If you don’t live in a community with farm land, you need to find an area that does and talk to members of that community. Go to local feed stores, small businesses, and community events to find people to talk to about land that is available in the area.
Horses need approximately 1000 square feet (93 square meters) per horse, not including pasture and foraging area. More space is always better than less. If you want to let your horses forage for a lot of their food, you will need more like 1 acre per horse. However, most horse breeders don’t have their horses forage for most of their food and a much smaller pasture is totally suitable. [3] X Research source You’ll need at least two separated areas of land, one for the stallion(s) and the other area for the mares. If you have more than one stallion, you’ll need more separate areas, as keeping two stallions in the same pasture is not a good idea in most cases, especially since farm lots rarely replicate the wide ranges of wild horses. Moreover, there is a need for rotating pasture, to allow pasture to recover and to release the horses onto fresh pasture regularly. This means that you will need more pasture than you might think at first.
Getting permission to use land commercially that hasn’t been used that way in the past can be a lengthy and costly process, depending on local regulations.
If you plan on keeping horses on pasture all year round, the grass needs to be rich in vitamins and minerals and non-toxic to horses. It also needs to grow back quickly! On the other hand, if your climate means that the horses need to be kept indoors over winter, you’ll need suitable barn accommodation with easy mucking out facilities and at least a small outside area for exercising during the warmest part of cold days. If you want most of your horse’s food to come from grazing, you will need at least 1 acre of pasture land per horse. [5] X Research source
It’s a good idea to have the water supply tested for quality before buying land. Water will be so important to your operation that you want to know you can depend on your supply. [6] X Research source On the other hand, too much water can water log your land, so drainage is important. If the pasture is water logged, its feeding potential will be destroyed and there will be problems for the horses walking in puddles and muddy conditions.
If you’ve owned 1 or more horses before, then you should be aware that there is a lot of work involved with caring for horses and that it’s a rather expensive undertaking. Breeding horses will increase the work, the expenses, the worry, and the long-term attachment to your business in ways that simply owning a horse doesn’t really prepare you for.
Areas with snakes need to be checked for snake habitats in the pasture. Snakes and horses don’t mix, so by reducing the habitat preferences of snakes, you can reduce the potential for snakes hanging around. Some things that may help are not having wood/log piles, junk heaps, and any other such place that encourages rodent breeding, which attracts snakes.
Trees also need protection from chewing, including removal of chewed branches to prevent infection to the trees.
Orient any shelter so that it heads away from prevailing cold winds and to make the most of cooling summer breezes (usually south facing in the northern hemisphere, vice versa in the southern hemisphere). [10] X Trustworthy Source Penn State Extension Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities Go to source Shelter is essential for hot, sunny days during the warmer months. A shade shed should be built in pastures lacking in shade trees. This can be as simple as a high roof on four posts or a shed with three sides; it can be made very inexpensively.
Using wood that is non-toxic and enduring, you should expect a good 15 to 20 years life from a well-cared for wooden fence. The trick is in maintaining it––borers can attack such fencing and bored horses like to chew it. Another option is electric fencing. Provided it is properly earthed and made with quality wire using at least three to four rows, it is a cost-effective and usually safe solution. Most horses will shy away from it after a few shocks. However, sometimes it can scare a horse enough to destroy the fence, so care needs to be taken with particularly wild or frisky horses. Do not ever use hog wire fencing for horses. Horses (and other wildlife like deer) can accidentally get their legs caught in it. Barbed wire should not be an option for keeping horses. Barbed wire was designed for cows, not horses. Horses can be seriously injured, perhaps permanently, if they get caught in barbed wire.
Basic riding tack includes a saddle, saddle pad, girth, bridle, and reins. Basic grooming gear you will need includes a variety of brushes, combs, picks, and sponges. You will also need buckets or tubs for feed and water.
You may also need some larger farm equipment, such as a tractor to use in your pasture land. [13] X Research source Also, when replacing the bedding, you will need either a bucket for transporting the bedding or a wheelbarrow.
