Horses have been acquired and tamed for their speed, strength, intelligence, and loyalty. Different breeds of horses have been a partner of man in pleasure, work, and travel. The qualities that humans like in horses require a stiff price both in ownership and responsibility.
Owning a horse requires the following:
Personal Commitment
A horse owner should be ready to meet the needs of the animal at least twice a day, every day. He should learn to go through physical labor like carrying bales of hay, shoveling horse droppings, delivering water to troughs, acquiring feed, and maintaining sheds, etc. The animal itself will require walking exercises, cleaning, grooming, and feeding.
Provide Basic Needs
A horse needs food, water, and shelter.
1. Horses consume about 45 liters of water a day. A water-filled trough should be installed within the shelter for the animals convenience.
2. Horses are in need of a constant diet of grass and different plant materials. They have short intestines, and thats why they need to constantly nibble and graze every day. A horse owner should have a large amount of grassland for horses to pasture. Bales of hay should be available all the time if the animals are required to stay in a stable or shed.
3. A stable or shed must be constructed to be spacious enough to provide a healthy environment for the horses. The shelter should be sturdy enough to withstand storms, tornadoes, or heavy snows in winter.
Provide Health and Grooming Needs
A horse must always be clean and in the peak of its health regardless of whether it was meant for show, racing, or work. Proper and constant care is required for a horse to remain healthy its entire life.
1. Using a special brush, a horses coat must always be brushed at the end of each day after grazing, to loosen any clinging mud, dirt or insects.
2. In cases when the horse is extremely dirty or is meant to join a show, bathe the animal using water only on its face, then shampoo and water on its body. To avoid frightening the animal, never use a high-velocity jet spray.
3. Hooves should be trimmed by a farrier.
4. Horses can suffer from common diseases such as the strangles and tetanus, which can be prevented by maintaining clean stables and sheds, and by vaccination.
Provide Available Health Personnel
Owning a horse is an expensive investment requiring the best care that can be provided by a legitimate health personnel. When choosing a veterinarian & ferrier one should:
* Seek recommendations from owners of horses or farmers
* Check veterinarian and farrier licenses and membership in related organizations
* Inquire about the distance between their shops or clinics to ones farm or stable.
* Check the health personnels ratings and credentials online
In spite of all the requirements for caring, the enjoyments of horse ownership include:
* Developing an individuals responsibility and commitment
* Relieving stress when horseback riding
* Providing constant exercise while one bathes, feeds, and grooms a horse
* Offering social opportunities and activities when one joins a competition, club, or gathering of horse owners.
