Horses can be stressed out by many things, such as being alone in the pasture, riding in a wagon, veterinary care, nailing, preparing and participating in races, weather changes, changing personal care for them, changing routines, changing stables, encountering a stressful rider or even recuperating in the stable due to injury. There are many ways for horses to express stress, and which ones do you know?
Weight lowering
Horses are under a lot of psychological stress for a long time, and they will lose weight. But there are other causes of weight loss in horses, such as heat stress, parasites, poor feed, or health problems.
Therefore, when a horse loses weight, it is necessary to examine all aspects of the horse's care to confirm the true cause.
Horse vices
Horses walking back and forth in the stable or repeatedly along one wall, gnawing grooves (the horse bites on the edge of an object), pharyngea, bear fetish (the horse shifts its weight from one front leg to the other, swinging its neck from side to side), kicking a wall, and even self-harming are all signs of stress.
yawn
When a person is tired, we yawn because our body is inhaling extra oxygen to keep our brain awake again. However, horses don't yawn for this reason.
The horse generally yawns several times in a row, which indicates that he is under pressure. By yawning, he is releasing this pressure.
molars
Some horses grind their teeth in the stables, and some grind their teeth during riding. Teeth grinding can be a sign of physical or psychological stress in horses.
If the horse has no other dental problems, we need to check the horse for stomach ulcer syndrome, chronic pain, or other sources of stress.
Unusual behavior while riding
Many abnormal behaviors while riding indicate that the horse is stressed.
Horses express their stress by digging the ground with their hooves, wagging their tails frequently, stumbling, lifting, making their backs sensitive, or suddenly dodging, and they expect humans to understand these languages.
Suffering from stomach ulcers or colic
Many sporting horses that regularly compete suffer from gastric ulcer syndrome, which is due to the stress that comes with participating in races, which induces stomach ulcers. These pressures include the pressures of facing spectators and the arena, as well as the stress of riding in wagons, changing stables, changing feeding schedules and scheduling adjustments, as mentioned at the beginning.
Sometimes, abdominal cramps are also caused by stress. Blending into a new herd, a sudden change in weather, and a change in teacher are enough to cause a horse to experience slight colic from stress. Chronic stress can lead to gastric ulcers, secondary to abdominal cramps.
Excessive stool or urination
A horse under stress may produce a lot of feces in a short period of time, and some horses will have very runny feces.
Stressed horses also urinate a lot, which indicates that the horse is unable to escape the stress.
颤抖
Any stressful situation can make a horse tremble, and sometimes the mere presence of a veterinarian, hoof nailer, or the arrival of a carriage can make some horses tremble.
Usually, the horse stops shaking as soon as the stress wears off.
Increased pulse and respiratory rate
When a horse is stressed, their pulse and breathing rate increase, sometimes dramatically. Therefore, it is important to know your horse's body temperature, pulse, and respiratory rate under normal conditions.
Sweating profusely
Since horses' pulse and respiratory rate may increase under pressure, they may also sweat.
When the intensity of the work and the weather are suitable, a lot of sweating between the legs of the horse, sweating on the back to the point of soaking the sweat drawer can be a sign of high work pressure, and eventually lead to sweating all over the body.
Ways to relieve stress in horses:
So how can you relieve the stress on the horse? By following a consistent schedule, you can relieve a lot of stress. Within this schedule, we need to create frequent opportunities for them to go out of the stable, and provide them with plenty of food, water, and companionship. It's hard to relieve the pressure of the race, but the bars and sports between the races can help.
It takes a process to get the horses accustomed to a new environment, such as integrating into a new herd or getting familiar with a new stable. Do your best to ensure that the carriage runs smoothly. It is impossible to prevent all stressors, but a good basic care system will solve most of the problems.
文章来源/the Spruce Pets
/Kathy Nessdorf
Compiler/Wanfulin