Horse information, please

[slleipnir]

We are thinking about moving to the country at some point...not sure when exactly, or if it will even happen. I'm trying to get details to help it along. One thing is, if we do move, I will be saving up for a horse. The thing is, I know NOTHING about horse stables and owning them.

For one thing...what does the stable/stalls need to be made of? The floor I mean. The barn I rode at looked like dirt and hay...but if the horse pee's..does it just soak into the ground? Doesn't it smell? How to do you clean that?? What sort of heating is needed for a stable? I only plan to have a small stable, 1-2 stalls only. Another thing is, what would you do with the horses poop? Sorry for such a weird question....At the barn I was at, he would put it all in a big pill outside and get it cleaned up every so often....I don't know how much I'd want a big pill of manuer in my yard......

As for costs...How much is it generally to own your own horse at your own stable? How often to they need vetting and farriers? I understand vetting is very expensive..what about food? They need some sort of seed/grain stuff and hay? twice a day?

What about winter? How do you exercise a horse in winter? Can they run in their paddock in the winter? Generally, how big does a paddock for one horse need to be?

So basically I don't know anything about owning a horse. I use to ride all the time, and help on weekends mucking stalls but that's all the experiance I have. I would like to know what I'm getting myself into...do I need to be rich to own a horse??? Do I need to ride it? If I don't ride it all the time, will it become green? I want ot ride, but I'm afraid to, so it would take some time for me.

[flamepony12]

okay, I'll try my best to answer your questions. xD

For one thing...what does the stable/stalls need to be made of? The floor I mean. The barn I rode at looked like dirt and hay...but if the horse pee's..does it just soak into the ground? Doesn't it smell? How to do you clean that?? What sort of heating is needed for a stable? I only plan to have a small stable, 1-2 stalls only. Another thing is, what would you do with the horses poop? Sorry for such a weird question....At the barn I was at, he would put it all in a big pill outside and get it cleaned up every so often....I don't know how much I'd want a big pill of manuer in my yard......

It's best to have rubber mats as a base to your stall. over the rubber mats, you should have either wood shavings or wood pellets- if you have a tack or feed store near you, it's best to ask there. The hay that was on the floor of the horses' stalls was probably just leftover breakfast or dinner scattered around the stall. The stall needs to be mucked out daily, and the pee usually clumps and can be picked out the same way as the manure. This should all be shoveled into a wheelbarrow or something like it, wich can then be dumped into green garbage cans instead of being left in a pile in your yard. Stables around here don't use heating, but then again, it doesn't snow in California.

How much is it generally to own your own horse at your own stable? How often to they need vetting and farriers? I understand vetting is very expensive..what about food? They need some sort of seed/grain stuff and hay? twice a day?

Keeping your horse at your own stable will obviously help with boarding fees, but you'll still need to purchase your own hay and supplements. They need to eat hay twice a day, normally oat hay and alfalfa hay, but sometimes timothy or grass hay. Horses should have occasional checkups, but not too often. The farrier usually comes out every 4-6 weeks, and shoeing costs about $100 American dollars each time. Not all horses need supplements, so you can talk to a feed or tack store about that as well.

What about winter? How do you exercise a horse in winter? Can they run in their paddock in the winter? Generally, how big does a paddock for one horse need to be?

Well, a paddock should generally be larger than 24 x 24 (feet), and there's really no limit about how large it can be. They can run in their paddock during winter, but make sure a warm stall with fresh water is available to them at all times.

do I need to be rich to own a horse??? Do I need to ride it? If I don't ride it all the time, will it become green? I want ot ride, but I'm afraid to, so it would take some time for me.

No, you certainly don't need to be rich to own a horse. You can find good horses for as little as $2,000 American dollars, and some people might even have stories of finding great horses for even less. horses should most definitely have exercise 3-5 times a week. Make sure you don't buy a horse for yourself until you're ready to make the commitment of riding it, or paying someone else to exercise it for you.

[slleipnir]

Thanks so much Devon

What about lungeing instead of riding??

[Miss Z]

Lungeing is good, if you have a sensible horse. You can't beat riding though. I agree with what most of flamepony12 said, and about the muck heap, which i don't think she mentioned, you can do different things with it...

1. Burn it. I know some people that do this, but fire is dangerous and you'll get a lot of smoke.
2. Sell it! Menure is the perfect fertiliser!
3. Keep it in a small pile and take it regularly to the tip. This takes a lot of trips back and forth, but it's probably the best way. Menure piles are annoying and not everyone wants one near their house

[buttercup132]

i suggest taking lessons and volenteering at a barn for a while befor egetting a horse unless you want it as a companian horse wich just means its out in the feild, companian horses are alot cheaper too and they dont need to be riden, companians are usually older horses, alos if you dont want to clean your stalls you can always hire someone to do it

[Suki Wingy]

I was just wondering if the barns around me are all just outrageously expensive or if they are all that expensive. What is that average board per month at barns around you? The place I take lessons at is $800 a month!

[slleipnir]

i suggest taking lessons and volenteering at a barn for a while befor egetting a horse unless you want it as a companian horse wich just means its out in the feild, companian horses are alot cheaper too and they dont need to be riden, companians are usually older horses, alos if you dont want to clean your stalls you can always hire someone to do it

lol, maybe you didn't read my post....I have done both of those things for many years. However, it doesn't teach me how much I need to pay, or anything else I need to own a horse on my own. I don't mind cleaning the stalls, I just don't know what to do with it.