Successful horse ownership begins with a relationship built on trust between owner and horse. Horses are smart creatures and can sense quickly whether or not a person means well. Establish a daily routine and follow a few other tips for horse ownership to enjoy a beautiful bond with your horse.

Veterinarian

You should have a veterinarian who can handle large animals on call before bringing your horse home. Regular checkups are necessary for the health of a horse and emergencies must be tended to quickly.

Keep your veterinarian’s number in the stable and in the house for a quick response for whenever you need to contact them.

Create a schedule with your vet and stick to it for things such as deworming and vaccinations.

Farrier

A farrier—someone who does the shoeing and trimming for your horse’s feet—will make house calls every four to six weeks which makes keeping scheduled visits much easier for the owner.

Some of the most common injuries in horses happen with their feet, and this can lead to lameness. Your farrier is your horse’s best friend when it comes to keeping an eye out for feet issues.

Together with your veterinarian and modern technology for diagnosing horse lameness, you can help keep your horse happy and healthy.

Chore Routine

A daily routine for everyday chores and another schedule for things that only need to be taken care of once in a while must be established from the beginning. Routines build security and trust with an animal.

A clean stall and regular grooming aids in keeping your horse clean and healthy. Meals served at the same time each day let your horse know they’ll never go hungry. While carrying out these chores a horse owner is creating a bond with their horse.

Daily Exercise

Daily exercise is especially important if your horse spends a lot of time in its a stall.

A horse’s powerful body needs to stretch, walk, and run so they can maintain their ideal weight, stay limber, and simply feel happy.

If you enjoy riding, then use exercise time to grow closer with your horse. Otherwise, make sure there’s an area where they can safely burn energy.

Establish Trust

As we have already mentioned, establishing trust with your horse means everything. Caring for them will be easier if they trust you and you trust them.

Horses are majestic and can be intimidating. Trust between the two of you must be a two-way street. However, as the owner, it’s your responsibility to do the work of trust building.

Every time you interact with your horse, let them know you are there. Begin talking as you walk toward them, and gently place your hand on their body so they aren’t nervous and wondering what’s going to happen. Eye contact is important when possible.

As you follow these tips for horse ownership and take your time building trust, you’ll soon have a devoted friend in your horse and, as such, years of companionship together.