Basic Care:

Environment:

Make sure that where your horse lives is secure and free from hazards, this includes ensuring fences are in good condition and escape-proof. 

Horses need large amounts of exercise to remain healthy. All horses should have access to a paddock where they can exercise every day, in the company of other horses, for as long as possible.

When out in a paddock, horses must have access to shelter from sun, wind and extremes of weather or temperature. They must have dry areas to stand and lie down on; living in cold,wet or muddy conditions can lead to discomfort or illness.

A horse can become ill or show abnormal behaviour if it is confined to a stable for long periods of time. If your horse is stabled, ensure all areas of your horse’s environment are well ventilated, clean and draught-free.  

Stabled horses are more likely to be exposed to germs, toxic dust and fumes. They need good quality, dust-free bedding to lie upon. Ensure bedding is kept clean.

Have a plan to deal with emergencies such as fire in buildings and flooding of land or buildings.

Transport can be stressful for horses. When you transport your horse, make sure it is comfortable and safe at all times.  

Ensure the size and temperature of any place you leave your horse (including a trailer or horsebox) is appropriate.

Diet: (also see leaflets from HAPPA)

Horses must have continuous access to fresh clean water.

Horses should be provided with as much opportunity to graze as possible. Twenty-four hour access is ideal. Without it they can develop disorders of the gut and stomach ulcers.

Not all pasture provide adequate nutrition and many will be too high in calories. Horses may still need additional hard feed and forage to maintain their appropriate bodyweight, particularly between late autumn and early spring.

Horses fed diets low in forage and high in concentrates (hard feeds such as cubes or grains) are at risk of digestive problems. Stabled horses should be given plenty of forage. 

Horses should be fed only good quality, mould and dust-free forage.

Changes in your horse’s lifestyle, such as increased or reduced work, movement on and off pasture, pregnancy, lactation and ageing will require changes to your horse’s diet. An equine nutritionist or an equine vet can advise you.

Rapid changes in diet can result in illness. Any changes to your horse’s diet must be introduced gradually, over a period of around two weeks.

Horses must be fed only diets designed for horses. They  must not be given lawn clippings or access to large amounts of fermentable foods such as apples as they can be fatally toxic.

Horses should not become overweight. Horses and particularly ponies who are overweight are  prone to developing laminitis, a very painful disorder of the feet. A common factor triggering laminitis is feeding on lush spring and autumn grass.

Speak to your vet about how at risk your horse may be of developing laminitis and how you can help reduce that risk.

Remove toxic plants, shrubs and tress such as ragwort and yew from paddocks and other areas. Toxic plants, even if they are dead, must be dug up and taken completely out of the reach of horses. If your horse’s feeding habits change, consult your vet, as your horse could be ill.

Ragwort:

Behaviour:

Horses must be given the opportunity to run freely in a paddock as frequently as possible and for as long as possible, in the company of other horses.

Take the time to learn how your horse learns so that you can train him humanely and effectively. Be careful to use training aids your horse understands and use them in a consistent manner.

Horses can be trained using positive, reward-based methods. Do not shout at or punish your horse as fear of punishment can cause a horse to become aggressive or develop behaviour problems.

Take time to learn how your horse normally behaves. If your horse starts exhibiting abnormal behaviour or its behaviour changes away from its normal behaviour, you should seek immediate advice from an equine specialist vet as they could be ill or suffering.

You should not use anti-cribbing collars, anti-weaving grilles or other devices that simply attempt to stop the performance of abnormal behaviour. Using these devices can cause further welfare problems. Instead, get advice to tackle causes such as stress isolation or boredom.

Company:

Horses are social animals they should not be housed alone in individual paddocks or pens, as this prevents the performance of social behaviour.

Horses should be allowed as much time as possible in paddocks interacting freely with other horses. Isolated horses may experience high levels of stress which can lead to abnormal behaviour.

Stabling should be designed with partitions which allow horses to see and interact with their neighbours, including allowing them to put their heads over stable doors. Horses which do not get on well with each other should not be stabled next to each other or put in the same paddock.

To minimise aggression, horses should be kept in the same groups each time they are let out into paddocks.

Where it is necessary to introduce new horses into groups, they should be carefully observed to ensure that they do not receive excessive aggression. Unfamiliar horses may squeal at, threaten, bite or kick each other when first introduced.

Sufficient space should be available to allow horses to get away from others and avoid being cornered. The whole group should be checked for signs of injury more frequently than normal.

Health:

Check your horse for signs of injury and illness daily. Make sure someone does this if you’re away.

Consult a vet if you suspect that your horse is in pain, ill or injured. A change in the way a horse behaves can be an early sign.

Worm and vaccinate your horse against equine influenza and tetanus regularly. You may also consider vaccinating against equine herpes virus.

Learn to recognise lameness. If your horse becomes lame it should not be worked and you should consult your vet.

Inspect hooves daily, including the underside of the foot. Overgrown or unbalanced hooves can cause severe discomfort and damage to the internal structure of the feet, legs and back.

Your horse should be seen by a farrier registered with the Farriers’ Registration Council every four to six weeks, even if they are unshod.

Horses’ teeth erupt through the gums continuously. They can develop hooks and sharp edges which can cause painful injuries inside the mouth. Get them  checked by an equine vet or qualified equine dental technician at least annually.

Poorly fitting tack can cause injury and pain, as can poor riding technique or riding by people too heavy for the horse. All tack should be checked regularly for proper fit and properly maintained.

Before allowing horses to breed, check with your vet. Ensure provisions have been made to care for both parents and offspring. There is currently an overpopulation crisis. We would encourage/ask you not to breed.

Before buying a horse, find out what health and behaviour problems it has or may be prone to. Always check with your vet if you are unsure about anything.

Only use medicines and feed additives recommended for your horse by experts; they can be dangerous if given to the wrong animal. Use and store them according to the instructions.

Insure your horse to help cover the cost of veterinary treatment.

Safety around horses:

• Be calm and quiet. Sudden moves can cause a horse to shy (jump sideways) or kick out.
• The safest way to lead a horse is with a halter and lead rope. Don't hook your fingers through the halter straps, rings or the bit. If the horse pulls away, your fingers could be caught, injuring them or catching your hand so that you are dragged.
• Never stand directly behind a horse. If you are grooming its tail, stand to one side and pull the tail gently over.
• When cleaning a horse's hooves or putting on leg bandages, don't squat or kneel. Bend over so that if the horse moves you can get out of the way quickly.
• Never loop lead ropes, longe lines, or reins around your hands or any other body part. If your horse pulls away, you could be dragged.
• Feed treats from buckets or tubs. Horses can very quickly become greedy and mistake fingers for carrots.
• Wear sturdy shoes or boots that will protect your feet if your horse or pony steps on them. No sandals or thin shoes!
• When tying use a quick release knot or panic snap so that if your horse gets scared and pulls he can quickly be freed. The feeling of being constrained can make a scared horse panic to the point of hurting himself or you.
• The safest place to stand is beside your horse's shoulder where you can see each other, or about 10 or more feet away.
• When grooming, saddling up, or cleaning your horse's stall, tie your horse up. A loose horse in a barn can cause havoc. And don't leave a tied horse unattended.
• When going through a doorway, make sure the door is wide open so the horse doesn't hit itself on it. This can startle the horse and result in you being trampled or dragged.

http://horses.about.com/od/basiccare/a/horsesafety.htm

Care from books including tack & stable management: