How to Protect Your First Pony

When you’re just getting started as an equestrian and looking after your first pony, there’s a few things you need to know about keeping them safe. After all, protecting your first pony and making sure they’re safe and healthy is often all you can think about after making that special connection for the first time.

In this blog, we’re looking at what you need to do to ensure you’re protecting your first pony properly.

Smaller care jobs

A lot of work can go into looking after a horse, so it can help to break the essential care practices down into small, daily tasks. Taking care of your pony requires that you pay close attention to their needs, and this means spending a bit of time with them every day, or even more frequently, if possible!

Be sure to check them for cuts, grazes, or other injuries. It also pays to check them for signs of illness as often as you can. Check the perimeter fences around your pony, too—you want to ensure that they haven’t damaged the fencing and that there aren’t any areas of the fence which might pose risks to your pony.

These daily tasks should also include checking that your pony has the food and water it needs, along with any shelter, blanketing, or other supplies that might be needed, depending on the weather. If your pony is stabled, be sure to muck out the stall as frequently as you can, as stalls that are left uncleaned can start to give off dangerous levels of ammonia, which can harm your pony’s lungs and hooves.

Longer-term care

Beyond the basics, there are several other tasks that are an important part of keeping your pony healthy. For example, cleaning out water troughs and feed buckets isn’t a daily task, but you should keep an eye on it. If you don’t have a large plot of land, you might also need to clean up manure in your pony’s paddock for the same reason that you need to keep a stall clean.

Thinking ahead about your supplies is also a great thing to get in the habit of doing early. Just think, if you don’t have at least a few weeks supply of bedding, concentrate, or fodder in stock, what happens if there’s an emergency, and you’re unable to get more immediately? Again, the responsibility of owning a pony is a great way to learn about what it really means to plan.

Of course, you should also be looking after your pony’s hooves! Letting hooves grow is actually unhealthy for horses and can have a negative impact on their legs. Be sure to get a farrier to look at your pony’s hooves every 6 weeks at the absolute maximum.

Constant care

Finally, there are certain things you need to be doing for your pony all the time, like keeping them vaccinated and ensuring they have a safe environment.

Anyone who has owned a pony knows that they can be an accomplished escape artists, so one of the main ways you can keep your pony secure is by using the right equine fencing.

Here at Stock and Noble, we create fencing designed specifically to keep your horse safe. Our Legacy Rail is perfect for ponies and won’t shatter on impact. Adding to your paddock border fencing with sighting wire or electric horse fencing are also good ideas, as these can both help your pony stay clear of the fencing, avoiding dangerous collisions, and deterring chewing, which can lead to dangerous splinters.

Protect your pony with Stock and Noble

We remember what it’s like to look after a pony for the first time—that’s why we design with your horse’s safety in mind. Protecting them from harm often comes down to giving them a safe place to live, and no one knows more about that than we do. Talk to Stock and Noble today, and we’ll help you keep your pony protected.