Your horse can bring you many years of friendship.Your horse will see you as someone he can depend on when you are raised properly.Raising a horse requires a lot of love, care, and commitment, not to mention money.Try to learn as much as you can about raising a horse if you are thinking about owning one.
Step 1: The stall should be comfortable for your horse.
Depending on how you use your horse, he could spend a good amount of time in his stall.His stall needs to be dry, safe and comfortable.The well-ventilated area of the barn is where his stall should be.Dust and water can affect your horse's health.There are comfortable bedding options for the stall.It's a good option to have rubber matting topped with straw or wood shavings.You can make a multi-layer floor, consisting of a subfloor made of natural materials that is paved over with concrete or asphalt, and a top floor of either rubber or plastic.This option takes a lot of time and could be expensive.You will have to muck out your horse's stall daily.Cleaning out your horse's waste with a shovel and wheelbarrow is called mucking.Make sure the bedding is spread evenly.
Step 2: Provide a shelter for your horse.
When your horse is outside, he should be protected from the elements.This kind of shelter can be provided by a sturdy, three-sided box stall.The back wall of the box stall should be positioned so that it faces the wind.Your horse's head should not be against the ceiling in the stall.It's best if you account for him rearing and raising his head, just in case.Multiple horses should be able to fit in the stall at the same time.The box stall is important during the summer because of the shade and biting insects.The box stall needs to be cleaned daily.Consider talking with other horse owners or visiting your local home improvement store for assistance and guidance on constructing a box stall.
Step 3: Your horse was not meant to live in a stall.
Even overnight, it is best to allow as much time in a pasture as possible.Horses only sleep for two hours, leaving 22 hours to socialize.If you use your horse more for leisure than work, it's important that you give him time outside of his stall to eat and stroll around.Your horse has a chance to exercise.The more space the better, as about one acre of pasture is needed per horse.A sturdy fence should include a wire fence secured with strong wooden posts, a wooden rail fence, or a naturally woven brush and trees.It's important to remember that wooden fences need to be sealed and that pvc fencing needs power- washing.Use barbed wire fencing.Your horse could be hurt by barbed wire.Though it is safe for cattle, horses have thinner skin and are more likely to jump and land.There are many dangers in your horse's pasture, including poisonous plants, trash, and holes in the fencing.Remove any that you see if you check for them at least once a week.
Step 4: Your horse will benefit from plenty of grass and hay.
A balanced diet is important to raising a horse.A horse eats grass and hay.Your horse can handle a lot of water and fiber.If you want to meet your horse's need for grass, you can suck it up in the pasture.There should be no dust or mold in the hay.hay can damage your horse's lungs and upset his stomach.Common types of hay are timothy and fescue.Your horse's life stage and use can affect the type of hay you feed him.An older horse who is living out his golden years will probably not need the same type of hay as a young, racing thoroughbred.Ensure your horse is eating the right amount of hay by consulting with your vet.hay and grass should be accessible to your horse all day.It is possible to keep him from wasting too much hay by placing it in a hay feeder.It can be spread over the mats.Hay spread out and fluffed up will keep horses occupied and prevent them from eating too much food.If you cover the hay and store it in the barn, you can prevent the development of mold and the spread of small vermin.Before feeding hay, make sure to check for wire, string, or animals that could become trapped during baling.The average horse should eat two to four percent of his body weight in hay or other feeds per day.
Step 5: You should limit the amount of grain you give your horse.
Grain is part of a horse's diet.Grains that are good to feed your horse include oats, wheat, and ground ear corn.Provide your horse with a variety of grains.If your horse eats a lot of grain, it can cause serious health problems, such as colic, muscle disorders, and joint problems.A rule of thumb is to start your horse with half a pound of grain for every 100 pounds of body weight.You can work with your vet to figure out how much grain your horse will need based on his age and activity level.Hay should be fed to your horse before grain.He will not be able to eat too much grain because of this.There should be three to four small feedings per day.In the winter, you should feed your horse more grain to keep him warm.When hay is eaten, it produces more heat than when it is not.
