Caring for a horse requires an enormous commitment of time, emotional energy, and money. Prices for horses start at around a few thousand dollars and go up from there. In addition to the purchase cost you’ll need to budget for boarding and boarding staff related fees such as stall cleaning, feeding, and supplements. Horses may also require regular farrier care and veterinary care. Add to that the cost of equipment and tack, horse riding lessons with a professional and possibly the cost of transportation.
Choosing the Right Horse
If horse ownership is right for you and you’re ready to handle the responsibilities, you need to decide what horse is right for you. Based on your intentions for the horse, you can make a decision based on the horse’s experience, age, temperament, and breeding. A horse trainer can help you make the best decision especially if you’re new to horse ownership.
Horses are measured in hands and one hand is equivalent to four inches. There aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to selecting the correct height in a horse. The vital thing to consider is that you aren’t too large for the horse and cause them injury by riding them.
When you’ve found the right horse, it’s essential to schedule a pre-purchase exam with an experienced equine veterinarian. This will ensure your horse is healthy. It’s vital to know what potential issues might arise.
Feeding Ponies and Horses
Good quality hay is an excellent source of nutrition. It provides protein and calcium and is a very palatable feed. Types of hay made from grasses include alfalfa, timothy, clover and rye. Many horse owners recommend Alfalfa hay saying it’s the best kind of hay to feed a horse.
Ponies and horses are natural grazing animals. They spend several hours per day eating grass. Both grass and hay provide large amounts of fiber a horse needs to keep its gut healthy and digestive system functioning properly.
If grazing is limited and horses are stabled, hay is the most common substitute. It’s a mixture of grasses dried until only about 18% of the moisture remains. The most nutritious hay are those cut before the seed heads have fully matured. Good hay should smell sweet.
If stabled, make hay available all the time because it can help prevent vices such as weaving and crib biting caused by boredom. It also encourages natural foraging habits.
It’s a good idea to soak a horse’s hay before feeding. Doing so removes dust and spores which can cause coughing. Since soaking hay reduces the nutritional value of hay – up to 70% of water-soluble carbohydrates and 20% of protein – a better alternative is to steam hay. Never feed moldy or dusty hay since it can cause coughs, respiratory illnesses, and colic.
Most horses can self-regulate the amount of hay they consume. Some will need their hay restricted to prevent them from becoming overweight. As long as a horse or pony is not overweight it’s OK to feed them as much as wanted.
A horse should eat about 12 to 15 pounds of hay a day or about 2 pounds of hay for every 100 pounds of body weight. The food needs of a horse or pony varies depending on their workload, metabolism, the time of the year, the quality and amount of grazing they do, and what hard food they’re being fed. If a horse never leaves leaves hay uneaten, it probably means it’s not getting enough for its liking.
Ponies require much less hay. At the same time a large draft horses can eat more than 30 pounds of hay per day.
Place the hay in a haynet and weigh it on spring balance scales with a hook hanging down and a dial. These are inexpensive to buy. After awhile, you’ll figure out the correct volume of hay to feed. Make sure the haynet net is tied safely with a quick release knot and it’s high enough so that the horse can’t get a leg caught in it.
Horse Grooming 101
Grooming a horse is an essential part of equestrian care. Grooming is natural for horses. When living outside in a herd situation, they groom one another naturally. Like humans, horses are emotional animals, and a grooming session helps them to relax and feel happier.
Horse grooming provides the opportunity to spend quality bonding time with a horse. Horses will naturally develop a level of trust with anyone who regularly grooms them. They learn that the person isn’t a threat. Grooming is especially important for new owners to get to know their horse before moving onto potentially dangerous activities like training or riding.
Grooming also allows you to view the condition of the horse’s body and discover any problems while they’re only minor. A variety of potential issues with horses manifest themselves with symptoms in their skin. Even if a horse doesn’t have any serious infections or visible injuries, grooming is essential to prevent horse irritation. Brushing a horse during grooming stimulates blood flow to their skin which helps to keep the skin in good condition. Grooming prevents chafing from occurring beneath tack.
Horses like to roll around in dirt and that dirt and other debris can get caught in their fur. While this is typically just a superficial issue, dirt and debris trapped long enough can cause skin irritation. At that point horses tend to scratch themselves which increases the chances of them accidentally hurting themselves. A curry comb is very useful for removing dirt close to the skin.
How often to groom a horse?
There’s no precise answer to how often you need to groom but grooming a horse once per week is usually enough to keep them happy and healthy. Doing so before each ride ensures a horse is relaxed and comfortable before it’s ridden.
If a horse lives outside in a herd environment it will be able to roll on the ground, brush up against trees, and benefit from mutual grooming from other horses. In that case you may find you only need to tend to them before each ride. In this case, pay close attention to areas where the tack will sit on the horse to ensure they are comfortable.
Never overgroom a horse, especially in the winter if they aren’t clipped and spend a lot of time outside. This can strip their coat of natural oils and reduce waterproofing abilities.
Horse Grooming Essential Kit:
- Soft brush
- Metal curry comb
- Stiff brush
- Mane brush or comb
- Sponge
- Stable rubber
- Hoof pick
- Marlinspike