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The Horse Care section provides useful information for people just starting out and learning about horses / ponies or for the experienced horse owner. We all have a duty of care to our horses and therefore it is essential that we are well informed. Learning about how to best care for your horse is a good investment, you will have a healthier, happier horse and it will save you time and money.
It can all seam very confusing as to which methods to follow and who to listen to when it comes to horse care. This section will help you make informed choices. If you are looking for one to one advice / tuition and you live in Warwickshire I am available for private tuition. I have extensive experience of teaching, for many years I was the head instructor at a local riding school. I am qualified to teach to degree level and I have lectured up to degree level for 2 universities. I have wide experience in teaching traditional riding and horse management methods and a wide range of natural horsemanship techniques. To find out more please call Vicki Jayne Maris on 07930605544 or e-mail vmaris@tiscali.co.uk Topics covered on this page are:-
The signs of good health
All horses are individuals therefore it is essential you become familiar with what is their normal behaviour. The vital signs for horses can vary slightly from one horse to another so get to know what is normal for your horse. Horses are grazing animals, trickle feeders. A content happy horse should have a good appetite. The expression to eat like a horse should spring to mind. Some horses are fussy eaters, some suffer from stress and this can affect a their appetite this is why it is important to know what is normal for each horse as turning away from a feed could be a sign of illnesses.
A bright and alert horse with a calm confident attitude is another . It's movements will be free, smooth and level with a spring in it's step. When standing still it should be able to rest all it's weight evenly on all four limbs. It is normal for many horses to rest a hind leg and alternate to rest the other hind leg when resting. Standing with the weight displaced, e.g - pointing a toe or standing with the weight shifting backwards indicates a problem.
Bodily condition should be noted and monitored, a horse should neither be fat or thin. It is good practice to condition score horses and to use a tape measure to monitor it's weight. A thick winter coat can hide a loss of condition, it is essential to not only look but to feel. Condition scoring is about assessing the amount of body fat. The scale used is from 0 to 5. 0 = emaciated, 1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 = fat and 5 = very obese. To condition score a horse you need to look at 3 areas the neck, the barrell (rib cage and back ) and the pelvis. To calculate the overall condition score of your horse you would score each area separately and then work out the average. This method along with using a weigh tape and adjusting the horses diet will help ensure your horse maintains a healthy weight. To find out more about condition scoring and to download The International League for the Protection of Horses fat scoring podcast please click here to visit the ILPH website and follow the instructions. For more information about the ILPH Right Weight Road Show or to arrange for the team to come to your yard, contact Samantha Lewis on 01953 497217.
Healthy horses glow, they have a shiney coat that gleams, lies flat and is smooth (you may have to brush the mud off first to find it!). The skin should be elastic and supple. The legs should be free of injury, the tendons hard and well defined, and cool to the touch. The joints should be well defined free from abnormal lumps, bumps and swellings. A healthy horse will have feet that are well shaped, balanced with resilient, sound horn, free from flaking, cracks or deformities. The eyes should be open, clean and clear with salmon pink mucous membranes. The nostrils should be dry and clean. The gums should be salmon pink, with the teeth even and in good condition. Horse's teeth need routine attention to keep them healthy.
A horse's droppings can be a good indicator to health. Droppings vary from moist, slightly oval, mucus covered balls to soft, sloppy green cowpats when a horse has eaten rich spring grass or hard, round bullets when stabled and the diet is low in fibre. The cause of diarrhoea or bad-smelling droppings should always be investigated. Urine is another indicator of health: often it is pale in colour and clear, it can also be darker or slightly cloudy. Back to the top of the page.
Routine vaccination prevents horses falling ill. All horses should be vaccinated against tetanus. It is a very distressing disease and usually fatal unless the horse is treated aggressively with antitoxin at an early stage. Vaccination against influenza is particulary important for horses coming into contact with each other, e.g. at competative events, livery yards, riding schools etc... Horses can also be protected against equine herpes virus 1 and 4. Your local vet will be able to offer you advice in vaccination of your horse to suit your circumstances. Back to top of the page.
