Basic Horse Care Tips for New Owners

Owning a horse can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it does come with many responsibilities that are difficult to manage without the right advice and guidance. This is why many people that own horses have a mentor or teacher that can help them with advice and offer assistance when it’s needed. With so many different types and sizes of horses, it’s important to speak to a professional in order to learn how to best take care of your horse.

But there are also a lot of general tips that can be useful for helping you establish a good foundation for horse care. So in this post, we’re going to take a look at some basic horse care tips for new owners.




Feed

Quality feed is a must to keep your horse’s body in good condition. You typically need around 1 to 2 kg of feed per 100 kg of bodyweight. You may also need supplementary horse feed if your horse is training or exercising regularly. A saltlick or mineral block is also needed. Since a horse’s dietary requirements can vary depending on their size and purpose, it’s important to consult a veterinarian that specializes in horses to get the right amount of advice.

Shelter

Horses will need plenty of shelter from the elements. Large walk-in steel sheds are perfect if you have space in your backyard, but it’s important that they can close up to protect your horse from cold weather. You should ensure that your horse is protected not just from the elements, but also potential thieves.

Space

You need plenty of space for your horse to walk and run around. A large field or backyard is preferable for this. If you don’t have much space, then the alternative is to ensure that they exercise daily. You may need to contact a specialist to ensure that you’re giving them enough exercise every day.

Company
Another important consideration to create the perfect environment for your horse is to give them company. Consider getting a second horse if possible or at least taking your horse to see and interact with other horses on a regular basis so that it doesn’t develop behavioral problems.

General Care

In addition to creating the right conditions for your horse, you also need to think about your horse’s health and general condition. For instance, their hooves need to be trimmed much like your fingernails. This should be done by a farrier every 6 to 8 weeks. Their teeth should also be checked by a dentist annually and you should be worming your horse every 8 weeks.

Educate Yourself

Reading this article is a good start to educating yourself about how to take care of your horse at home. It’s a huge responsibility to become a horse owner and it takes a lot of time to truly gain the experience you need to take the best care of them. At the end of the day, educating yourself through books, articles, mentors and your own mistakes will take time, but soaking up all that information will eventually pay off.

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