We all know the impact that horseback riding can have on a life, and many riders joke that their horses are their four-legged therapists. But in the world of therapeutic riding, the horses truly DO become therapists, and they accomplish incredible feats.

Therapeutic riding first gained popularity in the 1950’s, with the first riding centers in North America opening in the 1960’s. The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, which governed the therapeutic riding organizations, opened in 1969. Since then, therapeutic riding has become a widely recognized powerful therapy.

Today, therapeutic riding schools operate all over the country. Therapeutic riding horses are carefully selected; they must be strong and sound enough to carry a rider who may be unbalanced, but they must also be quiet and gentle, taking distractions in stride and always looking out for the rider on their backs. Depending on the individual rider’s needs, a horse handler may lead the horse during lessons, and one or two side walkers may walk alongside the rider to assist him if they are needed. Many therapeutic riding schools rely on volunteers to act as horse handlers and side walkers.

Therapeutic riding is based on the idea that the motion of the horse can stimulate the rider’s body, mimicking the movement that would normally occur as a human walks. As the horse sways, he shifts the rider’s pelvis from side to side, stretching and strengthening the rider’s muscles. Riders must constantly balance to keep up with the changing movement of the horse, so through riding the rider develops strength, coordination, and balance.

Riding, and even just interacting with horses provides riders with many additional benefits. Activities such as grooming develop rider flexibility and confidence. Cognitive awareness is also required in working with horses, as is problem solving and empathy. Social skill and communication development occur as the rider interacts with the riding instructor, assistants, and horse.

Riding develops multiple muscles at once, and has the added benefit of increasing rider cognitive function and confidence. While more traditional therapies serve only as just that – therapy – riding is an activity which riders often enjoy, making them eager to return and continue. Therapeutic riding gives riders a sense of accomplishment and empowerment that they might not find elsewhere, and competitions, such as the Special Olympics, allow therapeutic riding program participants to compete.

Today therapeutic riding serves riders with a wide range of disabilities, including cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, arthritis, traumatic brain injuries, autism, behavioral issues, spinal cord injuries, and muscular dystrophy, among many others. The benefits of therapeutic riding are many, and riding can have a significant impact on a rider’s life. For additional information on therapeutic riding, visit the Professional Association of Therapeutic Riding (PATH) at their website.

Want more information? Find us on Facebook!

The summer heat can make staying cool a challenge for anyone, and chances are you don’t have the luxury of an air conditioned barn.  Your horse will thank you if you take some steps to keep him cool and comfortable.

Cover the Basics

Shelter and access to clean water become even more important during the summer.  Your horse will drink more water, so be sure to check his buckets regularly and keep the supply fresh and appealing.  If your horse is a heavy sweater, consider adding electrolytes to his diet to encourage him to drink and replenish those lost through sweat.

Provide your barn with as much ventilation as possible to keep temperatures down.  Open any doors and windows available, and consider installing fans if you haven’t already done so.  Be sure to use only fans which are barn-safe; household fans not intended for barn use are serious fire hazards.  Classic Equine Equipment offers multiple fans safe for barn use which will keep your horse cool and comfortable.

Learn to Love the Dark

Change your turnout and riding schedule to take advantage of the cooler weather that comes in at nighttime.  If possible, turn your horse out at night instead of during the day.  Ride at times when the sun isn’t at its strongest – early in the morning or late in the afternoon are better times to ride, though waiting until even later on into the evening can mean a cooler, more enjoyable ride for you and your horse.

Know Your Horse

On extremely hot, humid days, it might be best – and safest – to forego riding altogether.  Some horses handle heat better than others, so familiarize yourself with your horse’s individual limits, and stay well within them.  Watch for signs that the heat is getting to be too much for your horse – these signs include a slowed pace, lack of impulsion, lowered head, labored breathing, and listless ears.  If you observe any of these signs while you’re riding, immediately dismount, untack, and cool your horse.

Cool Him Down – Correctly

While hosing off horses is a popular way to cool them down, many riders hose the horse off once, scrape off the excess water, and leave it at that, but doing so actually leaves warm water to sit on your horse’s skin, which doesn’t offer much in the means of cooling.  To effectively cool your horse you need to continuously hose him down, scrape off the excess water, and then repeat the process until your horse is cooled.  Focus on the large muscles, such as the hindquarters, neck, and shoulders, since these produce lots of heat.

Hot summer days are certainly ahead of us, but with a little preparation you can manage them so that your horse is as comfortable as possible.

Have you ever gone out to the barn to find that your horse is suddenly lame, and reluctant to put weight down on one hoof?  There’s no heat or swelling in his legs, but it’s evident he’s in serious pain?  Chances are your horse could be suffering from a hoof abscess.

What is an Abscess?

An abscess is a bacterial infection in your horse’s hoof.  There’s debate over exactly what causes abscesses, but most theories state that abscesses are caused when bacteria works its way into the hoof through a puncture wound.  According to Kentucky Equine Research, bruised soles can lead to abscesses, as can nails driven too far into a hoof by a farrier.

Once the bacteria has entered the hoof, it grows and creates a painful pocket.  Heat may be present in the hoof, and some abscesses can even cause the horse’s lower leg to swell.  The bacteria will take whatever route provides the least resistance and will travel out of the hoof, relieving the pressure and pain that the horse feels.  Often abscesses burst through the coronary band.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Abscesses can fester for quite a while without your horse feeling any sensitivity, but when they grow and put pressure on the sensitive lamina of the hoof, your horse will suddenly go lame.  An increased digital pulse sometimes accompanies an abscess, and testing your horse’s hoof with hoof testers will usually reveal the painful area.  Horses with abscesses may be reluctant to put weight on the affected hoof, or they may walk without allowing their heel to touch the ground.

Abscesses do heal on their own without treatment, but the process is a long and painful one for your horse.  It’s best to call your veterinarian to verify that what you’re seeing is an abscess and not another injury which could require different treatment.  If your horse is wearing shoes, your veterinarian might pull them.  Depending on the positioning of the abscess, your veterinarian might trim away some of the hoof to burst the abscess and relieve the pressure (and pain) in your horse’s hoof.  If the abscess is buried deep within the hoof, your vet may decide that too much hoof would need to be trimmed, so he or she may instruct you to draw it out.

Your vet will advise you about the best way to draw out an abscess.  Soaking the hoof in a solution of warm water and Epsom salt is a popular method, though there are a number of different approaches.  Once the abscess has burst it is important to keep the area clean, dry, and covered until the hoof has time to heal.  A hoof boot or creating a bandage out of a baby diaper, vetwrap, and duct tape will provide the hoof the protection it needs to heal.

Prevention

Wet, muddy paddocks soften your horse’s hooves and create prime conditions for bacteria growth, so keep your paddocks well maintained and dry, if at all possible.  Pick out your horse’s feet on a daily basis, and keep him on a regular farrier schedule to prevent cracking or unhealthy hooves.  Hopefully you won’t have to battle abscesses often.

Original Source:http://www.besthorsestalls.com/2013/04/abscesses-their-prevention-and-treatment