Owning a horse or pony is a lot of hard work. The owner must care for the horse, keeping it clean and well-fed, and exercising it regularly. Most horses and ponies live outside in a fenced-off area of field known as a paddock. When it is cold or wet, or when a horse is not well, it may stay inside in a stable. Some competition horses spend every night in a stable. Warm night rugs are put on horses and ponies during cold weather.
Plaiting:
After clipping and grooming, a horse’s mane – the hair on its neck – can be plaited, especially if it is going to a show. This makes it neat and tidy. A horse’s tail can be plaited as well.
The Stable:
Horses kept in a stable, a building made to house horses, have to be fed at least twice a day. Daily tasks include grooming, exercising the horses, mucking out, and filling haynets and water buckets. An adult horse can eat 10kg of hay a day.
Mucking Out
Keeping a horse’s stable clean is called mucking out. An adult horse can produce 20kg of manure a day. Old bedding is removed with a garden fork and replaced with fresh bedding daily.
Tacking Up
The saddle is the rider’s seat and the bridle is the horse’s headgear. Together these items are called tack. Putting them on a horse is called tacking up.
Grooming
Many tools are used to keep a horse’s skin and coat clean and healthy. Most horses enjoy grooming. A rubber or plastic curry comb removes dried mud. A damp sponge cleans around a horse’s eyes.
Feeds
Hay and grass are called bulk feed and make up most of a horse’s diet. Hay is hung in a haynet so the horse can eat when it likes. Horses can only eat a small amount of grains such as bran, oats and barley. These are short feeds.
Stable Rubber
A cloth called a stable rubber is used at the end of grooming to remove any dust. It is also used to massage the horse’s muscles.
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