b'Vet continued from page 5have been diagnosed that would limit the use of legume- the level of circulating antibodies for specific diseases based forage. rather than automatically vaccinating, especially if a horse has a history of vaccine reactions.If the horse has poor teeth, provide its meals as a soft mash for easier chewing. Hay might be too hard to chewDeworm frequently and have regular fecal egg counts or the horse might choke on it, so the hay might needperformed to avoid over-or undertreating. Check with to be dampened to soften it, or chopped like chaff. It isyour vet for an optimal deworming schedule. good practice to dampen hay so it is not dusty. To do so put the hay in a hessian bag and let it soak in water forCOMPANIONSHIP up to 1 hour. Remove the bag and let it hang to drainDont forget that your horse will still be a herd animal water. Always provide hay at ground level. If hay is ineven in old age, even if he prefers to spend more time hay nets that are suspended too high, there is a higherat the edges of a herd. Your horse ideally should not be risk of choking. A horse, by nature, grazes with its headhoused alone because as a herd animal your horse will down and its digestive system is adapted to this practice.suffer stress if he is left to live alone.Having to eat with its head up goes against its physiology and causes problems. If another horse, pony, or donkey is not available Stroll through the authentic 1870sconsider getting a goat. Dogs, cats, and chickens can Be aware that any time you add water to hay cubes oralso provide company for a horse, but unless they are town and enjoy the most uniquepelleted feed to make a mash, it needs to be fed and eatentogether with the horse 24 hours a day they should not within a fairly short time, especially when the weatherbe considered sufficient companionship for the horses shopping in Cave Creek, AZ! is warm. Otherwise, you run the risk of spoilage andmental well-being. Horses do best with other equines.bacteria, which can be very harmful. To be on the safe side, toss out any uneaten mash within an hour or two. Whatever the condition or age of your horse is, you GENERAL CAREcan never go wrong with regular check-ups. The most COLICS Check your senior horses hydration daily. A pinch testordinary check-ups are your responsibility as the owner Where theBe sure to keep in mind older horses are more pronemay prove unreliable in older horses, so make sure theand are easily done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. A Pavement Ends andto colics. According to an Auburn University studyinside of his mouth feels moist. If his mouth appears dry,daily once-over accompanied by some rubs in those sweet the West begins! conducted in the mid-90s, impaction colics have ait may be hes not drinking well or is being kept awayspots will make sure you are on top of things. Establishing ratio of 88% in older horses in comparison to 29% infrom water by other horses. how your horse looks and behaves when healthy and SHOPS OPEN younger horses.in good condition will help you to determine when DAILY! Older horses face the same infectious diseasesomething is wrong. Whenever you arent sure or think During the same era, another study was conductedchallenges as younger ones, often with a less-than- there might be something wrong, give your vet a call. in Texas over 12 months to identify dietary androbust immune system and poor immune functionIllnesses are an inevitable companion to old age and as management factors associated with colic in horses. Thecould also mean they wont have the best responsenice as it would be to have an old horse with no problems, results noted that horses 10 years old and over who areto vaccines. Immune dysfunction often predisposesthat isnt what you should prepare for. Have a detailed Your own personal Wedding Coordinatorstabled and still get regular exercise are at higher risksolder horses to more severe vaccine reactions. Manydiscussion with your veterinarian as to what will be the For more information:than those pastured at all times.veterinarians and owners are moving toward checkingbest plan for each horses specific needs. handles EVERYTHING from start to finish, and 480-488-9129 will be there the day of the wedding as well!frontiertownaz.com azrusticweddings.comPRIME RIBFRIDAY & For $5 OFFSATURDAYUse Coupon Code: peewee2022 Wedding Special22 People ONLY $2,200Call Jamie for Details: 480-381-3222Main Office: 480-488-9129 Derek James Photography ArizonaRealCountry.com February 2022 7'