Weakness can be caused by a lack of proper training, conformational problems, a lack of muscle development, or joint and bone problems. If you notice your horse is weak in the hind end, you need to have him checked by the veterinarian to determine if a medical problem is the cause.
Overall, horses are pretty robust animals that are strong in many aspects. Their strength is a part of their makeup, and thanks to evolution, they have developed thick muscles, powerful lungs, and a large heart that help them run fast and be efficient when it comes to doing strenuous work.
Horses are fragile because of the structure of their anatomy. The two most prevalent issues are the relatively delicate bones in their legs and feet, which are tasks with supporting the enormous weight of the animals' bodies and their sensitive digestive systems.
Mechanically, thinner legs are more efficient which means that, relative to their size, horses have thin legs and therefore fragile ones too. If you combine this with the fact that they are extremely flighty (their first instinct is to run away) then you have a perfect recipe for broken legs.
The nose, lips, mouth, and possibly the ears are the most sensitive areas to touch. Although hooves do not respond to touching, various parts of the hoof are able to feel touch. Understanding the degree to which horses are sensitive to touch can be valuable to the trainer.
Most people don't realize that a horse can survive on three legs with a prosthetic limb but Dr. Grant does. One of his first amputees was Boitron, a TB who had a hauling accident that required a hind limb to be amputated. With a prosthesis Boitron could gallop in the snow and breed just like any other stallion.
Fortunately, the majority of falls leave us just a little sore but able to get right back in the saddle. However, we can't predict which way or how hard we're going to fall, so every time we get thrown from a horse, we should protect ourselves with the proper form and protective equipment.
Young or small-sized horses can also experience pain from riders who are too heavy for them. What is this? Most riders say that a horse should carry a rider no more than 20% of their weight. So, if a horse weighs 1200 pounds, a rider should be 240 pounds or less to avoid discomfort.
Horses' tactile sensation or touch is extremely sensitive. Their entire body is as sensitive as our fingertips. They can feel a fly on one single hair and any movement of the rider.
In the 36-year history of the Man vs. Horse Marathon, in the town of Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, a human has beaten the fastest horse only twice.
Horses may stare at you when they want your attention. If you are distracted or out of reach, your horse may stare at you to get you to focus on them. If there's a barrier such as a fence between you and your horse, they may stare at you since they can't reach you to nudge you.
Horses generally have excellent heart health due mainly to their herbivorous diet. Contrary to widespread belief, horses seldom suffer from heart attacks. Horses do occasionally suffer from heart disease, though, and this risk increases with age.
The fight against the horse's worst enemy: the fly.
Aggression toward other horses is mostly associated with sexual competition, fear, dominance, or territory (protecting the group and resources). As with aggression toward people, some horses may be pathologically aggressive toward other horses.
Yet in two studies released around Melbourne Cup week, Professor Paul McGreevy from the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science and his colleagues have found that not only have horses evolved to feel as much pain when whipped as a human would, but that there is no compelling reason to whip these animals at ...
While horses bite humans very rarely, their bites are mostly associated with fatalities. Herein, we report the case of a 23-year old bitten by a domestic horse causing a crush injury to his fourth finger with fracture dislocation of the proximal interphalangeal joint.
Another good spot is the back and the cheeks and forehead. Be sure to stay away from the sensitive areas of the horse like the eyes, ears, muzzle, and belly of the horse. While some horses might be OK with you petting these areas, many are sensitive and won't like to be touched there.
Being Stepped On
Getting your toes crunched because you didn't move out of the way quickly enough is common. Even experienced horse owners occasionally don't move their feet as fast as their horses move theirs. This can lead to bruising, abrasions, and even fractured bones.
After a fall, follow Bajo's recommendations: If the rider hit their head and has symptoms: Contact their primary care provider. The rider should not get back on until the provider says it's okay. If the rider has severe symptoms: They should be evaluated at an emergency room.
The sudden movement of inanimate objects or other animals is sometimes enough to scare a horse. Loud sounds are also fair game for spooks.
A horse's kick is extremely powerful and can cause serious injury or even death. Many riders have suffered broken bones, deep lacerations in their nails and even cardiac arrest if the kick hit the chest.. There is also a high chance of a potentially fatal head injury if the impact is too strong.
Horses have an amazing ability to be able to sleep standing up. But they do also sleep lying down. If you're a horse, you need to be able to do both. It's one of the mistakes lots of people make about horses.
Because horses can not stay off their feet for long periods, broken bones do not have a chance to heal, and so often sadly the kindest way to help a horse with a broken limb is to put it down.