Before you get your first horse, you will need to buy a bunch of supplies and different equipment for your horse. Here's a list of what you will need! :)
-A saddle
-A bridle (bitted or bitless)
-A halter (rope, leather or synthetic)
-A saddle pad (for under the saddle)
-A rug/blanket
-A fly mask
-Boots (optional)
-A crop/and or dressage whip
-Lunge whip
-Lunge lead
-Dandy brush
-Curry comb
-Soft/face brush
-Hoof pick
-Sponge (for washing)
-Sweat scraper
-Shampoo
-Conditioner (optional)
-De-tangler for mane and tail (optional)
-Hay net
-Buckets for food, water, and washing
-Wet wipes!
-Fly spray (I have a recipe for a natural fly spray)
-Worming solution (you can use other supplements such as Diatomaceous Earth/clay as a natural way for worming your horse, which is actually very beneficial, and I highly recommend it.)
If you are going to trim your horse's hooves yourself you will need:
-A rasp
-A hoof knife
-And clippers (optional)
First aid kit:
-Vetrap
-Duct tape
-Scissors
-Cloths
-Bandage pads (Gamgee etc)
-An antiseptic topical solution such as Betadine or Chlorhexidine
-Zinc Oxide Paste (for sunburn and treating injuries)
-Tweezers
-Thermometer
Diet:
Now for your horse's food/diet.
You can buy any sort of equine pellets, preferably Lucerne Pellets. You would give the average horse anywhere between 1-2 scoops of these pellets into a feed bucket. 1-3 Scoops is the same as around 3-6 cups to make that easier.
Then if you want to add chaff (you don't actually need to. Especially if your horse already gets hay) to the pellets you can add anywhere between 4-7 cups of chaff to the pellets in the bucket. And then any type of pure oil (not essential oil!) is needed to add to the meal. You could add anywhere between 300-500 ml of oil to the bucket of pellets and chaff then add about 1 scoop of water and mix it all in together really well. (1 Scoop is about 3 cups of water.)
Make sure to avoid any oils that are not a pure oil, and especially don't ever get canola oil. It's very bad for humans and animals.
Hemp oil, sunflower oil, flaxseed oil and corn oil are the best pure oils to feed your horse. I recommend cold-pressed flaxseed oil as it also supports the hooves, keeps them healthy and smooth, and generally keeps them from drying out and cracking. And the hooves are the most important feature of the horse's body.
Ever horse also needs a salt block/lick. Salt is an essential mineral that all horses need in their body, just like humans. And in the summer, horse's need more salt than in the other seasons. You can buy either Sea salt, Himalayan salt, or just table salt. Himalayan salt is said to be the best type of salt for horses, but it also depends on the horse; some horses hate the taste of Himalayan salt and will only ever eat Sea salt. So find out from your horse! Offer him a teaspoon of each different type of salt and find out which one he likes! You can buy salt licks on a rope at a lot of online shops like Amazon, and Ebay, and then equine online shops too. And produce stores.
Horses will lick the exact amount of salt they need when they need it so you don't have to worry about how much salt your horse consumes.
Two other things your horse will need to eat is green grass and fresh hay. Always remember... NEVER buy hay that says it's for "livestock." Always only buy hay that says it's for "equines," or "horses." Also a quick helpful tip is: Always buy hay in the summer. As crazy as this might sound, it's actually cheaper than to buy hay in the winter! Not just that, but also buy hay in the summer because it's fresh and recently harvested, and so there is much less chance of it going moldy. And moldy hay is not what your horse should be eating; it's very bad for them, just like any moldy food would be very unhealthy for humans, vise versa.
A very essential supplement you will need is a salt block or salt lick. Horse's need that mineral as part of their diet, so it's very important that you give it to them.
Also, a lot of people think they should only be feeding their horses these three things; pellets, chaff, and hay. But you shouldn't just feed your horse these, going for a more natural, healthier diet is so much better for your horse. So one thing you could be adding to your horse's diet are fruit and vegetables. Veggies are so healthy for horses, but just keep in mind: never feed a lot of either fruit or veggies. Too much isn't the best for them. So veggies such as celery, carrots, and apples are healthy to feed to horses, but remember; only in small amounts. Another way of turning your horse's diet into a more natural diet is by allowing your horse to eat a lot of grass. Let your horse eat grass! In the wild, what's the main thing horses eat that provides all the nutrients and minerals that the horses' bodies need? Grass! If your horse is able to access a pasture full of healthy fresh grass, don't restrict him! Only unless the horse has dietary problems and he's instructed by an equine veterinarian to be restrict from the amount of grass he intakes.
Okay so now that you know what to feed your horse, what equipment and supplies to buy, you are now ready to make that huge, life-changing decision of buying your very first horse! I hope this article helped you a lot and I hope you all who read this article, in anticipation to one day get a horse, find this really helpful, and enjoyed! :)
If your horse is suspected with a health issue, consult your vet straight away.
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