7 Ways To Make Your Horse Feel Great

Our horses do a lot for us – they carry us and compete in athletically demanding sports. If you’d like to give your horse a bit of a reward, try out these seven ways to make your horse feel great.

1. Provide Plenty of Warm-Up and Cool-Down Time

Warming up and cooling down your horse before and after exercise is an important aspect in keeping him feeling great. Warming up your horse properly gives his muscles time to loosen up and get ready for exercise, helping to reduce the chance that your horse may strain or injure himself. Cooling down your horse allows his body his body temperature and respiration rates to return to normal, while the blood removes toxins from his muscles. This helps to reduce post-workout muscle soreness and fatigue. Make sure that you give your horse plenty of warm-up and cool-down time.

2. Hire an Equine Massage Therapist

Hiring an equine massage therapist is a great way to help your horse’s muscles feel better. An equine massage therapist can alleviate areas of tension or spasm, and the massage itself will leave your horse feeling relaxed and pampered.

3. Hire an Equine Chiropractor

It’s always a good idea to have an equine chiropractor out to work on your horse at least once a year. A chiropractic adjustment can help to minimize pain in your horse, allowing him to perform better.

4. Groom Your Horse

A good grooming can leave your horse feeling great. Currying, especially, helps to relieve muscle tension and increase circulation, both of which can reduce pain and improve your horse’s overall health. Grooming your horse also gives you a chance to spot any potential injuries or issues early on in the process, so you can minimize how much they affect your horse.

5. Use Liniment

After a workout, rub some liniment into your horse’s legs to provide a cool, relaxing workout let-down. Alternatively, combine water and liquid liniment in a bucket to make a body brace that you can then sponge all over your horse for an all-over soothing treatment.

6. Stay In Touch with Your Vet

Keeping your horse feeling great means staying on top of his body condition and injuries. Make sure that you have your vet out at least once a year to check in on your horse’s condition and potential ailments that you can help to prevent.

7. Provide Proper Nutrition

Your horse will never feel great if he’s not eating what he needs to have energy. Check your horse’s diet to make sure that he’s getting sufficient nutrition for the tasks he’s asked to do. Remember that overfeeding a horse will leave him feeling lousy, too, so make it a point to monitor your horse’s weight.