most effective and least traumatic for horses, the horse breeder must keep in mind a number of nuances:

Horse cleaning

When cleaning a horse's body, as when cleaning its hooves, it is also advisable to adhere to a certain sequence of actions that will improve the final result of hygiene procedures.

Step 1. Cleaning the horse of hair and dirt. In order to remove dead hairs and accumulated debris from the horse's body, you will need a scraper, most often made of rubber. The groomer is first on the list because its bristles help warm up the horse and open up his pores, which will be useful later on. Cleansing is carried out in a circular motion directed against hair growth. Cleaning goes through four supporting stops: neck – withers – back – limbs.

Step 2. After the pores of the animal have opened, it is advisable to take another tool with stiffer bristles. If you used the comb correctly, then layers of dirt accumulated in the animal’s skin should come to the surface - this is what you have to work with. To do this, take a stiff brush and now move with straight movements from the horse’s neck to his tail. It is also advisable to use the legs of the horse. Please note that a stiff brush is not used on the animal's face, belly, mane or tail.

Step 3. For the final stage of cleaning the case, you should take the most soft brush. It will remove any remaining dirt, and will also be able to clean those parts of the body that were inaccessible to a hard brush. This tool can even be used to clean your face, but remain vigilant and do not put pressure on the “tool.” It is recommended to use a sponge to wash the areas around the eyes, ears and mouth.

Step 4. To clean the base of the tail, skip the brushes and use simple towels or washcloths. The skin in the genital area is considered very delicate, and due to its constant hydration, there is a possibility of accumulation of mucus and microbes. Therefore, you should never neglect this part of the body. The use of towels should be one-time use; the same copy should not be used when cleaning different horses.

Step 5. The cleaning of the horse is completed by thoroughly combing its thick mane and tail. In order to carry out this procedure without injuring the horse, use special combs that you can pick up at a pet store. By analogy with human hair, do not try to comb the entire mass of hair at once - distribute the mane and tail into strands, and then carefully go through them with a comb. If you encounter tangles, do not try to tear them out by force; as a last resort, remove the tangled area with scissors.

When cleaning an animal, follow a few simple rules that will ensure your safety:

• do not stand near the horse's legs;
• Don't approach the horse from behind. She may kick you even if you do not make any serious mistakes;
• make confident, strong movements with the brush, but watch the animal’s reaction. As a rule, pressing force is developed over time and when working in tandem with a horse.

Video - Combing a horse's mane

Bathing a horse

Bathing is a type of cleaning in which the animal is completely washed with water from a hose or any other device. It should be noted that it is not always possible to bathe a horse. Water procedures undesirable in the following situations:

• you have just finished training with your horse and want to “drench” him. Because the animal is warmed up, sharp drop temperatures can lead to colds;
• you decide to wash your horse during the cold season. Of course, the immunity of many horses can cope with such “hardening”, but washing the horse at low temperatures permanent basis Not recommended.

When watering, it is advisable to use warm, but not hot water. If your horse categorically refuses to take a bath and is afraid of water, do not force him to undergo this unpleasant procedure.

Feeding the horse

Before moving on to calculating a horse’s daily diet, let’s briefly look at those products that must certainly be present on a horse’s menu:

• green food. This type of feed is, of course, the main diet of any horse. Due to the fact that year-round grazing of horses in Russia is impossible, horse breeders can use grass pellets in cold seasons, allowing animals to consume the necessary vitamins. You can also use harvested corn silage as green feed in the fall;

  

• roughage. Horses consume straw and hay as roughage. Meadow and grain-legume varieties of hay are considered the most nutritious. If you feed roughage in portions up to ten kilograms, it is not necessary to grind it. It is recommended to mix hay and straw in large quantities with oats or cake;
• concentrated feed. Concentrated feeds include cake, peas, wheat, oats, and rye. It is believed that the most the best option oats are the food for horses due to the fact that they are easily digested and have a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract;

  

• succulent food. Feeding a horse succulent feed involves including root vegetables, potatoes, beets and carrots in the diet. To make it more convenient for the animal to cope with vegetables, they should be pre-chopped and washed to prevent pathogenic bacteria from entering the animal’s body. Root vegetables most often act as components of mash and are not fed individually.

Daily ration

On average, for one horse, whose body weight ranges from 450 to 500 kilograms, it costs per day:

• 5 kilograms of oats;
• 12 kilograms of hay;
• 1.5 kilograms of bran;
• 3 kilograms of carrots.

Of course, the given daily diet is not universal option nutrition for each horse. Different individuals have different weights, are in different physiological conditions and require different amounts of nutrients. Ultimately, each horse has a preference different products, which the horse breeder also has to take into account.

