Caring for your Horse

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Something I have never done in my life so far, is to ride a horse. I have ridden a donkey at the seaside as a young girl, but horse riding is a skill that I have never practised or had the opportunity to try. I remember lots of my friends having horse riding lessons, or dreaming of wanting to own their own pony one day. However, I was far more interested in dreaming about becoming a TV presenter when I was growing up, and therefore, horses were of no interest to me.

Owning your own horse is a huge commitment. It is not simply a case of feeding and walking it, because looking after a horse is a much bigger job than that. Indeed, while keeping a pet horse is lots of fun, rewarding and possibly fulfilling a dream, also requires long term commitment in terms of time, care, money and hard work.  

When you bring your first horse home, there are a few important things you will need to know to enable you to care for it correctly straight away, like getting a natural equine fly control. If you are able to learn the basics of feeding, tying and basic care for your first horse, then it will make your experience as a first time horse owner that much more enjoyable and easier. 

Feeding

Good horse care includes ensuring that your horse gets the very best fodder and other feeds you can afford.  While grass is a horse’s natural food, it’s not always available, and may not be adequate in some situations. Depending on your horses size, weight and the type of horse you own, from a leisure horse, to a competition horse, from a pony to a stud, every horse needs the right food to best match its nutritional needs. Remember, two of the most crucial things you need to ensure your horse always has is a supply of fresh, clean water and a haynet or rack full of hay that it can graze on whenever it fancies. Horses are naturally grazing animals, and if your horse is left without something to forage and graze on it can develop a number of health issues; such as Colic.

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Accommodation 

The majority of horses spend some of their time indoors in a stall. To give your animal the best horse care and safety you can, then its accommodation, be that barns, sheds or stalls, need to be designed properly. Mind you, generally most horse actually   dislike being stabled. Therefore, creating an amazing stable won’t necessarily make your horse happy, it will, however,  make looking after your horse easier for you, and the space will be safe and comfortable for you and your horse.

Grooming 

Grooming your horse is an essential part of its care. Your horse should always be groomed before riding or driving. The best thing you can do for your horse, is to get into the routine of giving it a quick groom every day, as this is a great way to check the condition of your horse’s skin and hooves. You could treat your horse’s hooves with a hoof polish that has a lanolin base, as this will help to keep their hooves in good condition if you do this once a week. 

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Owning a horse is a massive responsibility. However, if you ask anyone who has ever kept one you will soon discover what a truly rewarding experience taking care of a horse really is. 

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