# List EVERYTHING you need as a first time horse owner



## rose2802 (6 March 2016)

I am going to be buying my first horse, need a list of everything I will need!


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## FlyingCircus (6 March 2016)

1st and foremost: Support and lots of it!


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## laura_nash (6 March 2016)

Headcollar
First aid kit
Hoofpick and brush

Anything else depends on the type of horse, how it will be kept and what you want to do with it!


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## elliejhb (6 March 2016)

Money!


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## Theocat (6 March 2016)

Don't rush out with a shopping list - get the essentials and build up as you go. Rugs, for example, fit very differently, so buying a whole stack then discovering that make doesn't suit your horse is disheartening!


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## Sugar_and_Spice (6 March 2016)

Equine first aid kit:
Vetwrap bandage
Gamgee
Normal tail bandages
Cotton wool
Salt/TCP/Dettol/some fancy posh stuff at 10 times the price (whatever suits you really)
Syringe - large
Scissors - to be used for nothing else than first aid stuff
Thermometer
Wound cream/gel 
Poultice
Silver tape
Carrier bag (I wrap them round a poulticed leg then bandage over that because it's easier than trying to bandage directly onto a wet sticky poultice)
Box to put it all in 
Padlock? (depends if you leave it open so others can treat your horse if necessary or lock it all up so all those without first aid kits can't nick your stuff)
Phone number of you/vet/farrier taped to the top

Fork/Broom/Barrow
Water bucket/Haynet/Feed bucket
Bedding/Feed/Hay (don't turn upto the new yard on day one with horse but no bedding/feed/hay in case the local shop is shut)
Headcollar and leadrope

Grooming kit:
Stiff brush
Soft brush
Curry comb (one you can use on the horse as well as the brushes)
Hoofpick
Optional extras: flyspray, tail detangler, mud fever cream, stockholm tar, sweet itch cream, shampoo, mane comb, plaiting bands, chalk block.

Rugs: two turnout, one indoor (cooler/fleece/waffle or similar is most useful I find).  That's it far too much fuss is made about rugging, you can buy others if you need them and if you're leaving the horse unclipped you don't *need* any at all.

Saddle
Stirrups
Stirrup leathers
Girth
Numnah (can go without but most people prefer one)
Saddlesoap and sponges

Bridle
Bit 
Reins
Martingale or breastplate if necessary

Can't think of anything else.  No doubt you'll accumulate loads of totally necessary :wink3: tatt/matchy stuff/things you only ever use once/more rugs than your horse can use in a lifetime etc as the years go by, like we all do.


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## Sugar_and_Spice (6 March 2016)

elliejhb said:



			Money!
		
Click to expand...

Take a good look at it too, because you'll never have any in your pocket again :biggrin3:


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## ILuvCowparsely (6 March 2016)

rose2802 said:



			I am going to be buying my first horse, need a list of everything I will need!
		
Click to expand...

Buy the most important first and the rest later  you need in no particular order

  Insurance
a good farrier
good vet
good bank account or partner
supporting friends
instructor

 then   depending on livery type of your choice
buckets
 tools 
feedbowls... feed
tack
 head collar well fitting tack
grooming kit
feed
rugs
 The rest will come in due course


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## rachk89 (6 March 2016)

Others have made good lists really. All I can say is resist temptation to buy everything. I did and it wasn't easy but is worth it. Woman in the shop actually said she was pleased to see someone only buying essentials and not lots of colourful unnecessary stuff. Your horse doesn't care if everything matches.


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## abb123 (6 March 2016)

Assuming DIY then I would go for essentials first:

Large tub for water
2 x feed buckets and a feed bucket cover
2 x hay net
feed scoop
wheel barrow
fork 
brush
hoof pick
body brush
head collar and lead rope

Things that you can add quickly as and when:

poo scooper
purple spray
cotton wool
different grooming brushes
grooming sprays e.g. mane and tail conditioner
shampoos
rugs
leg boots and bandages


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## Pigeon (6 March 2016)

A good instructor! I think that is really vital. There are so many dodgy ones out there - you need to find someone you admire, who has quite a holistic view, and will advise you on feed/tack/management etc instead of just watching you ride for half an hour and having no more input than that. 

Also second hand stuff is good. I find with turnout rugs it's best to buy new, because they lose their waterproofing after a while, but everything else you can find on ebay. Especially leather - good quality leather lasts literally decades, and it's better to buy quality second hand than cheap stuff new.


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## little_critter (6 March 2016)

Check whether the yard supplies fencing or do you need your own electric fencing?
My first 2 yards supplied all fencing, when I moved to my current yard I didn't think about it, went to turn my pony out to find there was no fence. That was an expensive weekend (battery, energiser, posts, tape)


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## eggs (6 March 2016)

Less stuff than you think you'll need but you will end up with far more stuff than you need!

It will depend on what type of livery you will be on as to what you need to have.

Probably the most important thing is good, experienced help.


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## jokadoka (6 March 2016)

Time


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## SatansLittleHelper (6 March 2016)

A passion for being broke that borders on OCD


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## Dazed'n'confused (6 March 2016)

Wine and a sense of humour!!


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## skint1 (6 March 2016)

Dazed'n'confused said:



			Wine and a sense of humour!!
		
Click to expand...

Absolutely! And money that you're not too attached to


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## Clannad48 (6 March 2016)

For you not the horse - Arnica for the inevitable bruises as well as plasters for those cuts from wooden fencing, sharp objects and if the horse nips you. Tweezers for the splinters from pallets or fencing - a good pair of gloves for yard work, wellies and welly socks for the long winter we are having, wet weather gear ad a good pair of yard boots.  A calendar for putting all those vet/dentist/farrier visits, innoculation reminders, etc

And as previously said, wine, chocolate an extremely good sense of humour and if possible either a winning lottery ticket, very rich parents/husband/boyfriend (one who is preferable a vet as well)


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## Cinnamontoast (6 March 2016)

Endless money, patience and time. Easy, really.


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## Pedantic (6 March 2016)

lorry load of money


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## Mrs B (6 March 2016)

A *very* understanding OH. Especially if, like me, you've been DIY for pretty much all of a 26 year relationship. And he's not naturally a 'morning' person.

That's (give or take) 9,490 mornings. Christmas, Birthdays, New Year, duvet days, 'ill' days, anniversaries, Sundays, Bank Holidays, 'special occasion' days, 'hung-over-can't-be-arsed-days' ...

Oh. And as the others have said: no money ever again. If I spent the same on my bedding, overcoats and shoes as I do on my horse, I might not look like a bag lady.


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