New Horse Owner (Lots of Questions)

[gdale123]

So I recently bought my first horse and although I have been around horses for many years, I've never been a horse owner. The horse I bought is a show horse, but I am retiring him from the show ring and using him as a pleasure horse. He is currently on 3 supplements (pellets, rice bran, and a hoof supplement) which his previous owner suggested that he be on. However, she used him as a show horse, and I am only using him as a pleasure horse, so I am curious as to what is really necessary for him to be on.

Along with that, he is now living outside, and I was wondering if it is necessary to blanket a horse in the winter if it doesn't matter if their hair grows out or not.

Also if you could leave any tips on being a first time horse owner it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[ISHLover]

Hello there, Im also new to having my own horse (albeit on loan), and i saw your post and noticed that whilst many people had viewed it, no one had replied - i have also posted, Im hoping this is a friendly forum!

Also im having terrible trouble uploading any pictures

Good luck with your new horse, i hope you have great times

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Horses which are ridden in winter will often get sweaty if the have a full winter coat so are often clipped, if clipped they need a rug.
Also if unrugged every time you want to ride you are faced with a nice muddy monster.

Re feeding, people usually have a basic diet to supplement grass or hay or haylage ie forage.
The horse may be in light work, medium or hard work ie less than one hour walking, 1-2 hours mixed work, or maximum fitness for racing/hunting. The diet needs to be adjusted according to work and the horse, some need very little hard feed [concentrates], others need more, as horses get older and when growing they may need the diet adjusted.
Usually you are pretty safe feeding something like a kg of Spiller hi fibre nuts in winter if horse is getting a few [3 to 5/6 ] hours exercise per week and seems to maintain weight. In winter you usually have to provide hay or haylage ad lib.
I am giving these figures out as a guideline, there will be a huge difference in individual horses.

I like to feed a simple diet in winter with three ingredients,
1 to 4 pet scoops per day of soaked non molassed sugar beet flakes [quickbeet] THIS MUST BE SOAKED as it will swell up.
1 small handfull of Dengie non molassed chaff per feed
100-200gms [1-2coffee mug] micronised linseed per day.
25gms of minerals eg Equimins original or Feedmark original per day
25gms of salt per day

This is the most economical but high quality diet I have ever found, obviously there are cheap pony nuts available, but they will not provide the same quality and usually recommend a large feed in order to provide the nutrients needed..
Buying the most expensive feed may not be suitable for your horse, may be a waste of money or may be so high energy that it makes him too fizzy.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

After I bought my first horse I discovered I really did not know anything about them!
Clean water 24/7.
They are herd animals and most need company.
The digestive system is a ruby ball size tummy and an intestine with a kink in it, so they are prone to colic [tummy upset], if a horse colics call a vet.
Most but not all are shod, this is not always necessary. Most horses need a farrier every six weeks.
They need a flu and tetanus injection, usually annually.
They need teeth rasped every year, a vet may do it or an equine dentist [EDT]
Check them twice a day. You can ask your instructor or your vet to show you how, it takes two minutes once you have done it a few times. The legs should all be cool, and not swollen, the hooves should all be the same temperature, usually cool.
Do not let them get fat, use a weightape every week to record weight gain/loss.
Ask Westgate labs to advise on worming, keep a record. There is a saliva test for tapeworm, use this now and also do a worm count. All horses must be wormed with a suitable wormer in the autumn to stop encysted [burrowing in to the gut] redworm.

 

[Regandal]

Hello and welcome! Nothing to add to Bonkers2 excellent advice.