Starting with nothing! What do I need?

[tina60]

Right so I am getting my pony in a few weeks and apart from the tack that it comes with I have absolutely nothing! Can you give me advice on what essentials I will need for the pony and the yard I will be keeping him on. He will have to be kept in over the winter so what would you say I need to buy? I know I will need a wheelbarrow, (told you I had nothing!) what else should I be looking out for? Not sure about stable mats what do you all advise? And bedding is another minefield - I have read so many differing opinions not sure which way to go.

I don't have oodles of money to spend so am looking on second hand sites and I have also been reading the moneysaving ideas thread on here which is brilliant!

Thank you for all your ideas!

 

[Arizahn]

Mucking out - B&Q or Tesco etc for yard brush and buckets, skips, etc. Stick to whatever bedding he is used to for now. If shavings you need a shavings fork, straw a regular fork is probably easier. Rubber gloves essential!

Grooming - Rubber curry comb, medium stiffness type brush, mane/tail comb, hoof pick, sponge for eyes and nose. Baby oil to help avoid tangles in mane and tail. Barrier lotion for legs. Towel.

First aid - Don't skimp on this. Kit for you and for pony. Keep vet and farrier numbers in here too for emergencies.

Rugs - Amazon is handy for these.

 

[SuperNova25]

Yard/Stable - Fork, heavy duty sweeping brush, bucket, gloves & wheelbarrow.
Field - poop picker (if you need one)
Horse - tack box (curry combs, brushes, grooming spray, mane/tail bands, mane/ tail brush, sweat scraper, sponge) Head collars, lead ropes (a few) and tack.
Rugs - Fly rug, rain sheet, lightweight, heavyweight, medium (I don't have many simply because I don't agree with rugging in the lightest of weather - has to be really bad first )

 

[joulsey]

Water bucket, feed buckets, haynets( if using them), somewhere to store feed ( we use plastic dustbins, ratproof and dry), feed scoop & spoon to mix

Lunging Equipment/boots if needed.

 

[Palindrome]

A headtorch is quite handy in the winter, welly boots, salt lick for stable.
If on a budget, I would get one new or nearly new good quality medium weight rug instead of an array of cheap rugs. The 1200 denier rugs tend to be more waterproof than the 600 denier ones (as well as being stronger).

Also for grooming, I do tend to use the Magic brush all over and hoof pick.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

You don't need as much as you'd expect.

Rugs - do you intend to clip? If not you don't *need* rugs (as long as you don't go bathing or brushing all the natural grease from his coat). Fly rugs and fly mask, wait and see if they're needed.

You don't need stable mats. If you want them at a later date you can save up and get some.

Feed and water buckets or trugs from wherever, buy cheap and see you you get on with them. Upgrade later if you want.

You'll need a wheelbarrow, a broom and a fork. I use a Fynalite Multi-Mucker as its a good compromise between a shavings and straw fork so I don't need to buy another if I decide to change bedding type. A dustpan and brush if your YO is particularly picky about dirt. If you choose to buy a straw fork ensure it is a straw fork not a garden fork, they are different.

Bedding - straw and chippings are most common types. Are you collecting or getting a delivery? If collecting, chippings is better for you car. You'll need aprox 4-6 bales to start the bed off, depending on size of bales. If straw, how much storage do you have? Large round or square bales are cheaper but you may not have room for them. Talk to your YO about storage and if the yard sells bedding they may want you to buy from them. If pony has dust allergy or COPD dust extracted chippings is a better choice than straw.

Pony needs a headcollar and leadrope. Bridle, bit, reins. Saddle, stirrup leathers and irons, girth. Two numnahs is useful and a spare girth if you're using fabric girths. You'll need saddlesoap and two sponges, one for cleaning and the other to rub saddlesoap in after. Pound shop sponges are fine.

What feed if any is pony on? Buy the same but cut down if workload is lower with you or grazing is better. If current feed is not what you'd choose, change gradually once pony has arrived. Get in some hay in case of box rest, even if pony living out for summer. Most people find a small holed haynet useful to stop gorging.

Grooming kit - a bucket or something to store it, a hoof pick, dandy brush, body brush (for face, or to brush dust and grease out if you're clipping and rugging), plastic or rubber curry comb, tail comb or human type hair brush. Medicated shampoo is useful for cleaning minor scrapes. Fly spray. Mud fever cream, sweet itch cream or sunblock if necessary. Anything else you need can be added later when you know you need it.

First aid kit - human stuff. Plus: vetwrap bandage, animalintex poultice, thermometer, tail bandages, gamgee, electrical tape (for securing bandages), cotton wool, a small pot eg clean butter pot (for water for wound cleaning), salt (for wound cleaning), a kettle if yard doesn't have one (for sterile water for wound cleaning), scissors (kept here not to be used for grooming and made germy), vets phone number and postcode of yard.

Most yards will want you to give a wormer on arrival.

That's about it. :smile3:

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Rugs - if you do intend to clip, start with a trace or chaser clip, then medium weight turnout rugs will be fine x2 standard neck ones and pony can wear them in the stable too. A waffle or fleece rug for drying off a damp pony who got rained on when ridden. That's all. If its too hot in autumn and spring for medium weight rugs and pony is trace clipped possibly stabled nights he will be fine naked. People fuss far too much about rugs.

Also don't forget the rider: hat, whip, wellies, riding boots, coat and fluorescent tabard. Fluorescent leg wraps for the pony is a good idea too.

ETA sorry that's not clear I mean: standard neck, medium weight, turnout rugs, x 2

 

[tina60]

Thank you everyone for all your advice - you have given me such a lot of help - brilliant! better get shopping!!

 

[Claire-R]

Ahhh this is the exciting bit!! I remember getting all my first bits!! expensive but it gets you all excited for your new horse

 

[Princess Rosie]

Not sure where you are based but I have a few yard tools that you could have to help you out, a shavings fork and a brush at least from what I can remember we have spare. PM me if you're local-ish to Selby, will save you some money at this expensive time starting out. Very exciting time for you!

 

[tina60]

It is exciting Claire but also a bit scary ! I am worried about all the costs involved I have done my sums over and over but you never know what unexpected ones will come up! Thank you Princess Rosie - that is so kind of you I have PM you. Everyone has been so kind on here thank you!

 

[Enfys]

Yikes, Sugar-and-Spice, I have been here 8 years, have I don't know how many horses (because I am scared to count, more than 6 of my own anyway and about 15 liveries at the moment) and I haven't got HALF those things!

They live out, I have 10 stalls, all empty of horses, they wear whatever rug/halter/tack fits them and I only have a body brush, a rubber curry comb, a pair of scissors, a hoofpick, plait bands, baby oil and a human hairbrush in my grooming bucket.

First aid kit IS pretty extensive though.

My wheelbarrow has flowers growing in it, I use a quad and trailer for mucking out, I have one fork, a muck bucket and gloves (I buy latex gloves by the 100) one rake (sand aisle in the barn - excellent ) and a snow shovel, and my corn broom is only used for sweeping away spiderwebs. I am a bad and lazy horse owner, I have also discovered that I don't actually NEED anything else. Took me about 30 years to figure that out though


To anyone just starting out I would say, don't go mad, buy the basics and add to those as you find you NEED (not WANT) things.