Using your yard ‘village’ to help
AS prices rise and the costof-living crisis bites The BHS has produced a great document on how horse owners can reduce costs without having a negative impact on equine health and welfare.
The first thing it does is point out that false economies can do the most harm; warning owners not to remove the cost of routine health care like farriery, dentist or vaccination as prevention is much better than repairing expensive damage with long term or emergency veterinary treatment.
BHS is also advising that each owner needs to take their horses circumstances into account and make changes gradually.
You can save cost on veterinary work by taking your horse to the vet for routine care, or by joining an annual health care plan to spread the cost, never diagnose issues yourself and certainly never ask your friends on social media that truly can be the road to ruin.
On The BHS website, equine owners can download a free care and emergency plan – everything a yard manager or authorised person would need to know were they required to look after your horse in your absence or an emergency.
Who and how to contact, normal resting rates for pulse, respiration and temperature a ‘what three words’ location of habitual place of residence. Temperament, companions, likes and dislikes as well as feeding regime can all be recorded.
This is along with preferred actions in the event of a veterinary emergency including critical colic, or catastrophic injury – all very expensive, so either have savings or veterinary fees insurance cover in place.
Also on a care theme, you could consider testing led de-worming, investigate varied shoeing options with your registered farrier and of course invest in BHS Gold membership for your public liability insurance cover.
The way you feed your equine can help, too, with the implementation of a high forage, low sugar and starch diet. Consider a feed balancer instead of supplements and monitor your horses body weight with fat scoring.
On The BHS website, again you can find a great link to enrichment to improve your horses welfare and make them eat slower – great advice like low sugar licks treat balls that can be pre packed with succulents and small weave hay nets all encourage natural foraging behaviour. Ideally horses and ponies will have access to grazing and companions allowing them to mutually groom, play and socialise as well as move about as they graze.
Freedom of movement is important for gut health – a scratch mat can keep them occupied, free choice forage in different locations, fruit
SHARING YOUR and vegetables all help keep the horse well in a natural fulfilled way.
Mend and make do with equipment by looking after it well, cleaning tack, repairing rugs, consider second hand there is nothing wrong with reusing other people’s equipment in the climate emergency this is almost mandatory.
There are great exchange opportunities in Scotland allowing you to pass on and sell as well as acquire. Buddy up with others on your yard to share travel and duties responsible in terms of the environment – bulk buy, share call outs – we all know the livery yard is the most wonderful village – a great way to gain support and raise a horse.
Speak to the yard owner about sharing duties and what facilities you really need to use, maybe finding time in week help out in lieu of costs in a meaningful and win win way?
A supportive yard culture is worth its weight in gold, good communication is key, sharing intelligence on offers and finding a way though the mud this winter together.