Regular worming is essential as parasitic worms are a major cause of un-thriftiness, and high levels of infestation can result in serious illness, and sometimes death. There are a number of different worming products on the market, in different forms such as liquid, paste, granules, or powder. It is recommended that owners follow a good worming programme along with good pasture management. Good pasture management should include not over stocking a pasture, resting the pasture, rotating the pasture with other animals e.g. sheep, goats, cows, worm all horses that share pasture on the same day with the same wormer, and pick up the droppings from the field on a regular basis. To reduce a worm burden it also helps to keep your stable clean and do not feed your horse directly off the stable floor. Any new horse to a group should be wormed on arrival and stabled for 48 hours before joining the group. It is good practice to have your horse's dropping analysed for a worm count. Coming soon will be more information about faecal egg counts. Many horse owners find worming a confusing business. For example with red worms there are: - inhibited encysted small red worms, large red worms and small red worms. Horses can carry pin worms, lung worms, thread worms, large round worms, bots, and tapeworm! No wonder we get in a muddle!
In basic terms there are three types of internal parasites, roundworms, tapeworms and bots. Roundworms are the largest group. They are cylindrical in shape. They include lung worm, thread worm, large round worms, inhibited encysted small red worms, large red worms and small red worms. Best times to treat: Some manufacturers recommend a routine wormer all year, other suggest for the grazing season.
Tapeworms are a type of flatworm and there are three species that horses can carry these are:- anoplocephala perfoliata, anoplocephala magna and anoplocephala mamillana. Best times to treat are March / April and September / October. Some products must be given as a double dose therefore carefully read instructions.
Bots are not worms but the larvea of the insect of the horse bot fly. Best time to treat is in the winter after a sharp frost - this will have killed the adult flies.
There are four chemical families for horse wormers:-
Macrocyclic Lactones – Moxidectin and Ivermectin. Treats bots, small red worms, large red worms and lung worms.
Pyrimidines–Pyrantel Embonates. Treats large round worms, large red worms, small red worms, seat worms/pin worms and tapeworms (all species).
Benzimidazoles– Fenbendazole and Mebendazole. Treats round worms, large red worms and small red worms. NB: only fenbendazole based: Panacur Equine 5 Day Guard and Equest are licenced for the treatment of encysted small red worms.
Isoquinoline Pyrazine– Praziquantel. Treats all three species of tapeworm.
Treatment periods
Moxidectin – every 13 weeks
Ivermectin – every 8 – 10 weeks
Pyrantel – every 4 – 8 weeks
Fenbendazole – every 6 – 8 weeks
Mebendazole – every 6 weeks
Here is an example of a worming programme
Winter after the frosts (Decemeber / January) treatment for bots.
Spring (March / April) treatment for tapeworms.
Summer (May) routine wormer.
Summer (July) routine wormer.
Autumn (September / October) treatment for tapeworms.
Winter (November) treatment for encysted small red worms.
Each year you should rotate the chemical groups in the main wormers you use. If you wish to download an example of a 3 year worming programme please click here. Coming soon on this page will be links to companies that can provide you with all the latest information about worming for your horse and provide you with a worming programme. Back to top of the page.It is good practice to pick out the horse's feet daily. Some horses have very good feet others have poor quality horn and may require a hoof supplement. Coming soon on this site will be links to experts on hoof supplements. There are also a very wide range of hoof dressings available to support a healthy foot and this website will have links to these sites very soon. A horse's foot needs to be balanced in relation to the whole limb therefore it is essential that horses are regularly seen by a qualified farrier as the hoof continually grows. Most horses need their feet to be trimmed every 5 to 6 weeks. There is a lot of debate as to barefoot verses shoes. Below is some information that you should find useful in helping you to decide. There are many things to consider when deciding if your horse would be better off with or without shoes. These include:-
It is important to note the law in relation to farriery. Farriers must be registered, The Farriers Registration Council maintains a Register of Farriers. To find out more about The Farriers Registration Council click here. Registered Farriers are qualified either by examination, and / or training and / or experience to carry out work safely and competently. Unregistered persons carrying out farriery are committing a criminal offence. If you use an unregistered person you could find you have no comeback in law, and if you need to make a claim on your insurance if the horse was lamed or damaged as a result of an unregistered farrier it can invalidated your policy. Farriery means “any work in connection with the preparation or treatment of the foot of a horse for the immediate reception of a shoe thereon, the fitting by nailing or otherwise of a shoe to the foot or the finishing off of such work to the foot”. Farriers (Registration) Act 1975. This means that just trimming the hoof so long as a shoe is not fitted is not covered by the act and is therefore not regulated. Therefore simple trimming and rasping of horse’s feet is allowed by lay persons. However please note radical trimming and reshaping of the horse’s feet can in un-trained hands have the potential to cause significant discomfort, pain, lameness and long term damage to the hooves. Bare foot has become very popular in recent years, and for some horses it is the best option. (Both my horses are now bare foot) However recently there have been a lot of cases of horses that have been trimmed by lay people using “bare foot” techniques hitting the news as criminal cruelty cases. A registered farrier has undertaken years of training and is regulated by a code of conduct. A lay person offering to trim horse’s feet may or may not have undertaken training. The training will not be of the same standard as that studied by a farrier. Some people offering triming may have taken no training! Therefore you need to consider if the lay person offering trimming is qualificatied to work on your horse. You will not have the same level of protection as using a farrier as the lay person will not be registered or covered by a code of conduct. Please note all registered farriers are able to trim hooves and provide advice on keeping your horse bare foot as well as shoe horses. To find a local farrier please visit the The Farriers Registration Council website by clicking here. On the website you will also find lots of useful information on the qualifications your local farriers hold. The Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) has the general responsibility of securing adequate standards of competence and conduct among persons engaged in farriery. It also promotes the art, science, training and education of farriery. It is the examining body for farriery qualifications, and promotes continual professional development. For more information please visit their website by clicking here.
