If you are new to looking after a horse or if you are just thinking about getting one in the future, it is absolutely vital that you fully understand how to care for them. Having a horse cannot be compared to having any other animal, this is because they require so much time and attention and come with such great responsibility. Before you get your horse there are some things which you will need to check.
Area
You will need to ensure that you have a suitable area for your horse to stay. There are no official guidelines in place as of yet to say how much space each individual horse needs, however it is generally said that one acre of pasture is enough for one horse. If you are looking at getting more horses in the future it will not be suitable to have more than one horse if you have less than one acre of land.
Before you get your horse and pasture him, you should check the pasture. You will need to look out for a variety of things to make sure that your horse will be safe in his enclosure. You should look out for any trash which could harm him, any holes in the fencing, and any other outstanding hazards. If you are unsure about something in his enclosure then you should put off putting him in the enclosure until you have had further advice or guidance.
You will need to check the pasture on a regularly basis to look out for things which may harm your horse, this will include poisonous plants. There are some things which can grow naturally in the pasture which can be a great danger to your horse if eaten. These include acorns, star thistle, castor bean, meadow saffron, privet, bracken, oak leaves, buttercups and yew.
Shelter
It is very important that your horse has shelter so that he can be protected from the wind, rain and sun. Your horse will get natural shelter from any trees in the pasture; however this is likely that it won’t be enough. You should get a mobile field shelter which will protect your horse from any of the bad weather.
Horse Requirements
It is essential that you horse has daily fresh clean water to drink, you should keep an eye on how much water your horse is drinking daily so that you can refill it whenever he needs more and that you know he is being hydrated enough. You should ensure that your horse has enough bedding so that he will feel comfortable lying down at night. A good choice of bedding is straw as this will provide the warmth and comfort which he needs and it is also not expensive.
Kerry is a horse owner from Birmingham and loves blogging to advise others how best to look after their horses. For information on mobile shelters for your horse go to, http://www.primestables.co.uk
