|
|
Owning a horse is a big responsibility. It is a lot of fun, but there will also be hard work and dirty chores to be done and it is quite expensive.
Before you buy a horse or pony, it is a good idea to have lessons in riding and in caring for a horse. That way, you know what you are letting yourself in for, as well as knowing what to do when you get your pet.
When choosing a horse, check to see how the horse reacts to you. Walk all around it, touching its underside as well as patting it. Ride it, or have an experienced rider do that for you, because you want to buy a horse that enjoys being ridden. Don't buy a horse that turns its head towards you when you are trying to mount it, or constantly swish their tails when being ridden as these are often signs of annoyance. Have a vet check the horse before you buy it. Make sure the horse or pony is the right size for the rider.
Some
people have their own paddock where they can keep a horse, but
others pay to have their horse stay in a stables with other horses.
They visit their horse and ride it, then return to the stables.
Your horse will need a saddle, saddle blanket, bridle and head
collar. You will need riding pants or jodhpurs, riding helmet,
riding boots and gloves. You will need brushes to groom
the horse.
A 500kg horse normally eats 10 kg of good quality hay each day. They eat more in colder weather, or if it is lower quality hay.
Horses and ponies must have their feet checked, trimmed, cleaned
and treated if injured. Part of caring for your pet horse is making
sure there is nothing in the paddock, such as nails, wire, rope,
that can harm the legs or hooves. Horses and ponies need their
feet trimmed about every 3 months or so.
Horses that are ridden on the street, at shows and trail rides, have metal horse shoes nailed to their hooves. This is done by an expert called a farrier, who also trims the hooves. Horses that have shoes must have their feet checked often, as stones and other objects can become lodged inside the shoe, making the horse lame.
Horses
should not be standing in muddy wet ground for too long. The hooves
can become soft and rotten, and get diseases. So make sure the
paddock or yard where the horse is kept has dry ground.
Find out more about grooming here,
and a diagram naming the parts of a horse
http://www.huntersponyfarm.com/horses/care/bathing.html
Find out about
horse's hooves here
http://horses.about.com/care/hoofcare/equinehoof070697/
Responsible
pet ownership
Horses and ponies, like most pets,
enjoy the company of people and depend on their owners for food,
protection and shelter. Before becoming a pet owner think carefully
about all the things you will have to do to care for your
pet responsibly.
Acknowledge this
source in your bibliography like this:
Horses
and Ponies (2003).
[Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au
Axolotls Budgerigars Dogs Cats Fish Guinea Pigs Mice Rabbits
updated July 2007