Preparations To Consider Before Purchasing A Pony

If you own a vast amount of land, and you have a child who wishes to have a horse of their own, you may consider purchasing a pony for them to take care of and watch grow into a full-sized animal. There are several steps you will need to take in advance of this purchase to ensure your child's pony will be comfortable with their new home. Here are some tasks you can enjoy sharing with your child in anticipation of the arrival of their new pet.

Inspect The Land The Pony Will Utilize

It is best to do a physical evaluation of the land you plan on using for the pony's primary living space. Walk the entire perimeter of the area and work your way little by little to the middle portion looking for debris that can be a hazard to the small horse. Glass, splintered wood, nuts, and household debris can all harm a horse should it eat one of these items. The horse could also sustain an injury should they walk upon a sharp surface. Remove all hazardous items and double-check that there are no remnants left behind. If there are holes or pitted areas in the land, fill them with soil so the pony has a flat surface to walk upon.

Make Sure The Pony Can Be Contained

It is important that the pony is kept in an area where it will not be able to run from the property. Call a fencing service to construct a sturdy barrier so the pony will be kept in an enclosed area away from traffic and neighboring properties. It is also a good idea to have a structure built on the property so the horse can be kept out of inclement weather when needed. A wooden horse stable can be installed off to the side of the property for this reason. The pony will feel secure inside when it needs to rest and the pet can be placed in this structure when rain or excessive temperatures are expected.

Purchase Key Items For The Pony's Care

Your child's pony will fare well if it has another animal to herd with. If you are only purchasing one horse, you may want to consider adding a chicken or another small farm animal as well so the pony will not be lonely. If this is not feasible, make sure your child and other people in your family spend plenty of time with the horse.

Invest in horse feed and keep extra on hand so you have an abundant supply. Horse pasture seed can be planted on the grounds to provide the pony with ample grass and alfalfa hay can be hung in a hay bag in the stable area for the horse to feast upon when desired. Horse shampoo and a grooming brush should also be purchased to aid in keeping the pony's hair from becoming matted. Invest in a few blankets for the pony as well so it can be kept warm in cooler weather. 

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