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Here are some practical tips for working with horses who have developed health, behavioural, or emotional problems. If you chose to have complementary therapies for your horse, it is still important to make sure that these basic topics are covered. No amount of healing is going to change the fact that a horse has basic care needs. Veterinary care, dentistry, shoeing, properly fitted tack, and adequate turn out fall in to this category. The following are examples of how this fits in.
In horses who have problems stopping. Often in can be sharp teeth which have caused cuts in the horses mouth (especially when using a gag bit). The pain that the horse experiences repeatedly starts to register in the brain with the act of stopping. Many times the horse acts out with pain, and the rider does not understand. If the rider gets frustrated and angry with the horse the problem can escalate. So have your horses teeth cared for by a vet or an equine dentist.
For problems with hyper behaviour or excessive spooking, or general lack of healthy enthusiasm, examine how much and what type of feed your horse is getting in relation to the amount of exercise. A horse that becomes way too much to handle may be getting over fed; likewise one that is lacking may be underfed. Verify with the vet that there is no other existing problem first. If you are unfamiliar with nutritional requirements please consult a professional about it.
Regular shoeing is essential. Most farriers recommend between 4 to 6 weeks, but this will depend on your particular horse and the level of playing. Shoes that are left too long can put strain on the tendons, which increases wear and tear.
It is very important that the tack fits your horse properly, you could be causing pain by having ill fitting tack. Polo is famous for this one. Because we have multiple horses it is not practical to individually fit each horse for each saddle, as they do in most other equestrian sports. It is however essential that we do our best at this, perhaps have a couple of types of saddle for smaller or bigger ponies. Making sure that there are no sharp bits, or that the bridle is adjusted properly is quite easy, and will make a difference.
Schooling- This one's big! If your groom is not a good rider, and you are unable to school your own ponies, have some one come in and do it properly on a regular basis. Spending thousands of pounds on a great horse who within one season is unfit to play is a waste. You are more as risk with youngsters in relation to training, but older horses can become challenging too.
Turn out. Horses who are over stabled can develop vices such as weaving, wind sucking, and can become overly aggressive. I realise that most polo ponies spend half of the year turned out, but it is still important that they have turn out time during the playing months. I have seen a huge difference in horses that were suffering from being over stabled, when they were able to have regular grazing.
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