A horse can provide a thrilling new dimension to your life; it can be a very rewarding experience but only if you are both fully prepared for your future together. 

You must be prepared to attend to your horse at least twice a day, rain or shine, and care for your horse's health and wellbeing throughout the animal's lifetime. You will also need somebody with lots of experience to do this for you if you go on holiday.

A horse or pony may live to be 25-30 years old, and they have been known to live far longer, even up to 40 years old.

Towards the end of its life it will require more care, yet will not be capable of much work. Have you thought about an equine retirement plan? Are you brave enough to have your horse put to sleep to save it from suffering in old age?

The total cost of keeping a horse could amount to over £70,000 during its lifetime, so a big commitment is required.

Looking for your first horse? 

A lot of our horses will not be suitable for first time horse owners.

It may be that you are very keen and have done some riding, but have no experience of horse care.

If this is the case, try to do some basic qualifications in stable management, but be sure to combine this with practical experience as well. There are training courses you can attend; usually run by local riding schools.  The British Horse Society runs Horse Owner Certificate courses which are in-depth and comprehensive.

Ask at your local riding school if there is something you can do to help, and don't shirk the early shift!

Horses do not work on a 9-5 basis.

Getting out there in the dark and muddy mid-winter is the only way to find out how keen you really are. 

You need to make sure you have what it takes to care for your horse or pony properly and meet its welfare needs.  These include things like having at least one other horse for company, being in the right environment to express normal behaviour such as having a buck or fling around a paddock, health care expenses like veterinary and farriery care and providing the right diet for your horse or pony.

If you are under 18 years of age, an adult must adopt on your behalf and they need to prove their commitment to horse ownership too.

If you are looking for a riding horse, bear in mind that your riding skills will be assessed as well. 

Owning a horse can bring many years of happiness to you both, but it is vital to do your research and make sure you are prepared before you commit to horse ownership. 

Adopting an RSPCA rescue horse

Our equine rehoming process aims to make sure horses and owners are perfectly matched.

You may need to travel to an equine centre to try the horse more than once if this is felt to be necessary to ensure that you and the horse are right for each other. 

Through horse adoption you can make a real difference to an animal's life.

If you would like to adopt a horse or pony from the RSPCA and believe you have the necessary skills, time and money to do so, learn more about our equine rehoming process and how to find horses and ponies for adoption.