Horses teeth continue to grow during their life time, the wear to the teeth can be uneven and many horses develop sharp edges on their teeth that then can result in painful cuts and ulcers in the mouth. This can result in the horse changing their eating habits these include: The horse may drop feed from its’ mouth while eating, take in water from the water bucket while trying to eat, hold it’s head to the side, act as if something is stuck in it’s cheek or not eat at all. Horses that have dental problems often end up rolling the food into balls which end up dropped on the floor. You may also notice the horse may have an unpleasant breath or may have a swollen face. Sharp teeth can cause resistance to the bit, head shyness and development of head tossing. Some horses will rear when ridden if they have pain due to sharp teeth. These bad habits can be difficult to cure once established. Poor dental health can make a horse struggle to keep on condition and can affect performance. An adult horse should have its’ teeth checked at least once a year by a vet or qualified equine dentist. Growing young horses and old horses will need more regular inspections. Your vet or your local Equine Dental Technician can advise you. Back to top of the page. Sometimes it is obvious when to call in a vet. Sometimes symptoms can be less obvious however immediate attention from a vet may be urgently required. It is false economy to ignore injury or illness as early treatment from a vet can ensure a faster recovery and prevent more serious and long term illness developing. The following information is only a guide to help you decide when to call in the vet.
Urgent - Call the vet immediately
The list of symptoms is not exhaustive. If you think your horse has one or more of these symptoms you should contact your vet as it could be an emergency that requires an urgent visit from your vet. It is strongly advised that if you are at all concerned about the health of your horse that you contact your vet.
Serious injury e.g. from a road accident, or serious fall, or from accident in the field, yard, stable etc…. This includes major wounds, wounds requiring stitching, bleeding heavily, burns, collapse or loss of balance, continuous pain, severe lameness, wounds to joints, deep puncture wounds, unable to stand or bear weight. This also includes continuous bleeding from mouth, nostrils, rectum, vagina, penis, or an arterial bleed (i.e. blood squirting out in a stream) etc…
Severe lameness e.g. You should be guided by the degree of lameness rather than swelling. A horse that hardly puts weight on the leg should be seen by the vet urgently. Other symptoms to look for include the horse reluctant to pick up his feet, leaning back onto the heels “laminitic stance”, bleeding heavily, deep puncture wounds, unable to stand or bear weight, multiple limb non-weight bearing lameness and wounds to joints. When the bone might be injured, a fracutre, the bone maybe exposed, or the leg has an abnormal shape or the limb is abnormally floppy, urgent attention is required. Severe lameness and significant sweating, agitation, pain, refusal to eat, or depression are also signs the horse should be seen urgently by the vet.
Severe abdominal pain / colic e.g. continuous or spasmodic colic pain, horse getting up and down, rolling, biting or kicking at flanks, pawing the ground, sweating, increased pulse and respiration rates, straining / attempting to defecate or urinate with no result etc…
Collapse or loss of balance e.g. staggering, walking in circles, unable to get to feet, muscle tremors, rigidity, paddling movements with the legs, coma, over-reaction to outside stimuli, depression, fitting etc….. If your horse is staggering or has trouble staying on his/her feet call the vet.
