CONSIDERING GETTING A HORSE?

There are a number of factors to consider when getting a horse:

• What age of horse would be best suited to your needs and ability?
• What breed or type of horse should you acquire?
• Will it be a male or female?
• From where will you source your horse?  Will you buy from a breeder, rehome a ‘retired’ horse, or rescue one from an animal shelter?
• Where will you stable your horse, and where will you turn it out?
• What preparations need to be made for its arrival?

Before you begin to answer these questions, it is important to reflect if now is indeed the right time to even get a horse.

Quick Links to Page Contents:

• Space Requirements for a Horse
• Time Requirements for a Horse
• Costs Associated with Having a Horse
• Coat Colour & Markings
• Getting a Young or Old Horse
• Selecting a Breed or Type
• Getting a Male vs a Female Horse
• Where to Source Your Horse
• Selecting the Horse
• Preparations for Your Horse’s Arrival

IS NOW THE TIME TO GET A HORSE?

A horse comes with more on-going costs than any other animal that you may decide to take on.  But it is not only the financial implications of getting a horse that need to be seriously considered.  It is also its physical needs, the mental and emotional wellbeing of the horse, as well as the time that you need to commit to this highly social animal that you should reflect upon before making any decision.

Horses can live up to 30 years, so this will not be a short-term commitment.  There is not a large buyer’s market for second-hand horses, especially given all the stringent factors related to its care, as mentioned above.  Thus you may not find it that easy to rehome a horse should you decide a few months or years later that this was not the right decision for you.

For all these reasons, it is extremely important that you seriously consider your long-term plans and prospects, as well as your future income potential, before you stable your very own steed.

What space do you have to offer a horse?

Unlike many pets, you are unlikely to be able to keep your horse at your home, unless you live on a farm or have ample grounds with a structure that could be converted into a barn.  Hence what you will need is a boarding stable, ideally one that has sufficient space for your horse to move around, to hay, and to toilet, and also has sufficient grounds to allow your horse to be put out to pasture.  Depending on whether you decide to maintain your horse and the stable yourself – feeding and grooming your horse, turning him out and bringing him back in, mucking out the stable on a regular basis, and providing fresh hay –  or if you require assistance from those that run the stable, the rental cost could be anywhere between £50 to £200 a week.

The paddock or field should be well maintained and safe, so it should be regularly cleared of droppings and weeds, and with no plants that might be poisonous to a horse.  There should be fresh, clean water available, along with shelter from bad weather and strong winds.  Smooth wire fencing is better than wooden fences that could be chewed over time.  Barbed wire fencing should be avoided altogether.  The wire fence on the perimeter and between grazing areas should be kept taut and the posts should all be secure.  Horses are grazing animals that would ordinarily walk up to 20 miles a day in the wild, so ample grazing space should be provided.  They are also herd animals, so it is important that they are not left isolated.  Getting to know the other residents and ensuring there would be ample opportunity for companionship for your horse is something to discuss with the owners of the stables before coming to an agreement.

Whichever stables you settle on, it is important that you make firm arrangements about where and how you will be keeping your horse before you purchase the animal.  Equally, the size and type of horse that you acquire will factor into the size and nature of stabling that it will require, so this is something you will need to have cemented in your mind by this time, as well.

For more detail regarding a horse’s space requirements, please review the information on our page covering ‘Stable Maintenance’.

What time do you have to offer a horse?

A horse requires a great deal of attention, and you won’t be able to outsource all the tasks to the stable hands, especially if you want to build a bond with your special steed.  After all, why get a horse if you don’t plan to spend time with him?  Most likely your horse won’t be living at your home, around the corner, or even up the same road as you, so it may require travel at least two to three times a week to visit him.

These visits will include spending time with him, both in the stable and on the field.  It may include riding out, walking out, or simply sitting in the field with him while he grazes.  It will require providing opportunities for your horse to engage in social and solitary play (yes, horses engage in such activities; why else would we have coined the term ‘horseplay’?). Regardless how you spend that time, your horse will still need to be exercised daily.  A routine of training, including longeing, may be necessary to build both trust and respect between you and your horse, which are the cornerstones for any healthy relationship.

