What else to buy

Once the daily essentials are taken care of, you have other expenses for your horse.  You will need a dry place to store the feed, supplements, and hay.  This can be done in a barn or shed.  You must make sure that the grain and hay are kept dry and free of mold.  Mold can be detrimental to a horse’s health.  You will need pans for them to eat out of and a watering trough, to keep water available at all times.  Horses love attention and one way to start building trust with your horse is through grooming.  There are several grooming tools that can be used.  A curry comb is good for shedding and getting mud and manure off of your horse.  There are soft bristle brushes for their face.  A hard bristle brush is used for their body.  A mane and tail comb and brush are used for their mane and tail.  A hoof pick is needed to make sure there are not rocks in their hoofs and to keep them clean.  You will need lead ropes and halters to catch and lead the horse.  If riding is in you future, you will need a saddle and a saddle pad.  You must make sure that the saddle will fit both the rider and the horse.  If you plan to take the horse from the farm, you will need a truck and trailer to haul it.  There are several different types of trailers and finding one that both the rider and the horse love can be a challenge.  This is an expense that may not be easily changed so try to find out what the horse is used to hauling in before purchasing a trailer.  There are trailers that load via a ramp and some that load via a step.  Some trailers are a slant load, which means the stalls in the trailer are slanted, and some are straight load trailers, where there horse walks straight into the stall on the trailer.  Tack area in the trailer is important as well.  Be sure to consider where you are hauling and if sleeping or changing quarters will be needed.  Some of these expenses are minimal, while some can break the bank.  Try to find what will work best for you and your horse.  There are places to find both new and used trailers online.  Do your homework and shop around before you buy the first one you see. 


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