Congratulations! You are the proud owner of a horse!

Ideally a friend or trainer will be helping you outfit yourself and your horse with the proper equipment, but here is a quick guide on the Must-Have Items for First Time Horse Owners that will help get you started on your own!

Halter: The halter is the simplest, but probably one of the most important pieces of equipment. Without it you can’t do much with your horse. Having your own halter eliminates the need to borrow from a friend or your barn. It’s your choice on whether you want a rope, nylon, or leather halter. Rope halters are best for training, so decide accordingly depending on where your horse is in his training.

Grooming Kit: You will want to build your own grooming kit that includes a curry comb, body brush, hair brush, hoof pick, and metal curry (or something to help get mud and shedding hair off your horse). Those are the basics. From there, you can have fun and continue to add to your grooming kit!

Fly Spray/Fly Mask: Where there are horses, there will be flies. It is worthwhile to invest in a good fly mask to help protect your horse’s eyes and face from flies during the summer. Fly masks also come with ear protections which prevents small gnats from getting inside the horse’s ears. If your horse has a white face you’ll want to get a UV protected fly mask to keep your horse from getting sunburned.

Fly spray is helpful to prevent the horse being irritated from flies on his body and especially his legs. Fly spray is very helpful to apply right before you ride or work with your horse. He won’t be so distracted by the irritating flies and will be able to focus more on what you are asking of him.

Tack: If you have bought a horse to ride you will want a saddle, saddle pad, and bridle. The bridle includes a bit (unless you decide to go with a bitless bridle) headstall, and reins, which you may need to buy separately. Make sure you bring someone knowledgeable with you or go to a tack shop that will help you decide on the best equipment to use on your horse. The saddle MUST fit the horse. If the saddle is not a good fit you will be dealing with a sore, grumpy horse, so best to have a good fit right from the start.

Ointments: It’s a good idea to have some sort of wound ointment of your own for when your horse comes up with minor cuts or scrapes. There are many wound care ointments to choose from. Some of the best and most popular are SWAT, Veterinary Cream, and Noble Outfitters Wound Care.

(photo taken from Pinterest)

“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.” – William Shakespeare

~ Saddle Up