Please can someone help with a horse?

Question

A close friend of mine owns a farm and has several horses, taking many in for rehoming.

However he has one horse who, whilst good to ride and amiable enough towards humans, doesn't get along with the other horses; he has approached me and asked if I would like to take the horse off of his hands.

I already have many cats and dogs, but have never kept a horse. We live on an old smallholding with a few acres and an old breezeblock barn that could easily be converted in to a roomy stable, as my dad is a keen ex-bricklayer with time to kill.

I know horses are a lot of work, and my friend is willing to show me the ropes. I have time and resources to care for said horse, but is the neccesarily a godd idea seeing as the largest thing I've looked after before is a Great Dane?

Of course the horse would be spoiled rotten but I couldn't ride it (but have friends who could occassionally take it out. Would this be OK for the horse? It'd have about 3 acres or grassland to itself.

All I know is that it is an old male horse, very big, that used to be a part of the King's Royal Artillery display team.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Sure, if you like the horse, and your friend is willing to help you, it'd be an awesome thing for you. Once the horse is settled, see if you can find someone to teach you how to ride him! You don't need to worry about it now, because it'll take some time to get accustomed to a strange place, but think about it. Horseback riding has endless therapuetic benifits(mentally, emotionally, AND physically)
Good luck!

Answer 2

YOu definatly have the space - sectioning off grazing areas is always good - so when one half gets eaten down you can swap him to the other and let that side grow back!
You obviously care alot about animals and have said you have the time, you have to think about the money side of things, worming which costs around £7-£14 every 2 months, shoeing if he's going to be doing road work can be anything up to £60 every 6-8 weeks, or getting them trimmed even if not doing road work would be alot cheaper, teeth need doing at least once a year - some people will say to you don't worry about this - but youu need to for him to be comfortable not just being ridden - but if his teeth got so bad he couldn't eat the vet bill would be far worse than getting them done yearly, vaccinations, yearly £30+ depending on how far you vet has to travel! Then you have bedding on top of that for the stable, hay when theres no grass in the winter and possibly feed!
Can your friend not look into rehoming him - if he was once one of the kings Royal Artillary horse they are usually very well behaved and he could even get a bit of money for him to go on enjoying himself as a happy hacker !
Good luck with what ever you decide - Add me if you keep him and can ask for any advice!

Answer 3

I have kept horses in the past and the general rule of thumb is one acre for a horse then 0.5 acre for each additional horse so you certainly have enough room.
Horses are not too much work once you know what to do. I would say about 1/2 an hours work each day if you are keeping it on grass and a stable also.
You say that friends would ride the horse for you which would give it excersise and company which sounds ideal.
Food is not too expensive if you keep the horse on grass in the summer and in winter approx 1/2 a bale of hay is enough with hard food (oats/sugar beet etc) if the horse is doing a lot of excersise.
The biggest cost is for a farrier to trim their hooves and fit shoes. this can cost as much as £60 every 6 weeks. Also, vets bills. It may be worth taking out insurance just in case you have to fork out for a hefty vets bill.
I hope this helps and that you enjoy your horse, it certainly sounds like you are well prepared for it. Good luck!

Answer 4

It seems like you have done some research, as you know there is a lot of time and money that go into owning a horse. You seem to have suitable facilities, the 3 acres of grass is very good, as a rule, each horse should have an acre.

Are you comfortable around horses? Can you safely go into the pasture and catch the horse? Are you comfortable leading the horse? Is he ok to go into the stall with? These are important questions for the day to day care.

You will need to learn how to groom him. You need to learn the proper interval for vet and farrier care. You need to learn what food he likes, and how much he needs.. You have to be able to store the hay so it stays dry and doesn't go moldy. You need to know that in the spring, you cannot turn him loose on all 3 acres for grazing, as too much spring grass can cause laminitis or colic. You need to learn some first aid, how to wrap his leg, his hoof.... What are the warning signs of colic?

As far as riding, I suggest you take some lessons. If you have your own horse, certianly you would want to ride him! Regular riding isn't a necessity, but it is good to have. You want to keep him in shape. If you don't want to ride, maybe your friend could teach you how to lunge him. Do you have a place on your property you can ride?

If you really love horses, and can commit the time and money for however long he lives for, I would say go ahead! You should definately try taking some lessons and spending some time at a stable, learning horse care. Get a couple books about horse care. Look online for horse resources.

