Keeping horses properlyWhat to bear in mind when keeping horses

Around 1.3 million horses and ponies live in Germany. These sensitive animals need a lot of care, contact with other horses and exercise. While many owners see the animals as loyal companions, many people nowadays use their horses for sport and leisure purposes and do not always take their needs into account. One thing to bear in mind is that keeping a horse is very time-consuming and cost-intensive.

From workhorse to animal friend: the role of the horse has changed dramatically over time. For thousands of years, humans have used horses as riding, pack and draught animals, including in agriculture and even in wars. It was not until the 20th century, when machines gradually took over the tasks of horses, that people increasingly stopped using the animals. However, the high demands of horses have remained. If you want to keep them, you should be aware that this involves a lot of time, work, responsibility and costs for more than 20 years. Not all owners live up to this, and some horses still have to endure unnecessary suffering.

In general, horses in human care should be able to move freely for several hours a day. The animals must be able to seek shelter from the wet, cold, sun and insects. Fortunately, tethering horses is prohibited in Germany. They also need species-appropriate feed and contact with other horses. The herd animals have a strong need to see their conspecifics and feel their closeness. Permanent solitary confinement means great suffering for them. Daily coat and hoof care is also extremely important, as this allows you to keep a better eye on your animals' health. In the stable, you should remove urine-soaked, wet areas and droppings several times a day. The latter is also necessary once a day in pastures to protect the horses from diseases

You should set aside several hours each day to care for and keep your horse occupied. Also make sure that you do not neglect the needs of sensitive animals and subordinate them to your personal wishes. Sometimes horses have to spend most of the day in their stalls so that they are "immediately available". However, horses are not sports equipment that is always on call. Instead, it is very important to give your horse a healthy life with daily exercise and direct contact with compatible conspecifics. If a horse is not kept in a species-appropriate manner, this can lead to behavioral disorders that may persist for life.

Depending on the accommodation, feed, medical treatment and farrier, the costs can amount to a four-figure sum per month .

Horses are herbivores and spend a total of 16 hours a day eating. They prefer to do this together with their conspecifics, which is why all horses in a group should always be able to eat at the same time. They typically move slowly but steadily while grazing. They do not really feel full and only stop eating when their chewing muscles become tired. The feed ration depends on the horse's body weight, nutritional status, breed and performance requirements. Roughage such as grass, hay, haylage and grass silage form the basis of their diet. Constant access to fresh water is just as important for horses.

If you have studied the needs of horses in detail and are prepared to invest the time and money in keeping them in a species-appropriate manner, it is best to ask around at one of the animal welfare organizations that look after horses. Some member associations of the German Animal Welfare Federation also have horses waiting for experienced new owners. Interested parties do not necessarily have to go to breeders first, but can get detailed advice from an animal welfare association to find the right animal.