ride | Horse Racing Free Tips

Though horses tend to receive many more vaccinations than an average, healthy human, that doesn't mean their bodies are more adapted to dealing with them. Equus magazine recently took a look at the best recommendations for keeping horse comfortable after receiving a round of vaccinations.

Like human vaccines, many equine vaccinations are delivered intramuscularly. Though most horses will have a minimal reaction other than localized inflammation and soreness at the injection site, some horses may be stiff and unwilling to bend their neck.

While it's not recommended that the horse be worked intensely the day after he receives his shots, he can be ridden lightly the day of the vaccinations or the next day. This should make the sore muscles feel less stiff. After the first 48 hours, the horse can be returned to his normal exercise routine and intensity.

A horse should not be worked at all if he has significant swelling or stiffness, or if he has a fever. When in doubt, talk with the horse's treating veterinarian about what work, if any, they prefer the horse do.

Read more at EQUUS.

The post Saddle Time After Shots: What Workload Is Acceptable? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Unlike human eyesight, the equine eye is especially adapted to seeing well in the dark—that's when many predators would attack their wild ancestors. The equine eye is so well adapted that a normally sighted horse under a partial moon or bright stars can see as well as a human does in full daylight!

Horses require about 15 minutes for their vision to completely adjust between differently lit environments. This process be seen by stalled horses' reactions to having the barn lights turned on in pre-dawn hours: they squint and blink repeatedly as their eyes try to adjust.

Though it may make some riders anxious, there is no reason to restrict riding to daylight hours. Open fields and lightly wooded areas can be traversed easily in the dark. Dense woods or pitch-black nights aren't ideal, but a horse in familiar territory is just fine if the rider lets him choose his own path. Caution should be taken when leading a horse out of a brightly lit barn to ride—his eyes need time to adjust, so starting slowly and remaining on known paths at the beginning of the ride is a must.

Tag: ride

Saddle Time After Shots: What Workload Is Acceptable?

Do Horses See Well In The Dark?