| Wish I could tell you after going through the tasks | | | | If your horse is sweating and is getting too hot, |
| of looking for your first horse, checking for | | | | even though it will be difficult, it is in their best |
| soundness and way of going, buying your first | | | | interest to take them to the wash rack and give |
| horse and then tackling the worries of moving | | | | them a bath. Most likely, it will calm them down |
| your horse to his or her new home, that the | | | | and help make them feel a little more at home. |
| worst is over. Some horses do not always do | | | | At this time, you can ask your horse if they want |
| well when it comes to uprooting them and | | | | more water, but only a few sips at a time. If |
| changing their homes. Of course, there are some | | | | possible, walk the horse around for a while and |
| exceptions, but overall most horses have fairly | | | | consider allowing your horse to graze or sniff |
| strong reactions to this move. | | | | around unless their behavior becomes outrageous |
| Horses are creatures of habit. Horses can eat the | | | | again. Tranquilizers are an option if the horse does |
| same feed, stay in the same pasture, and | | | | not calm down in a reasonable amount of time |
| basically follow the same routine everyday of the | | | | but only use this as a last resort as a veterinarian |
| rest of their lives and be happy, providing that all | | | | call will be necessary. It is best not to feed your |
| their basic needs are met and they share their life | | | | horse on this particular evening, just make sure |
| with other horses. Some horses when you take | | | | that he or she has plenty of hay and lots of fresh |
| them off the van will start screaming and hollering | | | | cool water. This will reduce the risk of colic. Better |
| and try to run over top of you. Be patient. This is | | | | to be safe than sorry. |
| only a temporary reaction. Your best bet is to | | | | Now lets' discuss the other end of the spectrum. |
| get the horse into a stall as soon as possible. Do | | | | If you just bought an animal that has been |
| not allow them to drink large amounts of water | | | | showing, then more than likely this will probably |
| at this time. A few sips will be sufficient. | | | | not be much of an issue. This type of horse is |
| You do not want to turn the horse out into a | | | | used to getting on the van or trailer and going to |
| pasture or paddock in this mental and emotional | | | | many different places and usually does not mind |
| condition. The horse may inadvertently run into or | | | | as that is their habit of life. So follow the same |
| through the fence or even try to go over the | | | | rules but everything will be much quieter and |
| fence. Make sure good hay is in the stall to try | | | | simpler. If your horse is well behaved, after a few |
| and calm your horse down and divert his or her | | | | hours, you can give them an evening offering of |
| attention. Usually, what follows after this is | | | | grain but it is not necessary, and monitor the |
| perhaps a lot of pawing and digging of holes in the | | | | amount of water your horse is drinking. Allowing a |
| stall if you do not have horse mats. I will be | | | | horse to drink a large amount of water after any |
| discussing the use of mats, bedding and other | | | | activity is not in their best interest. You could end |
| issues concerning safe stalls at a later date. Stay | | | | up with a horse suffering from colic. Hopefully you |
| with your horse as he or she is already feeling | | | | will either have your horse on your own property |
| abandonment, missing their friends, and not | | | | and you will be able to watch your horse's |
| understanding why they had to leave the place | | | | behavior throughout the evening, or the facility |
| they loved. If there is a top door on the stall and | | | | that you are boarding your horse will have a night |
| your horse is really misbehaving, shut the door | | | | watchman that can check on your horse |
| for a while until they settle down some, but stay | | | | throughout the evening. |
| outside the stall and continue to talk to them. | | | | |