A year in the life
Plan your horse’s calendar to keep his health in check for the year ahead
Photos: Jon Stroud, Jakatang/Shutterstock.com
“It takes a village to keep your horse looking and feeling his best”
It takes a village to keep your horse looking and feeling his best but keeping track of who you need to book appointments with and when is vital for keeping him in optimum health. From the vet to the saddle fitter and everyone in between, we’ve formulated a guide to all the professionals your horse needs to see on a regular basis. Then, it’s up to you to create an organised schedule for the year ahead
TOP TIP
Keep a calendar pinned to your wall so you can mark when appointments are due. Setting a reminder on your phone a few weeks before is a good prompt to help you avoid missing the mark, too.
Vet checks
Your vet’s one of the most important professionals your horse needs to see regularly in order to stay healthy. It’s important they check your horse over at least once, if not twice, a year.
Vaccinations
The main reason you’ll need to book an appointment with your vet is so your horse can have his annual vaccinations. This will include a booster for flu, with tetanus every other year.
Annual health check
Alongside your horse’s booster he’ll benefit from an annual health check. Your vet will examine your horse, checking all his vitals, including his heart and lungs, and sometimes having his teeth rasped will be part of the package, too. You may also be able to include a faecal egg count into this plan and have a blood profile taken to help check his general health.