KINGSTON, Jamaica – Quickgallop.com provides for readers some questions and answers regarding the welfare of horses, to include the importance of exercise. Please note this is not original material from this website. These questions and answers were sourced from various publications on the internet.
Why is exercise important for horses?
Exercise helps the bones and hooves to develop and keeps them strong. Horses rely on movement to keep their circulation working properly (both blood circulation and lymphatic fluid circulation). Every step a horse takes helps to keep their circulation working by 'pumping' fluid back up the legs.
Why do racehorses sweat before a race?
The conversion of feed into fuel is very inefficient and results in the production of heat. In order to remove this heat, horses' produce large volumes of sweat which aids cooling by evaporative loss from the skin surface. This process exerts a cooling effect while reducing the horses' core temperature.
Why do they throw water over horses after a race?
Once the race has finished, they should cool their horse off by covering them in cold water with either a hose or sponge. During the race, it is recommended that jockeys wear gloves as if their horse sweats, the reins can become slippery and harder to handle.
What happens if a horse does not get enough exercise?
Without exercise, a horse will lose stamina and endurance and will have less resistance to illness and disease due to a compromised immune system. Exercise helps with mental health. Horses that are confined without the right kind of exercise opportunities suffer mentally.
What happens if you Leave a Horse in a Stall Too Long
When a horse is confined to a stall for too long, it can lead to a number of problems. The horse may become overweight and develop serious health problems. It may also develop bad habits such as cribbing or weaving. In addition, the horse may become restless and destructive, and may even injure itself.
12+ hours – Confining a horse to a stall for more than 12 hours likely won’t cause issues- especially if the horse has hay to munch on and a horse in the stall next door to keep them company. Many horses spend their life on a 12-hour stall / 12-hour pasture schedule and thrive.
18+ hours – Leaving a horse in a stall for 18 hours occasionally probably won’t cause issues. You may notice a little more energy the next time you saddle up (due to the missing outlet for energy) but horses occasionally stalled for 18 hours are unlikely to have health problems. However, horses should not spend 18 hours a day in a stall on a long-term basis, as this begins to risk health and psychological problems.
24+ hours – There are a few reasons why keeping a horse in a stall constantly is a bad thing. First, it can lead to the horse becoming bored and restless and developing vices like cribbing. Second, it can make the horse less healthy, both physically and mentally. Finally, it can make even the most docile horse a nightmare to handle and train- 24 hours in a stall + a high energy feed is a recipe for a hot horse.
