Unless you were raised around horses, you are likely very unfamiliar with their specific needs and how to properly raise them. Owning a horse can be very rewarding, but it also requires a lot of work. Many people do not realize the amount of work that goes into owning just one horse. If you are considering horse ownership, carefully compare these important factors and differences with other types of animals you might have previously owned.
Amount of exercise needed
Horses need a lot of exercise. You have probably heard the same about dogs, especially larger dogs. However, the amount of exercise that is required of even a large dog when compared to a normal sized horse is a huge difference. Horses have an instinctual need to run and roam. This often requires hours and hours of daily exercise on your part. If you cannot hire someone to exercise your horse daily, you may want to reconsider ownership. Another option is to board them at a horse facility, where they regularly exercise the horse residents.
Required grooming
Some people groom their cats and dogs. Dogs are usually only regularly groomed if they have long hair. Cats tend to bathe themselves, but sometimes require additional grooming services. Horses, on the other hand, require regular grooming. Without regular grooming, they can develop sores and diseases of the skin. Their grooming requirements also include proper shoe and feet care. Because they are so heavy in weight when compared to other types of animals, there shoes needs to be properly cared for to prevent health problems.
Training for happiness
It is possible to have a happy dog that is not fully trained. Training simply helps cohabitation with household animals easier. You train your dog to use the bathroom outdoors, so you do not have to clean it up. You train them to sit and stay, allowing guests to enter the home unbothered. Horses, however, require training for happiness. If they are not trained properly, they are unable to ride and enjoy the outdoors. It is very important that your horse is properly trained and that it is constantly being improved upon its training.
Health care needs
Health care needs are required of any pet you own. However, they are much more extensive in horse ownership. Veterinary diagnostics markets are just a small part of owning a horse. Veterinary diagnostics markets provide careful diagnostics for known horse diseases, especially equine infectious anemia virus expressions. Contract lab services are often needed because of the seriousness of the equine infectious anemia virus. Just one fifth of a teaspoon of blood from a chronic case of EIAV during a feverish episode contains enough virus to infect 10,000 horses.
The high possibility of affecting other horses and animals requires a quick and accurate veterinary diagnostics market. This is much different than the antigen heartworm tests you may be familiar with. By far the majority of horses are unapparent carriers, they show no overt clinical abnormalities as a result of infection. They survive as reservoirs of the infection for extended periods, and have dramatically lower concentrations of EIAV in their blood than horses with active clinical signs of the disease. Only 1 horsefly out of 6 million is likely to pick up and transmit EIAV from this horse. However, accurate veterinary diagnostics markets are needed to quickly trace it.
Food safety testing
What you feed any pet you own is important. Some pets have special dietary restrictions, while others require diets based on their age, medical needs, or health requirements. Considering that horses are much larger and thus, eat much more, you may have to have more advanced of food safety testing analysis. This ensures that their current diet is not contributing to any of their current health problems.
Horse ownership is much less than that of any other household animal type. Horses require much more attention, care, and knowledge. If you are not experienced in horse ownership, it is important to consider your ability to properly care for one. They have different grooming, dietary, and medical needs than other types of animals do.