I would wait to bring him home until you have learned how to feed him, basic first aid (lameness detection, cuts and scrapes), the warning signs for colic and laminitis (and what to do), when to schedule the farrier, when to schedule the vet, and made sure the pasture and barn is safe and free of nails, sharp rocks, and any other hazards.

Also, be careful spoiling him! You don't want to make him fat. But lots of attention and the occaisional carrot, apple and/or horse treat is best!

He sounds like he would be very loved with you!

Answer 5

You have a lot to learn about horses - dont learn it the hard way by turning a horse onto 3 acres of grass and it taking colic!!

Horses are not like dogs, they dont do well by being spoilt rotten! You will end up getting kicked or bitted by spoiling a horse.

Have you any idea of the expense? Insurance (if your freinds have an accident whilst riding, they can sue the owner for broken bones etc). If your horse breaks onto a road and damages a vehicle and someone shouts 'whiplash' you will be liable for a small fortune.

Vets bills (can be enormous), feed bills - meal, hay/haylage in the winter - all adds up. Rugs, tack, horse shoes? Even your horse never gets ridden he will need his hoofs done on a regular basis!

Horses are not for the half hearted. I own 4, they are a full time job, all weathers!

Answer 6

If you really want the horse (don't just take him because your friend asked you to) and you have the time and resources to care for him than go ahead and give it a try . Just make sure everything is in order and ready for him before you bring him home(have his stall ready, suitable fencing, food and hay supply, all grooming supplies, first aid kit, find a vet that is familiar w/ large animals & make sure you have a reputable ferrier lined up). Maybe go take care of the horse for a few days in his current home. Have your friend teach you the proper care of the horse before you take him home. Get comfortable w/ him and he w/ you. If it will make you feel more at ease ask your friend if it doesn't work out if he is willing to take the horse back. I think being prepared and not just taking the horse on a whim is the best way to insure that both you and the horse will be safe.

Answer 7

well you have the basic essentials when it comes to keeping a horse! But however thats the cheap part! Are you prepared firstly for the financial side - vets/farriers/worming/feed (chances are you might want to give it hard feed along with the grass) bedding - straw/shavings and other necessities along the way!
If you are prepared for the financial costs you then need to consider emergencies - would you know how to react if your horse got colic? Its very important that your friend goes through different symptoms of illnesses - as often you may only have a matter of hours to get a vet up before a horse could die - extreme cases of colic etc!
Is your land secure with fencing or tall hedges? Is the ground ok - pot holey and boggy marsh land is not suitable for horses.
Also - will there always be someone around to keep an eye on the horse - they should be checked in on at least once daily.
If you have taken into consideration all the above and are willing to go along with them then I think you should go ahead with it- its a great opportunity to get yourself a loyal and loving new pet - and you'lll be doing him the favour of a loving home! horses are fantastic animals - I wish you all thebest!
xx

Answer 8

Theres a lot to learn with horses, but you already have experience dealing with other animals. If you can spot when they're ill, see when they're in poor or good condition and so on you can learn.
It will help if your friend can show you to get you started, and keep an eye on you both for the next year or so, but never stop learning!
Occasional riding isn't good for them, they need regular exersize to keep them fit and mentally healthy.
He'll need a stable, a new zealand rug for winter, and a grooming kit.
You need a supply of clean straw and hay, and he'll need mucking out every day. He may also need extra feed in winter. He'll have to see the farrier every 6 weeks to get his feet trimmed, even if he's not shod. Its all quite expensive. Theres also worming, veccinations and vets bills.
A constant supply of fresh water, his feet inspected and cleaned every day, a good grooming every day. If you have time to do that, you could learn how to look after him. It would be a good idea to go to your friends place every day for a few weeks so he can show you how to handle him. You'll also get an idea of how much work it takes.
Its not ideal keeping a horse on its own and not usually recommended, but some just don't like other animals. Watch him with your dogs.

Answer 9

You'll do fine. As long as your friend is willing to hold your hand. My horses do fine in a pasture and I don't get out to ride that much. They do their thing and they're happy. When I do ride, they are fine, no body acts up, even though they haven't been ridden in months.

You might want to consider getting him a buddy, a rooster, or a goat (dehorned) so he doesn't get lonely.

Horse will be happy with you. Horse will love being fussed over, and will love not having to work (be ridden out) all the time. My horses would love you, for that matter. They got 6 acres of mud at the moment.

Answer 10

the nearest Yahoo! solutions has ever come to suggesting the most superb type (at the same time as it includes the pony section) is 'Horse Racing'. UGH! My dream horse can be a dapple gray, 11 year old Hanoverian PSG schoolmaster. Woot.