Ways to Show Your Mare Your Gratitude

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, now is a perfect time to reflect on all that you are grateful for. Whether that is friends, family, your home, or your overall happiness, there is so much to reflect on during this season. Many of us consider our pets to be part of our family and it is important to show them that we are grateful for them. Your horse is a life companion and part of your family, so give them an extra treat this November. Continue reading to learn about some special ways you can show your horse that you are grateful for them. 

Treats
One of the best things about Thanksgiving is, of course, the food! We get to eat so much yummy food for Thanksgiving so why not share some with your horse. You can give your horse a variety of different treats, including some that are festive for the fall. Almost all fruits and vegetables are safe for your horse, including apples, carrots, grapes, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe and other melons, celery, and snow peas. If you have insulin resistance horses, they can enjoy celery, roasted peanuts in the shell that you can find at your local grocery store, snow peas, and strawberries. If you want to be creative, you can take some hay chunks cut in half to mimic cookies! You can even enjoy pumpkin with your horse during the fall! Many horses are going to be excited about the treats and want to swallow them whole, so be sure to cut up the treats to keep them from choking. If you want to be creative, there are recipes that you can find online that will show you how to bake treats for your horse! You can make yourself some cookies and make some horse-friendly ones at the same time. Some things that you shouldn't give your horse include onions, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and any other food that tends to produce intestinal gas.

Maintenance and Cleaning
Something else you can do to show your horse that you are grateful for them is by keeping up with their cleaning and adding some extra health maintenance. Physical touch between you and your horse can make them feel safer and comforted by you which can create a better bond. You can brush your horse to keep its mane shiny and untangled while spending some extra time with your horse. You can also massage your horse. Keeping a loose fist and applying pressure to different parts of your horse can give them a nice muscle massage. You should also start light and then get heavier according to the comfort of your horse, you don’t want to apply too much pressure on them. Another way to pamper your horse is to get them checked out by a farrier. The farrier can pick out any health issues that your horses may have and you can begin treating them before it gets worse. If you’re looking for supplements, shampoos, or ointments to treat your horse, check out Equine Medical for anything you may be looking for. 

Spend extra time with your horse
The best way to show your love for your horse is to spend some extra time with them. Our horses love to hang out with us as much as we love to hang out with them and they will be overjoyed with some extra trail rides, training, or just hanging out with you. Fall is perfect for some beautiful and colorful trail rides with your horse so go on your favorite or find someplace new to bring your horse and stretch their legs. It will be a fun activity for both of you and them to get out of the house. You can also find some new tricks to teach them or some new training techniques to keep them active as the colder weather that comes up usually means less time spent outside. Keeping your horse exercising, even in the fall and winter, will keep their muscles strong and their joints working so they won't struggle when spring rolls around again. 

There are so many things that you can do to show your horse that you are grateful for them this month. Giving them something special or keeping up with their health are great ways to show that you care. If you're looking to treat your horse to some healthy supplements to keep them strong or shampoo to keep them clean, head over to Equine Medical to get some products or read up on the well-being of your horse.