Im gettin a horse any tips??

Answer 1

ya make sure you give them a LOT of love and care. make sure you know how to take care of them

Answer 2

umm... if you're talking literally any tips you probably need to invest a year or two taking riding lessons with your horse or before you get a horse. also, if you have no clue consider boarding for 1 or 2 months and take lessons at the same place. Check out some good books. Buying Your Horse is a good one, also Caring for Your Horse. You should be able to get them for a cheap price on www.amazon.com or you could check your library. I don't know the author but they are 'Horse Illustrated' books.

Answer 3

You are about to experience a major responsibility. If you are planning on keeping it at your home, make sure that it's pasture is free of plants that can be harmful to your horse. If you are planning on boarding it, find a good stable. Make sure you ask if the horses get turned out and what they are fed. Also, make sure your horse has a stall that is a comfortable size. You will also need proper equipment, brushes, and a medical kit. I reccomend getting a few rolls of vetwrap and some antibiotic ointment in case of minor injuries. When you get your horse, make sure it's sound. (unless you're a trainer, and are planning on getting a green horse) Lastly, find a good vet, farrier, and dentist. Have the vet check out your horse before you bring it home.

Answer 4

A lot of this depends on your riding level and your experience with horses. Take some one knowledgeable with you when you go to look at horses, even if you are already very knowledgeable, it doesn't hurt to have a second opinion. Also ride the horse yourself when you go to look at it, and ask lots of questions about training, diet, living habits, past illnesses, etc. and no matter what make sure that the horse has a clean bill of health from the vet and it current on all shots.

Answer 5

Wow! That's a big responsibility! Remember that your horse WILL become your "best friend"; You have to choose one just like you'd choose anything else; Personality, demeanor, level of expertise (for you more then him-but he still needs to be trained properly!); Are you in it for the long haul, for example, have him around for the next 20 years of YOUR lives? Personally, I hope you'll choose one that you love, will love you back and have fun with! And keep for the long term...

Answer 6

make sure you try out the horse at least twice before you get it and if spending more than $1000 get a vet check done
buy used tack

Answer 7

short version, horses respond to love and attention, just like any animal, and they give lots of love back.

Answer 8

http://www.arabianhorses.org/home/faq/AskExpert1.asp

That should help-even if its not an arab!those tips go for most horses!


One of the most interesting and most difficult aspects of horsemanship is learning to understand our horses and relate to them on horse terms. It always fascinates me that people consider themselves superior to animals and yet expect animals to learn our language rather than the other way around. Horses and dogs both learn to respond to complicated human demands but people often misinterpret basic horse and dog communication.

Building trust

As prey animals, horses have a very strong sense of self-preservation. Their instincts are to run quickly from any threat and to stay within the security of the herd. With good training and positive experiences behind him and a confident rider sitting on top, a mature horse will follow directions instead of instinct to a large extent. But we have to realize that the flight and herd instincts are just below the surface. It's our responsibility to build the trust that keeps instinct in check and the horse manageable.

Trust between people or between people and animals is built on a history of positive interaction. In order to trust someone, we have to believe they will respond consistently and appropriately in a given situation and that they will follow through with what they say. The same goes for horses. To build trust, we must respond appropriately and consistently to their behaviour or anticipated behaviour and once started on a course of action, follow through.

Understanding what horses are saying

Consistency and follow-through are simply a matter of self-discipline on our part, but appropriate response is only possible if we understand what we are responding to. In other words, we have to learn to understand what our horses are saying. After all, why should a horse trust a person who responds angrily to her fear on the one hand, or sheepishly to her bravado on the other?

Because people are verbal, we tend to dismiss other forms of communication. Horses don't use words. They don't even use sounds to any great extent. But watch horses as they interact with one another and with people. Their ears, eyes, muzzles, tails and body posture are all communicating.