A minimum of half an hour or longer should also be set aside for grooming after each exercise session.  No horse should be turned in without a proper brush down or a more extensive groom, depending on his level of exertion.

What costs are you willing to undertake for the horse?

As has already been noted, horses come at a cost, and it’s not only the asking price of the horse that you will have to dig deep in your pocket for.  You will also need to fork out for tack (bit, bridle, halter, saddle, and stirrups), stable tools, bedding, and grooming equipment, such as brushes, combs, and hoof picks.  While all these are one-off costs, like your horse, they tend so come at a cost, and so they too will need to be maintained.

Recurring costs can also add up.  As already discussed, a boarding stable can charge anywhere between £50 to £200 a week, and so this translates to between £2,400 and £7,200 a year.  You will then need to consider the daily supply of hay and straw, feed and supplements, veterinary and dental fees, and the cost of a farrier.  Altogether, you could be looking at a recurring cost of £6,000 to £12,000 a year.

As your horse ages, so too will there be more need for veterinary support, perhaps even physical therapy, and so your costs may increase with a diminished return in the pleasure of riding him.  But no horse should ever be abandoned or sold for slaughter, especially one with whom you have built up a.meaningful relationship.  So please give some thought to caring for a horse that is no longer sound enough to ride due to age or injury, and plan ahead for those costs, as well.

SO, NOW, WHICH HORSE?

Having given it due consideration and balanced your heart with your head (and your bank account), you’ve now decided to move forward and get a horse.

Congratulations!

By having reflected thoroughly on your decision, you’ve already shown yourself as ready to be a caring and responsible owner.

But now the question remains: What type of horse would best suit your needs and abilities?  One way to find out is to ride a range of different horse, and once you have found one with whom you feel comfortable to then familiarise yourself with that type and breed,

Coat colouring & markings:

There are far more important aspects to consider when acquiring a horse than to base it solely on its look.  Nevertheless, it is worth noting the range of colours and markings that are associated with horses.

The horses displayed above show a range of coat colours.  Moving from top left to bottom right, they are:

• Bay – reddish brown body with a black mane, lower legs and tail
• Black/Brown – brown/black hairs with black mane, legs and tail
• Dun – mouse-to-sand coloured with a black mane, lower legs and tail
• Appaloosa – spotted
• Chestnut – reddish brown
• Grey – dappled, flea-bitten, or plain
• Palomino – golden/yellow-coloured with paler mane and tail
• Roan – white hairs mixed with bay/black/chestnut
• Skewbald – white patches on a bay/chestnut coat
• Piebald – white patches on a black coat

© aceptphoto & Vladyslav Horoshevych / courtesy of Shutterstock.com

There are three basic types of facial markings on a horse, as can be seen in the above image.  From left to right:

• Star – a white marking between or above the eyes
• Snip – a white marking on the muzzle, between the nostrils
• Strip, or stripe – a narrow white stripe down the middle of the face; when the white stripe is wide, it is known as a ‘blaze’

© Anastasija Popova / courtesy of Shutterstock.com

A horse may also have white leg markings.  When the white extends up the cannon – as seen above and to the left – it is known as a stocking, whereas if it only extends up to the fetlock – as seen to the above right – it is known as a sock.

We each have different ideas as to what is appealing, but whatever it may be for you, ensuring that you get a horse of the right type, breed and temperament, and whose energy requirements matches your own, is far more important than basing a decision on coat colour or markings.

Acquiring a young or old horse:

It is generally recommended that those looking to acquire their first horse should consider an older equine – one that is in its late teens to early twenties – as these tend to be more reliable and will require less training.  Most older horses that have no underlying health issues and have been well looked after are still able to enjoy regular recreational rides and will give those new to riding the opportunity to sharpen their skills.

Having honed their horse riding abilities, riders can then consider acquiring a younger steed, being in a better position to train and develop that horse and to have the eye and experience to spot a problem before it develops.