Severe muscle pain e.g. horse unable to move, hind quarter muscles become swollen and hard, sweating, increased pulse and respiration rates, discoloured urine, abnormal swelling and or heat, continuous pain etc…
Difficulty breathing / choking e.g. Choke where coupled with obvious distress, extended head and neck, gasping, noisy breathing, blue tongue, salivation, coughing, grunting, pawing the ground in distress, saliva and food coughed up through the nose / mouth, laboured wheezy breathing, swollen glands making breathing difficult, etc…
Severe diarrhea e.g. horse has continuous and/or painful, putrid and fluid diarrhea.
Fever A horse's normal body temperature ranges between 99 degrees F (37.7 degrees C) and 101.5 degrees F (38.6 degrees C). If your horse's temperature is significantly above or below the normal range call the vet.
Painful eye teary, lid partially or completely closed, the white part of the eye red, or the surface of the eye is cloudy or sudden onset of blindness. Refusal to eat Severe pain or swelling in any part of the body
Birthing difficulties Poisoning
Blood in the urine
Burns
Less serious conditions that will still need a visit from the vet include:-
The conditions listed here need prompt attention from a vet but are not as urgent as the ones listed above. Always contact your vet if you are not sure about your horse’s health or if you believe that your horse is not well or its’ condition is deteriorating. Low grade fever
Lameness that is weight bearing Intermittent and slight lameness
Superficial injuries and wounds Dermatitis (skin problems)
Itching
Slight eye discharge
Persistent coughing
Nasal discharge
Mild colic
Filled leg and lameness Vague ill health e.g. poor appetite or reduced appetite Anything else out of the ordinary
Not every equine injury or ailment requires a frantic phone call to your vet. However your vet will always be happy to discuss with you your concerns about your horse’s welfare.
Grooming Grooming is an essential part of maintaining good health for your horse. Grooming enables you to check for injuries, the first signs of disease and overall condition. A horse needs to be groomed before he is ridden as dirt can cause abrasion. It also enables you to judge how your horse is feeling before you ride. Grooming is like a massage as it stimulates the blood supply to the skin. It also helps with bonding with your horse. It enables you to become familiar with what is normal for your horse and any subtle changes can be useful information. During times when you may not be grooming every day you need to make a careful daily inspection using your eyes and hands. You should check from nose to toes!
Before you start to groom a horse you should be fully aware of how to handle a horse safely. If you are un-experienced or not confident handling a horse grooming can be potentially dangerous. It is best that you gain skills in handling with expert guidance. Your local riding school should be able to offer you training in how to handle, safely tie and groom a horse. Learning how to groom safely and correctly is very important and several grooming lessons at your local riding school should teach you the basics. There are excellent training courses run by colleges and some riding schools that will teach you more advanced grooming e.g. clipping, and show preparation.  The Grooming Kit
A grooming kit consists of a number of different brushes, tools and grooming products that help to keep your horse clean. Different brushes are used for different jobs. Listed below are the most common items which form a basic grooming kit. Plastic or Rubber Curry Comb
A useful tool for removing mud and loose hair, it is used for removing the worst of the mud.
Dandy Brush
This brush has coarse, stiff bristles and is used for removing mud and dry sweat.
The Plastic or Rubber Curry Comb and Dandy Brush are not recommended for use on the mane or tail as it can thin the hair very quickly. Thin skinned or clipped horses can find these brushes too harsh.
Body Brush
This brush has softer bristles and is used to remove dust and grease from the coat. It is useful for brushing out the mane and tail. The dust and grease are removed from the brush by scraping the brush against the metal curry comb.
Metal Curry Comb
This is used with the body brush (as above) and should not be used on the horse.
Water Brush
Is used when washing the horse, it is also useful in dampening the mane or tail.
Mane Comb
These are available in metal and plastic and in a range of sizes. The longer teeth combs are used for combing the mane and tail. Short metal mane combs are used to pull manes. There are a range of combs that are used to cut and thin the mane.
Hoof Pick
A hoof Pick is used for cleaning out dirt and stones from the hooves. These are available in a range of designs some have a stiff handy brush incorporated into the hoof pick.
Sponges
Several are required as they are used for cleaning eyes, nose and dock. A minimum of 4 is required. They need to be carefully marked as left eye, right eye, nose and dock and not mixed up.
Sweat Scraper
This is used to scrape away sweat or excess water after washing.
Stable Rubber
This is a linen drying up cloth used to give a horse a final shine and polish.
Bot Knife
Used for removing bot eggs.
Weight Tape
Essential for monitoring your horse’s weight.
Long Handled Washing up Brush
Useful for cleaning your horse’s hooves.
Mane and Tail De-tangler and Coat Shine
A small amount applied to the horse’s coat, mane and tail gives a finishing touch and helps to prevent mud sticking. Don’t apply in the saddle area as it can cause the saddle to slip.
