WORMING

All horses have internal parasites (worms), but they are worst in young, overcrowded or under-fed  horses.  Regular worming may appear expensive, but when you consider what your horse and its performance mean to you, the investment is well worth it. 

It is likely that your horse will have worms, especially if it is grazed with other horses.  The pasture will be contaminated with worms, and once inside the horse they can cause damage by reducing food digestion and absorption, obstructing the gut, sucking blood, feeding on tissues causing protein to be lost in faeces, and damaging the arteries which supply blood to the intestines.

For best results you should routinely (every 8-12 weeks) use a broad spectrum wormer.  It is very important to avoid overcrowding of paddocks, and remove dung regularly.  Dung can be put into heaps to cook, and then spread out four weeks later.  If you have spare paddocks it is a good idea to rotate your horses around them so the paddocks can be spelled.  Alternatively, if you have other stock such as cattle or sheep, allow them to graze the paddock as they will help clean up the worms. 

We recommend using Parade worming paste.  It treats all worm types including tape worms and bots.  The small gel dose with aniseed flavour is very easy to administer.   If your horse is grazing in a paddock with other horses, it is very important that they all get wormed at the same time.
If you have any questions, please contact the clinic.

VACCINATION

No horse owner can afford to ignore the perils of Strangles and Tetanus.  These vaccines should be an essential part of every horse’s healthcare programme.

TETANUS

Tetanus is a life threatening disease that can affect both humans and animals.  It occurs when a wound becomes infected with bacterial spores that are commonly found in the soil.  After they enter the wound, the spores rapidly multiply and produce a powerful toxin which affects the nerves and muscles of the horse.  Tetanus is as much a risk from small wounds as from large ones.  Cases of tetanus can occur in horses with no visible wounds.

Treatment of tetanus is difficult and often unsuccessful, most horses die if affected, which is why an effective vaccination programme is important.   This involves giving the first two doses one month apart, followed by a third one year later.  The horse will then be protected for at least 5 years.  Mares due to foal should always be boostered.

STRANGLES

Strangles is a respiratory disease of horses, which is caused by bacteria.  It is highly contagious, with the bacteria being spread by direct contact with infected horse, and also by people, tack, feed and water, which may have been contaminated by nasal discharges from infected horses.  Large outbreaks often occur with many horses being affected at the same time.  Horses usually develop signs within a few days of infection.  Symptoms include:
    Fever, depression, not eating
    Discharge from nose, first it is clear then it becomes thick and yellow
    Swollen glands around the throat and jaw

Strangles can be fatal, particularly in young horses, but most horses eventually recover, but even in mild cases the horse may need to be isolated, and kept out of work for up to 3 months.

The vaccination programme requires three doses, each to be given two weeks apart, followed by an annual booster.  However vaccination is not fool proof, so if you require more information please talk with one of our Vets.

FEEDING/NUTRITION

Horses only have a small stomach, and to feel satisfied they need to graze between 16 and 20 hours a day to keep the stomach full, thus they need to have a good feed supply.  It is also important that hey have plenty of FRESH water available, as they may drink 20-60 litres of water a day.

In New Zealand horses are kept in a variety of conditions from extensive grazing to full-time housing in barns, stables or pens.  Generally the best feed is good quality pasture, (usually clover and ryegrass).  It contains all the feed ingredients necessary for most horses.  As a general rule a horse needs at least one hectare (2.2acres) of reasonable quality grazing land to provide adequate pasture throughout most of the year.  If this is not available, then other types of feed must be provided, such as hay that has been made from surplus grass.

It is important that the hay is dried adequately when it is made and that it is stored in a dry area free from vermin.  If hay becomes mouldy it is unpalatable to the horses and they may lose weight or develop diarrhoea.  Some horses may develop a cough because of the dust in the hay.  Feeding the hay outside on the ground and spraying the hay with water helps to prevent this.

Pasture weeds can be a problem for horse owners, and it is necessary to spray or grub the weeds if you do not have sheep or cattle that you can use to control them.  Paddocks that are specifically grazed by horses need to be mucked out regularly as horses will not eat in a toilet area, it may also be necessary to apply lime to sweeten the pasture.

Hard feed is valuable for hard working horses, and it can be useful for horses with a requirement of extra feed, like pregnant, lactating or growing horses.  It is not wise to feed high-energy grain or concentrates to horses unless they are getting a lot of exercise and expending a lot of energy, because they become mischievous and naughty.  Overfeeding also leads to obesity, laminitis or founder, Colic and stomach problems.

If you are unsure how much and of what you should be feeding your horse please contact the clinic and speak to one of the Vets.

PRE-PURCHASE EXAMINATION

Once you have selected your horse to buy, it is a very good idea to have a Vet perform a pre-purchase examination prior to the final purchase.  This is worthwhile on horses purchased at low values also, as they can have performance limitations too.

This examination can be a two stage or five stage examination:

In the two stage exam the horse is given a physical examination, trotted, turned and backed.  Flexion tests on all four limbs will also be performed.

In the five stage exam the horse is also galloped and again examined.  Any significant injury, lameness or disease detected will be commented on by the Vet. 
Generally a two stage test will cost less than $300.  Further tests such as radiographs can be performed if requested by the buyer to further investigate a problem area.