Getting your first horse is an exciting experience. But before you bring your new horse home, make sure you have all of their basic needs prepared.
Just like with any other pet, you need to acquire equipment and supplies to make the horse comfortable in their new home. Needless to say, a horse requires more preparation than your regular house pet. Therefore, it is always recommended that you start acquiring equipment and supplies a few weeks before your horse is scheduled to arrive.
Here are the items you need to prepare:
Riding Gear
It is best to wait until your horse arrives before you buy riding gear so that you’ll be able to get a more accurate fitting. But before your horse arrives, you can decide between English and western riding, which will help you choose what type of tack to purchase. In a horse tack, which is the term used for the gear needed to ride a horse, you should have high-quality headstalls, saddle, and other important items such as:
- Stirrups
- Saddle blanket
- Reins
- Girth and cinch
- Martingale
- Bridle
To ride your new horse, you should be prepared with the appropriate attire, too. The essentials include a good pair of riding boots, breeches, headgear, and a body protector if needed.
Shelter Equipment and Supplies
First and foremost, your horse should have a suitable place to live. A few weeks before it arrives at your property, make sure you’ve already built their barn or stable. Then, you should have these pieces of equipment ready:
- Feeding tub
- Water trough
- Water heater (if necessary)
- Pitchfork
- Wheelbarrow
- Insect spray
- Stable broom
- Manure fork
Food
The first food that you buy for your horse should depend on what the previous owner fed him. But as your horse assimilates to its new environment, you will get a feel of what type of feed works best. These are the basic horse foods that you should have:
- Hay. Select hay that is nutritious for your horse. Stay away from the cheap, empty-nutrient ones.
- Chaff. This food is used to slow down a horse’s eating when it’s eating too quickly.
- Grain and pellets. These foods are used to help horses gain and maintain a healthy weight.
Grooming Supplies
An essential part of horse maintenance is keeping their grooming in check. To make sure your horse is always well-groomed, you should have the following:
- Hoof pick
- Curry comb
- Mane comb
- Cloths or rags
- Body brush
- Tail brush
- Mild shampoo
- Cactus cloth
- De-tangler
Health Necessities
A horse can be kept healthy and safe by preparing these necessities:
- An account with a vet along with their hours, payment policies, emergency contacts, etc.
- The horse’s health records with their medical history, vaccines, farrier visits, last doses, feeding routine, etc.
- Necessary vet supplies and a first aid kit
Horse Blankets
Horse blankets are designed to protect your equine friend from the elements. Make sure you buy the following items for your horse:
- Fly sheets
- Rain sheets
- Light blanket
- Medium blanket
- Heavy blanket
- Fly masks
- Cotton sheets
- Scrim sheets
Owning a horse is never easy. It requires commitment, love, hard work, and patience. If you are planning to buy a horse soon, these tips should help you prepare everything that you need.
