Your New Horse; Starting Out the Right Way

YOUR NEW HORSE

Starting Out the Right Way

by

Paula Sainthouse

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

Paula Sainthouse on Smashwords

Your New Horse: Starting Right with Your Equine Partner

Copyright © 2013 by Paula Sainthouse

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

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This book is dedicated with love to my dad, who made owning my first horse possible, supported me in everything I did and encouraged me to follow every dream I ever had. Miss you dad.

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1- Introduction

Chapter 2- The New Home

Chapter 3- Preparations 1- What to know and what you need

Chapter 4- Preparations 2- Appointments, checks and papers

Chapter 5- Arrival and First Days

Chapter 6- Health and Wellbeing

Chapter 7- Working Together

Chapter 8- Dealing with Problems

Chapter 9- References, Sources and Further Information

YOUR NEW HORSE

Chapter 1- Introduction

Bringing your new horse home is a time of great excitement and joy, but it can also represent a time of almost unbearable stress and worry. Perhaps this is the culmination of years of frustrated ambition as a pony mad kid, or maybe owning a horse is the natural progression of returning to the hobby you loved as a child. Either way, as any horse person will tell you, you must be prepared for the unexpected because things often do not go to plan!

Having worked with other people’s horses for years, in riding schools and at private yards, riding all types from slender thoroughbreds to round hairy ponies, enrolling on training courses, learning all the time and genuinely believing I had my head screwed on when it came to all aspects of equine management, finalizing the purchase and bringing home of my own horse could not have proven a more difficult operation. Essentially, I did just about everything wrong!

I found my mare over the internet when casually browsing and although I had never even planned to buy a horse at that time, I ended up travelling several hours to try her, falling in love on sight and putting the deposit down there and then, subject to vetting. So for me, finding and buying my perfect horse was actually the easy part! It went downhill rapidly from then, with me being unable to find a stable with space for her, the vet taking the seller’s contact number down incorrectly and almost failing to arrive for the scheduled vetting, the bank delaying payment so the horse could not leave at the planned time, and then my being unable to get a hold of my transporter to let him know of the glitch and expecting him to arrive at the yard and be turned away, with all the associated costs!

Suffice to say, despite a lack of sleep, the complete destruction of my fingernails which I gnawed to the quick and many MANY hysterical moments and panicked tears, my horse did find a home, get vetted, get paid for, and make her journey to me safely without a false start in the end, but I was a complete nervous wreck by the end of all that and it certainly taught me a lot about planning ahead. Once she arrived home, even with all my experience I found myself on a steep leaving curve, as having full responsibility for a horse is a completely different feeling to helping someone out with theirs! The ‘getting to know you’ process was not always straightforward and there was always something to think about and organize. Now finally I have her routine in place, have gained her trust and respect, all the professional telephone numbers in my phone, and I can feel like the hardest part is done!

I kept a note of a lot of what I experienced in the course of my horse purchasing/partnership forming exploits and in a desire to do better next time, should it ever come, I researched available books and internet resources and talked to others about their own ownership journeys. I decided to make use of all this information by sharing it in this little book. If I can make someone else’s experience even a touch more pleasant and a little less stressful, it will be worth every word!

This book is aimed at the individual planning to search for and buy a horse, probably either their first or their first for a long time, or at the person who, like me, has suddenly and unexpectedly found themselves with a horse and is in need of an effective checklist to be sure that everything is covered and that they haven’t missed anything and to help them know what they may expect as the horse settles in to its new home. It may also assist someone who has bought lots of horses but is just so excited about this one in particular that they seem to be forgetting everything they know! It is intended to help you consider everything step by step, warn you of the potential pitfalls and help you to be sure that everything you need is in place in plenty of time. Some of the information you may not need, some of the suggestions you may not agree with. That’s fine, but at least if you’re not sure of something it will have given you an idea or two.

Note; throughout the book the horse in question is referred to as ‘he’. This is just for ease of writing, and is certainly not a suggestion that a mare should not be bought! Ask my own wonderful girl, however stroppy and opinionated the ladies might be at times they are certainly my personal first choice!