The added benefit in acquiring an older horse is that you will be giving it a new lease of life.  Expert riders tend to work their horses every day and as a result generally prefer younger horses who can sustain such daily exertions, hence they will routinely swap out their older horses as they start to slow down.  Sourcing a horse in this manner will give you the opportunity to meet with the previous owner, to learn from them about that horse’s individual requirements, as well as any quirks that it might have developed.  Don’t be taken aback if the previous owner should enquire as to your own experience and motivation for getting a horse.  After all, they should be just as keen to ensure that they are matching their beloved horse to its prospective new owner as you are about matching the horse to your needs.

© Callipso / courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Selecting a breed or a type:

The term ‘breed’ relates to a horse’s bloodline and the degree to which its true-breeding characteristics have been sustained over a number of generations.  Those whose bloodlines have been recorded with a breed registry are deemed to be ‘purebred’.  There are currently over 300 breeds of horses in the world, the most notable being the Arabian, the Thoroughbred, the Andalusian, the Morgan, the Clydesdale, and the Quarter Horse, to name but a few.

Horses are also defined according to ‘type’, which is divided between heavy horses, light horses, and ponies, and is based on their build.  Heavy horses tend to have large bodies and short, stocky legs with big hooves, and their ears tend to be small in relation to their large heads.  Light horses have narrow bodies, slim legs, and with their ears more in proportion to their slender heads.  Finally, ponies have a deeper body compared to light horses and with shorter legs in relation to their height.

© natvatu, otsphoto, & Lenkadan / courtesy of Shutterstock.com

Finally, a distinction is made according to so-called ‘hot’, ‘cold’, and ‘warmbloods’,which is a way by which different breeds are grouped according to their temperament.  Hotbloods are those lighter horses that tend to be more nervous or energetic than other equines.  Coldbloods refer to the heavy draught horses of Europe, who tend to have a docile temperament and are easy to handle despite their great size and strength.  Warmbloods were derived through the cross breeding of hotbloods with coldbloods in order to produce horses that were more athletic than coldbloods and yet calmer than their hot-blooded counterparts.  They are used primarily for riding and driving, and because of their less flight disposition are generally preferred by the riding enthusiast.  Warmbloods include many of the more popular breeds, such as the Cob, Mustang, and Hanoverian Horse.

Hotbloods are generally considered too flighty and nervous for novice riders, and so it would be advised to look to the warmbloods – eg the Cob, Morgan, and Quarter Horse – or draft crossbreeds – eg the Clydesdale, Shire, and Percheron – all of whom are more likely to be even-tempered and more forgiving.

Ponies – being as they are less than 152cm high – are particularly popular for children.  The Welsh, Shetland, and Quarter Pony are all generally considered safe mounts, although in every instance it is recommended that the animal has been sufficiently trained before embarking on such activity.

Different types and breeds will affect the way in which a rider will sit and ride, owing to their distinct movements due to the length of their back in relation to the size of their gait.  Riding a short-backed Cob will most likely result in a slight bounce in the saddle compared to a long-backed Thoroughbred, and forcing one’s body into a position to counteract this natural motion may set up tension between the horse and rider.  It is therefore important to try out a range of mounts to see which best suits you before settling on a particular breed or type of horse.

Acquiring a male or female horse:

Let’s first establish the correct terms for the sex and age of each horse, as there are quite a few.  An intact male is referred to as a stallion, while a neutered male is called a gelding.  A female horse is a mare, and her newborn is termed a foal.  Thenceforth she is known as a dam to that foal (or its female parent).  A young horse is referred to as a foal up to one year of age, after which the male is called a colt and the female a filly, and these terms are retained until the horse is three to four years of age.  Confused yet?

A mare goes into estrus (or heat) monthly from Spring through to Fall, and this can occur every few weeks.  During this time she may become sensitive and uncomfortable, and so display a bit of a stubborn streak.  At this time, stallions may also require extra handling, especially if such a mare in estrus were to pass by.  For these reasons, it is generally recommended that stallions and mares be the preserve of more experienced handlers, and that novices should only consider the more mild-mannered geldings, who even so may still retain some ‘studdish’ behaviour, the degree to which would be dependent on when they were castrated.