3 Tips for First-Time Horse Owners
When you bring a horse home for the first time, you’re sure to experience a lot of intense emotions. You’re embarking on a rewarding, challenging, and exciting journey. These magnificent animals can be smart, friendly, mischievous, cranky, stubborn, patient, playful, or fearful. The decisions you make as an owner can affect how well you and your equine companion get along. Consider some of these tips from experienced owners and horse experts:
One: Get Riding Lessons
There’s much more involved in the care of horses than sticking them in a pasture with some water and room to run. Horse care involves regular grooming, bathing, riding, and companionship. You’ll need to learn how to mix and provide a healthy diet with plenty of clean water. Of course, you’ll need to spend a lot of time together, getting to know each other and feeling comfortable when you’re together.
Riding lessons may not provide all of the information you need to know, but they will help you understand your horse’s temperament. Lessons can also help you feel less intimidated, calmer, more controlled, and trusting. Riding lessons are really focused on helping you become better prepared as a horse owner.
Two: Get In Touch With Professionals
Don’t wait until your horse is hurt to find a veterinarian, farrier, and boarding barn. It’s important to have a relationship with these professionals before you ever need to trust your horse to their care. You can learn a lot about local professionals by visiting establishments in person. For example, you may want to review the boarding services available while visiting a horse farm Easthampton MA in person. While there, ask who they recommend as a vet or farrier.
Three: Invest in Quality Equipment
You’ll need a saddle, saddle pad, bit, bridle, halter, lead rope, a selection of combs and brushes, hoof pick, and first aid supplies. There are salves for the ears and safety gear for riders. Even though the list of basic supplies is long, it’s important not to skimp when it comes to quality. Choose sturdy, reliable equipment for your horse’s health and comfort, and for your own.
Owning a horse can bring you a lot of joy. It’s a great chance to develop a loving friendship. Prepare yourself by doing a lot of research and learning as much as possible.