How much movement and turnout must a horse have?

The Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance requires at least two hours of turnout on at least two days per week (Art. 61). In practice, daily movement under saddle or in hand plus pasture time is the norm.

Who is responsible for farrier and vet?

The owner, because she owns the horse and has the contracts. The sharer can help prepare the horse for the appointment but bears neither costs nor responsibility.

What does a good health check before and after riding cover?

Legs and hooves for swelling or cracks, eyes and nostrils for discharge, coat for new pressure points, general behavior and appetite. Anomalies reported to the person who last cared for the horse and noted with the owner.

Need a written care agreement?

Recommended yes. A brief written note about included and excluded tasks prevents misunderstandings, especially if stable work is part of the share.

Guide

Shared horse care checklist for owner and sharer

3 min read

A horse isn't only a riding partner, it's daily care. In a horse share, it must be clear who does what so the horse is reliably cared for and no side feels exploited. This guide bundles daily, weekly and monthly tasks into a printable checklist with task assignment between owner and sharer.

Why a clear care split matters

Care is the invisible part of a share. The riding hour lasts an hour, but before and after add 30 to 45 minutes (haltering, grooming, hooves, walk-to-cool, check). Without agreement, typical conflict constellations arise: horse stalled sweating without care, hooves uncleaned, owner finds farrier appointments she didn't know about.

A written care split removes these grey zones. reitbeteiligungen.ch cites this as one of the most frequent contract components.

The main care tasks

Three time levels:

Before and after each ride (daily, riding days):

Bring horse from box or pasture, halter
Pick hooves, check cracks, shoes, stones
Full grooming (curry, brush, mane, tail)
Saddle and bridle, check girth
After ride: walk to cool, pick hooves again, wipe sweat, blanket as per season
Briefly check legs, eyes and behavior
Report anomalies to the owner

Weekly:

Deeper mane and tail care
Clean saddle and bridle, leather care
Air out blankets and check
Sort grooming kit
Quick check of hoof condition

Monthly and less frequent:

Farrier every 6 to 8 weeks (owner organizes)
Deworming and vaccinations per vet plan (owner)
Dental check 1 to 2 times yearly
Blanket changeover per season
Saddle fit check after training or weight changes

Task division owner vs. sharer

Rule of thumb: what happens around the sharer's riding day, she handles. Anything with contracts, money or medical decisions stays with the owner.

Sharer handles: Care before and after her riding day, hoof control, walk to cool, reporting anomalies, agreed extra tasks.
Owner handles: Farrier and vet appointments, vaccinations, insurances, stable fees, equipment purchase, medical decisions, emergency organization.
Together by agreement: Paddock changes and stable work (mucking out, feeding) if part of the share. Demanding tasks that belong explicitly in the agreement.

Swiss practice: animal welfare and key points

The Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance (OPAn) sets minimum standards. Three points particularly relevant.

At least two hours of turnout on at least two days per week (Art. 61 OPAn). Most Swiss stables exceed this through daily pasture time.
Social contact with conspecifics mandatory.
Daily movement recommended by Swiss Equestrian, also on non-riding days.

These standards are current law.

Printable care checklist

Before riding

Halter, attach
Pick hooves and check
Grooming (curry, brush, mane, tail)
Saddle, check girth
Bridle, check fit
Check eyes, legs, behavior

After riding

Walk to cool
Pick hooves again
Wipe sweat, blanket per season
Saddle and bridle to tack room
Horse to box or pasture
Note observations or send to chat

Weekly

Clean saddle and bridle
Air out and check blankets
Mane and tail care
Sort grooming kit
Check hooves and shoes

Owner responsibility (monthly or rarer)

Farrier every 6 to 8 weeks
Vaccinations and deworming per plan
Dental check 1 to 2 times yearly
Saddle check and insurance

Frequently asked questions

Which care tasks belong to the sharer? Pick hooves, grooming, saddling before riding. Walk to cool, hooves, brief check after. Box mucking and feeding only if agreed.

How much movement and turnout? At least two hours on at least two days per week (OPAn Art. 61).

Who handles farrier and vet? The owner.

What does a good health check cover? Legs, hooves, eyes, nostrils, coat, behavior, appetite.

Written care agreement? Recommended, especially with stable work.

Sources

Track care observations in HorseCompanion

Daily care observations are documented per horse so the owner sees the same trail as the sharer. Start for free

Updated: June 2026