It’s finally happening, you are bringing your horse home! And making sure the property is safe for them is priority number one for me. If you have ever had your horses at your home, you know how much fun this can be. If you are thinking about it or have just recently moved to a place where you can keep horses, it can seem overwhelming at first. But bringing a horse home to live on your property is an exciting and rewarding experience. However, it also requires careful preparation to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of your equine friend.
Before bringing a horse home, assess your land and facilities to ensure they meet the necessary requirements for keeping your horse safe at home.
Do you have a pasture? Even having a small area of pasture space available for grazing will be a nice treat for your horses. If you are planning on allowing your horse to graze 24/7, you need to have a minimum of 2 acres of grazing PER horse that will be living on your property. Make sure your pasture area is free from toxic plants and has sturdy fencing to prevent escape attempts, as well as serviceable gates separating pastures from other areas.
If you have a large property, you may want to consider sectioning off smaller increments so you can rotate your pastures. This can help prevent the horses from eating everything down to nothing in your pasture. Myself, well, I have a small property. So I only have one small pasture that I keep for turnout time. The horses will only be turned out for about an hour or two a day in the pasture. So being able to keep them out of this area is very helpful.
Before bringing my horses home, I walked all of the areas the horses will be able to go. I walked in the back pasture, checking to ground for any trash or things that horses could get injured on.
As well as the front pastures. Making sure there are no hazards. I also checked all of the gates and anything that the horses will come into contact with. And even added a little fence to keep them out of between the feed barn and the horse barn.
SHELTER
If you have a nice big barn with indoor stalls, I envy you. But your horse doesn’t necessarily need a huge barn with lavish accessories, even though we would love to have them. No, your horse will be happy if he has some sort of shelter to protect him from the elements. It needs to have a roof and three sides so he can get out of the sun, rain, snow, or wind.
As I said, mine is nothing fancy. It’s a loafing shed. We added a center wall, dividing the structure into two separate stalls. And then we added corral panels to each ‘stall’ so the horses could choose to be inside or out, depending on what they choose.
If you are considering building something like this for your own horse, you will want to make sure the structure is large enough for your horse to move around comfortably and has good ventilation.
Before bringing your equine companion home, make sure his stall is clean and free from anything he could potentially injure himself on.
Having multiple water sources for your horse to drink is very helpful too. And making sure you are able to keep your horse hydrated is so important.
Install a reliable and easily accessible water source, such as a trough or automatic waterer, to ensure your horse stays hydrated at all times. And yes, automatic waters are amazing. But if you don’t have the capability to have one, that’s ok too. I don’t have automatic waters in my barn. I wish I did! But I do have multiple water sources.
In each stall, I have a water bucket holder, which is a bucket insulator. This is very handy to have because it makes it super easy to remove the five-gallon bucket that fits inside. And it keeps the water warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. It is not cheap, but to me, it’s worth the cost.
And in between the pens, I have a large water tank that can be shared between the stalls. This is also nice because I only have to use 1 tank heater during the winter months.
MENDING THE FENCES
Appropriate fencing for horses is so important. And after having horses at home for a while, it can be easy to forget about the fencing until something happens. Proper fencing is crucial for the safety of your horse and to prevent him from wandering off your property. There are many different types of horse fencing available, And if you are starting from scratch, you will be able to select the fencing that not only looks good but will protect your horse.
Horses thrive on routine, so it’s important to establish a consistent schedule for feeding, turnout, and exercise. Designate specific feeding times and provide a balanced diet appropriate for your horse’s age, breed, and activity level. Regular exercise and mental stimulation are also crucial for your horse’s well-being, so allocate time for daily turnout and exercise sessions.
Here is a list of the basic items that you should have:
- Manure Rake
- Pitchfork
- Broom
- Shavings or bedding for stalls
- Flat-Back Buckets (for feed and water)
- Grooming Kit
- First Aid Kit
- Hay
- Grain (or feed)
- Supplements
- Wheelbarrow (The Rubbermaid wheelbarrow is the best of the best)
- Halter
- Lead ropes
- Lighting System
- Tank Heater (for the winter if it freezes where you live)
- Fly Spray
- Hay Feeder or Hay Nets
- Water tanks
- Hoses
- Space for storing all your gear (aka Tack Room)
- Horse Treats
Bringing a horse home to live on your property is a significant responsibility, but with proper preparation and care, it can be a wonderful experience. By assessing your land, ensuring secure fencing, providing suitable shelter, and implementing effective pasture management, you can create a safe and comfortable environment for your equine companion. Remember to establish a routine and provide plenty of love and attention to foster a strong bond with your horse. Enjoy this new chapter in your equestrian journey!
We hope this blog post helps you prepare your own property for your new equine friend(s). Best of luck, and enjoy the rewarding experience of having your horse at home!
Remember, the Rural KC Team-Keller Williams Partners can help with any of your rural real estate needs. Give us a call!
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