Step 6: Some treats for your horse.
Your horse will like receiving treats.Giving him treats on a daily basis is an important part of his care.Giving him too many treats could cause him to eat more of his normal food.The treats you give your horse should be good.Some healthy treats include apples, maple syrup, carrots, watermelon, and honey.Extra nutrition is provided by feeding fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.If you give your horse treats, he may start nipping at you.If you know how to use body language to say "no", this shouldn't be a problem.
Step 7: As your horse ages, adjust his diet.
As he gets older, your horse's nutrition needs will change.It is important that you know how to maintain your horse's good health.A young horse needs a lot of vitamins and minerals in his diet.A young horse needs a higher ratio of concentrates than older horses.The hindgut of a young horse is still developing and can't handle the large amounts of water and fiber.Talk to your vet about how to balance the ratio of concentrates and food in your horse.Even though a young horse can't eat as much grass or hay as an older horse, he should still have access to a pasture.He will be able to eat and exercise at his leisure.An older horse needs more vitamins and minerals in his diet.They should be given in a form that is easy to digest.If you want to add more of these vitamins to your horse's diet, talk with your vet.
Step 8: Provide your horse with water.
The average horse will use about eight gallons of water a day.The water should be clean.A bleach solution should be used to clean the buckets and water troughs.The bugs, mold, and fungi will not stay there if the water is left on a constant basis.If a bird or squirrel drowns in the water, it must be regularly checked.Place a bucket in your horse's stall.If you want to keep the bucket from tipping over when your horse drinks from it, hang it from the wall or place it inside an old tire.The water level in the bucket should be checked throughout the day.
Step 9: The hooves of your horse should be trimmed.
Keeping a schedule of routine care for your horse is an important part of raising him and keeping him healthy.If your horse's hooves do not get trimmed down naturally by his daily activities, then they should be trimmed once every six to eight weeks, but no more than once a week.Farriers are trained to trim hooves.You can learn how to trim your horse's hooves on your own.You should have a farrier show you how to do this safely.You should be able to file down small chips and nicks.On a daily basis, you should pick out each of your horse's hooves to remove materials that could get lodged in the hooves and cause pain and discomfort.Think about how you would feel on a hike with sand or pebbles in your shoes.If you don't know how to do this, ask your doctor.Horses don't need shoes until they've worn them for many years.If your horse will be walking on pavement or rocks, shoes are not needed.If there is a hoof injury that needs treatment, shoes are not needed.If your horse is more than a few years old and has been wearing shoes his whole life, he should continue to be shoed.In either case, your horse needs to have their hooves trimmed to make sure they don't get any major chips.The majority of horse shoes are made of rubber or aluminum.Different shoes are used.Your farrier can help you choose the best shoe for your horse.
Step 10: Your horse needs regular dental care.
Your horse needs a healthy mouth.Over time, your horse's teeth can become unbalanced.It can be difficult for your horse to eat if he has sharp points on his teeth.The sharp points are smoothed down in a process called floating, which is done by either an equine vet or dentist.Ideally, your horse's teeth should be floated twice a year.Your horse needs to be snoozed and teeth floating is hard work.You should float your horse's teeth on your own.Poor dental care can lead to health problems for your horse, such as choke, and weight loss due to his inability to adequately chew his food.Food falling out of your horse's mouth can be caused by even teeth.As the horse gets older, the angle of his teeth can change.If you have an older horse, you should check his teeth.
Step 11: Take care of your horse.
As you raise your horse, you should have regular vaccinations and deworming done by your vet.The tetanus vaccine should be given to all horses.Depending on where you are, your horse may need other vaccinations.Your equine vet will be able to tell you which vaccinations your horse needs.Deworming is important to keep your horse's worm burden low.A heavy worm burden can cause problems for your horse over time.Establish a regular deworming schedule with your doctor.In addition to deworming, there are other things you can do on your property to decrease the environmental worm burden.Discuss pasture rotation with your vet.If you have multiple horses, make sure you don't overcrowd any one pasture area.