Horses are social animals. As herd members, they interact with other horses continually and use a system of communication to let herd-mates know what they want and don't want. (Animal behaviourists disagree about how much animal communication is under conscious control and how much is automatic reaction to a stimulus, but that argument needn't concern us here.)

Calls, body positions, movements, and odours are all methods of communication. We can't sense the odour or chemical messages, but we can see and hear the others. Sit on the fence some sunny afternoon and be a silent spectator. See what signals you can recognize. The ability to understand horse body language makes our association with horses more rewarding and safer.

Equine body language

The most obvious signal is overall body outline. It's easy to tell the difference between the high, rounded outline of an excited horse and the flat outline of a relaxed one.

Ears

Ears are good indicators. They point in the direction of the horse's attention. Both ears pricked forward may look pretty, but when you're riding, you want at least one ear on you. Ears pinned back indicate anger or fear. (Fear and anger are closely related in people too.) Ears moving back and forth often indicate uncertainty. Some beginners misinterpret any backward pointing of the ears as anger, but it's the horse with ears flat back who's liable to kick.

Tail

The tail is also very expressive. 'High-tailing' is a well-known sign of excitement, but did you realize horses flatten their tails between their legs like dogs when frightened? A horse who scoots away from something with his tail tucked under is truly scared. Tail lashing is a sign of irritation and annoyance. A kinked tail is a sign of submissive fear and often precedes a buck.

Facial signals

More subtle for us are facial signals. In her book The Horse's Mind, Lucy Rees has a diagram of mouth and nose signals. A long nose and tight mouth show anxiety and fear. Horses will also show 'worry wrinkles' above the eyes. Watch a horse being taught something new. At first, his mouth will be tight. Then in the moment he understands, you'll often see the mouth relax and chew.

A wrinkled nose indicates annoyance and disgust. A horse threatening to bite has an open mouth and perhaps bared teeth. (Not the same as 'mouthing' in foals which is a submissive gesture.) A long nose with a slightly open mouth shows the horse wants to mutual groom, a gesture you may have seen while currying your horse. It becomes the characteristic long nose, drawn-back lower lip and extended neck when you find 'the spot'.

What I have mentioned here just skims the surface of horse communication. Thoughtful observation of horses combined with reading books and articles in such magazines as EQUUS and Practical Horseman will teach you lots. Learning to understand what our horses are telling us -- and responding appropriately -- makes a huge difference in our relationship with them.

their size, horses have delicate digestive systems. They are grazing animals with small stomachs designed to process small amounts of food almost continuously. When we confine horses and feed them relatively large amounts according to our schedules, we have to be very careful with what and how we feed. The amount of food your horse needs varies according to activity, age, breed, weather, quality of feed, quality of shelter, condition of teeth, etc.

What should I feed my horse?
Does my horse need anything else?
How much food does my horse need?
How often should I feed my horse?
Can a horse eat too much?
How can I tell if my horse is the proper weight?
I have several horses. How do I make sure they're all getting their share?
Is there anything else I should know about feeding my horse?
What books can I buy on feeding horses?




What should I feed my horse?

For our purposes, feed for horses can be divided into three categories: pasture, hay and concentrates.

Pasture

The most natural food for horses is good quality pasture. Most mature pleasure horses doing light work will do well on pasture alone if they have sufficient grazing. However, horses are selective grazers and need a large area to meet their nutritional needs. Just because a field is green does not mean it contains sufficient grazing for a horse, and depending on where you live, for a large part of the year pasture is not available.

You can optimize the amount of grazing available by dividing your pasture into sections and rotating your horses through the different paddocks. That way, you give the grass a chance to grow back and can pick up the manure.

Hay

Hay is the basic food of domestic horses. Only feed good quality hay to horses. Inspect hay carefully before buying it, asking the seller to open a bale. Make sure the bales are green and dust and mold free. Stick your hand down into the centre of a bale to make sure it's not warm. Feeding moldy hay can cause colic and dusty hay can cause respiratory problems. (To avoid dust, it's a good idea to pull the flakes apart and shake them out well before feeding. As a precaution, you can also soak hay before feeding.)

