How to Prepare Your Land for a Horse
Getting your first horse is a life-changing experience. Nothing beats the feeling of bonding with your horse and getting to know them. While welcoming a horse into your life is really exciting, it’s vital that you take your time to prepare thoroughly for your horse’s arrival. Preparing your property for your horse is absolutely essential for their health and well-being.
Here are some steps to take in preparation for bringing your horse home:
Ensure You Have Enough Land for Your Horse
Before you do anything else, you must check that you have enough land for your horse. Finding land suitable for grazing can be a lot harder than it sounds. In many areas, parcels of land that can accommodate a horse that are either for sale or rent can be particularly challenging to find. So, you need to start looking for land well in advance of the date that you plan to bring your horse home.
Generally, the British Horse Society recommends that you have between 1 and 1.5 acres of pasture for each horse. Of course, the amount of land you need will vary depending on several factors. These include the size of your horse, how much time your horse will spend out for pasture, the quality of pasture.
Prepare the Ground
Once you have found suitable for land for your horse, it’s essential to begin preparing it. Before you let your horse roam their new pasture, you will need to check that it is free from potentially poisonous plants, shrubs, and trees. Common plants that may appear harmless, such as buttercups and foxgloves are poisonous to horses, so it’s best to familairise yourself with each of the potentially poisonous varieties so you can ensure they’re not present.
Having pasture for your horse to graze is vital, but you also need to consider the floor surface in your yard. There are many types of equestrian surfaces to choose from, picking carefully is crucial. Choosing a surface that best matches the condition of the land as well as the needs of your horse takes careful consideration.
When making your choice, it’s wise to consider whether your yard is prone to waterlogging, whether you want a ground surface that will reduce impact on your horse’s joints, and how much time you can spend maintaining the surface.
As part of your ground preparations, you will need to ensure that your land is safe and secure for your horse. Checking that the fences are in a good state of repair and that the gate closes fully is important to ensure your horse doesn’t escape. These should be checked regularly for potential signs of damage.
Create Some Shelter
Finally, you will need to check that your horse has some shelter. While some people prefer to let their horses graze throughout the year, offering shelter for your horse, should they choose to use it, is important. Constructing a shelter with at least three sides will help protect your horse from the elements.