Taking care of your horse

This means spending time each day to ensure he/she is comfortable, well fed and exercised and, in this weather, warm. Food is as important for the horse as it is for you so ensure that the horse has all the nutrition it needs. Pasture is the horses’ favourite and it gives the horse the nutrients and protein he/she requires, as horses are constantly grazing you need to ensure you have the right type of pasture for them

As well as pasture, Hay forms an important part of the diet of a horse and is a good replacement is fresh pasture is not available. There are many different types of hay such as Tifton and Alfalfa so make sure you pick the best type of hay for your horse to ensure it is fit and healthy. Alfalfa in particular contains a considerable amount of protein.

Once you have brought the correct type of hay it is important that you store it in a well ventilated area but it must be dry. If the hay is wet and mouldy then the horse can become very sick so check the hay before you feed it to the horse. One thing in your diet is not good for you and it is the same for horses so consider adding things to it such as horse pellets to ensure it is getting all the nutrients it needs.

Your horse needs a lot of water each day with many horses drinking up to 12 gallons a day. This is a massive amount of water and if the weather gets colder then it is a good idea to purchase heated buckets so that the water does not freeze. Salts, Minerals and even treats are important for the horse as well but each horse is different so consult your local vet for the best advice on what measures you should be giving to them.

As with humans, horses need the exercise to keep healthy. The intensity of the exercise will depend on what the horse does (race, jump, show etc) but even if you just have one to ride on occasions they still need regular exercise maybe 3 days a week to keep its fitness levels high and stop it from getting arthritis when its older.