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Horse owners must be vigillent in trying to prevent health hazards for their animals. Horses are curious creatures and given the opportunity, they will get up to mischief. They will find a gap in the fence. They will find a sharp edge to cut themselves on. They will find their way of eating food that they shouldn`t. There is so much potential hazard for horses that the owner should consider every eventuality.

The stable or stall that the horse is in should not have any sharp edges. It may sound obvious, but I have seen many a horse come out with a cut above their eye. The stable should be big enough that the horse does not get cast, unable to get up after lying down. The hay net should be hung high enough that the horse cannot get a leg entangled in it when it is empty.

When the horse goes out into the field, it should be horse proof. There should be no poisonous plants. Horses will eat ragwort for example which will cause liver damage. It is accumulative and often when the damage is noticed, it is too far advanced. So make sure that everything in the field can be safely eaten.

With regards to field boundaries, whatever is used must be safe. Hedges are great but there can be gaps big enough for horses to squeeze through. They must be checked regularly. It may be necessary to erect some supplementary fencing in any gaps. Post and rail looks good but horses will generally chew it. This may encourgace vices like cribbing. Apart from making the fence look unsightly, it may also not be good for the horse. Wire and horses often don`t mix. They will get their leg caught. They will also get ground wire caught beween their shoe and hoof (Why do they do it?). It is important to ensure that any wire used it tight against wood to minimise potential damage. Barbed wire is not great for horses. They will manage to cut themselves at some point. Electric fencing is alright to divide fields but horses can become bolshy. If the battery is wearing down, or someone has forgotten to turn it on, some horses will have a try. If they realize that it won`t hurt much, they will go through.

The rug that the horse wears could constitute a hazard. If it fits then it shold not be a problem. If it is badly fitted then it may. Cross surcingles that are too loose could catch a horses leg if it gets down to roll. Equally, leg straps may get stuck if too loose. Always cross or interlink the leg straps. Never wrap them round individual back legs without linking them. If this happens and the rug

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