A Healthy Horse’s Checklist for Fall
Summer is over and fall is here and along with fall comes time for checking on the health of your horse. A new season is a great time to examine your horse’s overall health and to see if any new issues arose from the heat of the summer. Fall is a great time to set up routine veterinary care, get your horse healthy for the fall and winter, and adapt to changing pasture conditions. Go through our checklist to ensure a healthy and happy horse for this upcoming fall!
Parasite control - As the fall comes and the grass gets shorter, the amount of parasites that hide in there tends to increase. These parasites can be bad for your horse and cause health issues if they were to be ingested or attached to your horse. It is better to be proactive and protect your horse against new parasites and worms before they have a chance to reach your horse. Get them checked out for parasites that may have come during the summer and get your horse on a deworming or parasite control program to be prepared for the fall.
Routine physical maintenance - Giving your horse a general check-up before the fall starts can catch any issues that may get worse if left untreated. The start of a new season is a great opportunity to get your horse on a regular vaccination schedule, deworming program, or spot early signs of common fall diseases, like fall laminitis. Have your horse checked on and then provide the correct treatment depending on what they need. Do they need to gain or lose weight? Do they need strength training? Do they need a dental appointment? Or do they need supplements? A healthy horse in the fall will make for a happier horse in the winter. Horse Heiro has a bunch of different supplements for every kind of horse. Take your horses diagnosed issues over to our website and find the right supplement for you.
Watch out for fall laminitis - Laminitis is a disease in your horse that causes foot pain and can limit your horse's functionality. This disease is one of the most common in horses and the fall is a season where the chance of getting laminitis increases. As the rain returns for the fall, the sugar levels in the grass increase, and this can be a cause of laminitis, especially in insulin-resistant horses. Limit your horse’s grazing in order to prevent this. Laminitis can also be caused by hormonal imbalances in your horse. Insulin-resistant horses have a stronger chance of developing the disease and if you know your horse is insulin resistant, keep an extra eye on their health this fall. Horse Heiro has supplements meant for insulin-resistant horses that can provide extra protection against diseases like fall laminitis.
Changing pasture conditions - As the fall comes in and the lush pasture of the summer begins to diminish, horses are eating up the last of the summer grass. When the pasture begins to diminish horses may be more inclined to eat other unfamiliar vegetation which could be bad for them. Bring in some more hay for grazing so that your horses will still have a safe and nutritious option for when the pasture loses its grass. Don’t let the loss of nutritious vegetation take a toll on your horse’s health. Horse Heiro has supplements to keep them in good shape.
Prep for winter - Once you have gotten through the proper steps to care for your horse in the fall, don’t forget that winter is just around the corner. You can take early steps to get your horse and your barn ready for the colder weather. Make sure your horse’s blankets fit and are the right material to keep your horse warm. Check on all fencing and posts in the barn so that it provides a safe home for your horse during the winter. As the ground freezes towards the end of the fall, making post replacements becomes much more difficult.
Take some time this fall to check on the health of your horse and get them ready for the cold winter ahead. If any health issues arise, head over to our website to get some supplements for them or learn more about the risk of fall laminitis in the fall. Our horses are important to us, so treat them with care this fall!