7 Essential Items Every New Horse Owner Must Have

There’s more to owning a horse than just giving it food and water. Keep reading for 7 essential items every new horse owner must have.

Are you looking to get a horse as a gift for yourself, your sister, or daughter? If you are, take caution. Owning and taking care of a horse is neither an easy nor simple task.

Horses have many needs, much like dogs and cats. However, since they are larger animals, they need a little more equipment than a feeding bowl or pillow bed. Below, we have a list of the essential horse care products that are essential to every new owner.

1. Feeding Equipment: Feed Tub and Water Trough

If you keep your horse at your property, it’s essential that you buy a horse feed for its food. You need to be able to feed your horse at the right times daily and with the right amount. These will depend on the age of your horse.

If possible, provide a pasture area for your horse to graze at daytime. Your horse may get bored in its stall. Some treats given to it every time you go to him can build up a positive association with you.

It’s also important that your horse has access to a fresh, clean supply of water. If you live in an area that has freezing temperatures, the water trough should have a heater. You can also get a heated bucket for your horse to drink from.

2. Tack Kit for Riding

If you plan to ride your horse, you should have the following essential products. A halter is an essential and basic piece of horse riding equipment. You will be able to handle and restrain your horse before you put on the bridle with this.

The next piece is a saddle in a style you are comfortable with. You can choose between saddle types and kinds. You can also choose to get custom made saddles if you prefer something you have more of a say on.

Choosing a bridle and a bit will depend on your horse. If you ride bitless, choose a bosal or hackamore that your horse is comfortable with. Other tack equipments are available also like saddle pads and stirrups. 

3. Year-Round Blankets and/or Clothing

It’s good to give your horse a blanket that he can use whenever it gets cold. If you live in an area that experiences winter or cold seasons, get a winter blanket for your horse. They’re useful especially when your horse hasn’t grown a thick fur coat.

If you have a sweaty horse, you may want to invest in a cooler. Rain sheets and fly sheets are also essential items you should take note of. Not all owners blanket their horses in the winter so you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

You can also invest in seasonal clothes for your horse. These are clothes tailored for horses to wear. You can have your horse wear them inside the stable, in transit, or out at pasture.

If you want to give your horse a fashion sense, it’s also possible to give it trendy clothes. Don’t forget that the purpose of clothing is to keep your horse warm. Keep the thickness of your horse’s coat in mind when you choose its clothing.

4. Grooming Equipment

You want your horse to grow a healthy coat. Grooming them daily also decreases the risk of various health and skin problems. The most important grooming gears are different brushes.

Get a curry comb, body brush, and mane comb for your horse. There are grooming kits that already include a variety of brushes and other important grooming tools. You’ll also need a grooming bin to put all the horsehair in so as not to make too much of a mess in your barn.

Cleaning the hoof is still a part of your horse’s grooming needs. Don’t forget the cleaning materials for your horse’s hooves. Hoof picks are available in many physical and online stores. 

5. Protective Legwear

One crucial horse material active horses need is protective legwear. Buy your horse legwear especially if you often take it out for riding. Training it for competitions may also call for protective legwear.

There’s a variety of leg protection for horses. Depending on what activities your horse does daily, the legwear will also vary. For example, splint boots will protect your horse’s legs from bumps and scrapes during training.

Ask an expert about what leg protection you should get for your horse. You can also get a custom-tailored product to fit your horse’s needs. Remember to invest in its leg protection if your horse is always active.

6. Halter and Lead Rope

The halter and lead rope are the most important everyday items you need when handling your horse. Your horse may already come with a halter and lead rope may already when you get it. If it doesn’t, this combination of equipment should be the first thing you buy. 

Above, we already tackled the halter but allow us to be more specific with it here. These are an important piece of equipment because they are what you use to handle your horse. Horses take clues and react to the lead of its owner through the halter and lead rope.

Invest in an excellent halter and lead rope. Other than walk with it, this will also be what you will use to tie your horse down. As a note, don’t make it a habit to tie the lead rope around your hand especially when your horse is still untamed.

7. Emergency Care & Insurance

Horse deaths continue to threaten the racing industry. In 2018, almost 10 horses died every week on average at American racetracks. Even though you aren’t pushing your horse into the tracks, it can still get injured.

In the rare cases that your horse gets injured, you need to be able to act fast to help it. This is why it’s important to have a first-aid kit near or in your barn. It’s also important to post and remember emergency numbers to call when your horse gets injured.

Injuries aside, a horse should live to a good age and become what is classed as a veteran horse. Horse are classed as veteran when they reach fifteen years old. With improvements in medicine and care a horse can now live longer than ever. To cater for the rise in the number of mature horse, veteran horse insurance is now available which is suited to the insurance needs of horses as they age. With proper care and access to medical car your horse can live into its thirties.

Take Good Care of Your Horse with These Items

That’s it for our horse equipment list on the most essential items new owners should have. As a bonus, don’t forget to give your horse a lot of treats. Build rapport with it by rewarding it for good behavior.

Why stop here? There’s more for you to learn and discover! For more guides like this, feel free to give our other posts a read.