Listed below are some frequently asked questions along with answers which will hopefully be of some use to you.

WHAT SUPPORT DO WE PROVIDE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS? We are always more than happy to answer any questions you may have, whether that's before you buy a horse or to support you afterwards. Never feel that you can't ask us about the horses, we're always here to give you that moral support and are happy to share any knowledge that we have. Buying a Falabella from us means that you are never on your own with them, we want to ensure that they go to loving and supportive homes and we're always here to back you up with help, support and advice or recommendations. We love to keep in touch with our Customers.

SHOULD I HAVE THE HORSE THAT I PURCHASE VETTED? Yes. We highly recommend that you either come along and check the horse for yourself or failing that you arrange a vetting. The cost is usually no more than around £200 to have a vetting and it means that you can buy with confidence. If a vetting is new to you and you would like to discuss what it all means please feel free to contact us.

IF I PURCHASE A FOAL HOW DO I KNOW WHAT HEIGHT IT WILL REACH? Unfortunately you don't and nobody can every guarantee otherwise. The way we used to measure ours was at birth then adding on 12" for their final birth height but this method just did not prove at all accurate. Two foals measuring just 1 inch between them at birth actually matured at 29" and 35".

IF I PURCHASE A FOAL WHEN CAN I TAKE IT HOME? Some people wean their horses when they are very young and we strongly disapprove of this. A horse weaned young can end up with health problems and a horse weaned before it's ready can feel very insecure in the future. No horse is taken from it's Dam before it's six months old and only then if we are sure it's ready. The foal will then stay with us for a further 1-2 weeks to give it a chance to 'settle' before he/she moves to it's new home. Rushing the process is not in the best interest of the horse. If you do buy a foal and wish to visit before you take it home we strongly encourage this and will be more than happy to welcome you.

CAN A FALABELLA LIVE ALONE? No. We do not recommend keeping a horse on their own. Even if human company will be readily available horses actually need their own type for company and to make them feel safe and secure.

CLEAN PADDOCKS/PADDOCK ROTATION Don't keep too many horses in one paddock. Too many horses will mean that grass will be eaten down quickly and horses will be forced to graze on 'dirty ground' where there are droppings, this leads to a worm burden in the horse. Keep a few horses in a paddock and let the horses graze then take them off that paddock and move them into a fresh paddock. Remove droppings daily if possible.

STABLED OR NOT? You don't have to supply a stable but you do need to provide some form of shelter (natural as in trees/bushes which overhang and provide shelter from rain, wind and sunshine or field shelters are an excellent alternative). It is a legal requirement that horses have shelter. We have stables which we use for foaling or to bring a horse in if it's lame or unwell otherwise they live out and each paddock has a field shelter.

WATER? All horses need a constant supply of clean water. Remember that during the winter months you need to check the water supply daily to ensure that it is free from ice. Horses need to drink regularly to make sure they don't get colic which is a serious and often life-threatening condition. Unfortunately with the cold winters we have been getting recently even water supplies in our stables have been freezing so be prepared for early mornings removing ice.

FEED? During the summer months our horses graze outdoors and have a good supply of fresh grass. Once they graze one paddock off we move them onto another one. During the winter we make sure they have a regular supply of hay which we put into a rack in the field. The condition of the horses is checked regularly, those losing condition are given a small amount of hard feed as a 'top up'.

FARRIER? Horses hooves grow at different rates but on average we have a visit from the Farrier every 10-12 weeks. Falabellas do not have shoes so it's just regular trimming which costs approx £15 per horse per visit.

Dentist Yes, horses need their teeth checking too. We check the horses teeth ourselves when they are first coming through to make sure the alignment is good. Horses lose their teeth at approx 2-3 years of age, make sure the old teeth come out when the new ones are coming through (if in doubt contact the Equine Dentist). Keep an eye on the overall condition of your horse, if he/she starts to lose weight they may have a problem with their teeth, again contact your Equine Dentist. Run your finger inside your horses mouth to check for rough/sharp edges, again if you find any problems it's time for a dental check.

WORMING? Please do this routinely. Horses should be wormed on a very regular basis (4 times a year) but get advice from your Vet on what wormer to use and when. In addition to this we highly recommend getting a worm count done at least once a year. This is a very simple procedure where you take a fresh manure sample and take it along to your vet or send it to a laboratory and they will do a worm count. The results gained from this count will let you know whether or not your worming programme is working, whoever does the test for you will be able to advise on further action which may need to be taken.

GROOMING Horses need to be groomed on a regular basis. This gives you the opportunity to check their overall condition, you will need to check for 'bot eggs' which will need removing and can hoof pick and check hoof condition.

RUGS OR NOT? We are still very undecided ourselves on this one. Each horse has it's own rugs but last winter we didn't use them and the horses came through the winter brilliantly. I would recommend that you have a rug handy just in case one is required and see how it goes. Prolonged periods of wet weather may mean that a rug is needed. Always make sure you get a rug which fits and secures well, always check the horse daily to make sure it's body condition is good and that the rug isn't leaking along the seams etc.

In this section I have covered a lot about the needs of the Falabella but if you feel there is something that you would like me to add please feel free to let me know.