The type of hay available varies according to the area you live in. Three basic types in Alberta are grass hay, alfalfa hay and grass/alfalfa mix. Common grasses are timothy and brome. Alfalfa has a higher protein content than grass. Many horse people consider a grass/alfalfa mix the best for horses, and timothy/brome/alfalfa is a common combination.

Alfalfa is also available in cubes and pellets. However, horses need chew time to be content, so except for veterinary reasons, most people feed some hay. Some horses have a tendency to choke on cubes. To be safe, you can soften cubes with water before feeding.

Do not feed your horse grass clippings as they can cause founder.

Concentrates

Hay alone cannot provide enough nutrition for hard-working horses, pregnant and nursing mares, or growing youngsters. They need concentrates to supplement the hay. However, hay should still provide the bulk of the diet. Feeding too much grain can cause problems.

Concentrates include grains (whole, rolled or cracked), sweet feed (grain mixed with molasses), and manufactured feeds (pellets, cubes, or extruded). You can buy bags of feed specially formulated for every stage of a horse's life from creep feed for foals to feed for senior equines.

Beet pulp provides additional bulk. Beet pellets must be soaked before feeding to allow them to expand. If you use hot water, they expand in about an hour, but with cold water, allow overnight soaking. Only prepare enough for one day's feeding at a time.

Does my horse need anything else?

Horses need lots of drinking water and an adequate amount of salt and minerals.

Water

Fresh water is a vital part of your horse's diet. Horses drink from 5 to 10 gallons a day.

Clean water should be available at all times except when the horse is very hot from work. As you cool out your horse, allow him to take several small drinks rather than giving him free access to water.

While horses can survive on snow in the winter, it is far from ideal. The horse's body has to melt a lot of snow to get enough water, thus wasting body heat. A horse not getting enough water is more liable to impaction colic. An inexpensive stock tank heater can keep the water trough ice-free.

Salt and Minerals

A mineralized salt block should be available free-choice. You can also buy a variety of other vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements. Consult your veterinarian.

How much food does my horse need?

The amount of food a horse needs will depend on such things as size, breed, age, and activity. In cold weather, a horse living outside needs more food just to keep warm.

As a general rule, a horse needs 2 to 2.2 pounds of feed for every 100 pounds of body weight. (You can buy a weight tape to measure how much your horse weighs.) For example, an average 1000 lb horse would need 20 to 25 pounds of feed a day. Most of that should be hay. A typical diet for a horse being ridden for one hour five days a week would be 2 to 5 pounds of grain and 15 to 20 pounds of hay a day, split into at least two separate meals.

Common sense and ongoing awareness of your horse's health and body condition should let you know if you need to make changes. Use a weight tape on a regular basis and keep a record. If your horse is gaining or losing, adjust his feed. Your horse's weight should remain stable regardless of how much work he is doing or how cold the weather is. As a responsible owner, it's up to you to adjust the amount you're feeding accordingly. In winter, look with your hands as well as your eyes. A heavy winter coat can easily hide a thin horse. Feel under that hair. If you are unsure about how much to feed your horse, ask your veterinarian for advice.

How often should I feed my horse?

The basic rule for feeding horses is to feed little and often. The more meals you can split the day's feed into, the better for the horse. For practical reasons, most people feed two or three times a day. Keep to a regular schedule and allow the horse an hour between work and feeding.

Can a horse eat too much?

Overfeeding can be a problem. While some horses will eat only what they need, most will eagerly overeat if given the chance. This can lead to founder or laminitis. Keep an eye on your horse's weight and adjust meal size as required. Don't feed concentrates unless your horse needs them. If your horse is pastured, it may be necessary to confine him in a dirt corral for part of the day. In some ways, a fat horse is as unhealthy as a thin one.

How can I can tell if my horse is the proper weight?

