A horse is quite large, and the damage it can cause is considerable. In the event of an accident, the costs can easily run into several thousand dollars. A substantial sum may also be required if our horse falls ill or even needs surgery. Not to mention the financial worries if we lend our horse and it has an accident while being ridden. It is therefore very sensible and important to think about what would happen in the worst-case scenario. There are plenty of insurance policies available. Every horse owner and rider should find out exactly what is available and choose the right policy for their needs. Below is a list of some insurance policies and situations where they might be needed.
Every horse owner should have liability insurance for their horse. If, for example, your horse breaks free and runs in front of a car, you could quickly find yourself facing a claim. Most boarding facilities insist on proof of this type of insurance before they will accept a horse.
The scope of coverage for horse liability insurance varies from provider to provider. So be sure to get several quotes in advance. A tip: include coverage for guest riders and, if you want to take your horse to competitions, this area as well. Neither is automatically included with all insurers. You should also check whether bitless riding is covered. When taking out liability insurance for breeding horses, make sure that the foal is also insured through its mother for a certain period of time (until weaning and/or beyond). For stud horses, you should check whether the liability insurance also covers breeding, even in the event of an unwanted pregnancy.
So think carefully about how your horse will be used and consider all eventualities. After all, you want to be prepared so that everything is covered in the end.
Anyone who has ever had a horse that constantly needed to be taken to the vet will appreciate health insurance for horses. If it's that one special horse that really needs the best possible coverage, then this type of insurance is a good option. However, if you have a stable full of breeding horses, you will probably find it difficult to insure your entire stock. Be sure to ask the insurer and get several quotes if you want to insure multiple horses.
When taking out such insurance, pay attention to the amount and scope of costs covered by the health insurance. Ask yourself the following questions: What percentage of the veterinary fee schedule is covered by the insurance? Are there any restrictions on the services covered by the insurance? Can operations be performed anywhere by a veterinarian of your choice? Does the insurer work with specific veterinarians and animal clinics? Is there an age limit for the horse for the insurance?
At the end of your research, it is important to draw up a cost-benefit analysis for yourself. Perhaps it is sufficient to save a certain amount each month so that you can act if necessary. However, health insurance may be exactly the right choice for you.
This insurance is a "narrow" alternative to health insurance for horses. It only covers the costs of surgery. When taking out this type of insurance, make sure you check the extent to which pre- and post-operative care is covered. Also, check the veterinary fee schedule that your insurer will accept and cover. Some operations are even excluded from the insurance. Therefore, check the details of the insurance policy carefully before signing the contract.
The insurance offers the rider that extra bit of protection. As with liability insurance, you should also make sure that third-party riders of your own horse are well covered. You should read the small print carefully and define payout amounts, possible daily allowances, etc. Is there an accident pension? What about sums in the event of long-term care? It is advisable to seek advice from an expert. For example, if you have horses in training, you should find out in advance how the respective horse is insured.
What does a horse owner do when they buy a horse for a lot of money? They probably hope that the animal will remain healthy and alive for a long time so that they don't lose the financial investment they made. And what is a lot of money for a horse?
That is entirely individual. For some, it is $2,000, for others $20,000, and for others $200,000. It is actually possible to offset financial losses with life insurance for horses. Here, it is once again important to ask for details and, above all, to clarify the conditions for insuring the horse and the price-performance ratio. Very few providers in Germany insure a €200,000 horse, as this requires a strong reinsurer. The veterinary tests that the horse must undergo are very extensive. The costs of such insurance are certainly considerable. Horses that are to be insured for perhaps €10,000 have different admission conditions depending on the sum insured. The smaller the sum insured, the lower the admission costs. Some providers distinguish between death, emergency killing, and permanent uselessness. Important: Clarify what percentage of the insured sum would actually be paid out later. This can vary greatly and is rarely 100 percent.
Expensive boots, handmade, a bridle made from the finest leather, a tailor-made saddle, not to mention all the other equipment that a rider and horse owner needs for their horse. It can quickly add up to thousands of dollars.
Equipment insurance is a good idea if you store your expensive gear in the stable or if you are a competitive rider. Stolen equipment, a broken-into car, or the tack room of your horse trailer broken into, and suddenly everything is gone: saddle, bridle, boots. Unfortunately, these situations do happen.
Equipment insurance is available from a few providers. In principle, you can also insure your valuable horse and riding equipment through a good household insurance policy. It is best to clarify this with your insurer and ask them to explain in detail under what conditions the insurance will actually pay out. Did the saddle have to be stored in a locked locker? Does the insurance also pay out in the event of theft from a group tack room? Do you have to keep the original receipts? Here, too, it is important to check the details carefully.
Being properly insured is therefore an issue that you should definitely address early on. The rule of thumb is: better safe than sorry.
The word brachycephaly comes from Greek and means short-headed or round-headed. It describes the hereditary shorter and wider skull shape of some dog and cat breeds, which is reminiscent of the "childhood pattern" of young animals. The health consequences of this shortened facial skull are far-reaching and are referred to as brachycephalic syndrome.
Some breeds that have been bred by humans to achieve a desired appearance suffer from serious health problems: breathing difficulties, joint damage, eye problems, or limited ability to communicate – the list of diseases and affected animal breeds is long. But what exactly is torture breeding?
Laryngeal whistle syndrome, also known as hemiplegia laryngis or recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN), describes the paralysis of one side of the laryngeal muscles caused by a disorder of the nerve responsible for controlling them. The disease manifests itself through a typical sound during inhalation, which is why riders often say that the horse has a "tone." Large horses are particularly affected, with geldings and stallions more commonly affected than mares.
Liver disease has a complex effect on metabolism. Symptoms are nonspecific and only appear when 70% of the liver is no longer functioning. This means that liver disease is only detected once it is at an advanced stage.
Feline asthma, or cat asthma, is a chronic respiratory disease that, like asthma in humans, is triggered by an allergic reaction. Typical signs of feline asthma include severe coughing or wheezing. Young to middle-aged cats are most commonly affected.
X-rays have long been the most commonly used imaging technique. An X-ray machine is now standard equipment in a veterinary practice. These invisible rays were discovered in 1895 by German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who received the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901 for this technology, which has been used worldwide ever since.
"My horse isn't too fat." That's what many horse owners think – and they're wrong. Assessing a horse's weight isn't easy, and horse scales aren't usually available on site. With a little practice, you can use body condition scoring to assess your horse's nutritional status yourself.