Forage—Horses eat forage, mostly including hay, to keep warm. When buying hay, look at the quality. You want something that is nutritious but is not going to pass right through the horse. Try to get grassy hay or oat hay. If you do get alfalfa (lucerne) hay, try to get a second or, even better, a third cut, as the hay will be more stalky and will not be too rich. Concentrate—This is typically a mixture of chaffs, including alfalfa, oats, and wheat. The alfalfa chaff will provide high protein and calcium for your horse, and the wheat will provide a source of bulk food. This is what the horse will eat to stay full but it does not put on or take away nutrients. This is used when you want to fill a horse up faster without adding heat and energy to the food. [15] X Research source Supplemental foods—Pellets and grain are good ways to put on weight and maintain it. They are also handy when you require a boost of energy for a show or your horse needs a lift. Boiled grains are best as they help to put weight on and, during the colder months, help to keep the horse warm. The best thing to start with is a lucerne pellet or a cool pellet. These feeds add no additional energy and they provide a range of vitamins and minerals. After a while, you can try different products until you find the perfect fit.
Keep in mind that the bedding should be an approved horse bedding, as some by-products of woods and timber can be toxic to horses.
Doing thorough research will ensure that you’re well informed and that you’re making the right decision about the breed that you’re choosing. Don’t jump into breeding rare, exotic breeds unless you’ve had experience with them. Start with a breed you know a lot about and have spent time handling. If you choose a very popular horse, such as a quarter horse, you will have to compete with more breeders to sell, therefore lowering the prices. However, if your aim is to provide quality in all respects, plot this out as part of your business plan. Breeding racing horses requires an enormous amount of money and expertise. This kind of breeding program should only be started by someone with excellent, firsthand knowledge of the racing industry or you risk making big and costly mistakes.
You can also go through horse farms for sale to see what is available and the prices being fetched.
Reputable horse breeders will include this in the terms of sale of your new horses. Horse registrations and pedigrees should have an official seal or signature from a registering body, such as an organization like the American Quarter Horse Association[19] X Research source
It doesn’t matter which breed you’re breeding, but obviously some horses will cost you more, and some horses will sell for more. In terms of how many horses you start with, that should be determined by your research, your land space, and your budget. Initially, it’s probably best to start small with less than 10 horses and see how it goes rather than over-extending yourself only to find out you can’t manage it.
How to lead a horse How to care for a horse How to tell if a horse is sick How to tack up a horse How to groom a horse How to prepare for the arrival of a horse
Remember, your new horses are in an unfamiliar surrounding and everything is new and different. The water will taste different and the food will smell different, so let them adjust and have the food there just in case they are hungry. Find out what the horse was fed before you bought it. Horses’ diets need to be adjusted over a period of several days or more depending on how much it’ll be changed. Sudden changes can bring about gas, diarrhea and more serious complications.
Be careful not to get your horses too hot and sweaty when riding in winter. Your horse could very easily become sick or get a chill. If you’d like to ride in the wintertime, consider investing in a heated indoor arena. These are also nice places to ride untrained horses, give lessons to children, and ride a horse at a canter for the first time because if you fall you’ll only land on sawdust and your horse won’t be able to run off.
If you plan on keeping your new horse in a stable either at night, most of the day or even for an hour or two, you’ll need to make sure it is safe.
Seek out and accept advice from current horse breeders who have an excellent reputation with other horse breeders about what studs to use. Check with your local horse association for more information. Most breeders will be happy to share information, as they’re as keen as you to maintain high quality standards and to see more healthy horses. Breed your mare to a stallion that’s similar in size. It’s been known that if you breed, for example, a very short mare to a very tall stallion the foal may have deformed lungs, legs, and so forth, and may have to be put down. However, if you breed two horses that look very much alike, you should get foals with no deformities. You can also look into artificially inseminating your breed mares. You don’t have to have a stallion or transport one to cover your mares.
A well-trained horse is more valuable and will likely be friendlier and easier to work with.
Always care for horses well and be kind. Both horses and the customers can sense a confident, kindly, and approachable breeder.
For example, if you have a pleasant last name, you could use your last name and the words “horse breeding. ”
There are quite a few free web-hosting companies, so you can just use one of those if you don’t want to pay a fee. People expect to find all the information they’re looking for in an easy-to-read and professional website, so give them what they’re looking for.
Ensure that there is a decent sign advertising your business at the front gate. Use every media opportunity in the local press that comes your way! If you like writing and photography, and have the time, maintaining a blog about your horse farm can be a great promotion. You can include horse breeding advice, glimpses of your daily activities, and tips for caring for horses. This can be an excellent form of outreach that will gain interested followers who might just turn into customers now and then.
You might not make millions but if you’re doing what you love and making ends meet plus a little more, breeding horses can be a satisfying career. As your expertise grows, you can use this expertise to teach, write, advise, etc. as well as breeding the horses.
Showing of horses is a vast topic in itself, so do lots of research, both online and by talking to others who show horses.
