Horses have a long history of domestication by humans, ever since 3500 BC. This is no wonder since horses are great pets and such instinctive beautiful animals.
Have you recently purchased or acquired a horse as a pet? Are you wondering how to best take care of your new equine friend? Even though horses do require a bit more care than other pets, once you get into the swing of things, it’s quite easy. Keep reading to learn how to take care of a horse by covering all your bases.
Daily Horse Care Routine
One primary thing about taking care of a horse is that they require daily sustained care! You can’t just do these things once a week and expect that your horse will be healthy and strong. There are many types of horses out there, but all of them require the basics in stable care. Some of these daily routines would be:
- Feeding your horse proper feed (grains and/or hay) every morning and night in a dry and clean stable
- Clean and refill your horse’s water buckets twice a day daily
- Clean your horse’s stable every day, by removing urine and manure (also known as mucking)
- Ensure your horse has fresh, clean, and dry bedding every day
- Clean out your horse’s hooves every day of debris, manure, dirt, and hay (picking it out with a hoof pick)
- Get warm stable blankets for horses and put them on every evening especially in the cold winter months
- Ensure you spray your horse with insect repellant during the summer months to keep it tick and flea-free
- Don’t forget to exercise your horse every single day so it gets fresh air and sunshine
- Do a more strenuous exercise routine several times a week where the horse runs around in a ring or on a long rein
As you can see, a daily horse care routine requires many steps and can be quite a time-consuming process. It’s not like getting a cat or a dog as a pet. That’s why you need to be quite sure that you have this time to spare before buying a horse.
Don’t Be Overwhelmed – Start Small
Just like you would like to live in clean and fresh surroundings with dry bedding and delicious chow, horses are the same. The best way to learn how to take care of a horse is to do it yourself. Start by apprenticing with an experienced horse person. You could start by volunteering to take care of horses at a nearby stable. This way you don’t go into it completely new and inexperienced.
Once you get comfortable with taking care of other horses at this stable, you can then think about buying a horse of your own. Don’t rush into this decision. You could put your new horse’s health at risk by ignoring your daily stable duties.
How to Take Care Of a Horse 101
With this guide on how to take care of a horse, you are well on your way to having a long and gratifying relationship with your new horse. Don’t skip any of the steps above and don’t get lazy about taking care of your horse. Owning a horse is a big responsibility and shouldn’t be looked upon as a mere chore.
Did you enjoy this article? Don’t forget to check out all the other pet-related articles on our website.
