Becoming a horse breeder is not just a question of passion for the horse breed or the business that can be generated by the equestrian world. Various aspects must be weighed up, goals must be set and sacrifices must be made. Starting such a project is not a decision to be taken lightly. Here are the details that should not be underestimated.
The first steps
When you decide to become a horse breeder, you must first have a solid economic basis. After that, you have to obtain the breeder’s licence, submit the declaration of start of work to the ASL of the municipality in question, open a VAT number and register with the Italian Olympic Committee. Registration with the Italian National Olympic Committee is necessary in order to be able to participate in grant programmes, such as the Rural Development Plan or the European Regional Development Fund.
The ideal environment for horses
Another essential step in setting up a stud farm is to have the necessary space for the horses to grow. The horse has a life cycle of 25 to 30 years and reaches maturity at around 5 years of age. By nature, it needs space to move and run. Therefore, the property must be adequately equipped and have several covered and open fields.
If you want to become a horse breeder, you should know that the floor of these areas should be partly made of sand, and therefore intended for jumping, trotting or walking. Part of the floor should be grass, with hay and medical grass for grazing. The furrows must have good drainage. Otherwise, if the pasture floods, its feeding potential will be destroyed and the horses will have difficulty walking through puddles and mud.
What else to do to become a horse breeder
When you want to become a horse breeder you must also make an effort to test the quality of the water in your breeding environment. It must be good and in large quantities. In fact, the horse needs to drink a lot of water, 15 to 35 litres per day.
The pasture area must be constantly checked and cleaned. Holes in the ground should also be looked for to avoid moles and snakes. Piles of wood, logs or rubbish should be avoided, as these allow rodents to breed and attract snakes. Fences should never be made of barbed wire as horses could get their feet caught in them by mistake.
Other details not to be underestimated
A good horse breeder will also have to make an effort to have a good knowledge and experience of how to work with horses and how to breed them. To become a horse breeder, you need to be familiar with horse breeds and choose those that are best suited to your environment. There is no need to be in a hurry to breed rare or exotic breeds: it is better to start with an equine species that is ‘easier’ to handle and breed.
What you need to do to become a horse breeder
Of course, what we have just said is only part of what you need to do to become a horse breeder. There are many other details that can be learned by reading books and through special training courses. Finally, it should not be forgotten that you should equip yourself with all the tools of the trade. One of these is our Foaling Alarm. Find out all the details HERE.