Chapter 2- The New Home

There are many different things to consider and have in place before the horse you have found becomes fully ‘yours’. Most importantly he needs a suitable stable and field, or at the very least a good field, to call his own and this must be sourced, secured and prepared well before he is on his way- ideally before you even begin your horse search. This may not be as straightforward as it can appear. You may casually think that there are hundreds of places to keep horses near you, but start asking whether these are actually public stables rather than private premises for single multi-horse owners, if they have space for another horse, if they have the right facilities and are in the right price bracket for your purse and you may find the possibilities slimming down dramatically! The challenge of correctly housing your horse is one of the most important factors in whether he will be content, you will be able to enjoy him and whether you will progress together in the way that you hope, so devote yourself to doing a good job and finding the best possible place for both of you.

Keeping a horse at home

Maybe you are one of those lucky people who have their own land and plan to keep your horse at home. The advantages of this are pretty obvious- you don’t have the hassle of going to look for space at someone else’s property or have to pay someone else expensive livery fees, you can live by your own rules to suit your own routine and priorities, you can check on him regularly from early in the morning to late at night, enjoy watching him grazing from the windows and nip out for a ride as and when you choose. The disadvantages may be less obvious but can be very serious.

How much space do you actually have and what condition are your facilities in? A mere acre of grass is barely sufficient for one horse and if not rested regularly and carefully managed it will soon become overgrazed, bare and turn into a churned up mud puddle in wet weather. If the fencing is not solid and well maintained the horse will not stay in his paddock for long, and could even hurt himself trying to break through it. An old stable that rocks in high winds and has panels which are rotten and could easily be kicked through is a serious danger to its occupant. The cost of renovating such a building may be prohibitive. Do you have ready access to water at a central location, as carrying heavy buckets long distance is cumbersome and tiring, and is there safe lighting for the stable so you can groom and muck out on those long dark winter nights? If not are you prepared to get these correctly and safely installed with all the inevitable expense that entails? What about a school to ride in or train your horse? Can you have one installed- and they are NOT cheap- or are you able to hire one at a property a reasonable distance away? If not, can you live without one?

Is your horse going to have company and have you got the space to accommodate more than one horse? It is not realistic or fair to expect a horse to spend its life alone unless it is one of the very rare animals which has displayed a real dislike for its own species and has to have its own paddock at all times- and even then these animals have often lived within sight of other horses and may soon become perturbed if they are deprived of that form of companionship. A horse that is being kept alone is more likely to run to the fence line each time other horses are ridden past the field and may eventually try to break out and follow them- endangering not just himself but the other horses and their riders. Even if that does not appear to be an issue in everyday life, at some point you will probably want to ride your horse to places where other horses may be, and he may then become almost hysterical on sight of others and play up or refuse to leave them, at least embarrassing, at worst potentially harmful. Finally there is the health aspect to consider as isolated horses may become stressed even without showing it and will be more prone to developing vices like fence chewing, contracting infections or suffering from colic.

A small herd of only two horses can still be a very tricky arrangement to manage, as they tend to become very attached to each other and if you or another owner wants to ride out the remaining individual can become extremely distressed. I’ve seen one of a pair of horses that lived alone and were closely bonded charge through a taunt wire fence to reach their friend just on the other side. They were badly gashed but lucky not to be seriously hurt. With careful management some pairs of horses adjust to their companion leaving for short periods and can be left alone in their stable or field without fuss, but many never do. Even trios of horses are not a worry free system, as if two owners decide they want to ride out together, the third horse will be left alone with all the attendant problems this isolation causes. Additional or alternative companionship may be provided for horses in the form of other grazing animals such as goats, sheep or cows, but space can be a problem and some horses are fearful of these strange beasts and fail to settle in such an environment. In summary, a small herd of horses of four or more is easier to manage and maintain, but can your home accommodate those numbers?