A system called "body condition scoring" has been developed to determine just how fat or thin an animal is.

To a large extent it is based on common sense, looking at the amount of flesh on the ribs, on the base of the tail, between the hips and on the bony prominences. These are the bones that stick out from the spine behind the rib cage.

In a horse carrying ideal weight, the ribs have a slight fat covering but you can feel them. The base of the tail has a smooth shape with slight fat covering. The neck is firm but, except for stallions, has no crest.

You can learn more about body condition scoring by going to the web site of the Equine Research Centre at Guelph, choosing "Horse Health Care" from the first menu, then "Management" from the second.

I have several horses. How do I make sure they're all getting their share?

If you are feeding more than one horse, you'll have to make sure each horse gets enough food. Horses have a strong social order and the top horses will take more than their share. To give the bottom horses a chance, spread the hay out with one more pile than the number of horses. It's best to physically separate horses to feed the grain ration. At the very least, use separate feed bins spaced wide apart. If you don't, there's a high risk of injury as each horse fights for his spot at the feeder, and the bottom horse will probably stay away altogether.

Is there anything else I should know about feeding my horse?

Find a diet that works for your horse and stick to it. Make any changes in feed slowly, spread out over several days. If your horse is not doing well even though you are feeding him enough, the problem might be teeth or worms or your horse might be sick. Check with your veterinarian.


It is necessary to provide strong, safe fencing and adequate shelter for horses. As a rule, horses don't need to be kept in a barn. In fact, stabling is as much for our convenience as the horse's well-being. This fact sheet deals with horses living outside. For information on stabling horses, click here.

Horses do need shelter and what can be considered "adequate" will vary according to the season. In summer, a horse needs protection against sun, rain, wind and hail. In winter, cold, snow and wind are the elements to consider.

How can I make sure my horse has adequate shelter?
Does my horse need bedding?
What about fencing?
Is tethering an acceptable method for confining a horse?
Can you recommend any books?

How can I make sure my horse has adequate shelter?

Healthy horses with a full winter coat can stand a lot of cold as long as they are dry and out of the wind. In the summer, horses are vulnerable to flies. The best long-term solution for all season protection is to build a three-sided horse shelter. Many Departments of Agriculture or farmer's supply stores carry plans for a standard shelter. The size of the shelter, its location and what it's made of are all important elements to consider.

Size of Shelter

The size of the shelter depends on the number of horses. For an open-front shelter, allow at least 64 square feet per horse. The ceiling should be at least 9 feet high.

Horses have a very strong social order, and for safety, the shelter should be wide rather than deep. Otherwise boss horses standing in the entranceway can block other horses from going in, or a lower status horse can get trapped in the back.

Location

The shelter must be built on either well-drained land, or the floor built up to make sure it stays dry. The open side should face away from the prevailing wind.

Building Materials

Anything to do with horses must be built strong enough to withstand considerable abuse. A flimsy shelter will not last long and can become unsafe.

Does my horse need bedding?

In the wintertime, clean straw bedding in the shelter will make your horses more comfortable. Bedding is necessary for foals because they spend a lot of time lying down. Similarly, old horses should have bedding. A horse kept in a stall needs bedding year round.

What about fencing?

Fencing for horses must be secure and safe. It must keep the horses where they're supposed to be without injuring them in the process.

Security

Horses who get out on the road can cause automobile accidents and be badly injured or killed themselves. Even if they don't head for a road, they can cause damage to neighbours' property.

Safe Fencing

It has been said that horses are an accident waiting to happen. It's up to the owner to make the surroundings as safe as possible for horses and people.

If at all possible, do not put horses in wire fences, particularly barbed wire. Never use wire for corrals or for fences separating horses from each other. Horses playing or fighting through the fence can injure themselves badly.

There are many fencing materials available today from traditional 2x6 planks to the newer PVC products. A recent addition to the marketplace is wire made of PVC filaments. Electric fencing also comes in a variety of styles. Once recommended only in conjunction with a regular fence, there are now electric fences on the market intended to be used as the sole fence.

