Natural Horse Care Products Part 2 - Grooming & More

Treating thrush in horses can be done through prevention and natural care.

1) Clean the horses area on a daily basis so that they are not walking and standing on manure. Manure can pack into the hoof preventing the frog (the frog is inside the hoof) from getting air. The fungus that causes thrush can only thrive in an oxygen free environment.

2) Pick out the hooves daily to keep them clean.

3) Spray the frogs and hooves with undiluted apple cider vinegar to kill fungus and bacteria.

4) Keep hooves trimmed. If the horse is not on enough property to naturally wear down the hooves, then they will need a regular trimming by a professional farrier. Do not trim your horses hooves yourself unless you have been trained. Trimming a horses hooves incorrectly can cause them pain, injury and even lameness.

5) Give your horse plenty of opportunity to exercise. A horse that gets to walk around and exercise will have healthier hooves and a reduced likelihood of developing thrush.

6) Let your horse go barefoot. A barefoot horse does not wear shoes. Shoes can cause damage to the hooves and can cause pain. A barefoot horse has healthier hooves and is less likely to get thrush. Have a farrier that specializes in barefoot horses trim your horses hooves. Hooves that have been kept shod may take some time to become healthy after first going barefoot. Eventually, once the hooves are healthy, the barefoot horse will not need daily picking. Read more about barefoot horses here.

Grooming products do not need to contain harmful ingredients. Natural products work just as well if not better than chemical products do. EQyss has a good line of natural horse shampoos, conditioners and grooming sprays. A cheaper alternative is to use natural human baby shampoos and conditioners on your horse. Baby products work well because they are designed for sensitive skin. A good moisturizer for dry and irritated skin, is Aloe Vera gel. Aloe Vera is good for sensitive skin and provides the added benefit of soothing skin irritations.

We all like to have a tasty snacks. Horses are no different. Treats are a welcomed addition to your horses diet. They are something that your horse looks forward to. As with any tasty treat, always feed them in moderation. One treat a day is good.

Just like with human food, there are healthy treats and unhealthy treats. One problem with store bought snacks are that they sit on the shelves. Products that sit on the shelves can grow mold. The mold may not be visible to the naked eye. Ingestion of mold can kill horses. If you wish to purchase treats for your horse, read the ingredients. Look for all natural ingredients and look for an expiration date. Products that have an expiration date let you know if they are still fresh. If a product does not have an expiration date, you have no way of knowing how long that product sat on shelves. Products that sit for too long, may have grown mold.

A cheaper way to feed treats is to feed fresh fruits and vegetables. Horses like them, they provide nutrients and you can check to make sure that they are mold free. Mold is easily visible on fruits and vegetables. Carrots, bananas, apples, mangos, green beans and broccoli can be fed to horses. Most horses do well with fresh fruit and vegetable treats. Horses with some illnesses such as insulin resistance should not eat them. Always check with your vet before feeding fruits, vegetables or any other treat.