To be able to look after a horse or pony properly you need to know and understand about equine health care, there is much to learn but here are the recommended basic requirements for horse owners:
Know the signs of good and ill health in a horse
Know how to check a horse's temperature, pulse and respiration rate.
Understand preventative health care including: worming, vaccinations and dentistry.
Be able to recognise lameness.
Know when emergency veterinary assistance is required eg. know when a horse is colicing and a wound needs veterinary attention.
Know basic equine first aid.