Horses are animals that require a significant amount of attention. As you would expect, this means horse owners need to have the skills to properly take care of them. Before buying a horse of your own, make sure you are confident in the following abilities.

Dexterity

If you own horses, you likely are riding them, too. To be a skilled rider, you have to be dextrous, as riding requires a lot of precise movement. Although you do not need to have perfect fine motor skills, being in control of your hands can help when signalling to your horse how you would like it to move. Additionally, you’ll need to be able to move your feet and legs properly, as those are two other ways to give your horse directions.

Stamina

To take care of a horse, you will need to have plenty of energy. After all, riding is surprisingly tiring, and that is only one small part of horse ownership. You’ll also need to feed them, bathe them, and check them for injuries. On days when you don’t ride, you need to make sure they get enough exercise, too. Plus, there are inevitably issues that arise and require you to look into. With all of that combined, you should be sure to save plenty of energy for handling your horse.

Attention to Detail

Horses can be subtle creatures. This is not always to the benefit of the owner, particularly when a horse has a medical issue that they are not communicating. Therefore, owners must have a great attention to detail that allows them to notice when something is wrong. It could be that a horse is sick, or even that they are perturbed. Although some horses will make sure you know when they are unhappy, others are more shy and will leave it up to you to notice. Also, you have to pay attention to details such as how much food your horse is eating.

Compassion

Finally, there is no way you can be a successful horse owner without having compassion for your horse. There are days when your horse will not want to be ridden, and as an owner, you should respect that. Having compassion can also lead to better treatment of horses when they are sick or aging and cannot handle the normal routine.

Horses are unique animals that require specific traits of their owners. A horse owner that does not possess these qualities should re-evaluate themselves and consider how they can improve. Once an owner is confident in their skills, they are ready to take on the challenge of owning a horse.