If you are doing it all alone at your own property you may also lack backup, unless your whole family are horse lovers and old enough and experienced enough to be left to the duties themselves. If you are the only person in your family with a horsey interest, you could face difficulties at some point or another. In a yard situation you can discuss any problems or concerns with fellow owners who will have suggestions or ideas on how to resolve the issue or on whether that lump or bump is as serious as you fear. If your horse is unwell and needs more visits than you can manage, if you fall ill unexpectedly or are faced with other emergencies you can probably find someone at the yard to check or see to your horse for you if there is an understanding that you will reciprocate when the time comes or as required. At home you will not have made these invaluable connections and may be forced to rely on the inexpert attempts of a non-horsey friend or family member to plug the gap, which can be risky for both the person and your horse.

If you plan to keep your horse at home it is vital to consider all the less appealing aspects as well as the appealing ones and do everything you can to address potential problems before the horse arrives. To guard against all eventualities, you could take your horse home on a trial basis. Just make sure that you can afford stabling fees and have identified yards in your area so you can move the horse to a different facility should you realize that he will not settle, the premises are unsuitable and/or you will not be able to keep him at home long term.

Using a public livery stables/barn

The majority of horse owners cannot afford their own farm or small holding suitable for horse management and must rent space at a public stables instead.

Finding public stables

One of your first tasks will be finding out what stables are in your area and which may be possible options for you and your horse. There are various ways of getting a list of these together. Firstly you can search online using standard search engines for livery stables/boarding barns in your area. Try using your home town first then using towns within a reasonable driving distance to get a picture of what is where. Horse internet forums can be a source of information too as you can post to them asking about yards close to your location. You can also check telephone listings. Visits to horsey stores like tack or feed shops can provide leads, and riding schools are also a good bet. These are places that are open to the public and have horse-world connections, so they are more likely to be safe to enter, accommodating and able to point you in the right direction. Some riding schools also board privately owned horses, so if you ask them about livery in your area they may tell you about what they can offer at the same time.

Dropping in at a facility you know nothing about is probably to be avoided unless you know someone there you can meet or you have no other option. Firstly it could be private and you could be regarded as a trespasser and treated accordingly, secondly there could be unfriendly guard dogs or guard geese on the premises (these large birds can be pretty aggressive!) and thirdly, there may not be anyone in charge to speak to at the time and you may be misled by well meaning boarders or staff. If you have no choice tread carefully, be polite and ask anyone you meet if horses can be boarded there- if not thank them, apologize for bothering them and take your leave. If horses are boarded there try and get a phone number for the manager or owner, whichever is relevant. I would not be too put off if you get an initially frosty reception, as long as it thaws once they know why you are there- strangers at a yard could be snooping with the aim of trying to steal horses or tack and equipment and tend not to be warmly welcomed without some degree of cross examination! Always look to arrange a proper appointment to view potential stables, never just expect someone to be available to show you around, although this does happen on occasion. Most reputable establishments will welcome your visit with adequate notice; be very suspicious of anywhere that is reluctant to have you over before you move your horse onto the premises or will only allow you to visit within a very specific time frame, as there may be things they do not want you to see.

You are highly unlikely to find the perfect stables on your first visit to a site- there are so many different elements which require careful consideration when you are searching for the right home for your horse and everyone has different priorities.

Cost

Very few people are sufficiently wealthy to be able to regard one of the biggest and most regular costs relating to their horse as unimportant. For the vast majority of owners, the price of the livery available is going to be the major factor in where you stable your horse. These fees will be set and prearranged and you must be sure you can afford to pay them on time, every time they are due, or things can get very ugly, very quickly.

Cost is influenced by a variety of factors, but the most common include local demand, quality of facilities, how much care is provided by stable staff and how much space is available for each horse- larger boxes and/or fields tend to have higher price tags, even at the same stables.

Demand can be one of the most difficult factors, as even a relatively low quality stable can charge almost any price they like if they are the only one in the immediate area, for example, if they are close to a busy town. Before you take the decision to buy a horse, it is worth finding out just how much you are looking it in your specific area- it may be quite different from what your friends in other