Horse or donkey: choosing and planning

In short

• A horse or donkey never lives alone. Plan for two animals, or one with company (another horse, a donkey, or at least goats or sheep nearby).
• A 500 kg horse needs roughly 0.8–1.2 ha (2–3 acres) of grazing and hay ground and about 1,650 kg of hay (1.5–1.8 t) for winter. A donkey needs roughly 4,000 m² (0.3–0.5 ha, about 1 acre) and 700 kg of hay and straw (600–800).
• A horse lives 25–30 years, a donkey often 30 or more. You are buying a commitment for that whole time.
• Buy only an animal with a passport and microchip (in the US, a current Coggins test), after a vet has examined it. Without papers there is no legal sale, transport or slaughter.
• Your first horse should be calm, older and trained, not a young foal "to grow up with you".
• The 4freelife personal plan has no figures for horses and donkeys yet; the numbers here are rough guides, in line with H15 and H33.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Do you need a horse or a donkey?
2. Horse, donkey or mule
3. Breeds for a small farm
4. Never alone: how many animals
5. Land, hay, water and time
6. Safety with horses and donkeys
7. Buying: who from and what kind of animal
8. Paperwork: passport, microchip and registration
9. Cost and the first-year plan
10. Common mistakes
11. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Needs calculator
• Start-up costs
• Comparing animals and sellers
• Animal register and duties
• First-year calendar