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6 Essential Items Your Horse Paddock Needs

There is no denying that horse riding is one of life’s great pleasures. But, what about owning horses yourself? Having your own stables with horses takes this joy one step further as you get to care for your animals, know them, and care for them. It isn’t always an easy task, though. Caring for horses is hard work and takes lots of commitment, though it is definitely worth it. With caring for your own horses in mind, we’ve put together a list of 6 essential items your horse paddock needs, for both the beginner and more experienced horse trainer.

1. Clothing

Of course, when riding and caring for your horses, it is essential to dress properly. As the experts over at ayrequestrian.com/ say in their blog, “Proper equestrian clothing is not only designed to look great but also be the most functional and protective clothing for all your horse care needs.” You need your proper clothing for both riding and caring for your horses. Boots, helmets, jackets, and more will all keep you warm, protected, and stylish while looking after your animals.

2. Horse Tack

Horse tack is the collection of items you need for actually riding your horse. This corner of the paddock, therefore, should contain your saddles, stirrups, reins, boots, bridle, and any other items required for you and your horse’s comfort whilst riding. These are expensive and essential items so be sure they are kept in a safe place, cleaned, and looked after properly. You wouldn’t want to ride a broken saddle! When it comes to clothing and accessories, shop at a specialist store to ensure you’re getting high-quality, proper equestrian gear.

3. Grooming Brush

One of the most important parts of looking after your horses properly is grooming. There are so many items required for the proper maintenance of a horse’s coat, teeth, eyes, and more. But, if we had to choose one essential item you shouldn’t be without, it has to be the grooming brush. Daily grooming of the horse’s coat and mane do more for the horse than help it look good. Grooming helps their skin and hair keep healthy, and helps to avoid common illnesses horses can pick up such as thrush, infected scratches, and other skin irritations. Daily grooming is absolutely an essential part of horse care, so you should never be without a great brush.

4. Hoof Pick

Of course, we also had to pick an item important for the horse’s hooves. These creatures are huge and heavy, before even carrying saddles and humans on their backs, so they need some foot care, especially if you’re keeping them busy. Using a hoof pick you can delicately remove any dirt, stones, or other debris that has caught in your horse’s hooves. Regular foot care also helps ensure that you are regularly checking the horse’s feet for any cuts or blisters that could become problems if ignored. So, you definitely need a good hoof pick in your stables!

5. Feed Buckets and Troughs

It goes without saying that grand creatures like horses eat a lot of food! Horses live mainly off roughage – grass, hay, and some grains. Horses require plenty of real dense grass and hay to digest, but some grain mixed in to give sustenance is also okay. Feeding your horses enough calories whilst they are in their paddock means quite a lot of heavy lifting, so you’ll need some buckets. They don’t need to be expensive, though. Any good durable bucket will do. Your horses also need something to eat out of! Most people buy a deep trough and fill it daily. Again, nothing fancy needed. Something big and sturdy may be fixed to the ground, so it can’t be tipped over.

6. Pitchforks and Cleaning Tools

Finally, you will need a couple of durable farm tools to keep your horse’s paddock clean. Pitchforks are extremely useful for picking up hay for feed, as well as helping shift bedding and muck. A wheelbarrow is also useful for bringing manure and dirty bedding out of the stables once you have picked it all up with the pitchfork. Finally, a standard broom is a necessity. With that much hay, grass, and grain around the place, you’ll definitely have some sweeping to do!

Within those six areas you have just about everything you’ll ever need for your horse paddock. Luckily, it doesn’t all cost the earth, so you can get your stables kitted out for less money than you may have imagined. It won’t be long before your paddock is filled and both you and your horses are super happy.

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