03/09/2026
🐴❤️ WHAT REALLY GOES INTO CARING FOR A HORSE AT EL ACEBUCHE STABLES ❤️🐴
Sometimes people see a horse arrive at a livery yard and think, “They've got a stable, a paddock and some food job done.”
But for us, that's only the beginning.
At El Acebuche Stables, a lot of thought goes into every single horse that comes into our care, because no two horses are the same.
Every horse arrives with its own personality, history, needs and little quirks and sometimes, a very big backstory.
We have young horses, older horses, horses enjoying retirement, horses still in work, horses recovering from injury or illness, and horses who have come to us after difficult experiences.
Some arrive confident and happy❤️.
Others need time to learn that they are safe❤️.
Some have spent years being looked after one way, while others may have had very little individual care at all.
And that's why we don't believe in a “one size fits all” approach.
🌿 EVERY HORSE GETS AN INDIVIDUAL PLAN
Before deciding what goes into a feed bucket, we look at the horse in front of us.
Age.
Weight and condition.
Workload.
Forage.
Existing diet.
Teeth.
Feet.
Joints and mobility.
Digestive health.
Any medical conditions.
Previous injuries.
Recovery needs.
Temperament.
And, very importantly, their history.
A horse recovering from an operation or illness may need a completely different feeding programme and nutritional support from a healthy horse in light work.
An older horse may need additional support for maintaining weight, muscle, mobility, joints or hoof quality.
A horse with poor feet may need nutritional support specifically aimed at healthy hoof growth.
A horse that has been through a period of stress may need a much gentler approach while they settle.
And then, of course, there are our mares! 🌸😂
Hormonal changes can affect some mares enormously. Their behaviour, comfort and temperament can change at different times of their cycle, so this is something we take into consideration too.
But we also know that a sudden change in behaviour shouldn't simply be dismissed as “mareish.” Sometimes behaviour is a horse's way of telling us that something isn't quite right.
🦶 SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT AUTOMATIC
We don't believe in filling every feed bucket with a dozen different supplements just because they are available.
Sometimes a horse genuinely benefits from additional support for joints, hooves, digestion, recovery, electrolytes or other individual needs.
Sometimes they don't need anything extra at all.
The important thing is knowing why you're giving something and whether that particular horse actually needs it.
And that decision can change as the horse changes.
A young horse today won't necessarily have the same needs in five years.
An older horse may need additional support as they age.
A horse recovering from injury may need a different diet during recovery and then another adjustment when they return to work.
It's an ongoing process.
❤️ AND THEN THERE IS THE HERD
One of the most important things we do is carefully consider which horses are going to live alongside each other.
When a new horse arrives, we don't simply open the gate and put them straight into a paddock with a group of horses and leave them to it.
Introducing horses properly takes time.
They need to see and smell each other.
They need time to understand their new surroundings.
We watch their behaviour, their body language and their interactions.
We consider personalities, ages, temperaments and existing relationships within the group.
Sometimes things progress quickly.
Sometimes they need more time.
And that's perfectly okay.
Our priority is always to make the introduction as calm, safe and stress free as possible.
We don't rush it just because it would be easier for us.
🐴 SETTLING INTO A NEW HOME
Coming to a new yard can be a huge change for a horse.
New people.
New smells.
New routines.
New surroundings.
New horses.
And for some horses, particularly those who have had difficult lives, even something that seems very simple to us can be a big step for them.
So we give them time.
We watch.
We listen.
We adjust.
And we make sure that things are moving in the right direction before moving on to the next step.
📱 AND WE KEEP OUR OWNERS INVOLVED
For owners who live close by, they can obviously come and see their horse.
But many of our clients live further away sometimes in completely different parts of Spain, or even overseas.
So we know how important it is for them to feel connected to their horse.
That's why we regularly send photos and videos and updates, so owners can see how their horse is settling, how they're looking, what they're doing and, most importantly, how they're feeling.
Because leaving your horse in someone else's care requires an enormous amount of trust.
And we don't take that trust lightly. ❤️
🌿 THIS IS WHAT MAKES EL ACEBUCHE DIFFERENT
For us, livery isn't simply about providing a stable and a paddock.
It's about knowing the horses in our care.
Knowing who needs a little extra time.
Who needs watching more closely.
Who needs a different feed.
Who needs nutritional support.
Who needs their own space.
Who needs company.
Who needs encouragement.
Who needs a quieter approach.
And who just needs someone to notice that today, they're not quite themselves.
There is a lot of thought that happens behind the scenes that perhaps isn't always visible.
The conversations about feed.
The decisions about supplements.
The careful introductions.
The constant checking.
The little adjustments.
The photos and videos sent to owners.
The watching from a distance.
The “let's give him another couple of days and see how he settles.”
The “she seems happier on this.”
The “I don't think he needs that supplement anymore.”
The “something isn't quite right today, let's keep an eye on him.”
That's horse care.
And that's what we love about what we do. ❤️
Every horse that comes through our gates becomes an individual, not simply another horse on the yard.
Because ultimately, our job isn't just to provide a place for your horse to stay.
It's to get to know them, understand them, care for them and give them the best life we possibly can while they are with us.
🐴❤️ EL ACEBUCHE STABLES WHERE YOUR HORSE COMES FIRST. ❤️🐴
