Buying a Pony or Horse
What To Think About Before Buying:
The most important thing to remember when buying a pony is that, depending on breed, the average domestic horse will live for between twenty and thirty years. Your horse will need care and companionship, access to regular meals and water, regular grooming and farrier care, and regular veterinary care.
How to Prepare for Bringing Your Horse Home/What You Should Look for in a Boarding Facility:
Horses live well outside with access to shelter from the elements. In some cases, that shelter may be provided in the form of a barn or stable that animals are kept in on a routine basis. In other cases, animals may be left to roam free within their pasture with access to a weather-proof shelter such as a shed. Horses require both shelter from wind and precipitation, as well as room to exercise and run.
For horse owners who do not own their own land, fields and barns can be rented from a private land owner, or space for an individual horse may be rented from a boarding farm. Unless an animal can be fully maintained on pasture with a natural, open water source, horses must be fed daily. If a horse cannot be cared for by its owner on a daily basis, it is usually kept at a boarding stable, where the staff will care for the horse for a fee.
As equines are herd animals, most have better mental behaviour when in proximity to other equine company. However, this is not always possible, and it has been known for companionship bonds to develop between horses and cats, goats and other species. However, some horses, particularly stallions, may need to live on their own as they may fight with other animals.
Horses that are not on full-time turnout in a field or pasture normally require some form of regular exercise, whether it is being ridden, longed or turned out for free time.
It is advisable to have your pony or horse seen by a vet during its first week in your possession to get it checked out. The vet will also be able to arrange its vaccinations if your new animal hasn’t already had them.
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Feeding Your Horse:
A horse needs to consume approximately 1.5% to 3% of its body weight in food per day. This may include grass or hay, grain or commercially prepared feeds. The current recommendation is to feed horses two or three times daily, unless they are on full time pasture. It is important to feed your new pony or horse in accordance with what is recommended by your veterinary team. It is also important that your new pony or horse has access to clean, fresh water at all times.
A horse that is not ridden daily or subjected to other stressors can maintain adequate nutrition on pasture or hay alone, with adequate water and free access to a salt block or loose salt. However, ponies and horses in regular work often need additional food sources in order to maintain a healthy weight. It is important to discuss the specific nutritional requirements of working ponies and horses with your veterinarian before starting your new animal on any specific food program.
