The innate powers of the body

THE BODY IS ITS OWN BEST MEDICINE

A horse’s body can stand up to a lot when its immune system is strong. A strong immune system fights off nasty viruses, making the horse less prone to illness. A strong immune system starts with a healthy gut. Diet plays a significant role in gut health as well as in a strong immune system. Good natural defences will help your horse through a lot!

KEEPING THE BODY’S OWN POWERS STRONG

INTERNATIONAL GROOM LAURY DE WIT TALKS ABOUT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

LAURY DE WIT IS AN EXPERT IN HER FIELD. IN HER 18 YEARS WORKING AS A GROOM FOR TOP RIDER PATRICK VAN DER MEER, SHE HAS ACQUIRED VAST EXPERIENCE. EVERY DAY SHE’S BUSY KEEPING THE HORSES IN TOP FORM.

At shows, she is a pillar of support for the horses as well as for Patrick. At home, she oversees the care of the show horses, horses in training, and the 60 additional horses boarded at De Hoeve Stables. “Part of my daily duties includes feeding all the horses. I believe that high-quality feed is one of the most important elements for healthy and fit horses.”

A shiny coat means a healthy horse. How so?

A horse can only give an optimal performance when it feels good. That starts with good natural defences. Your horse has to feel good in its own skin, and its coat should be shiny. Fit horses enjoy working, which is why I work with them every day. Good natural defences are the result of good care, but it’s really about the big picture. There are many ways to recognize that a horse isn’t feeling well. If a horse has a poor coat, little appetite, swollen legs, etc., I rely on what I know and what I see. I work with the horses daily and I know them inside and out, and so I immediately notice any change, even something very small.

In terms of care, when do you focus on resilience?

From the outside, one can’t always recognize when a horse’s immune system is being taxed. It helps to think logically: no horse feels good when it’s under stress. And that will affect the immune system. I see this with young horses especially. When they arrive, I see that they first have to get acclimated to their new setting. They are not used to these new demands, their coats don’t look so good, and they are often a bit underweight. However, within six months a young horse should be coming to you and its condition should have improved. You see that it has adapted and is fit. If that’s not the case, you must look for the cause.

Do you see differences in the natural immune systems of different horses?

Every horse is unique. And I believe that every horse has unique natural defences as well. There are horses that are always in good form, always good-humoured, and never sick. And then there are horses that are quite delicate. I don’t mean in terms of injuries, but that they are the first to come down with a cold or the flu. They are similar to humans in this regard. The difference is that horses can’t speak, and I must immediately notice when they are not feeling well. I once told Patrick that one of his horses wasn’t in top form. There was nothing obvious about him, but I missed the gleam in his eyes. Patrick got in the saddle and needed only two steps to know what I meant.

What preventive measures do you take to keep the horses fit?

The body’s own abilities are often underestimated. Horses must learn to recover their strength. If you always give immediate aid, their bodies will never learn how to heal on their own. This might sound a little like magic, but it isn’t. A horse has to be able to recover from a cold or flu. I don’t call the vet right away when one of our horses has a slight temperature. We keep an eye on his condition, of course, but we believe in the body’s healing powers. We give our horses detoxes twice a year; we also take faecal samples and have them analysed so that we can avoid unnecessary worming treatments.

How do you view the outbreak of various equine viral and infectious diseases in Europe?

Someone once said to me, if you don’t want equine herpesvirus, don’t keep horses. There have always been viruses, but it depends on how you deal with it. I think it is good that our horses come in contact with other horses. We take our horses to lots of shows. But we only take them when they are really 100% fit. If you have concerns about your horse’s health, you should keep him at home, both for his sake and for the sake of the other horses. Everyone must act responsibly. It’s better to be safe than sorry.