A Guide to Olympic-Level Horse Care

While that might seem like a lot, it’s only a few of the people responsible for making it all happen. From the groundskeeper who notices a hole in the ground, a loose fence post, or a nail sticking out of a board—to the veterinarian who administers preventative care, every team member plays a vital role in keeping a horse healthy and on track for competition.

The same goes for your horse. Whether an elite equine athlete, a local hunter-jumper or an old, faithful senior horse, he could benefit from having several professionals with varying disciplines to help support his well-being. It’s quite common for a horse’s groom, farrier or massage therapist to notice when something appears off, and they can flag it for the rider, owner and, ultimately, the veterinarian to evaluate. While you may not have as big of a team as horses competing on the world stage, it still takes the dedication and care of many to ensure your horse lives a healthy and happy life.

The little things add up

You don’t become an elite athlete overnight. Discipline, determination and ensuring all the basics are met create the springboard for success. What’s more, it’s often the little things that have the biggest impact. When I talk to people about training for an ultra-marathon, they often ask about the long runs or intense workouts that my preparation requires. But there are more mundane things that play an equally critical role in my and any athlete’s success, including proper nutrition, high-quality and consistent rest, and getting used to the game-day atmosphere.

The same goes for horses. In addition to a well-planned training regime, good nutrition, rest, quality care and preparation for the chaos of a competition are non-negotiable for a horse to be healthy and succeed at high-level competition.

“Ultimately, horses’ comfort level on the road plays a major role in their success. We work a lot on desensitizing our horses to novel environments at home by making our training environment as exciting as we can to mimic the intensity of the event atmosphere. We plan to finish up in the barn by 4 p.m. to ensure the horses get plenty of rest with peace and quiet during otherwise hectic periods of time. We also bring our own grain and ensure the highest quality hay when we travel to ensure proper nutrition and keep the horses’ routine as similar as we can to what they experience at home,” said Payne.

When it comes to nutrition, be sure to evaluate your horse’s diet and start with simple, high-quality forage and grain. In both human and horse training, there’s often a temptation to focus our efforts on adding supplement after supplement, without tending to the underlying diet. But no amount of supplements can counteract poor nutrition.

The same goes for exercise and rest. Exercising more might seem like a way to speed up progress, but without good sleep and recovery time for muscles, all that extra exercise is often a wasted effort.

Prevention beats intervention

As I mentioned, when I’m training I have frequent checkups with my team, including my doctors and physical therapist, to make sure I’m not overstressing my body. There’s nothing worse than spending months training, only to be taken out by an injury that could have been avoided by more regular check-ins with your team.

Again, the same goes for horses.

Staying consistent and checking in frequently on all aspects of your horse’s health is the best way to avoid catastrophic injury and achieve your goals. In short, be prepared, preventive and proactive.

In our conversation, Payne mentioned the importance of consistency and of not overcomplicating things. “Consistency and simplicity go a long way toward providing a good baseline of health. We work with our veterinarian for annual vaccinations for core and risk-based diseases, along with frequent, targeted deworming.”

In my work, I’ve also found that people tend to think of certain measures only after an injury has occurred. This can be a huge mistake, and many therapies are best used early instead of when an injury has reached the level of catastrophe. For example, after a long training run, I’ll often use a massage gun or ice my muscles and joints to help with recovery. It’s not because I’ve been injured; rather, it’s a way to speed recovery, ensure my body can keep up and prevent greater injuries down the road.

Pro-Stride APS Device

For performance horses, regenerative medicine devices like Pro-Stride^® APS are gaining in popularity and are a great first-line option to help manage lameness and osteoarthritis with a comprehensive, all-natural option. The 20-minute process uses the horse’s own blood to create a concentrated solution that amplifies the healing process when injected into the joint, and it can be performed right at your farm.¹ Restigen^® PRP is another regenerative medicine device alternative for tendon and ligament injuries.

These treatments are showing promising results for everyday and sport-related injuries, and you don’t need a competition horse to use them. If your horse is dealing with these types of injuries, ask about these devices during your next visit with the veterinarian.

For horses and humans alike, staying healthy and injury-free is the ultimate goal, regardless of whether we’re training for the Olympics or an ultra-marathon or we just want to stay healthy and active in our daily lives. By relying on our teams, taking care of the small things, and being proactive and preventive, we can ensure our horses have the best chance of avoiding injury and leading healthy, happy lives.

For more on some of the preventive care measures mentioned here and other great horse health information, visit the following blogs:

• What vaccines does your horse need?
• Is your horse protected?
• Stay ahead of parasites with targeted deworming
• Can you spot the signs of dental pain in your horse?
• Tips to prepare for successful hoof care visits