We all feel very connected to our horses, for many of us they are more than our simple companions. We have a real connection with them. Being close to our horse can provide us some benefits, physically and also psychologically. Recent research has shown the positive impact of living around horses and interacting with them in our daily lives.
Being our horses as important as they are for us, we need to prioritise their health in certain moments when they might be more vulnerable. If you manage to keep in mind the positive effects of your relationships with your horse, you will be able to make the most out of this fulfilling bond that can last a lifetime.
How can interacting with my horse help me improve my wellbeing
Being a horse owner is associated with lower levels of stress and risks of suffering a heart attack. Some studies have unveiled (and this does not come as a surprise) that horse owners do engage in more exercise and physical activity. So owning your horse is actually helping you improve cardiac and overall health, reduce stress and also reduce symptoms related to cardiac issues.
Horse owners connect more with other people
People connect with other people through common interests. Being a horse owner is a passion or at least a hobby in itself, and it is an activity that is done pretty much in social circles. When you are hand-walking your horse or training him, you often carry out these activities in areas and social circles where other horse owners might be present too.
Taking into consideration the increasing cases of social isolation and the terrible negative effects of loneliness on mental and physical health (especially during coronavirus times), socialisation through horse-related activities can become a meaningful way of increasing our social interactions.
The health and happiness of your horse should be your top priority
We all love our horses, but we need to keep in mind they are not humans. Obviously we all have the best intentions when caring for our horses. However, some things that are very beneficial to humans will definitely not be appropriate can even be harmful to horses. Hence, it is truly important to identify ways in which our relationships with our horses, while serving our wishes and needs, could not be in their best interest.
We all need to understand that horses do not have the same nutrition-related health issues that people do. It is key to feed horses a healthy diet.
Horses very often face health issues, particularly if your horse is used to exercising at a high level, and those health issues might leave you with a tough decision to make. Just like we do, our horses can also develop chronic diseases like diabetes and even very serious terminal illnesses like cancer, or much more commonly non-fatal health problems like a simple muscular issue or a broken bone. Broken bones or problems with tendons and muscles are very common if your horse is used to competing or exercising intensely. In case your horse has a tendon injury or a bone gets broken, you will have to assist him through the healing journey by making sure you provide him with all the necessary horse rehabilitation equipment, or alternatively hiring an equine rehabilitation specialist who can take care of the rehabilitation process.
Your relationship with your horse will surely be one of the most rewarding and fulfilling relationships of your entire life. This connection with your equine partner will eventually lead to a happier life.