Care for Performance Horses vs. Pleasure Horses

Here at Centennial Equine Sports Medicine of Pagosa Springs, we believe that all horses deserve the best veterinary care at any stage of life. Horses come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have the need for proper maintenance and horse care in common. Whether you have performance horses or pleasure horses, you will need a veterinarian that has the proper tools and knowledge to ensure they live a healthy life. Here are some ways we can help your horse and the differences between performance horses and pleasure horses.

Performance Horses

Equine athletes need proper nutrition to reach their peak performance. By providing your performance horses with an ample amount of high-quality nutrition, they can continue to deliver day after day. Horses receive their energy from carbohydrates, starches, and fats. It is also important to note that minerals and supplements can be a great way to balance their diet and provide proper nutrients, especially if their pasture or hay has any deficiencies.

Performance animals need intense exercise at least six days a week, even if they are granted 24/7 turnout. It is recommended that they be walked for ten minutes for warm-up, trotted or loped for an hour, and then walked an additional ten minutes to cool off. This can be achieved in the saddle, by lunge line, or on a lead rope. For the best advice on training your performance horses, talk to our veterinarians in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

Pleasure Horses

Much like performance horses, pleasure horses also come with many responsibilities. Most pleasure horses spend their time doing light to moderate work. These horses do well with grazing on pasture alone, as long as the forage is of good quality. An alternative would be to feed them quality hay. By providing a balanced diet, you are taking the right steps in delivering proper horse care.

Pleasure horses do not need as much intense exercise as performance horses, but they can benefit from constant access to turnout. Providing a well-rounded health care program to your horses can help to prevent illness and diseases. Choosing the right animal vet is an essential step in ensuring proper horse care.

Contact Us for Horse Care from Our Veterinarians in Pagosa Springs, CO

Whether you have performance horses or pleasure horses, our team at Centennial Equine Sports Medicine is here to help. For professional equine care in the Pagosa Springs and Durango area, call our staff at (970) 736-7087 today.