Rules for feeding a horse

When developing a diet, it is important not to forget that not only the dishes themselves play a role, but also the conditions under which horses consume them. The tips below will help prevent indigestion in your horse:

1. give preference to fractional feeding. Small portion sizes should be compensated for by more frequent appointments food. This method of feeding helps reduce acidity in the stomachs of horses, since the digestive tract is constantly busy with digestion;

   

2. Provide your horse with constant access to food. Freedom in food consumption brings the horse back to natural environment a habitat in which she could constantly chew juicy greens;
3. Try to maintain a stable feeding plan. The transition to a new type of food takes time for both animals and humans. If the horse has to constantly adapt to spontaneous changes, then soon it will begin to experience disruptions in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, if you still want to introduce new products, do it gradually - over several weeks;
4. don't feed the horse before physical exercise. This item does not need detailed explanations– to avoid digestive disorders, the horse can be used only an hour after its last meal;

   

5. create an individual menu for each horse. It is logical to assume that a foal, a pregnant horse and a mature horse will need different proportions of certain products. It is also necessary to take into account the breed of the horse, since it can influence metabolic processes in the body - for example, dwarf horses are more prone to weight gain than all other horses;
6. follow the regime. The regime is one of the main aids to digestion. The sooner you teach horses what they should eat in set time, the fewer problems you will have with them in the future.

Before you start equestrian sports or buy a horse, you need to find out what horse care involves. These animals need daily care. It is important to know not only what to feed a horse, but also how to properly arrange a stall, how to care for the horse’s fur and mane, hooves, and teeth. Great value has established contact with the pet.

Exist various systems and methods of keeping horses:

• herd;
• stable;
• herd-pasture system.

Breeders choose the appropriate option, taking into account the characteristics of the local climate. The first method involves keeping animals in conditions as close as possible to natural ones. At the same time, individuals are constantly on pastures, as in the wild.

When keeping stables, animals stay indoors, but have the opportunity to go out for a walk. The last option is stable-pasture, suitable for areas with cold winters. IN warm time During the year, horses spend most of their time on the pasture, and in the fall they are transferred to the stable.

There are 2 methods of herd keeping:

• Improved herd. In this case, all members of the herd, regardless of gender and age, are kept together. During bad weather, portable structures with canopies are used to protect pregnant females, foals and breeders. The remaining members of the herd hide in natural shelters.
• Cultural. Animals are divided into groups by sex and age. For shelter from bad weather, stationary reliable structures with canopies are used, and for particularly vulnerable groups, equipped stables are created where horses stay during extreme cold weather.

Rules for caring for horses

Caring for a horse at home is painstaking work. It includes different aspects:

• feeding;
• watering;
• arrangement of stables;
• hygiene;
• taking care of your pet's health.

Attention! Proper handling of an animal is an important part of caring for it. Horses are noble creatures and demand respect.

Arranging the stables and maintaining cleanliness

The premises for horses are built on a hill, where groundwater lies at a depth of at least 1 meter. By locating the stable in a low area, the owner of the horse will expose it to disease due to constant dampness. In winter, the temperature inside should be maintained within 7–10 degrees Celsius.

A stall is a place where a horse rests. Each individual is allocated about 12–14 square meters. m of free space. The compartments are separated by partitions. The height of the room is at least 2.8 m. The floor is made at a slight slope from clay, wood or concrete. Its surface is covered with straw or sawdust. There should be no thresholds or sharp corners inside, otherwise the animals will get hurt.

Attention! The stall is equipped with windows, since poor lighting affects the health of animals and reproductive function.

A feeder is placed near one of the walls. Many breeders use a trough - it is roomy and convenient. The container is divided by a partition into 2 compartments - for hay and concentrates. The nursery is equipped with a lattice. There should be a drinking bowl nearby. Horses drink a lot - 40–60 liters per day. It is important to keep the water clean.

Nutrition

Having set up a stable, you need to figure out what and how to feed the horse correctly. The daily diet of horses includes:

• oats – 5–6 kg;
• hay (meadow and legume-cereal) – 7 kg;
• bran – 1.5 kg;
• carrots – 5–6 kg;
• beets;
• apples.

Attention! The horse should receive salt daily. A lick briquette is fixed next to the feeder. The animal will lick off as much salt as it needs on its own.

Poor quality feed can cause a horse to get sick. It is important to check it for mold and not feed it rotten vegetables. Hay is distributed 4 or 5 times a day, and concentrated feed - three times a day. Animals are given water before each meal.

The transition to grazing is carried out gradually. A sudden change in diet leads to disturbances in digestion. Horses often develop colic from eating large amounts of clover and alfalfa. It is important to avoid pastures where many legumes grow.

