How to care for a horse at home for beginners, methods and rules

Many people are interested in how to care for a horse. In order for an animal to grow and develop, it should provide optimal conditions. At the same time, it is necessary to observe the rules of hygiene, choose a balanced diet, and engage in disease prevention. Equally important are the communication and training of the animal. Only an integrated approach will help to achieve success in keeping a pet.

What you need to know before buying a horse

Before buying an animal, beginners are advised to consult a veterinarian. In this case, the doctor should definitely tell the purpose of buying the animal.The pet will have to be carefully examined in the stall, ask the seller about diseases or he alth problems. When buying, ask the right questions. To ensure proper care for horses, there are many things to consider.

Be sure to ask the reason for the sale, the intensity of training, the availability of vaccinations. Equally important are bad habits, ease of cutting, cleaning and other care procedures.

Estimated maintenance costs

Horse maintenance involves significant costs. Beginning horse breeders should look at feed costs:

1. Oats - 90 kilograms of the product will cost 500 rubles.
2. Bran - a bag can be bought for 400 rubles.
3. Hay - 350 kilograms of the product costs 350 rubles.
4. Vitamin top dressing - will cost about 1500 rubles.
5. Straw - will cost about 3000 rubles.

According to rough estimates, the maintenance of 1 horse in the stable will cost 10-11 thousand rubles. This amount does not include veterinary services, medicines, vaccinations.

Basic rules for keeping animals

In order for the animal to develop normally and not get sick, it is worth studying the instructions for keeping it in a private house.

Requirement for the premises and maintenance of the stables

As a rule, horses are recommended to be kept indoors in winter and outdoors in summer. For this, barns and stables are used. The barn is a warm and dry room suitable for 1-2 animals. It is quite possible to build it in the country. Stables are needed to keep a large number of animals.

In the stable, a stall is necessarily made, which is designed for cleaning, feeding and resting the pet. Also, stalls can be provided in the room.They are compartments for the permanent residence of horses. For racing breeds, the minimum size should be 3.6 x 3.6 meters. Mares with foals require more space.

The walls in the stalls should be made of durable materials. Their height should reach 1.5 meters. This allows the animals to see each other. Also, this option for organizing the room will provide full ventilation and a sufficient level of illumination. Doors must be sliding or hinged. Their width should be 1.2 meters. Be sure to use latches. Stable aisles must be at least 3 meters wide.

It is recommended to make concrete floors. They can also be made of paving stones or stone. In the absence of drains, it is worth providing the pet with thorough care. This will help eliminate the smell of ammonia. A hard floor is easier to disinfect, but it has a negative effect on the feet.To prevent increased loads, rubber mats are placed under the litter. Bedding is recommended to be made from straw, wood pellets or shavings of coniferous trees, which is free of dust and mold.

Ceilings must be at least 2.5 meters. This will enable the animals to raise their heads normally. Wires should be protected from rodents. For daylight, it is important to provide windows. They will also provide natural ventilation.

Choosing the best option for keeping a horse

There are various ways to keep horses at home. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the climate, feed and other options. The most popular systems include the following:

1. Tabunnaya - it was used by nomads. The method is considered the most natural, since it is close to the natural environment. The method is considered cheap and environmentally friendly. Sheds are worth making for feeding.
2. Stable - in this case, the horses live in special rooms. From time to time they are released for walking, using fenced areas.
3. Shed-pasture - suitable for regions with a cold climate. In summer, horses should be kept on the run, and in winter - transferred to the stable.

Feeding

For horses to develop normally and not get sick, they should provide a proper and balanced diet.

Basic diet

The horse's main food is grass. On good pastures, animals can get everything they need. Deterioration of weather conditions or soil characteristics negatively affects the properties of the grass. Therefore, other feeds should be introduced into the horse's diet.

The animal is recommended to give hay. It eats, on average, 15 kilograms of this product per day. It is important to use high-quality hay with a rich green color. It must be free from dust or mold as it can cause lung disease.

Recommended Supplements

A horse's diet may contain oats or corn. It is also permissible to give him concentrated mixtures. They include cereals, bran, mineral components. Such feed is recommended to be introduced into the diet of working or weakened animals. Horses need s alt. This product is sold in the form of blocks that have different colors. Whites include table s alt, browns include mineral components, and blues include iodine and cob alt s alts.

Drinking mode

The horse is recommended to drink 2 times a day. The need for water depends on he alth, size, load, feed used. It is also affected by the seasonal factor. Dehydration poses a great danger to the animal and can even cause death. To water the horse, it is worth using fresh water. It is best to use a running fluid. Dirty water can cause infection by viruses or bacterial microorganisms.

