How to Take Care of Your Racehorse

It takes a lot of responsibility and conditioning to keep any racehorse in shape. This article is a guide for amateurs and professionals on how to take care of their racehorses.

If a horse is to compete on the international stage, it needs to be conditioned to show immense athletic prowess to be successful on the racetrack. Horses will naturally show different levels of endurance, and the desire to win needs to be ingrained from a young age.

Jockeys and trainers need to prepare their horses for a variety of challenges and instances before they are ready for the racetrack. The major elements that define a healthy racehorse include heart health, respiratory health, hoof care, bone health, and behaviour.

Heart Health

Young horses are the best racing contenders. To keep their heart strong and healthy, they undergo frequent dental checks and are fed supplements to ensure they can keep up with the physical strain on the racetrack.

Bone Health

A trainer needs to take all the necessary precautions so that their horse does not suffer an injury. When a racehorse breaks a leg, they need to be put down on some occasions. The bones of a horse take a lot of strain during racing, and it can take some time for horses to adapt to the stresses when the horse is racing.

Hoof Care

The hoofs of a horse take on most of the impact when they are racing across the track. The force being placed on the lower limbs also makes the feet susceptible to injury. The limbs should undergo treatment to allow limbs to work efficiently.

Respiratory Health

A racehorse needs to have fully functioning lungs and airways to perform competitively on the racetrack. They need to be vaccinated frequently to prevent any respiratory diseases from developing.

Racehorse Behaviour

The behaviour of a horse is always a good indication of its ability to compete on the racetrack. A trainer needs to learn to recognise slight changes in a horse’s behaviour to pick up a health problem.

Get more tips on caring for your horse by visiting non-profit organisations such as The British Horse Society of the UK.