Step 12: Purchase grooming supplies.
Your horse's coat needs to be groomed to keep it clean and healthy as he ages, and also to give you time to bond with him.Make the investment to purchase good quality grooming supplies and replace them as needed, because you will need a number of supplies to groom your horse.There are many types of brushes and combs that you will need.Dust off your horse's coat can be accomplished with stiff bristled Dandy brushes.Soft bristled body brushes are used to brush over a horse's body.Curry combs can be either rubber or metal.Dirt and dust can be raised from your horse's coat with rubber curry combs.The comb should not be used on the horse's body.Wide-toothed combs are used to glide through your horse's mane and tail.It is a good idea to give your horse a final wipe down after you have finished grooming him.It is a good idea to own a sweat scraper to remove water after bathing and a metal comb to get rid of hair during the shed season.It's a good idea to spray fly repellence on your horse after grooming during the warmer months.You can put your supplies in a container, such as a bucket, cabinet, or trunk.
Step 13: Take care of your horse.
Every day, groom your horse the same way.You won't be able to forget to groom a part of his body.Many horse owners prefer to start at their horse's head and groom back to the tail, but you can choose whichever direction you want to go.Depending on the amount of dirt and dust on your horse's coat, you should use a brush or comb first.If he is particularly dirty, you will need to use a rubber curry comb and a dandy brush.As you groom your horse, pay attention.There may be areas on his body that he is not comfortable with.He will tell you that he doesn't like where you are touching him if he starts to tense up or step back.If he wants to remove his fear, leave that spot and move on to another part of his body.You need to be able to check every part of your horse.
Step 14: The horse can be touched with different objects.
Your horse should become accustomed to being touched with other objects such as saddles, ropes, halters and bridles in addition to becoming comfortable with grooming objects.When touching and rubbing him, be gentle.It may take some time for him to be comfortable with how they feel.He should be comfortable with whatever you put on him.
Step 15: Lead your horse.
Your horse's overall care would not be complete without training.Training your horse will help him trust and respect you, and feel safe with you.One way to train your horse is by leading him.You will need a snug-fitting halter and a long rope to lead your horse.The position from which to lead your horse is from his side.He can see you on his side, so it's safer than leading him from the lead or behind the withers.Stand about 12 inches away from your horse and hold the lead rope in your right hand.Keep your distance from him as you walk with him.
Step 16: To yield to pressure, train your horse.
Training your horse to yield to pressure, either direct or indirect, also teaches him to respect your personal space.If he has lived his life with other horses, he will know all about the subject, but will not be used to the types of pressure you will provide.You touch your horse with your hands.The use of a lead rope is an indirect pressure.When applying pressure, be firm.Pick a part of his body that is important to him.When your horse moves away from that area, apply steady pressure to it.The direct pressure should be enough to make your horse uncomfortable.With indirect pressure, you will stand three feet in front of your horse with the lead rope attached to his halter.To wiggle the rope, point your finger towards him.When your horse starts to move back, stop the rope.It may take a few tries for your horse to understand how to respond to pressure.When he responds correctly, you can give him verbal praise and treat him.
Step 17: The horse must turn on the forehand.
Once your horse is comfortable with some of the more basic training, you can move on to more advanced training.To turn on the forehand, your horse needs to shift his center of gravity to his back half and move his body to the side.The movement allows your horse to stretch his muscles and gives you more control over his body.It may be easier for your horse to learn this skill than it is for you.Training your horse to turn on the forehand involves applying pressure with your legs and using the reins to control the movement of the front half of his body.To control your horse's movements, you need to have the right coordination between your legs and hands.You need to sit on top of your horse with balance in mind.