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The benefits of giving your horse a break

Synovium Horse Health
Synovium Horse Health

Are you giving your horse a break during these uncertain times? With all equestrian events cancelled for the time being, horses are being turned out to the field or their workload has been reduced. Whilst it is much easier to look at the negatives surrounding us now, Synovium vets want to help you look at the positive actions you can take to make the most of the current situation for your horse.

Daily training regimes and competitions can take its toll on a horse, both mentally and physically. If a horse is asked to physically exert himself daily, his muscles, tendons and ligaments do not have the chance to recover and repair themselves, which can result in injuries. Horses that experience repeated strenuous exercise, long periods of travel, and a busy show schedule are more likely to suffer from colic, gastric ulcers, injury, behavioural problems, and poor performance. Therefore, a rest whether that is periodic training breaks, or at least significant reductions in their workload, can be extremely beneficial for a horse allowing him time to relax both physically and mentally.

Synoviums vets recommend that just like us, horses need to take periodic breaks from work. A break can mean a day off, or weeks off and allows the horse to physically rest, emotionally decompress, and gives them a chance to mentally process. During this time, your horse will ‘reset’ his entire body. This is especially important for the optimal functioning of body organs leading to better performance and a happy healthy horse.

There are points to consider when deciding on giving your horse a break such as the length of time, and whether you are going to give them a complete break, or a reduction in their workload. These decisions should always be based on the individual horse, discipline, and stabling/turnout situation.

Any break is good, even if it is just cutting back their workload to two days a week for a couple of weeks, or giving them a short break from work completely for two or three weeks. Young horses tend to need a longer break for mental development. A longer break of two to three months means it takes more time to return horses back to their peak fitness, but that mental release makes it extremely beneficial for the horse.

Most performance horses will cope better with a reduced workload. Working the horse for two days a week at a reduced duration and intensity allows them to maintain a certain level of fitness. Keep in mind that those horses that have been on a strict training schedule and are at their peak fitness levels will take time mentally to relax into the break so reducing the workload for this type of horse slowly is best.

Are there any disadvantages to having a break? Disadvantages include loss of conditioning and fitness. Breaks of one month or less result in minimal loss of cardiovascular fitness whereas breaks for longer than this period and the cardiovascular system must be readapted to the workload when returned to work.

Owners should avoid bringing horses back into work too quickly because they can undo the benefits of a break by physically or mentally demanding more than the horse is able to give.

Giving your horse a break? Then why not provide extra support with Synovium® Hippochol detox supplement. Recovery results can be maximised, during a break, with Synovium® Hippochol, which allows the body to replenish itself and gain strength.

The benefits of giving your horse a break - Synovium Horse Health

SYNOVIUM® HIPPOCHOL DETOX

Synovium® Hippochol supports healthy liver & kidney function. The liver is essential for a horse to stay healthy, aiding in optimal metabolism and breaking down of toxins. A detox combats the effects of stress and environmental factors your horse is exposed to daily. Synovium understands this, developing Hippochol to ‘reset’ the entire body.

Choline is the semi essential ingredient needed for the production of lecithine (animal cell membranes) and acetylcholine (neurotransmitter). Hippochol provides the correct levels of choline and methionine to support liver function recovery.

> supports healthy liver & kidney function, aiding in optimal metabolism

> combat the effects of stress and environmental factors your horse is exposed to on a daily basis.

> detox for horses ‘reset’ the entire body

> provides the correct levels of choline and methionine to support liver function recovery

What benefits does a detox provide for a horse?

A horse’s internal system has a lot to process, from environmental stressors to feed and medicines. By supporting the liver and kidneys, with a detox, you can help the natural breakdown of these processes and aid in improved metabolism. A detox cleanses the vital organs and stimulates their function to process essential nutrients and get rid of waste products and toxins.

Why feed Synovium Hippochol?

Hippochol contains essential levels of Choline, which is required to produce lecithin and acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) and aids in a nonfatty liver. The unique formula, developed by our leading vets, combines the correct levels of Choline with Methionine, the second most essential amino acid in the equine diet (the horse can only obtain it from their diet). It is required to support connective tissues, liver function, healthy hooves, optimal metabolism, the immune system, and detoxification.

Synovium® Hippochol is feed for a 10-day course.

To get yours today click on the link below:

https://www.synovium.co.uk/products/synovium-hippochol/