When horses are working, they need to be given the opportunity to rest. This is done every 2–3 hours. During the break, the horses are given a snack. If the rest is short - up to half an hour, they offer a little oats; in other cases, they are fed first with hay and then with concentrates. After eating, pets are brought to work no earlier than an hour later.

Horse cleaning

For daily care You will need special equipment for your horse:

1. Whalebone brush. Used to clean extremities from dry contaminants - soil residues and droppings.
2. Brush with soft bristles. It is used to cleanse the body, neck, mane and tail.
3. Scratchers. They are designed to remove dust from brushes.
4. A tool made of plastic or metal, a scraper, is used to remove moisture from the body.
5. Combs. With their help, they tidy up the hair in the mane and tail.
6. Sponges different color to remove dirt from the eye and croup areas.
7. Hooks and brushes for cleaning hooves.
8. Mittens, cloth. They are used to dry the wool.

Cleaning the horse should begin with the most uncontaminated areas of the body - from the head and neck, gradually moving down. The brush is taken into right hand. First, it is carried out against hair growth, and then several movements are made in reverse side. As necessary, equipment is cleaned using a scraper, which is convenient to hold in the other hand.

Attention! Heavily contaminated areas are pre-moistened with warm water, then gently rubbed with straw strands. After the procedure, the remaining moisture is removed with a scraper.

After horse riding or intensive work It is important to inspect the hooves. They are cleaned using hooks. The arrow area is treated with a special brush. At the final stage of cleaning, the pet’s body is wiped with dry cloth or suede.

Bathing

Horses are bathed only in the warm season, when the air temperature reaches +20 degrees. If there is a small pond nearby, you can wash your horse there. Otherwise, use a hose. Bathing is carried out once every 10–14 days.

How to wash animals:

• special detergents for horses;
• baby shampoo;
• plain water.

First, the wool is generously moistened with warm water, then shampoo is applied, distributing the foam throughout the body. Detergent wash off thoroughly. Using water distiller, remove remaining moisture from the wool. At the final stage, the animal’s body is wiped dry with a cloth. After bathing, the horses are given drink and hay.

Mane care

The mane is the decoration of a horse. It requires careful care. It is washed as it gets dirty - some individuals' hair quickly becomes greasy, while others remain clean longer. To wash the mane and tail, use a special shampoo and conditioner.

The procedure itself is no different from washing human hair. It is important to ensure that the product does not get into your eyes. After washing, the hair is combed and allowed to dry. If necessary, the mane is braided. There are several interesting hairstyles for horses:

• Western film;
• hunting braids;
• continental braids.

Attention! Sometimes horses chew each other's manes. To avoid this, use aerosols with a repulsive odor.

Hoof care

The horse's hooves are inspected daily after training or hard work. To relieve fatigue, the animal’s feet are watered with cool water, cleaned, and then lubricated with fat-containing products. Dried manure, pebbles and remaining soil must be removed from the hooves with a hook, being careful not to touch the frog so as not to damage it. This area is cleaned with a brush.

Attention! The regrown stratum corneum is removed every 1–1.5 months.

If a horse regularly works on hard ground, it is shod. It is better to entrust the procedure to a specialist. He will not only select the correct size of horseshoes, but will also not harm the pet.

Taking care of your horse's health

If not properly cared for, the horse may become ill. These animals, like people, suffer from various ailments:

The most dangerous infections for horses are: anthrax, glanders, leptospirosis, tuberculosis, tetanus, rabies. They spread quickly from one individual to another and can lead to the death of livestock. To protect your pets, it is important to keep up with vaccinations. There are also vaccines for skin diseases. They protect animals from different types dermatomycosis.

It is important to regularly prevent helminthiasis. This is usually done twice a year - in spring and autumn. You should not neglect veterinary examinations for breeding disease in horses, and also regularly check the condition of the horses’ teeth.

Rules for handling horses

Noble animals require respectful treatment. You can’t shout at them, much less hit them. Horses are quite shy, so before entering the stable you should first call the horse, attract his attention, and then approach him. Forbidden:

• walk around the horse from behind or crawl under its belly while in the stall;
• bring your fingers to your pet’s mouth;
• letting go of the reins when leading a horse out of the stable;
• go to the right of the horse;
• saddle a horse, finding wounds, abrasions, bumps on the body;
• pull the bridle and demonstrate rudeness.

Attention! Horses cannot tolerate the smell of alcohol. You should not approach them after drinking alcohol.

Caring for a horse cannot be called easy. This is a lot of responsibility and work. If you want to buy a horse, you need to understand that its maintenance will not only entail serious material costs, but will also require a lot of time.