4 Things First-Time Horse Owners Should Know

Have you dreamed of owning a horse? If so, know that you are not alone. Having a horse is a dream that many individuals have had since they were young. It is a dream that many are able to accomplish as they get older. With reportedly 374,000 horse-owning households in the UK, it is not uncommon, as many would assume, for someone to have a horse. It is likely that this figure will grow with more people interested in fulfilling their childhood dream of having a horse.

Getting a horse is a massive commitment, and it is a decision that should not be taken lightly. If you are soon to become a first-time horse owner, keep reading to find out a few things worth knowing before you welcome a horse into your life.

Prepare For Their Health

Starting with one of the most crucial aspects of owning a horse is caring for its health. Find a veterinarian and a farrier. Search online for veterinarians and farriers local to you. Read the reviews and choose one that you feel you can trust with your horse. The advice and care a veterinarian and a farrier will offer you about your horse will be instrumental in keeping your horse happy and healthy. Finding a veterinarian and farrier before you get your horse will be one less task to cross off your list. Additionally, you will be appreciative of knowing who to turn to should you have any health concerns regarding your horse.

Investing In Equipment

Aside from caring for your horse’s health, another aspect of owning a horse you will have to invest in is equipment. This includes the basic items such as grooming supplies, a bridle and a saddle. Along with all the riding equipment for your horse, you will also need to ensure that you have comfortable clothing and safety gear to wear when riding your horse. You could purchase all of your equipment online through sites like Equi Supermarket. Sites like these are ideal if you are unsure what to buy. The clear descriptions on the site can help you identify what you need. You can order it all before your horse arrives or continuously visit the site the more time you spend with your horse and understand what it needs.

Regular Foot Checks

A horse’s hooves are always growing. As such, it is crucial that they need to be trimmed regularly. This can be done by your chosen farrier, who will ensure that your horse’s hooves are correctly trimmed so they can stay balanced and their weight is evenly distributed. You will likely have to book an appointment to have your horse’s hooves trimmed every 4-6 weeks. Of course, the frequency of trims will depend on how often your horse will need its hooves trimmed. However, in the winter time, you might have to schedule visits by the farrier every 6-8 weeks. Your horse will unlikely be doing as much as it would in the summertime. As such, they won’t need their hooves trimmed as frequently.

Understand Their Temperatures

Just like with humans, horses can also get hot and cold. However, it can be challenging to tell if your horse is too hot or cold. Fortunately, horses do show signs if they are suffering from high or low temperatures. Learning what these signs are will help you identify how your horse is feeling and enable you to help them return to normal temperature quickly. If your horse were to feel cold, you might notice that they are shivering or huddle themselves closer to other horses. When your horse is cold, wrap them in a winter blanket to help bring its temperature back up to normal. Also, you should ensure that it has enough food to help with keeping them warm. However, if they are too hot, you will notice that they are sweating and appear dehydrated and tired. To help lower their temperature back to normal, you can keep them in the shade and ensure they have plenty of water to drink.

The Bottom Line

Of course, getting a horse is a significant investment. This is not just the costs involved, but caring for and keeping them happy and healthy are also time-consuming tasks. It is essential to spend additional time learning more about how much care and attention goes into owning a horse. Look at some of the common mistakes new horse owners make, and take the necessary steps to avoid falling into the percentage that makes these errors.

After putting measures in place to prevent you from making mistakes, you can build your enthusiasm about getting your first horse. Following some of the tips mentioned above, along with your additional research, you will feel prepared for the arrival of your horse.