Horses are remarkable animals, and if you wish to own one, you are sure to enjoy many hours with this special animal. However, the care and maintenance of equine animals can be quite a bit more taxing than caring for a cat or dog. Before you purchase a horse, consider the following realities of horse care.

Unless you have been riding horses for years and are in constant contact with these animals, don’t buy a horse until you know how to handle one. Even if you were a champion horse rider twenty years ago but have not been on a horse since then, reacquaint yourself with the proper horse procedures. You need to feel confident about riding, grooming and all other aspects of taking care of your horse, as well as gaining the animal’s trust. Obviously the horse you meet during lessons will have different traits than the one you buy, but the more comfortable you are with horses in general, the better you will be as a horse owner. Consider including your children and spouse in these lessons, as well, especially if they will be heavily involved with the animal.

When buying a horse, you will really need to consider temperament. For beginners, it is really not wise to select a horse that will be difficult to handle. Spend some time with the horse you wish to purchase and decide whether or not your personalities are truly a good match. For beginners, a nice docile mare can be ideal, but again every horse is different.

Before you purchase, you need to know where you will be keeping your horse. If you are fortunate enough to actually have your own horse barn, you can keep the horse on your property. Otherwise, you will need to do some research and find a good stable with a good reputation. Ask your instructor to offer some recommendations for stables, as well as ideas about which equine veterinarian you should use. Also ask about what supplies you will need to purchase. Obviously you will need a saddle and other related supplies, as well as food, grooming items and much more.

Just like people and all other pets, clean water is an essential part of life for your horse. Unlike people and dogs and cats, keeping the source of water clean is a bit more challenging when it comes to horses. After all, it’s easy to rinse and clean a dog dish, but a stock tank is large and heavy, and really can’t be cleaned day to day. However, there are some safe products that will keep the water clean and are easy to use.

Your first step should be to start out with a clean tank. Rinse is thoroughly and fill it with fresh clean water. Then add a product such as the Healthy Ponds Stock Tank Water Cleaner. This is a dispenser that contains a pack full of beneficial bacteria. This non-toxic, chemical-free bacteria naturally goes to work to reduce sludge and organic material. Each bacteria pack lasts for 30 days and treats up to 300 gallons of water. This product is veterinarian approved and safe for horses, all wildlife and people, as well.

Roland Stockwell loves blogging about natural products. To find some good products to keep your stock tank clean, or to know further about other products like horse water tank cleaner, please visit the Bioverse site today.