Sarah:

well to be honest you have to be more specific. Are you wanting to get a horse and want to know more in that area? or do you want to get riding tips? what about the horse health care etc? There are plenty of things to learn about horses, sometime you have to narrow it down to what you want to learn specifically.

buggys:

first of all you will need a budget how much will it cost you to feed the horse for a year and how much will the horse cost you and then were will you keep it and how much time will you be able to spend working with it and then you need to become familiar with all the things that it will need like tack and shots and the time that you will ride it horses are a very expensive animal to maintain and they are social animals that require a lot of time and energy think this all over before you take the big step

tljmom:

I started taking care of horses about a year and half ago, i didn’t know much either, but one thing I did learn is you must get to know the horse that you plan to spend time with, and spending time is important, just siting and watching them will teach you things watching how they act around people and other horses will teach you, seeing there reactions and soak in all that they do and make it important, when you finally get to know your horse, you will feel comfortable around him or her and they will trust you, there for making them comfortable around you. Having a understanding with your horse will be rewarding and make for a wonderful pet.

horse_lover <3:

well they can be a hand full sometimes but its worth it now its a good thing that your asking this question because then you will know how to take care of a horse better i think you should learn some first aid , get lessons it will teach you about the horse and riding , another option is asking people who own horses to help you with this or you could just read from a book
i think you should be more specific on your question so i can answer this way better next time..

hope it helps .

Rebecca M:

It’s great you want to know more… the great thing about horses is that there is so much to learn and a lifetime to learn it – while having fun doing it!

Some basics I consider my beginner students should learn:
Riding – saddle and bridle the horse, proper placement of the saddle on the back, saddle fit, bridle fit, mounting, emergency dismount. Walk and trot, with proper positioning of the body (look up Centered Riding by Sally Swift or Connected Riding for more info on this).

If English – posting trot to the correct diagonal. Canter – giving the proper canter aids and knowing the correct lead. At all gaits of W-T-C be able to circle of a specific shape and size, go straight, and reverse/change of directions. The test is can do this w/o hugging the rail for support.

Most beginner’s mistakes at this point – is leaning forward, leaning too far back, leg too far forward, leg not strong enough to maintain position, hands too tight or too lose. All of these things have to be worked on in the saddle under a good instructor.

Grooming – picking out hooves, recognizing common hoof problems (i.e. thrush, contracted heels, cracks etc…), giving a good grooming and knowing the use of all brushes and combs and their proper names, doing an emergency tie, use of clippers for the face and fetlocks is a minimum (and care for clippers), braiding if doing English show, cleaning of the teats or gelding’s sheath area, trimming the horses’ chestnuts, and cleaning the tail.

Additional would be recognition of common skin problems (i.e. skin reaction such as hives, insect bites, tail rubbing, fungus). Knowing how to measure for a blanket and what kind to use and when.

Most beginner’s mistakes – not doing a thorough grooming because they want to rush into riding. Not being attentive enough to catch a small problem before it becomes a big problem.

Health and medical care – Take a horses’ vital signs, take the digital pulses, take a temperature. Recognize colic and have an emergency plan of treatment. Know what shots a horse needs and when they receive them. Understanding worming schedules and when they are used and why. Know how to take a horse’s height (using a stick) and weight (using a tape). Pick up a video or a book on treating medical emergencies – honestly not much you can do except keep the horse stable until a vet arrives.

Most beginners’ mistakes – not realizing how important this information is to know until they buy a horse and then the horse gets sick and you are in an emergency.

Nutrition – recognize different types of hay. Know when a hay is moldy. Know how to weigh food and how much to give to a horse dependent upon their needs. A lot of the info on nutrition is by heresey, ancedotal information or promotional info by the feed co.s themselves. The best thing you can do is just work at a barn and learn by observation.

General care – how to muck a stall, different bedding options, etc…

Books are great resources but some are better then others. It’s always best to review the book through the library or bookstore before purchasing as horse books can be expensive. I would start setting up your own library of resource materials as these will always be a good source of info for you as you learn and grow.

When it comes to people teaching you – choose wisely. Select people who have the respect of other horse people and who you think treat their horses fairly. People who whip, abuse, curse, or get mad at their horses (and many trainers do) are not the people to teach you how to care for a horse.

When you are ready for it, working as a student in a good barn will give you tons of practical information on the daily care of horses. Generally, you don’t get a lot of riding but you do get so much that helps you when you become a horse owner – and you see things from the inside-out.

Good luck and have fun on your journey…!