Summer often means heightened work and show schedules for many equine enthusiasts in Canada but something that is not always thought about immediately is investing in preventative health care to help avoid rehab! In my latest article (page 6) I delve into what Preventitive care looks like, feel free to share your thoughts with me!
This is a reminder that true cost of rehab isn’t just limited to your wallet but extends to your valuable time and focused brainspace.
The financial toll that occurs with rehab is often the most well known as horse owners are aware of the cost of veterinary intervention. When a horse is injured, struggles with lameness or is feeling under the weather, bills rack up quickly in a short period of time which doesn’t allow for much flexibility of payment and they are often at a high price due to the amount of work required of the parties involved. Not only do you need to figure out the source of the issue (which often needs veterinary intervention) but any medications or specialized care adds to the expense load.
The time allocated to rehab is also often considerable. Between juggling additional appointments and sometimes intensive daily care routines (such as bandaging, changing of dressings, monitoring and specialized exercise regimens) there is no denying the time demanded for care is high. Not to mention the time lost from being able to go to equine events, clinics etc. during the recovery process that can take anywhere from a few days to a few months. Post-rehab, re-training and conditioning to bring horses back to their previous performance levels/health must not be forgotten either.
Last but certainly not least there is a mental and emotional cost to rehab for both the horse and handler. When problems in care occur it can be anxiety inducing for both horse and owner just for different reasons. The horse is experiencing discomfort which translates into negative emotions and stress to the body whereas the owner often experiences stress from worry regarding their beloved companions' health and recovery! Not to mention it can be draining and weigh heavily on the owner's brainspace trying to accommodate modified schedules and routines. When a horse requires a long recovery period it can cause behavioural changes or unexpected habits to pop up (such as cribbing, stall weaving, getting pushy) which can be emotionally and mentally taxing for both the horse and rider as well.
#horseworld #Horsecare #Preventitive #animalwelfare #equine #commentbelow
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