Information on How to Take Care of a Horse

Taking care of a horse is a big responsibility. Horses need a lot of care to keep them healthy and happy. They need food, water, shelter, exercise, companionship and regular care from a farrier and a veterinarian. A well-cared-for horse that is treated with loving compassion will be happier, healthier and easier to work with.

Feed your horse a high-quality grass hay. Choose a grass hay such as Timothy hay for the majority of its diet. You can supplement its diet with small amounts of a legume hay such as alfalfa. Although horses love alfalfa hay, it is very high in protein and can cause kidney problems if fed in excess, which is why it should only be fed in limited amounts. Make sure the hay is fresh and mold-free. Mold in hay can kill horses. If you spot mold in the hay, throw it away. Store hay in a dry area away from sunlight. Hay that is stored in the sun loses valuable nutrients. Free-feed your horse Timothy hay or another grass hay, allowing them to have as much as they want. Only feed grain to maintain body weight. If your horse is maintaining a healthy body weight on hay alone, then do not feed grain. An exception to the rule is pregnant mares and working horses. They should always be fed grain along with their hay to meet their high nutrient requirements.

Your horse should have fresh clean water available at all times. An automatic watering can be installed to make sure that the water trough never becomes empty. Rinse out the water trough regularly to prevent algae buildup. During cold weather, make sure that the horse's water does not freeze over. During hot weather, make sure that the horse's water does not become too warm or hot.

Horses are herd animals in the wild. They desire and enjoy the companionship of their herd. A single horse is a lonely horse. While your horse may enjoy your company, you cannot take the place of another horse. Always keep at least two horses together if possible, so that they will not be lonely.

Provide a shelter that your horse can access at will to get away from heat, cold, wind, rain or snow. In very cold areas, your horse will need a heated barn to stay warm.

In the wild, horses run many miles a day and travel far distances just to get enough food to eat. In captivity, horses are deprived of their natural behavior, but that does not mean they do not need exercise. If your horse lives in a horse pen or stable, you must take your horse out daily for exercise. The best scenario is for your horse to live on a large pasture where it can run whenever it desires.

The long distances that horses travel in the wild naturally wears down their hooves. In captivity, horses do not get the opportunity to naturally wear down their hooves, so they must be trimmed. Hooves that are left to grow long can cause pain, deformities, laminitis (a painful and serious hoof condition) and even death. Check your horse's hooves every 6 weeks to see if they need to be trimmed. Do not trim your horse's hooves yourself unless you have been trained by a farrier. Improperly trimmed hooves can cause just as many problems, if not more, as untrimmed hooves. Hire a professional farrier to trim your horse's hooves. Consider hiring a farrier who uses the barefoot method of hoof care. The barefoot method trims the hooves and does not put unnecessary shoes on the horse.

Have your horse get a checkup regularly by a veterinarian who has been trained to work with horses. A trained veterinarian will observe your horse and catch any health problems. She will vaccinate your horse against diseases and parasites. She will also check your horse's teeth. The diet in captivity causes a horse's teeth to wear unevenly, which produces sharp edges on the teeth. These sharp edges cause pain and difficulty eating. A veterinarian will float your horse's teeth. Floating is a procedure where the veterinarian files away sharp edges of the teeth. To spare your horse from experiencing unnecessary pain and tooth injuries, never use a bridle with a bit. Use a bitless bridle to ride and lead your horse without causing pain and injuries.