BASIC HORSE KNOWLEDGE:
Colt: A male horse that has not been castrated that is under 4 years of age.
Filly: A female horse under the age of 4 years.
Mare: A female horse at or exceeding 4 years of age.
Gelding: A male horse that has been castrated.
ILLNESS IN HORSES:
Colic: Colic is a known as a Condition in horses,and is basically defined as an abdominal pain.It originates in the Gastro-Intestinal track,and causes a horse a significant amount of pain. Colic can be caused by many things a few of which are: Sand,Overheating/Exhaustion,Overfeeding,Parasitism,Irregular Feed Changes,Abrupt change in feed schedule,Bad food,Twisted Intestines..the list is REALLY long,so I'll stop there!! If your horse is showing any signs of colic: (High temperature,Sleepy/Dull,Uninterested in Food and Drink,Rolling,Kicking,Thrashing,Biting at Stomach,Etc.) please Consult your vet immediately.
Laminitis: Laminitis occurs when there is bruising or inflamation in the Laminae of the hoof..It has many different causes,some of which include: Hormonal Imbalances,stress on the hoof toxic chemicals entering the hoof,and so forth...the severe form of Laminitis is FOUNDER...and trust me,I've had my share of listening to people use those two words interchangeably!(But just so you know,they aren't Exactly the same thing,because Founder can be caused by overeating of Rich food,(main cause)...and so,they aren't all the same!
Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU..also called "Moon Blindness"): Equine recurrent uveitis, sometimes known as moon blindness, is a disease of the horse's eye that can be caused by many different things -- bacteria, virus, parasites, or trauma. Signs that an eye is in distress include redness, swelling, pus, pupil constriction in the dark, cloudiness, squinting, and photophobia. Uveitis is often diagnosed as something far less serious and valuable treatment time is lost. If not treated aggressively from the onset, there is less chance of saving sight in one or both eyes. Unfortunately, even with very aggressive treatment, some eyes cannot be saved, but in other cases the disease can be halted or at least slowed down.
Lame: A horse which is unable to walk without limping or moving stiffly or erratically (either from pain or injury).
PEOPLE WHO SPECIALIZE IN EQUINE CARE:
Farrier: A specialist in Equine hoof care.(A farrier is Responsible for the trimming and shoeing of your equine companion!)
MEDICATIONS & MORE:
Wormer: As you should already know,in any area of grass there are parasites...ON the ground...horses graze on grass most of the day,and they naturally get parasites..Therefore,wormer is nessesary!! There are many different types of wormer including: Ivermectin,Pyrantel Pamoate,Moxidectin,and Praziquantel(Just a few!)!! Out of all of those Ivermectin is by far the most popularly used because it kills a LOT of different parasites that affect your horse!
Floating: Floating means filing down sharp or overgrown teeth. Most older horses need their teeth floated once a year, otherwise the teeth may develop sharp edges, cutting the tongue and making eating difficult.