Horses are unique animals and they have always been seen as a sought after pet. But do horses make good pets? And if so, what kind of advantages does keeping horses have?

To decide what makes a good pet depends on what you want from a pet so let’s look at the benefits of keeping horses as pets.

Benefits of Keeping Horses as Pets

Exercise and Fitness – Riding

Horses are great for people wanting a pet they can get out in the outdoors and enjoy an active lifestyle with. Horse riding is a great way to keep fit and healthy in the outdoors.

You can explore nature while keeping active, all with the help of your horse. This is why so many people love looking after horses as they help you achieve so much more than you can on your own.

Social

Keeping horses is also a very sociable. Whether you’re meeting friends to go horse riding, heading to competitions or looking after the horses, all these activities can be enjoyed in groups. In most areas, there are horse riding clubs and stables where you can form friendships.

Keeping horses has a really active community, all whom can offer advice and tips for keeping horses. This is perfect for anyone thinking of keeping horses for the first time.

Easy to Look After

Horses are actually easier to look after than most people think. Keeping horses is a big commitment but providing food, bedding and shelter is quite straight forward.

Tip – for cheap and convenient horse bedding, check out our guide on using wooden pellets as bedding for your horse.

Long Lifespan

Horses have a longer lifespan than most pets. The average lifespan of a horse is 25-30 years, although different breeds will vary slightly.

This long lifespan means you have time to develop a connection and bond with your horse like no other pet. This demonstrates the commitment required to keep horses but also demonstrates the opportunities to grow up and develop with your horse.

Fun Animals

Horses are also very fun animals. They are playful and energetic by nature so you can spend lots of time with them. Horses also have very distinct personalities. Each horse will have its own characteristics and behaviours, unique to that individual horse. No two horses are alike, they all have different quirks that you’ll love and adore.

Things to Consider

For all the benefits of keeping horses, they are a big commitment. Before deciding to get a horse, you should visit stables, talk to horse owners and get experience in dealing with every aspect of keeping horses.

Keeping horses always requires some financial investment so make sure you have budgeted adequately to accommodate for the horse.

Once you’ve planned out how you’ll look after a horse, you can join the thousands of other horse owners across the UK and enjoy all the benefits of keeping horses.