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Caring for
Imported Horses
Caring for your import is very important,
especially for the first 4 weeks while they adjust and recover from their trip.
A few key things to remember are:
1. The horse is most likely going to be a little nervous if not very frightened
at first
2. Your new horse might have lost a small to medium amount of weight
3. Your new horse might not be use to things around the stable that are normal
to you.
4. They will most likely sleep A LOT during the first week or two
Arrival:
The arrival of your new import is an exciting time, but it is also the most
crucial time both for the physical and mental health of the horse. Be prepared!
Have a safe, quiet area set up for the horse when it arrives. If you are going
to be putting your new horse in a stall, you should turn it out in a safe arena
or paddock for a little while (turn it out alone!) so that it can stretch its
legs and get in a good roll if it wants. Afterwards, put it in its stall and
make sure you warn the barn staff that they need to keep away from the stall for
a few hours (except for peeking in on occasion to make sure all is well) to let
the horse rest and start to adjust to its surroundings. Make sure it has plenty
of fresh, cool water and make sure the horse starts to drink. For the first meal
or two, don't feed grain, pellets, or any other hard feed. Give them plenty of
good quality hay and then start them on a little grain or hard feed after a day
or two. In many cases we reccomend wetting the initial grain rations.
Week One:
In this first week it is important not to work your new horse. Just let them
relax. Spend some time grooming them and bonding with them. This will help you
both become a team later on and it will help your horse settle in better. Make
sure the horse has good turn out time to run and play if they feel up to it, but
expect them to mostly sleep.
Week Two:
Week two of your horse's arrival is absolutely crucial, especially if your horse
comes from a country that does not speak your language as a first language. Put
your horse on a lunge line (please remember to put protective wraps or boots on
them first!) and start going over the basic commands. Repetition and patience
are the keys to success! They typically catch on rather quickly.
Week Three:
Now it is the time to start riding your horse. Please remember to wear a helmet
or appropriate safety gear, especially with first getting on a new horse. Start
out slow, get use to the horse and let them get use to the way you work. Don't
try to do anything fancy or complicated at first, just run over the basics. It
is also important to remember, DO NOT TRY TO RETRAIN THE HORSE FROM SQUARE ONE!!
The horse is well trained to its current level. As much as you possibly can,
adjust your riding to fit the horse's training, then move on together. If it
feels like your horse doesn't know something that it should or you are having
problems with any aspect of your horse's care/training, contact
Worldwide Equine Brokers and we will either put you in touch with the previous
owner/trainer, or get the answer for you.
Week Four:
With week four comes the time to step up into full training. Please remember to
be patient and kind to the horses as this is a big adjustment for them.
Please note that if your horse is coming from a very
different climate you should allow plenty of additional adjustment time for them
to get acclimated. Be prepared to body clip or blanket your horse.
This is just a general guide, if you have any questions or
concerns, please contact your vet. | 
