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Welfare of horses: the need for a suitable dietįields should be kept clear of dangerous objects and poisonous plants, for example yew and laburnum, which are extremely toxic to horses and therefore horses should not have access to these (or their clippings) at any time.Consideration should therefore be given to grazing sheep or cattle in horse pastures to improve sward quality and assist in reducing worm burden. Most horse pastures have a large amount of weeds and rough grass where horses are the only grazers. In muddy conditions it is important that a horse has an adequately sized, well drained area in the pasture on which to stand and lie down, and on which to be fed and watered. This includes,for example, picking up droppings, rotating grazing areas and where possible, removing horses when the ground is very wet to prevent poaching (where the pasture is broken into wet muddy patches by the action of the horse’s feet on the wet ground) and health problems. A smaller area may be adequate where a horse is principally housed and grazing areas are used only for occasional turnout.Ī good pasture management programme is necessary to avoid over-grazing, to aid worm control, to maintain good drainage and to control weeds.
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As a general rule, each horse requires about 0.5 – 1.0 hectares (or 1.25 to 2.5 acres) of grazing of a suitable quality if no extra feeding is being provided.Įach donkey requires a minimum of 0.2 – 0.4 hectares (a half to one acre). The area of pasture required per horse will depend on the type of grass, ground conditions, time of year, type of horse and degree of pasture management employed. Any horse may need stabling at short notice should they become sick or injured and provision should be made for this before an emergency arising. However, where horses are of less hardy breeding (that is thoroughbreds), clipped, very young or elderly they may require stable accommodation/housing or other shelter to protect them from the cold and damp or very hot weather.
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Shelter can be natural (for example trees or hedges) or man-made (such as a field shelter) depending on the field environment and type of horse. As donkeys do not have waterproof coats they will always need shelter from the rain. Some breeds with thick coats are capable of living outdoors throughout the year, provided they can get shelter from the prevailing winds, summer sun and flies. Not all horses will need a stable/housing. World Horse Welfare is one example of a group that works to rescue and re-home domesticated horses at risk of harm or cruelty across the world.Advice about providing a suitable place for horses to live - including shelter and pasture. There are also associations that have been established to care for horses that are at risk of mistreatment. The modern horse has served humans well over the centuries, so perhaps the time has now come for humans to do something in return by helping to preserve and protect the species that still survive in the world. In appearance it resembled the front end of a zebra and the rear end of a horse! It lived only in South Africa on the open plains - but now it has gone forever.
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The Quagga was a large equid (horse-like animal) some 2.74 metres in length and standing 1.37 metres at the shoulder. In 1883, another interesting member of the horse family became extinct when the last surviving Quagga died in Amsterdam Zoo. Attempts have been made to revive this interesting species of steppe horse by back-breeding, but the resulting horses, although very interesting, could never be regarded as authentic as their genes are still based on those of domesticated horses. Only one hundred years ago the last known wild Tarpan died. Rapidly decreasing populations of wild asses live in Africa and Asia, and the three species of zebra are still found in parts of Africa. Some species, such as the Przewalski wild horse, are in great danger of disappearing in the very near future unless something can be done to save them. Whilst it would seem that modern horses are in no danger of dying out, wild horses (which include the asses and zebras) are not in such an enviable position.