By Sue Kruger
Horses are some of the most beautiful and compassionate animals in the world. Horse owners will know how special the bond between horse and rider is. Horses are complex animals and require both physical and psychological care to perform at their best whether as a racehorse, dressage horse, or for leisure.
Most horse owners are well-prepared to take care of their horse’s physical health and know that they require daily exercise. Some owners may not realise that emotional and psychological care are just as important. Horses are emotional and sensitive animalsthat make great companions when taken care of.
Training horses for any purpose and ensuring their well-being is a lot of work and consists of various activities. Let’s have a look at a few ways in which you can take care of your horse’s emotional and psychological well-being.
Outside Time
Your horse needs to have time outside. This does not include training time. Give your horse some relaxing outdoor time to graze, see the sky and the horizon, and walk or gallop freely. You can do this as a routine exercise, or you can give your horse breaks after training or performing well. Their reward can be some relaxing time outside to be free and have some down-time.
Change of Scenery
Another way to help your horse’s emotional well-being is to allow some changes of scenery. As humans, we often need some time to see different things, do different things, and breathe different air. It works the same with horses. Allow your horse some variation in routine and experiences. For example, give a racehorse a complete grooming and pamper session from head to toe. Challenging your horse in new and fun ways is another option. Look at the things that you usually do with your horse and find new and different things to do to allow your horse a fresh experience.
Allow Socialising
Horses are social and herd animalsby nature. They prefer to live and graze with their kind. Socialising is very important for any social animal, including horses. Allow your horse to graze and play with other horses as much as possible. Sparring and playing with each other is very important and a good way to take care of your horse. A horse should be allowed to be a horse.
Be Kind
Horses are easily frightened and can be quite sensitive. One of the best ways to take good care of your horse’s emotional and psychological well-being is simply to bond with him and be kind. Treat your horse with kindness, affection, and empathy and your horse will be happy. The bond between horse and human can be very strong and very rewarding for both parties.
Taking care of your horse consists of many different aspects and taking good physical care of your horse is also important. Part of your physical care should include massagesto take good care of your horse’s muscles. You can also make use of cooling gels like Herbal Icemanto get the best results. A relaxing massage is not only good for training purposes but also for your horse’s mental and psychological health. The physical, emotional, and psychological all work together to make your horse happy and performing well.
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