Health and Care

It can be very worrying if the horses in your stable are sick. Knowing what to look for and how to recognize common horse diseases and conditions is pivotal to the success of your business. Make the best of Penn State Extension’s resources on these topics and find advice on how to manage parasites, ticks, insects and control the spread of toxic plants on horse pasture.

Keeping Your Horses Healthy

There are lots of factors to keep top of mind when it comes to the health of your horses. A successful equine operation will have horses of varying ages, from pregnant mares through to foals and older horses, all of which require different care, feed, and nutrition. Grooming and teeth and hoof health inspections are all part of the daily horse operations.

Horses can suffer from a range of different illnesses, the risks of which can be increased, for example, if there are toxic plants in your pastures or mold and toxins in their feed.

The time of the year can also impact the horse care schedule in your stable. The requirements for spring grooming, for example, are different compared to wet weather care when rain rot is something you need to also be aware of.

As well as environmental issues, there are laws and statutes related to livestock and horses to consider. If you have any questions to ask, the Penn State Extension Humane Issues and Statutes webinar is the perfect opportunity to get your answers from Pennsylvanian equine experts.

Common Horse Diseases

Horses can fall ill as a result of contracting a range of different diseases. Knowing what these are, the symptoms to look for and available options for treatment means you can properly care for the horses in your stable. Learn more about some of the most common diseases and conditions, such as colic, Laminitis, West Nile virus, equine herpes, and equine infectious anemia disease.

When a horse in your care falls ill or is injured, treatment is not always an option. Having to elect euthanasia is a difficult thing to do. You can better prepare yourself for the worse by developing a health care plan for your horse.

Horse Vaccinations and Deworming

It is possible to take precautions against a wide range of common diseases such as tetanus, viral respiratory disease and strangles with vaccinations delivered by a veterinarian.

Thanks to parasite anthelmintic (dewormer) resistance, however, new protocols are now in place with regards to deworming your horse. A Penn State Extension Equine Educator has recorded a webinar that shares some important details.

Ticks and Other Horse Insect Pests

Horses are at risk from a number of different insect pests, including Filth Flies. It’s a common sight to see horses swishing and flicking their tails. More often than not, it’s a fly that’s causing the problem. Being able to control them is critical if you want to maintain a healthy stable. It also helps if you know what’s true and what’s a myth about fly control on equine facilities.

In Pennsylvania, ticks can be a serious problem, with many different species commonly found on horses being raised in the state. Recognizing the different species, removing them, preventing and controlling ticks in the environment is paramount to successful equine husbandry. If you’d like to hear what the experts think, tune in to the Penn State Extension webinar that covers a wide range of tick-related topics.

Ticks and flies aren’t the only pests to be aware of when it comes to the health of the horses in your care. Gnats, mosquitoes, bots, lice, mites, and blister beetles can also be nuisance pests.