Having a horse is having a great responsibility, even greater than having a fish, a dog, a cat or any other kind of pet. These are animals that need space to live, plenty of food and also a heavy load of daily exercise to keep them in shape.
If you wonder what are the basic care of the horse keep reading this article on our site and discover the main needs you must cover for keep your horse he althy and strong.
Stable care
The horse needs a shelter (stable) to sleep and protect itself from inclement weather, such as wind, rain, the sun and so on. For this, a typical three-sided shed is usually sufficient, as long as it is large and allows the horse to fit in without any problem. In addition, in the shelter there should always be a bed so that the horse can rest and so that it is not always on a hard surface, as it could cause some kind of injury. The most popular choice for bedding is straw bedding as it is cheap and comfortable for the horse, although other options such as wood chips or hemp could also be used.
To properly take care of the stable we have to take advantage of the time the horse is away and perform the following tasks:
- Remove the manure twice a day to keep the horse clean and prevent any type of disease from being caused by these residues.
- Remove the bed to ventilate and keep the deepest part cool.
- Change part of the bed a few times a week.
- Clean the horse's water and feed bowl twice a week to remove food residue.
- Paint the stable a couple of times a year to disinfect and kill any bacteria that may live in them, since the paint eradicates them.
What a good pasture space should look like
Horses love to gallop, feel free and enjoy good grass. For this reason, it is recommended to have at least an approximate hectare per horse so that they can enjoy all this on good land. This pasture must be fenced, since the horse could escape, and, furthermore, we must check that inside it there is no type of garbage or elements that could make damage to the horse, such as poisonous plants.
Always check that the fence does not have holes, that there are no problems in the pasture and that there is enough space so that the horse does not feel overwhelmed and can feel free for a long time a day.
Horse cleaning
If we get into the care of the horse itself, the first thing we should think about is bathing it whenever necessary There is no exact frequency and it depends on the physical exercise to which the horse has been subjected. The normal thing, in case the horse has not done a lot of physical exercise, is to do it once a week to remove all the dirt, always doing it outside the stable so as not to wet it all, and on sunny days, not we want you to be sick.
For the bath to be carried out correctly we need the following elements:
- Mane brush: used to brush the sensitive parts of the horse. There are two types of brushes: the bruza, with short and soft bristles to remove sweat, grease and dandruff from hair and skin; the root brush, with long, thick and hard bristles to remove the remains of adhering manure and dried mud.
- Crush: to remove stuck-on or hard-to-remove dirt. It is used in the meatiest areas of the horse, such as the neck and the rump.
- Ayate: maguey thread fabric used to remove the dirt left after passing the curry.
- Flannel: adds shine to the horse's coat.
- Sponge: Use it to clean your horse's face, especially around the eyes, and the genital area. The ideal is to have two sponges, one for the face and one for the genitals.
- Mane Comb: Used to untangle sparse mane. For horses with thick tails or manes it is recommended to use only brushes.
- Escrepa: to remove excess water or sweat after bathing.
Helmet care and maintenance
The hooves are one of the most sensitive and important parts on a horse and we must keep them completely he althy. They require much more continuous cleaning, once a day at least, always doing it very carefully, with a specific hook and brush, and trying not to hurt the horse. You must be very careful when doing it, if you hurt him he could react with a kick and do you a lot of damage. Do it slowly, take a good look at everything and don't get distracted by anything while you do it. In addition to cleaning the horse's hooves once a day, you should go over them every time you return from a walk with him or after leaving him free for a long time. Having clean hooves will make the horse more comfortable and will not cause any type of illness or injury due to having stones, nails or wounds.
The basic utensils to maintain and care for the horse's hooves are the following:
- Hoofcleaner: Also called a farrier's brush, it is used to remove excess mud, manure, and other debris.
- Brush: sometimes the same hoof cleaner already comes with a brush intended for cleaning the hoof. If it doesn't, you'll have to get one to go over all the parts of the helmet.
- Ointment or grease: can be applied with a brush once the hooves are clean. This step is done to avoid both dryness in the hottest seasons and excess humidity during the cold months.
Remember to consult with a professional how you should clean and oil your horse's hooves, as well as how to maintain and change horseshoes.
Horse feeding
The feeding of horses depends largely on their size, breed, age or physical activity, and even on the climate or place where they live. Even so, it is normal for a horse to need approximately a kilo of food per day for every 45-46 kilos of weight, which would be about 10 kilos of food a day, approximately, for the average weight horse.
They must eat two or three times a day and their diet is usually based on hay and grain. The ratio between hay and grain could be between 1-3 kilos of grain and about 7, 5-10 kilos of hay per day, as long as the horse has normal activity (horse ridden one hour every day of the week). The time they eat should also be the same, avoiding changing it frequently. In addition, a space of time should be left between the period devoted to physical activity and me altime, since your horse could feel bad eating directly after finishing his walk or daily workload.
In addition to food, they need a lot of fresh and clean water Make sure their bucket is always full and place it inside some kind of support that prevent them from tipping over, such as a tire. In the event that the horse becomes ill, you see that it has gained or lost a lot of weight or any situation that you do not see as regular, consult your veterinarian so that they can recommend another type of or examine him thoroughly to find out the cause of these abnormalities.
And what other care do you give your horse?
With the care mentioned above you can begin to perform the basic tasks of caring for your horse, but surely many of you have one and you know little tricks or care that we have missed or that we can include to improve this guide. If you know any, want to contribute any opinion or have any questions about any of the care, comment and we will be happy to answer you.