Fly Repellent
During the spring and summer months when biting flies are a problem. This is a must have product to keep your horse happy.
Hoof Product
There are many hoof products available. It is a matter of choosing the most appropriate product for your horse’s hoof requirements.
Grooming Kit Box
This is a container to store all your grooming tools. There are many designs available.
   There are many super grooming products available and coming soon will be links to other websites so you can check out the latest designs and innovations.
Not all horses and ponies need to be clipped. Therefore you need to ask yourself the following questions before you decide if you need to clip your horse.
Horses are clipped to enable them to work comfortably and to maintain health. A full winter coat can cause a horse to sweat heavily and loose condition. Horses that sweat into a full winter coat can take a long time to dry off and can get chilled. It is also easier to keep the horse clean.
The first clip is usually done during the autumn when the horse’s winter coat has come in. The horse will then need to be regularly re-clipped usually up to the end of January. Some horses that are in hard work are clipped all year round. Horses that fail to shed their winter coat are also clipped in the summer months. If your horse suffers from this condition it should be brought to the attention of your vet.
There are many clip designs and you can adapt and combine designs. It is best to only remove as much hair as required. Here is information on various clips: Bib Clip: A narrow strip of hair is removed from the underside of the neck to the chest between the front legs. Dealer Clip: The hair is removed from the underside of the neck, the chest and belly and no hair is removed from the quarters as it finishes at the flank. The head can be half clipped, fully clipped or not clipped at all. Trace clip: This clip removes hair from the underside of the neck, the belly and the quarters in a straight line. The head can be half clipped, fully clipped or not clipped at all. Blanket clip: The neck and flanks are clipped and this leaves an area of hair that looks like blanket over the back and hind-quarters. The head can be half clipped, or fully clipped. Hunter clip: This clip leaves only a small area of hair in the saddle area. The head is usually fully clipped it can be can be half clipped. All the above clip designs leave the leg hair remaining for warmth and protection. Full clip: The whole of the coat is removed, including body, legs and head.
Safety tips
Some things to consider before you start:
Clipping is an unnatural experience for a horse and horses can react unpredictably. Therefore you need to experienced at handling horses and so does your helper. If your horse is upset by clipping he can become very dangerous. You can decide to take time to re-educate him, this can take a long time, lots of patience and you may need professional advice. Or you can try using a twitch or have your vet sedate him. If you select sedation you will need a very experienced person to clip who can work quickly.
It is worth introducing your horse to clippers carefully well before you start to clip. Training your horse to be confident and relaxed about being clipped can take you time over a number of weeks / months but in the long run will make your horse easier to clip. Let your horse inspect the clippers while they are switched off and judge his reaction. Is he happy for you to place them on his body while they are switched off? You need to get to the stage that he is happy to have them rubbed over his body while switched off before moving on to the next stage. Once he is confident and happy with this switch the clippers on and let him become familiar with hearing the clippers running. Check your horse's reaction to the noise and again wait until he is confident and happy with this before moving on to the next stage. Then you can get him used to the feel of the clippers and the vibration by putting your hand on his shoulder and the clippers onto the back of your hand. Wait until he is confident and happy with this before moving on to the next stage. The next step is to run the switched on clippers over his body without cutting any hair. If he is happy with this you and your horse are ready to clip.
A guide to the equipment you will need:
A clipped horse is more susceptible to rubs from the girth, the reins, rugs etc…keep an eye on your horse and try to prevent rubbing by using girth sleeves, rug bibs etc.
There is an excellent in-expensive Clipping Guide that will guide you through the techniques for clipping. It is Allen Photographioc Guides - Clipping by Carolyn and John Henderson. ISBN 0.85131.660.3 Published by J.A. Allen & Comapny.
There are is wide selection of clippers available coming soon to the site will be links for you to find out more. You can take steps to help prevent your horse and your belongings from being stolen. On this page we will highlight a few simple steps you or livery yard can take. It will also be useful for you to check these out when selecting a livery yard to keep your horse.
Gateways The first line of defense is the gate to the property. A strong well secured gate will act as a deterrent. The gate should be secured at the opening side with a strong lock and chain. The hinge side needs securing as gates can be lifted off their hinges and opened. It is good practice to take the same security measures with all field gates and the yard gate.
