Things like age, breed, activity level and health issues all affect the way an owner needs to care for a horse. Some horses are kept more like pets and more likely to gain weight.  All horses require a certain level of care to ensure the horse lives a long and happy life: vaccinations and cleanliness of the horse’s stall are extremely important.

Horses will learn to adapt to life in a stable. It is very important for your horse to get plenty of exercise. A horse can become very bored and uncomfortable if it doesn’t have human contact on a regular basis. You will need at least one acre of pasture per horse. Also make sure you check the pasture for hazards such as holes in fencing and trash.   Make sure your pasture is fenced so your horse won’t escape.  Check weekly for poisonous plants like acorns, buttercups, oak leaves, star thistle, privet, meadow saffron, castor bean, locoweed, horsetail and a couple of others.

Horses should not stand all day on a hard floor, and you have to make sure that you provide proper bedding for your horse.  Rubber matting is ideal for a soft resting and standing surface, but if you use rubber matting make sure that you put straw, hemp or wood chips over it to keep your horse warm. Dust-free wood shavings are clean and hygienic and are the best material to use.  Make sure your horse has clean fresh water to drink at all times. And your horse should have a balanced meal: grass, hay, alfalfa, oats, barley, wheat, bran, beet pulp, etc.