Moving to a new stable yard or getting a new horse

Moving your horse to a new stable yard or getting a new horse is always very exciting, but also a little bit nerve-wracking!

Let’s start with a checklist of items your horse is going to need to move into his new stable home.

We will start with the most important, essential items and end with the nice-to-have items…

Essential items:

1. Bucket, feed tray and haynet (check with the stable owner if they provide these)
2. Grooming kit  - body brush, dandy brush, curry comb, hoof pick, mane comb, sponge and grooming bag
3. Fly mask / fringe / fly repellent
4. Halter
5. Bridle
6. Saddle
7. Boots
8. Passport
9. Treats/carrots to welcome your horse
10. A smile and a polite, friendly attitude

Nice-to-haves:

1. Trucking set - daysheet, trucking boots, halter, poll guard and a tail guard
2. Supplements
3. Shampoo
4. Rain sheet
5. Winter blankets
6. Sweat sheet
7. Leather oil, saddle soap
8. Lunging kit - lunge roller, lunging pad, lunge caveson, lunge lead, side reins and lunge whip
9. Paddock boots
10. Basic veterinary kit - cotton wool, bandages, wound ointment, scissors, ice gel
11. Show kit - mane & tail conditioner, coat shine, microfibre mitt, sponge, white boots
12. Spare blank name tags and stick on blank name tags (if your stable uses this system)

Now that we have your horse’s tack and care items sorted out, here’s a list of important things to find out before the move

1. What food is your horse on?  How many kilograms does he get at breakfast, lunch and dinner?  Check with the stable yard if they have the same/similar food. It is very important to feed your horse the same/similar food to what he has been getting to avoid colic.
2. When was your horse last dewormed?  Check with your stable owner if you must buy a dewormer for your horse before he arrives.
3. When was your horse last shod?
4. When did your horse last have his teeth done?
5. Check if your flu vaccine and Horse Sickness vaccines are up to date in your horse’s passport