Tack The tack room is often a target for thieves. Therefore the tack room needs to be strongly constructed and the access door needs to be strong and secured with a study lock. There are many products on the market to improve the security of the tack room these include door grills, intruder alarms, security lighting, security cameras etc… The yard needs to adopt a security code of practice of locking the door when not in use. In side the tack room you can secure your belongings inside locked tack boxes / tack safes that are bolted to the walls, there are several designs on the market. There are cheaper alternatives e.g. saddle racks with built in locks. There are security identification kits available for marking your property. Keep an inventory of your equipment and keep it at home. The display of signs advising that security measures are in place can also act as deterrent. Tools and equipment should be stored where they cannot be used to force entry.
Horse Boxes and Trailers Your horse box or trailer is another item thieves would be very interested in. Not only for the resale value of the item but they can also use it to carry off stolen property including horses. Ideally horseboxes and trailers should be stored out of sight. (Best not to advertise them) They should be secured with anti theft devices. There are many designs available these include wheel clamps, wheel lock bolts, ground anchors, padlocks, alarms etc… There are also T – posts that fit into the A frame at the front of trailers. You can get your trailer security tagged. Horse boxes can be fitted with an immobilising device. You could paint a postcode or security code marking on the roof of the trailer or horsebox or have engraved your postcode in a corner. Keep a file of your documents and details of your trailer / horse box at home this should include a note of chassis numbers and any special markings on vehicles. This file should also include a photographic record of your trailer / horse box with clear images of all sides as it can help in its’ recovery. In the area the horse boxes and trailers are parked good security measures can be put in place e.g. removable security posts, security lighting, an alarm system and security cameras could be installed.
Tips to help prevent your horse being stolen:
Coming soon to the website will be links to experts in equine security. Horse Passports have brought the UK in line with laws across Europe. It is now a legal requirement for all horses to have a passport. It is an offence to not to have a passport for your horse and you could face a fine of £5,000! If you haven’t got a passport for your horse you must apply for a passport. There are a number of Passport Issuing Organisations and DEFRA has a list on their website click here to view the list. Defra also provide lots of useful information and answers to commonly asked questions relating to Horse Passports click here to view this information. Sharing / Loaning a Horse or Pony For many horse owners who maybe struggling to exercise / look after their horses loaning or sharing their horse is a better alternative to selling their horse. For the person looking to share or loan a horse it also has advantages. There is no outlay in purchasing a horse and often the horse has all the tack and equipment supplied.
However both parties should think very carefully before entering into a loan or share agreement. For the sharer / loanee they need to consider do they have the time, experience, expertise, knowledge, money and comitment to take on a horse / pony. For the horse owner you need to be careful who you loan your horse to – it has been known for loanees to sell horses or ponies on without informing the owner. Therefore if you don't know the loaner well you should consider taking up references.
For the safety of all concerned it is best to have a formal share / loan agreement drawn up before the share / loan starts. You can draw up your own contract. There are example contracts available to use as a starting point, a good example is available on the British Horse Society website along with an information leaflet – click here to find out more. It is advised to get your loan / share agreement checked over by a legal adviser before it is signed and witnessed to ensure it is a sound and legally binding document.
If you ride horses, own a horse or pony, run a livery yard, run a riding school, teach riding etc…insurance cover is essential in case anything should go wrong. Accidents can and do happen and horses can become ill requiring veterinary care. Insurance companies can offer you an insurance package to meet your requirements. It is best to shop around and gather a number of quotes to compare prices and the packages being offered. Below is some basic information on insurance:
Rider Insurance Horse riders can take out insurance cover to protect themselves from the risks involved in riding even if they don't own a horse. Below are the basic things you may want included in your policy:
Private Horse / Pony Owners
Riding establishments and livery yard insurance Rider Registration Form - a form that riders must fill out themselves regarding their level of experience and competence. Instructor/Escort Details Horse/Pony Assessment These forms enable you to collect key information which insurers will need. They are concise and ask all the right questions. To visit the BHS website to find out more click here Coming soon to the site will be links to insurance companies for you to finds out more information.
The Horse Care Directory is currently under construction, it has a few entries and the aim is to expand this directory in the very near future. It will contain links to companies and organisations that will be able to provide advice on horse care or information on products or services that maybe of interest to you.
If you are interested in promoting your company / organisation it’s products or services in the Horse Care Directory please click here to contact us. The National Horse and Pony Network is able to offer companies / organisations a whole page entry, this can include text and images and a link to your website.
Do you want to take advantage of sponsoring the National Horse and Pony Network? The package would include advertising space at the end of each page on the site. Interested? Please contact us.
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