On the street, it is recommended to supply water to the gutters or install automatic drinkers. Containers should definitely be cleaned and rinsed. If the animal drinks from a natural source, it is important to have confidence in the quality of the water. Automatic drinkers are placed in the stable. It is also acceptable to use buckets. Do not give your horse water immediately after work or training - it is recommended to wait 1 hour after exercise.

Manure removal

Manure removal is recommended every day. If this is not done, pets will quickly get dirty. The presence of manure in the stable increases the risk of developing pathologies and causes discomfort in horses. You can remove manure with a pitchfork, brush, shovel, stretcher. Before cleaning, animals should be removed from the premises.

Care and hygiene

Proper horse care includes strict adherence to hygiene rules. Therefore, it is recommended to systematically clean and bathe the animal.

Daily cleaning

It is recommended to clean horses in the fresh air. In this case, the pet should be tied. It is recommended to clean the horse from the left and from above. First, it is worth processing the head. Feet should be cleaned at the end. After finishing work with scrapers and brushes, the horse should be wiped with a rag.

Grooming and grooming the mane and tail

As the mane becomes dirty, water procedures are performed. To do this, you should use special shampoos. You also need to use air conditioners. After washing, it is recommended to comb the mane and leave to dry.

Clean hooves

After work and training, the hooves should be examined. After loads, the legs of the animal are recommended to be watered with cool water and treated with fat-containing compounds. Equally important is the cleansing of hooves from earth and manure. This should be done with a crochet as carefully as possible.If necessary, the horse should be shod. This procedure should be carried out by a specialist.

How to take care of your teeth

Check the condition of the teeth should be a specialist. It is recommended to call him with an interval of six months. The presence of problems can be suspected by the following signs:

• food does not stay in mouth;
• animal bites the bit;
• horse chews food slowly;
• stretches back.

Bathing

It is recommended to bathe the animal in summer, using warm water for this. If there is a fear of water, it is recommended to wash the horse with a hose. First, you should use a small pressure, then - make it stronger. First, wash the horse, then brush and pour warm water to wash off the foam. Finally, dry the animal with a terry towel.

Communication and training

To make friends with a horse, you should treat it as respectfully as possible. It is forbidden to raise your voice, shout or beat her. Animals are considered very shy. Therefore, entering the stable, it is worth talking to them.

It is forbidden to do the following:

• go around the horse from behind;
• go right;
• bring your hand to your teeth;
• try to crawl under the belly;
• release the reins when taking the pet out of the stable.

Grazing and walking

The rules for walking depend on the purpose of keeping the animal. If the animal is kept for agricultural work, it is recommended to walk it more often. At the same time, heavy training is prohibited for the pet.

When walking an animal, it is recommended to follow the following rules:

1. Get used to the temperature. Otherwise, the horse may catch a cold.
2. To avoid muscle atrophy, walk your horse at least 3 times a week.
3. The duration of the walk should be at least 2 hours.
4. After that, it is recommended to clean the animal, check its hooves, examine its legs.

It is recommended to graze a horse in a pasture with a lot of juicy grass. However, it should not be hard bushes or weeds.

Veterinary follow-up: vaccinations and veterinary treatments

In the absence of adequate care, there is a risk of developing various pathologies - infectious, dermatological, parasitic. Horses suffer from glanders, anthrax, and tuberculosis. There is also a risk of tetanus, rabies, leptospirosis. These are the most dangerous pathologies that can cause death.

To avoid problems, pets should definitely be vaccinated. Twice a year you will have to deal with the prevention of helminthiasis.

Features of winter horse keeping

In the cold period, animal care has certain features. In winter, it is especially important to monitor the he alth of pets. Drafts, dampness, cold water lead to a weakening of the immune system. If the horse is a riding horse, it is recommended to ride it for at least 4-6 hours a week. Thanks to this, she will not wean from physical exertion. It is permissible to ride in the field, under a canopy. At the same time, walking on ice or frozen areas is prohibited. If the horse slips, it will provoke dangerous consequences.

Food and water should be at room temperature. The animal is not recommended to give too cold or icy food. The bridle and other devices must be warmed up. In frosty weather, it is recommended to use a blanket outside.

Horse care has a number of features. In order for the animal to develop normally and not get sick, it needs to provide suitable conditions in the stable and choose a balanced diet.It is definitely recommended to walk and graze the animal. Equally important is timely vaccination, which will help avoid the development of dangerous pathologies.

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