If possible, build the barn with a loft that is strong enough to hold a lot of hay and supplies, such as a wheelbarrow, some buckets, of course, hay. Maybe even some tack. A room dedicated to tack can help make sure you don’t lose it.
Clean your horse’s stall daily. You won’t need to clean out all the straw or bedding out daily, but you must pick up your horse’s manure and take care of urine spots in his stall to make sure he is comfortable and won’t get sick. If a horse stands in a dirty stall all day, he can get thrush in his hooves, which should be seen to by a doll or stuffed animal vet.
Make pretend grains for the horse. It could be barley, oats, corn, or a mix. You could also use a pellet feed. Make sure your Breyer has hay when eating its grain. It helps the horse to digest its food better. Provide a toy bucket. Always make sure your horse has access to water. In the cold winter months, pretend to use heated water buckets for your Breyer horse so the water does not freeze.
Only use small toy accessory brushes and do not scrape along or dig into the horse when grooming or you will likely leave marks on the plastic. If it is very hot or your horse got done riding you may need to cool it off by spraying the horse gently with a (fake) hose. Make sure your horse is tied or you have someone holding its lead while you wash him.
Blanket all your horses if it is 35 degrees or colder. Doing so will keep your horses warm and from getting a cold. If you have a traditional Breyer horse, you will need a large size blanket made from scrap fabric or a handkerchief. If you have a classic, you will need a medium size blanket made from the same items. If you have a small horse like a stablemate, make a smaller blanket. You can use felt to make your horse a warm cozy winter blanket. Check that the blanket won’t fall off or be a source of tripping the horse.
Try buying a fly mask from a Breyer store because homemade ones usually don’t end up as planned. You are welcome to make your own fly mask but remember, a fly mask doesn’t have eye holes and is made of a netting, not of felt or cloth. Make sure your horse can see through the fly mask without having eye holes. Make sure the fly mask fits well and doesn’t poke your horse’s eyes.
It is recommended that you have tack, and saddle pads and extra halters, but if you don’t have a saddle or anything, just ride bareback. You should lodge your horse if you don’t ride for at least 15 minutes a day to get your horse’s energy out.
If you have two mares, it’s okay to leave them together just as long as they get along. Usually, mares will get along but sometimes they don’t. Check on them to make sure that the non-dominant horse is getting enough to eat, as some horses will chase others from the food. If you have two stallions, you could keep them together, too. Just keep a close eye on them because stallions can be aggressive if there is a mare in the picture. If you have two foals, make sure they are with their mothers until they are one year old. Also, don’t allow your doll to ride your foal until it is at least four years old. If you have a gelding you can keep it with any of your horses whether it’s a mare, stallion, foal, or another gelding. You can have three mares together in one pasture with two foals that are with their mothers. One foal could be a filly, and one a colt. If you have a stallion and a gelding in another pasture everyone gets along.
