How To Provide Your Horse With Holistic Care
Taking a holistic approach to the care of your horse means familiarizing yourself with the horse’s surrounding toxins, preservatives, nutrition, and non-toxic products, all to provide a more natural or “holistic” lifestyle.
• Diet: The best place to start is with the horse’s diet. It is essential to avoid artificial additives in the feed. Try to put the horse on a pasture that is organically grown and not treated with artificial fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals. Organic alfalfa is a good hay to feed as it is a good source of nutrients and energy.
• Grains: The main grains to consider feeding are corn, oats and barley. Corn is a highly energizing food and is therefore concentrated nutrition, as well as being good for digestion. Oats are digested rapidly in the stomach. They are less energy forming and are warming in nature. Barley is more cooling and is in between corn and oats as far as energy value.
• Horse Supplies: Search out suppliers who stock holistic horse supplies, such as halters, rope leads and other tack made of natural materials. You can also search out non-toxic shampoos, wormers, joint care supplements, grooming products, hoof care products, topical sprays and ointments for treating wounds and skin infections.
Although a natural diet is extremely important to the holistic approach, it should also encompass their mind, body and spirit. Their surroundings, exercise and daily activity all play a roll. Keeping them safe, secure and being attentive to their needs is critical as well.
• Diet: The best place to start is with the horse’s diet. It is essential to avoid artificial additives in the feed. Try to put the horse on a pasture that is organically grown and not treated with artificial fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals. Organic alfalfa is a good hay to feed as it is a good source of nutrients and energy.
• Grains: The main grains to consider feeding are corn, oats and barley. Corn is a highly energizing food and is therefore concentrated nutrition, as well as being good for digestion. Oats are digested rapidly in the stomach. They are less energy forming and are warming in nature. Barley is more cooling and is in between corn and oats as far as energy value.
• Horse Supplies: Search out suppliers who stock holistic horse supplies, such as halters, rope leads and other tack made of natural materials. You can also search out non-toxic shampoos, wormers, joint care supplements, grooming products, hoof care products, topical sprays and ointments for treating wounds and skin infections.
Although a natural diet is extremely important to the holistic approach, it should also encompass their mind, body and spirit. Their surroundings, exercise and daily activity all play a roll. Keeping them safe, secure and being attentive to their needs is critical as well.