The moment a child gets their first pony is an incredibly special one. After months of searching, a choice has been made and that perfect first equine partner, the one that ticks all the boxes, has been found. However, it is important to realise that the arrival of the child's new four-legged friend is not the time to start thinking about how to look after him. One of the most important things to think about is the horse feed he will be provided with.

Firstly, it's vital to ask the previous owner what the pony has been fed so far. Is there a specific brand or type of horse food that the pony has been eating? A horse's digestive system is very sensitive and doesn't cope well with sudden changes. It is a much better idea to change the horse's diet over gradually. This might mean sticking with what the pony was used to at its last home, and slowly introducing it to whatever diet the new owner has in mind. Be prepared and make sure there is enough hay and feed to give the pony, for when he arrives at his new home.

One of the main mistakes novice owners make is feeding too much. While it can be tempting to give a pony an extra scoop of hard feed, especially when he is new to the yard and everyone is trying to help him settle in and bond with his new owners, it is always advisable to feed according to the horse food manufacturer's guidelines. Feed too much and the pony might put on too much weight and the extra energy might have a negative impact on his temperament. Most pony breeds are very hardy and don't need an awful lot of hard feed. In fact, they can be susceptible to painful conditions such as laminitis when they are overfed. Stick to low-energy, high-fibre horse food and plenty of forage.

A number of other factors will determine how much food the pony needs to receive. If the child is a beginner rider and will only be doing light hacking and a bit of schooling, he will need much less hard feed than a more active pony that is being used for show jumping and cross-country training. How he is being kept and what the season is will also dictate the amount and energy content of the feed. If a pony is being kept outside 24/7 over winter, he will need more horse food to help him keep warm and to prevent him from losing too much weight. If he is on lush spring grass, a pony will probably need minimal hard food, and might even need to be put on restricted grazing if he is putting on too much extra weight.

Buying a child's first pony can be a huge learning curve, with choosing the appropriate horse food being just one of those lessons. Some of the best things a new owner can do is keep it simple, educate themselves as much as possible and never forget that horse food company Help Lines can provide excellent feed management advice.