Horse Care Through the Seasons

aboveaverage level of riding activity and amateur competitors
Performance horse at this level a full detailed exam is needed to establish an objective evaluation of baseline soundness which is valuable if a problem develops later on.
Vaccinations are another staple of the spring vet check. An early spring vaccination appointment will help to protect the horse from bacteria and viruses during spring and summer months when the likelihood of exposure increases due to travel and the onset of mosquito season. Your veterinarian will recommend the core vaccinations your horse should receive and riskbased vaccinations depending on various factors including geographical area your horses lifestyle and activities and medical issues.
The spring checkup includes a dental exam. Ideally the horse will be sedated for this procedure to allow a thorough examination of the entire oral cavity. If needed a file or a float will be used to level out the sharp points and overgrown teeth. Because pain tolerance varies from one horse to another some horses may benefit from having this procedure done more frequently especially if pain or distraction are exhibited when under saddle.
With the horse sedated now is a good time for the veterinarian to check that the male horses sheath is healthy and to clean it if needed. As this is an oftenoverlooked part of the horses anatomy inspecting and cleaning the sheath should be part of the horses annual veterinary checkup.
Talk to your vet about parasite control and fecal testing and ask for help to design a parasite control program tailored to your horse.
Fecal testing is definitely a move away from just blindly deworming of horses on a random schedule says Chiasson. Many of the dewormer programs used in the past have been guilty of administering medications at the wrong time or treating horses that did not actually need deworming. Incorrect and indiscriminate use of dewormer leads to drug resistance and less effective options for when the medications are really needed. Spring checkup is a great time to get a fecal egg count done on your horse.
The vet consultation should also include an overview of your feeding program whether your horse needs a special diet to control body condition and any supplements that should be given. The most important component of the horses diet is fibre from pasture grazing or quality hay. Before adding a supplement the diet should be assessed to determine what is needed to fill in the