Fencing must always be kept in good repair. If pastures are fenced with wire, the four or five strands of wire must be kept tight and should be marked for visibility. A "hot wire" on top of the fence will keep horses at a safe distance.

Is tethering an acceptable method for confining a horse?

No. Tethering is not appropriate for horses. It is neither safe nor does it allow enough grazing.

Safety

The fact that horses are nervous animals whose first reaction to unusual sights and sounds is to run makes tethering very unsafe.

Even without spooking, the horse can easily get the tether caught around a leg and injure himself badly. A basic rule of horsemanship is always to tie a horse above shoulder height so he can't get a foot over the rope. That rules out tethering.

If the horse does spook, he can snap the line or pull it out of the ground. Not only is he then loose, but he's running scared with a long rope flapping behind him.

Grazing

A tethered horse grazes his limited space down to the dirt very quickly. A better alternative for strip grazing is a portable electric fence.

Can you recommend any books?

A great book for anyone planning to keep a horse at home is Cherry Hill's Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage. If you're deciding whether to keep your horse at home or board him at a stable, try A Barn Fit for King.


Like dogs and other animals, horses can’t talk to us when they hurt. Dogs, though, will whine or whimper to indicate distress. Horses, being prey animals, don’t normally make any sounds to show they hurt. Prey animals living in the wild don’t want to let predators know when they’re weak. What is an advantage for a wild animal is a disadvantage for a domestic one. Horse people have to learn to be very observant of their charges to be able to tell when they hurt. One of the more obvious ways a horse shows pain is by going lame.

A lame horse hurts somewhere. It’s up to us to find out what's causing the pain and to see that the horse receives proper treatment for the problem. In most cases, lameness is temporary and the horse recovers with proper care. Unfortunately, if the lameness is chronic and treatment cannot keep the horse’s discomfort to acceptable levels even when he's not being ridden, euthanasia is the only option.

How can I tell if my horse is lame?
What should I do if I notice that my horse is lame?
Where should I start my search?
Are there any particular diseases I should watch for?
Where can I learn more about lameness?
How can I tell if my horse is lame?

Lameness is easiest to see when the horse is trotting. If the pain is in just one leg, you’ll notice that the horse is not moving evenly. The severity can range from a barely noticeable hitch in the stride to a reluctance to put any weight on one foot.

A lame horse will often throw his head in rhythm with his stride. If the horse is sore in a front leg, he will throw his head up as the sore side touches the ground. If the lameness is in a back leg, he will lean onto the sound side. He may also drag the toe on the sore side.

If the horse hurts in both front feet or all four feet, you won’t notice a limp. Instead, he will keep his head up and move with a short, stumbling stride.

A sound horse stands with front legs perpendicular to the ground. A horse who stands “camped out” instead of keeping his legs under his body is probably sore.

A relaxed horse will often rest a hind foot, but he’ll keep equal weight on each front foot. A sore horse might try to take the weight off a front leg by pointing it forward with just the toe on the ground.

While an observant horse owner can recognize that a horse is lame, pinpointing the exact site and cause of the lameness is usually a job for a veterinarian.

What should I do if I notice that my horse is lame?

Remember that a horse that is lame, hurts. Don’t ride a lame horse unless specifically directed to by a veterinarian.

The first thing to do is find out where your horse hurts and why. There might be an obvious wound, but more likely, it will take some detective work to find the problem. In most cases, it’s best to consult your veterinarian. Calling in a veterinarian early not only saves the horse from living with pain any longer than necessary, but is usually cheaper in the long run.

Where should I start my search?

Always start at the bottom.

Feet

First check for obvious causes. Pick out your horse’s feet and make sure there are no stones wedged into the crevices. Look for dark spots that might indicate a bruised sole. Badly cracked feet can also cause lameness.

