What are some MUST HAVES for a Horse!?!?!?

Question

I will be getting a horse sooner or later with my own money. I am a Western Rider and I do not do shows, jump, etc. I am a TRAIL rider and a rider for FUN! I just want to jot down some things that I MUST HAVE for my horse :3 I want my horse to have the BEST LIFE! :D NO BAD COMMENTS IM ONLY 14!

Answer 1

you must have money for

Food, Hay Grain etc

Your horse will a least need his feet trimmed about every six weeks

You will have to buy wormier

You will have to have at least a Run in

Your horse will need fencing I'm sure your neighbors don't want your horse in their yard

Or you could board you horse witch costs money every month

You will need brushes, hoof pick, leg wraps, halters and ropes

Also money saved for vet call and even to put your horse down if something awful happens

Long story short you will need money just for care not even riding your horse. Its awesome that you can buy a horse but you need be able to afford to take care of one.

Answer 2

Buying the horse is the least expensive thing about owning a horse. You haft to pay for a vet, farrier ect. about every month. Then you haft to buy all the tack for your horse (saddle, saddle pad, bridles, girths, blankets, coolers, and plenty more.) Which sometimes can be over $2000. Then you haft to pay for all his feed, and then the board every month.

So your not going to be able to pay for a horse with your own money when your only 14. Wait until your out of college and have a job to get a horse.

Answer 3

Minimum requirements:



1.Decent saddle and pad. I buy used cordura Big Horns on ebay and my ponies love them (all 19 from narrow high withered to tanks) and they have stood up very well. I tried other cordura saddles and they were the pits.



2. Decent bit/bosal: The bit is much more important than the bridle itself so spend your money on a good bit. If you go synthetic get nylon not poly. Bio-thane is really nice if you can afford it.

FYI Nylon and Polyester are much more sun resistant than polyethylene or polypropylene (I used to do the lab testing)



http://www.bioplastics.us/fabricated-goods/cutting-punching-for-webbing-products.html



3. grooming kit.

Hoof pick

soft face brush

harder body brush

rubber curry comb

combo sweat scraper shedding blade.



4. Halter and lead shank/rope (spares are nice)



5. Horse first aid kit ~ Talk to your vet. A pair of blunted bandage scissors are nice for clipping the bridle path.



In the nice to have category:

Mecate Reins: Demo of their use ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoKpIIvJnvw



Cooling sheet ~ depends on whether you will be riding your horse into a sweat in the winter.



Saddlebags



Portable fence charger, step in fence posts and electric tape. If you trailer to do camping with your horse this lets you set up a pen for him. It also lets you selectively graze your horse so you can mange your pastures.



For a casual trail rider you do not need to clip your horse or blanket. Therefore a blanket is "nice" to have but not an absolute necessity. Just make sure your horse is walked completely cool and dry. That is what the cooler sheet is for.



I suggest you read up on worming, nutrition and pasture management. A 14 you are old enough to read the information, look at the research and make informed decisions for your horse. I have met several 12 yr olds who are so knowledgeable about horses I thought I was talking to an adult.



NUTRITION:



http://www.applesnoats.com/alfalfa.pdf

http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/uc099.pdf



PASTURE:

http://www.uvm.edu/~pasture/Documents/Successful%20Horse%20GrazingGH.pdf

http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/A3529.pdf





Add http:// in front of each link below. Yahoo does not like a lot of links but as a new horse owner the more info the better.

WORMING:

http://www.parksidevets.com/equine/worming.php

http://www.applesnoats.com/strongyles.pdf

http://www.ed.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.22255!fileManager/wormingyourhorse.pdf

http://heartland.ponyclub.org/internal_parasite_life_cycle.pdf



Goats and sheep use the same wormer as horses (safeguard, Ivermectin, Quest)

so we can learn a lot from research on them:

www.sheep101.info/201/parasite.html

www.lsuagcenter.com/en/crops_livestock/livestock/sheep_goats/Parasite+Control+in+Sheep+and+Goats.htm

www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/stomachwormsLice.html

www.jackmauldin.com/manage_your_pasture_better.htm

www.midamericaagresearch.net/documents/Strategic%20Deworming%20for%20Small%20Ruminants.pdf





Article on the growth of a horse:

www.equinestudies.org/ranger_2008/ranger_piece_2008_pdf1.pdf



Apples & Oats seems to have some really good articles I put pointers to two of them above: www.applesnoats.com/olddefault.html and so does shady-acres: shady-acres.com/susan/index.shtml

Answer 4

You can get away without this particular thing until you need it, but...



* Around $5000 tucked away for emergency veterinary costs. *



Yes, you vet will probably let you pay over a few months. Still, you should have the money saved up.

Answer 5

you will need tack--saddle, saddle pad, bridle, halter, lead rope etc--- a grooming kit- blankets, coolers, quarter sheets, fly masks, clippers, boots. you will need a vet, dentist, farrier etc-- feed, bedding, hay-- and anything else you want to get for her/him. ALL of these are a must have. and i might be missing some....

Answer 6

A great job, a wealthy generous parent/patron or a nice trust fund.

Answer 7

A steady job or never ending supply of money. Salt