You have several options to keep
your horse in a comfortable environment. But keeping the horse in a pasture is
the most natural and efficient way. You must consider a number of man-made and
natural factors to keep the horse safe and comfortable. In addition to
providing the horse with proper vaccinations, worming medicine and fly mask
with ear protectors, you also have to comply with the local county regulation.
Normally, the number of horses to
be kept per acre varies from one location to another. So you must consult your
local agriculture extension agent and implement his recommendation. However,
you also concentrate on some key points to ensure that the horse is safe and
getting adequate mineral and vitamin supplements.
Plenty of Fresh Water: Each horse needs plenty of fresh water when
they are pastured. But many people forget to concentrate on maximizing the
fresh water supply. Normally, a healthy horse will drink about 25 to 30 gallons
of fresh water on a daily basis. There are also many horses that do not drink
dirty water. So you must ensure that the horses are provided adequate amount of
fresh and clean water.
Adequate Food Supply: When the horses are pastured, they can graze
on their own. But there are always chances that they may not get sufficient
food and nutrition. So you must supplement the pasture grass by adding
concentrates and hay. Also, it becomes essential to supplement the grass during
the winter months or at the time of draught. If the horse performs heavy work
on a regular basis, the animal also needs to get sufficient mineral and vitamin
supplements.
Veterinary And Medicinal Needs: While being pastured, the horses
still have their veterinary needs. You must provide the pastured horse with
proper vaccinations along with checking its teeth and trimming its hooves. It
is also important to apply a daily wormer to protect the animal from worms and
preventing the growth of larvae in its intestine. Similarly, flies and other
insects must be prevented from swarming the horse’s eyes by using a fly mask
with ear protectors. Also, the horse must be covered with a waterproof horse
blanket during the wet and cold months.
Comfortable Shelter: Similar to different
cattle corral designs, the shelter for a horse must be designed based
on certain criterions. In comparison to the healthy horses, the ill horses,
very young horses and older horses will require a higher level of protection
and comfort. You can consider adding a lean-to or overhang to protect the
horses from sunlight, rainwater and wind. However, based on the nature of the
pasture, you may also be required to consider options to protect the horses
from trees. While deciding the shelter for your horse, you also have to ensure
that the horse is being pastured with other animals that he gets along with.
Safe Fencing: Often the design
of corral panel, boards and fence may hurt your horse physically. So you
must check the fence regularly to fine the protruding nails and boards. The
fence also needs to be tightened regularly to keep the horse safe and
comfortable. If you are using electric fence you must check it regularly to
evaluate its performance. At the same time, you must get the barbed wires
removed immediately as these can cause severe physical damage to the horses. If
you are not able to remove the barbed wires completely, it is a good idea to
install electric wire inside the fence to keep the horse away from the barbed
wires.
In addition to taking proper care
for the horses, you also need to check and maintain the pasture. The soil on
your pasture must be checked at least once a year to decide if any additional
fertilizers are needed. Similarly, you have to mow the pasture regularly to
make it easier for the horses to graze.
