There is just something so exciting about bringing home your first horse. It is exciting good, but it can also be a little overwhelming. And if you have never had your own horse before you might find yourself spending a lot of money on all things horse related in order to prepare for your new horse. Or, you may not have a lot of extra money after your initial investment in your new horse.
Eventually you will want a saddle, and bridle for your brand new horse, but from the time you go pick him up until you get him to his new home there are a few other areas to consider first that will make it slightly easier for you when you get your very own horse. Some are simple, others are more time and money intensive. But here are the 5 things you really will need for your horse.
Halter With Lead Rope
This is one of the first things you want to have. Because when you go pick up your horse, the previous owner may not want to part with their own halter and lead rope. So plan on having your own. You can get a rope halter, or a traditional halter. And the lead rope can be traditional, around 10 foot long, or you can get the longer 15 foot clinician style lead rope made from yachting rope, this is my favorite. The snap style is really up to you but I prefer a regular style snap vs. the bull snap. A regular snap is easier to attach to the halter.
If you want to get really fancy, you can get an awesome leather halter with an engraved name plate for your horse.
Grooming Kit
Having a full grooming kit is definitely a good idea before your horse comes home. Some of the items you should have are:
- Hoof pick (2)
- Body Brush
- Stiff Brush
- Rubber Curry Comb
- Rub Rag
- Fly Spray
- Grooming Tote
- Mane and Tail Brush
- Rubber Massaging Curry
- Soft Face Brush
- Hoof Oil (Coconut oil)
Assembling your grooming kit really is personal preference, but I find I use these items on a daily basis with my own horses.
First Aid Kit
If you are bringing your new horse to your home, or even if you are boarding him, you really need to have a first aid kit put together. Horses and injuries seem to go hand and hand, and by having a well stocked first aid kit, you will be prepared if something happens. Some of the more important items to have in your first aid kit:
- Container For Holding Items (Ready made or Homemade)
- Vetwrap
- 4×4 Gauze (Non-Sterile)
- Cling or Roll Gauze
- A Headlamp (for hands free light)
- Nitrile Gloves
- Baby Wipes
- Thermometer
- Heavy Duty Bandage Scissors
- Stethoscope
- Clean Rags
- Saline Solution (Plain, like for contacts)
- Tweezers
- Band-Aids (For you)
- Ace Wraps
- A Set of Knit Polo Wraps
- Antiseptic Spray
- Wonder Dust (Stops bleeding)
- Alushield Liquid Bandage
- Fura-Zone (wound ointment)
- Epsom Salt
- Rubber feed Pan
- 2 Tubes Electrolyte Paste
- Corona Ointment
And just like the grooming kit, this is by no means all-inclusive, and you will want to add other things as you have your horse, maybe even some prescription items like Banamine paste, and other items you can only get from your vet. But by having a well stocked first aid kit, you will be prepared in the event your new horse injures himself once you get him home. It’s also a really good idea to have a vet already, and be sure to have your vet’s phone number displayed somewhere in your first aid kit, just in case you need to call them.
Barn Cleaning Supplies
It may not seem like this is important, but if you are keeping your horse at home, or in a boarding facility, you will want to have things that you can keep your horse’s new home clean and tidy. And his stall won’t clean itself, unless you are in a full care boarding facility. But if you aren’t, these are some of the things you really should have before you bring your horse home.
- Lawn Broom (Large leaf rake)
- Manure Fork
- Broom
- Large Shovel
- Flat-Back Buckets (at least 3)
- Stall Bedding
- Storage For Your Items
- Wheelbarrow
The large lawn broom works great to rake up the barn area, and even rake out a stall. And the manure fork is a necessity for keeping the stall clean without throwing out all of the stall bedding. The buckets are necessary for giving your horse a water source in his stall, even if you have a water trough outside for your horse. And the broom will help to keep the floors nice and tidy as well.
The bedding is up to you, but if you have a stall for your horse, you will want to have a nice bed for him to lie down in. Wood shavings are affordable, and easy to clean. Straw will keep your horse warmer, but this can be more difficult to muck out. And of course you will need a wheelbarrow to put all of the dirty bedding in, and to keep your barn clean in general.
Professional Help
Having the professionals on board before you have your horse will make it easier on you once your horse gets home. Some of the professionals you will want to think about are:
- Veterinarian
- Farrier
- Riding Instructor
Having a connection with these type of people before you bring your new horse home is a great idea. Your horse will need to have his hooves trimmed, so you will need a farrier. And your horse will need his shots, and general vet care from time to time, so why not plan ahead and have someone in mind that you want to work with. You may already have a vet if you had a vet check done on your new horse prior to the purchase. It just makes things a lot easier when you have these relationships established before bringing your new horse home.
Hopefully this give you an idea of some of the things you should have before getting your new horse. This list is really endless. There is so much you can do in anticipation of getting your first horse. But if you start with these 5 areas, you will have a fantastic start to enjoying your new horse when you bring him to his forever home.
And once your new horse gets settled, and you find yourself looking for DIY ideas that you can do around your barn, come check out my blog, Budget Equestrian, where I will give you lots of different ideas that you can do to make the most of the time that you have with your horse.