Basic Horse Care
By Katherine Blocksdorf, About.com Guide to Horses
Learn how to feed, house, and care for your horse or pony. Discover how feeding ponies differs from feeding a horse, what good health looks like and when to call the vet. Learn to groom, stable, and care for your horse or pony safely with these tips and articles.
Essential Horse Care
Here's what you need to know when you bring your first horse home. Learn the basics of feeding, tying and and caring for your first horse.
Feeding Your Horse
While grass is a horse's natural food it's not always available, and may not be adequate in some situations. Learn about choosing hay, feeding concentrates, avoiding toxic plants, and the importance of water.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Hay
- Does my horse need grain, supplements or concentrates?
- Feeding Your Horse Concentrates, Grains, and Supplements FAQ
- Water for Your Horse
Barns, Stalls and Shelters
Most horses spend some of their time indoors in a stall. Even if you don't stable your horse, a run-in shed can be a place to shelter your horse from sun, wind, rain and bugs. To maintain good health and safety, barns, sheds and stalls need to be properly designed.
- Designing a Run-in Shelter
- Stable Design
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Stables and Run-in Sheds
- Bedding For Horse Stalls
- How To Clean a Horse Stall
Grooming and Hoof Care
Grooming is an important part of horse care. At minimum your horse should be groomed before riding or driving. A quick grooming every day is a good way to check the condition of your horse's skin and hooves.
- How to Groom Your Horse - Step-by-Step Instructions
- How to Clean Your Horse's Hooves
- Frequently Asked Questions About Shoeing
- Hoof Health - Thrush FAQ
- How to Clip a Bridle Path
Boarding Your Horse
Not everyone can keep their horses in the back yard. Boarding is the next best thing. You'll want to find the best stable, where you and your horse are happy. Here's what to look for, how much it may cost and how to be the type of boarder stable owners are glad to have in their barns.
- Choosing a Boarding Stable for Your Horse
- How Much Does it Cost to Board a Horse?
- Types of Horse Board
- Tips for Successful Horse Boarding
Get Ready for Winter!
Who wants to think about the long winter ahead? I know I'd rather be riding. But now is the time to look after those little chores you won't want to do when your fingers are freezing and there's a foot of snow on the ground. Get ready for cold weather now!