Have the feet just been trimmed? Were they trimmed too short? Keep your horse on soft ground until the hoof grows in. Was the horse recently shod? A nail might be too close to the sensitive structures inside the hoof or the shoe might be pinching. In either case, call your farrier.

Feel the hooves. Is one hoof hotter than the others? Feel the pulse in the artery that passes over the fetlock joint. Is it pounding? Both heat and a pounding pulse are indications of injury.

Lower Leg

Check for heat and swelling. The horse may have injured a tendon or a ligament, similar to a sprained ankle in people. If so, your horse will need a long rest period in order to heal, just as you would with a sprained ankle.

Joints

The cause of the lameness may be in any of the horse's joints. Like people, horses can suffer from arthritis and bursitis. The stifle, which is the equivalent of our knee, can slip and lock. Horses subjected to overly stressful work, particularly when young, can have bone chips floating in the joints.

Back

Many riding horses have sore backs. Even if your horse is not lame, if he objects to saddling, flinches or sinks his back when you brush it, or bucks, suspect a sore back.

Are there any particular diseases I should watch for?

Two commonly seen conditions are chronic founder and navicular disease. You should also be alert to tying up syndrome.

Laminitis or Founder

Laminitis, commonly called founder, is an acutely painful inflammation of the foot. It occurs most often in the front feet although it can affect the hind feet as well. The most common cause is overeating. More information

Navicular Disease

If your horse is lame on and off with no apparent cause, your veterinarian may suspect navicular disease. The pain is caused by progressive degeneration of the navicular bone, a small bone inside the foot, and the tendon which passes over it.

At first, the horse might be lame when warming up at the beginning of a ride but will work out of it. Or he will be lame after hard work but will return to normal after rest.

As the condition worsens, the horse will try to avoid the pain by landing toe first when moving causing a shuffling gait and stumbling. He will wear his toes more than his heels. At rest, the horse will stand with one or both front feet stretched forward.

Navicular disease cannot be cured, but with veterinary treatment and corrective shoeing and trimming, the horse’s discomfort can be kept to a minimum for many years. Eventually, the owner will have to consider euthanasia.

Tying Up or Azoturia

If your horse seems to seize up while you are riding him or shows signs of stiffness and is unwilling to move after work, he may be tying up.

This is a serious condition caused by a build up of lactic acid in the muscles. Do not try to make the horse move. Cover him with a blanket and call your veterinarian.

Prevent tying up by reducing the amount of oats your horse gets when he isn’t working, gradually warming up at the beginning of each riding session and carefully cooling out afterwards.

Where can I learn more about lameness?



Whether you plan to hit the trails or the show ring this year -- or just hang around home -- why not take some riding lessons?

One of the fascinating aspects of horseback riding is that there's always more to learn. After all, Olympic riders still have coaches! Unfortunately, many people think riding is just getting on a horse, kicking to go and pulling to stop, and if you don't fall off, you're a good rider. Nothing could be further from the truth, as many unhappy horses would tell us if they could speak.

Like any other sport, horseback riding requires a particular skill set that is learned much more quickly, safely and efficiently with proper teaching.

Unlike other sports, riding involves two individuals - a horse and a person - each of whom not only has to acquire physical and mental skills, but also has to learn to communicate with a partner who doesn't speak the same language.

Learning to ride well involves learning to simultaneously relax and control your own body while sitting on top of a constantly moving horse in order to communicate with the horse through clearly given body signals or aids, all the time reading and responding to the horse's feedback. A tall order!

Even if your riding is limited to slow trail rides around your own property, you and your horse will benefit from some good instruction. And who knows, after a few lessons, the riding bug might really bite as you realize there's more to riding than you thought. Besides, riding lessons are fun and provide the motivation many of us need to ride more regularly.

Find yourself a good instructor with whom you're comfortable, learn to ride better, and you and your horse will enjoy your time together more, whether on the trail or in the show ring.


Good luck srry its so long and if you will exuse me i am late for a leson!