Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Stressed Out It's amazing to me how much stress can affect an individual. Makes no difference if it is a human or animal, the effects are very similar. In my own personal life, when I worked a highly stressed job I suffered from high blood pressure and a miserable acid stomach the majority of the time. To combat my afflictions I ended up taking prescription drugs to battle the effects of both which at least helped me cope with daily life but the stress was still there. A year ago a huge change in my lifestyle occurred. It took about 6 months for me to unwind but when I did I was amazed to find that I no longer had high blood pressure and that my stomach was not bothering me anymore than would be expected to be normal. Off the medications I went, weaned by my vigilant doctor to ensure a smooth transition and I have not looked back since. It made me realize how much stress can affect an existence and that fixing the root of the problem rather than treating the symptoms is what was really needed.I am only relating this story since I'm sure that the same thing would be true for any living thing. Stress can be a very damaging thing and the way that individuals tolerate or manage it varies from case to case. With that in mind, do you know when and/or if your horse is stressed? If they are how you do treat them or what you can do to minimize it? Stress can be physical and/or psychological and both can adversely affect health. The State University of New Jersey published a research paper which identified that stressed horses responded with the production of stress hormones which led to changes in cardiovascular functioning by increasing heart rate and blood pressure as well as a number of other related health issues. What's interesting about this study is that horses that were seasoned campaigners on the show circuit didn't generally show clinical signs of stress (based upon blood samples) after competing at shows, while younger animals did. Another online article by Mary Ann Simonds, Preventing stress in horses , has further information about behaviors frequently associated with stress. Change in environment or diet and physical exertion top the list of what causes stress in horses. Stress can manifest itself in horses by displaying aggression, cribbing, banging stall walls, biting as well as depression. There are supplements on the market claiming to help reduce stress in horses and have been found to be helpful in some instances. Conditioning a horse properly will help in not only stress reduction physically but will also help reduce the chances of injury. A healthy and nutritious feed program that is neither too high nor low in elements is important. Being an owner that is on top of what's going on in their horse's world plays the most significant role in keeping happy and healthy horses.
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