With everything that’s going on in the world currently, we thought we’d create a handy guide to help you keep your horse happy and healthy!
As equestrians we’re not put off by much... no degree of bad weather, injury or general lack of time stops us from cramming in a ride, mucking out, grooming, competing and generally treating our horses like absolute royalty.
However, not one of us has ever tackled a global pandemic before! We’re now facing (some of us have already been dealing with this for weeks now) limited contact with our beloved four-legged best friends for the foreseeable future.
Across mainland Europe horse owners have been told they won’t be supported by emergency services, so riding is a no, time on yards has been limited or, if on livery, all out banned. So how on earth are we supposed to keep our horses happy and healthy under these alien conditions?
With that conundrum in mind, we’ve compiled a list of different things you can do to keep your horse both mentally stimulated and physically fit during this time...
Though the weather is improving every day and spring is definitely in the air, most of our horses are unfortunately still cooped up inside for a lot of the day. It’s important to try and keep their minds as active as possible, even if they are only staring at the same four walls!
Kentucky’s ingenious Stable Toys, from £31.50, appeal to your horse’s inquisitive nature. They are made from tough, hard to destroy materials, with a variety of different feels and textures - they even have a recycled water bottle hidden inside, so that when your horse nibbles and nudges their toy it will crackle and crunch - further promoting a curious response. The Kentucky Horsewear Stable Toys are available in three different designs – Unicorn, Pony and Teddy Bear.
Likit hanging licks are another great way to keep your horse from boredom.
In tasty flavours such as Mint, Carrot, Cherry and Apple - they’re designed to be tasty and strong smelling enough to attract attention, whilst also being tricky to get to. The long string it hangs from, as well as the revolving holder, prevent your horse from just chomping down, instead requiring it to lick slowly. This not only keeps them busy but helps stimulate the digestive system - something that, as grazers, is imperative for all horses.
The Likit Starter Set, £22.30, is a great value kit that has everything you need to get started, including a holder, three 650g Likit Licks and two packs of Likit treats.
With riding down to a minimum (and in some places out of the question) other activities like lungeing are suddenly much more important.
There is no end of different lungeing aids out there on the market to encourage your horse to work correctly, but our favourite by far is the Waldhausen Rope Lungeing Aid, £19.99.
The rope lies over the horse's back behind the withers, passing between the front legs and attaching to the bit rings with trigger clips. It is designed to encourage the horse into an outline and is more gentle than some other popular training aids. The horse very quickly begins to accept the contact, pushing up through the back and using its core for balance rather than being able to hollow and lean on the bit - great for an all over work out!
The benefits of grooming for a horse and owner are huge. Grooming helps the horse physically: creating a healthy, shiny coat by increasing circulation and massaging large muscle groups. It also helps improve your bond with your steed as well as providing a regular opportunity to check it over for lumps, bumps and warm spots.
The Kentucky Grooming Halter, £62.50, is specially designed to allow better access to your horse’s face. It also makes it quick and easy to put on and remove, so great for when the show season finally kicks back into gear, or for if you are lucky enough to still be able to get out.
One of our other grooming favourite is the HAAS Diva Exklusiv Brush, £19.75, which is made from lambswool with a soft horsehair border, providing a bit of luxury for you and your horse. This is an ideal finishing brush to remove any last traces of dust and dander, and leaves a glossy finish on your horse's coat - perfect for sensitive horses!
Inactivity and reduced circulation can cause no end of problems for horses - digestive issues, muscle loss, lameness, the list goes on. Magnetic therapy is designed to keep your horse’s circulation up even when they are stationary.
The Kentucky Horsewear Recuptex Magnetic Rug, £169.99, is made from a therapeutic fabric and is designed to assist the body's natural healing process by stimulating blood circulation and oxygen flow. There is also Kentucky Horsewear Recuptex/Texishield Stable Wraps, £133.99 available as well, which help with conditions such as chronic arthritis and tendon problems.
Veredus also have an extensive magnetic therapy range consisting of rugs and boots for near enough every part of your horse’s body.
The most popular of these and possibly the easiest, and most cost effective way of way of introducing magnetic therapy, are the Veredus Magnetik Pro Wraps, £34.00.
These lightweight neoprene pastern wraps contain six neodymium magnets that develop a power of 2400 Gauss each. They can be left on for longer periods whilst in the stable, and help with reducing pain and swelling, stimulating blood flow, speeding up the elimination of toxins and speeding up the regenerative process.
We hope our tips help you and your horse stay sane during this testing time, and if we can help with any other issues feel free to give us a call on 01565 723 525 or message us through our social media platforms.
Equiport are continuing to fulfil and deliver your orders, as usual, and we want to reassure you that we are doing everything we can to ensure your safety.
Availability and prices correct at time of publishing.
