Bringing Your New Horse Home

riding arenas? Is there a busy lesson program that will prevent you from using the arena at the times you are usually available to ride?
What services are included in board? It may or may not include blanket changes holding for vetfarrier deworming 23 meals per day stall cleaning bedding and feed. In some situations you may have to provide your own feed.
Do they use a boardingliability contract? These important legal documents protect both parties. They should clarify basic management details what will happen if there is an emergency with your horse can they make medical decisions if they cant get in touch with you? minimum notice for both parties to leaveterminate the contract and what happens if you are latedelinquent with board payments. Ask for a copy of the contract and read it carefully making sure you are comfortable with everything outlined.
Preparing for the Arrival
Once you have decided where to keep your horse you may need to make a few other preparations. Your horse will need some basic items like a halter lead rope grooming tools and first aid items. Ask a mentor for advice on selecting these as there are many different options and they may let you try out theirs. If riding the horse will need tack like a saddle bridle bit and saddle pads. Illfitting tack can cause pain and a poor attitude so consult a professional to make sure it fits correctly. If keeping the horse at home you will need miscellaneous farm items like feed and water buckets wheelbarrows pitchforks shovels hoses and brooms.
You will need to determine horse transport logistics are you picking up the horse is the seller delivering him or will you hire someone to transport him? There are some wellknown nationwide haulers that you can hire. Make sure to look up

reviews on any company you choose. Your mentor would be a good resource for local advice. Determine if the horse will come with a halter and lead rope or if you should bring your own. Sellers typically do not include tack with the horse. Bell boots and shipping wrapsboots are also a good idea especially on long trips.
Make sure you have everything worked out with the seller including transportation logistics form of payment and what paperwork you will be receiving. You will want any breed registration papers a negative Coggins test a health certificate typically required if crossing state lines past health records and a bill of sale. Find out what feed the horse is on and try to find the same product. If you cant you might ask if the seller can provide you with a weeks worth of the horses current hay andor grain to make the feed change gradually and hopefully avoid a colic episode.
The Big Day
Whether your horse is being delivered to you or you are picking him up make sure you do not forget the paperwork accompanying the horse. The move may be stressful for him so dont be surprised if he doesnt settle right away. Before releasing him into his pasture for the first time it can be helpful to lead him around the fenceline in hand so he knows where the boundaries are. He may run around in the pasture snorting or neighing. This is normal and it may take a few hours for the horse to calm down. Be extra careful if you are interacting with the horse at this time as they may act more excited than usual.
The barn owner may insist on quarantining your new horse for up to 3 weeks. This is to make sure he isnt bringing any