You never stop learning how to take care of your horse.

It can be especially challenging for beginners or parents of children who ride ponies.

Horses give us so much joy, be they for leisure or competitive sports like horseracing, which you can bet on at NetBet Casino.

You’ll need to invest both your time and money if you plan to own a horse of any kind. Here are five essential things to keep in mind.

1. Tying up your horse

Tying a horse to a fixed position should keep it safe, if you do it properly. You need to ensure the horse cannot hurt itself or any other person around. Make sure you only use objects that cannot break or move. The rule of thumb is to ensure that the horse is tied long enough to adjust its head and short enough not to get its legs over the rope.

2. Feeding

Grass is the natural feedstuff for horses. They need quality roughage, which is sometimes unavailable naturally. Alternatively, you can introduce your horse to hay. Always ensure that you get the best hay since poor quality hay can damage the horse’s lungs and bring about health problems. Most importantly, your horse must has access to fresh water. Finally, learn about the plants around your homestead or stables. Not all plants are edible. Some can be toxic to horses, and it is the owner's responsibility to identify them.

3. Shelter

When the horse spends most of the time in a stable, you should take great care to ensure it is well ventilated and designed. Consider the height, size and flooring type. When your horse spends most time outdoors, you need to know how to take care of it, especially in extreme heat conditions or extreme cold.

4. Health check

Horse ocassionally get injured or sick. You must be able to identify any health problems and how to manage the situation, or call a veterinary surgeon if you are unsure. Always keep a basic horse first aid kit handy.

5. Grooming

Grooming a horse is vital. You should groom the horse before riding it or sending it to compete in any horse race.

It would help if you established a daily grooming routine, such as checking the horse’s hooves and skin.

And finally ...

Owning a horse can be an exciting and challenging experience. Ensure you learn and understand how to take care of it. If you cannot look after the horse adequately yourself, try boarding. Engage a professional if you are not competent in something.