How to Survive the Emotional Roller Coaster of Having an Injured Horse

October 7, 2020 in I On The Horse

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More often than not, most horse owners get to face the worrying situation of having an injured horse. While your veterinarian can play their part in helping your horse recover, the experience can be emotionally stressful and you need to find ways to cope to help you help your horse better.

We have put together some steps and tips to help you work through a difficult time and survive the emotional stress.

CALM DOWN

Take a deep breath after assessing or confirming the situation from your veterinarian. If possible, perform activities that help you refocus and understand that it’s only an injury, not a loss. You can also try finding the good in the entire situation and brainstorming ways to show your concern for your horse.

HELP WITH LOW IMPACT TRICK TRAINING AND FUN STALLS

While you deal with your confusion, remember that injured horses are often unnecessarily energetic. This might not be beneficial to their recovery speed; hence, you can help your horse stay calm with low impact trick training.

If your horse’s injury requires complete immobilization, keep your horse in a stall with lots of activity. There are also sedatives your vet can prescribe to help keep your horse still.

PLAN

With the help of your vet, you can identify the recovery period of your horse. Take the time to plan activities for this time to help your horse stay sane. Take pride in your progress with each plan.

A TIME TO LEARN BETTER MANNERS

If your horse has a hard time learning good manners or responding to instruction, now is your chance to teach him. As your horse recovers from the injury, build bonds, and help him learn pleasant manners that come in handy in the future.

NURTURE HEALTH

Poor health can stand in the way of your horse’s recovery and agility afterward. The injury gives you a chance to nurture your horse’s health and treat any issues such as being underweight, mud fever, and more. It is also satisfying for you to do this as it helps you work through your emotional roller coaster.

GET HELP

It’s heartbreaking to hear a poor prognosis on your beloved horse. If this spells too much work on your part, you can get help. Consider rehabilitation facilities and how they can help your horse recover faster. It doesn’t mean abandoning your horse; it means doing what is best for both of you to cope and survive the injury.

An injured horse can be heartbreaking indeed, but also a chance to build stronger bonds, focus on bringing up another horse, and lots more. Find the opportunity at the moment.

About Irene Michaels

Over the past 25 years I have taken on the roles of a producer, publisher, insider journalist and fundraiser. My artistic interests began early in my teens working as a model and a dancer throughout the U.S. I formed my first modeling agency before I was twenty. While modeling I secured a re-occurring role in the popular daytime TV series General Hospital. Read more...