Horse Health and Nutrition For Dummies (eBook)

Audrey Pavia is the former editor of Horse Illustrated magazine and an awardwinning freelance writer specializing in equine subjects. She has authored articles on various equine topics in a number of horse publications, including Western Horseman, Horses USA, Thoroughbred Times, Appaloosa Journal, Paint Horse Journal, Veterinary Product News, and USDF Connection magazines. She has written five horse books besides Horse Health & Nutrition For Dummies, including Horses For Dummies, 2nd Edition (Wiley), Horseback Riding For Dummies (Wiley), and Trail Riding: A Complete Guide (Howell Book House). In addition to her experience as an equine writer, she's also a former Managing Editor of Dog Fancy magazine and a former Senior Editor of the American Kennel Club Gazette. She has authored more than 100 articles on the subject of animals and has written several books on various kinds of pets. Audrey has been involved with horses since the age of 9. She has owned and cared for horses throughout her life, and has trained in both Western and English disciplines. She currently participates in competitive trail riding. Audrey resides in Norco, California. Kate Gentry-Running, DVM, CVA, is a practicing veterinarian with 27 years of experience and an emphasis in equine integrative medicine. She has a particular passion for educating horse owners. Dr. Running received her veterinary degree in 1980 from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. She was certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2001 and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine at the Chi Institute in Gainesville, Florida. Dr. Running breeds and trains cutting horses at her ranch in Tolar, Texas.

Introduction 1

Part I: Honing Basic Horse Care Skills 7

Chapter 1: Taking on Your Horse's Health 9

Chapter 2: Sizing Up a Healthy Horse 19

Chapter 3: Connecting Your Horse's Behavior to Health 37

Chapter 4: Getting Up to Speed on Routine Care 49

Chapter 5: Exercising for Health 75

Part II: Good Eats: Nutrition and Feeding 87

Chapter 6: The Building Blocks of Good Nutrition 89

Chapter 7: Your Hungry Horse: Feeding Fundamentals 107

Chapter 8: Special Considerations for Your Horse's Diet 125

Chapter 9: Growing Your Own Food 141

Part III: Recognizing and Treating Illnesses 153

Chapter 10: Introducing the Anatomy of a Horse 155

Chapter 11: Tackling Common Ailments 173

Chapter 12: Fighting Infectious Diseases 205

Chapter 13: Staying Prepared with Equine First Aid 221

Chapter 14: Checking Out Complementary and Alternative Therapies 239

Part IV: Horse Care for All Stages of Life 251

Chapter 15: Breeding Your Horse 253

Chapter 16: Caring for the Newborn 275

Chapter 17: Helping Your Horse Age Gracefully 289

Chapter 18: Reaching the End of Your Horse's Life 301

Part V: The Part of Tens 309

Chapter 19: Ten Signs of Horse Illness 311

Chapter 20: Ten Ways to Keep Your Horse Healthy 319

Appendix: Resources for Horse Care 327

Index 339