Raising horses is an emotionally impactful and profound experience anyone can have. It is no wonder there are so many horse people in the world who are passionate about these equine beauties. However, it may come as a surprise that horses can be quite high maintenance to care for. If you are considering taking on the responsibility of raising horses, there are some important things you should know.
Substantial Costs
If you are considering raising horses, you likely care for other animals and are familiar with the ways costs can rise significantly. Nonetheless, it is still important for you to know about the substantial costs that come with horses. You should expect to spend around $300 monthly and around $4,000 yearly on your horse for a variety of check-ups, feed, bedding, and other care items. What’s more, keeping around $500 set aside for any emergency vet visit can prove useful, so it’s also something to consider.
Proper Hoof Maintenance
Can you imagine how uncomfortable it would get to walk around outside without shoes on? You would surely stub your toe or step on something sharp that could result in a great deal of pain. That is why it is so important that you maintain proper hoof maintenance of your horses. As such, you should ensure you get hoof trimming monthly, or at least every two months. However, remember that your horse may also need shoes depending on how active they are, the overall environment they tread on, and their body type.
Good Quality Diet
Nutrition is among one of the most significant contributors to the health of your horses. It is important that you maintain a good quality diet rich in minerals and nutrients your horse requires. In addition to providing a diet that is high quality, you must also avoid horse-feeding mistakes that can be a detriment to their health. As such, avoid overfeeding, underfeeding, and miscalculating the weight of your feed and hay.
Timely Health Check-Ups
It can be difficult for some to understand, but animals need health check-ups just like humans. That is why you must do timely health check-ups for your horses. Sometimes, our horses may have certain conditions that we don’t know about because we lack to proper education to notice such things. Health visits allow your vet to notice anything wrong with your horse and promptly take action to rectify the issue.
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