I am assuming from your post that you live overseas? I wish you good luck with your venture, but here are a few things you might like to think about before deciding if horse-owning is definitely for you...

Horses are herd animals and it's not fair to keep them alone. A sheep or goat is better than nothing but really you'd need another horse or pony for company. Can you afford to keep two?

You say you have a small field, how small is small? The horses need space to run about and be away from each other if they want. Ideally you would fence off all corners so they are a curve so none of the horses can get trapped in the corner.

A wood chip floor is ok although it would be dusty which could cause breathing problems in the horses. You would still have the problems of damp conditions in winter. Wood chip rots so would need replacing fairly regularly, but I agree it would be better than mud. Wood bark chips might be a better idea, the advantage of these is they would take longer to rot and would be less dusty.

The field shelter is a good idea but make sure it's big enough for two horses and that one can't be trapped in the corner and beaten up by the other if they have an argument. You will need bedding in the field shelter so they have somewhere dry to lay down, this will need the poo taking out daily and mucked out properly at least once a week. Do you have somewhere away from the horses to store the muck? The flies will irritate them if you store it too close. Do you know a company who will come and take the muck away when the pile gets too big? Check out how much these companys will charge so you don't have a nasty surprise. Where will you store the bedding? Some types come in plastic bales and can be stored outside. Where will you buy the bedding from and how much will it cost? Will the company deliver to you?

What if one of the horses gets ill/injured and needs to be stabled? A field shelter that can be partitioned in the middle and a bar put across the front to keep the horse in would be useful to you in case of emergencies.

Will you have a water supply and electricity supply? Filling buckets by hand is very time consuming, horses can drink 10 gallons per day each, more in hot weather and it needs to be kept fresh so no good just topping water up for days at a time, it needs changing daily. You need electricity because if a horse is injured it will be difficult to treat the injury in the dark.

Since you will be on your own, do you have enough knowledge of equine first aid? And horse care in general? Have you considered joining the British Horse Society (you can join even if you don't live in Britain) they are full of horsecare advice and it doesn't cost much to join. You will learn a lot and have someone to phone if you need advice.

You say there is no horse insurance where you are. Do you have the wages to afford vets bills if a horse is injured or sick? These expenses can be very costly, so if you don't earn much you will need to save up a sizeable amount before you buy the horses, and you will then need to replace the money if it gets used.

Have you investigated which vets and farriers work in your area? Do they have a good reputation and are they registered with the governing bodies for their profession? You are certain to need the vet at some time and it needs to be a specialist horse vet, or at least a large animal vet. A vet who spends most of their working day with dogs, cats etc won't be much use to you. The horse will need shoeing, or at least the hooves trimmed, every 6 weeks.

Where will you ride? If you want to ride in the field this will increase the damage to the surface of the field meaning you have to replace it more often. Put a tie up ring in the field shelter so you can tie the other horse up while you ride. Are there riding instructors who work in your area, who can come out to you and give you lessons if you are having a problem with riding the horse? Even if you can ride well, problems can develop at any time and we all need a helping hand now and again. Again, check their qualifications and reputation.

Where will you store hay and horse feed? It will quickly go mouldy if out in the rain. Because there is no grass in your field and depending on the size of the horses they will need upto 3/4 of a small bale of hay each, every day and all year round. This is approx 12kilogrammes daily each. Are you certain you can afford this? Can you get hay in your area? What other fibrous feeds are there as an alternative if you can't get hay? Alfalfa (also known as lucerne), oat straw or barley straw are suitable alternatives. Although oat and barley straw will be unlikely to provide enough energy on their own so you would also need cereal feeds such as oats, barley, maize. Or maybe you can buy feeds produced specially for horses by a horse feed company.

Are there saddlers in your area who can fit a horses saddle? A badly fitting saddle can cause lots of damage. This can resulting in bad behaviour from the horse because it is in pain. It will also cost you vet bills to cure the problem caused by the saddle. Horses change shape with age, if their workload changes, or if their weight changes. Ideally you would need the saddle checked once a year, but sooner if you notice any changes in behaviour when ridden or putting on the tack, if the saddle moves around when riding, or if you see any signs of sores on the saddle area.

I know this is a lot to think about, but it really is best to do your research before buying the horse. Trying to muddle through after you've bought the horse will not be much fun and the horses health may suffer. If there are some things you can't sort out then maybe owning horses is not right for your current situation.

If you decide that you can afford to own horses, then give a little thought to the sort of horse you will buy. First of all it must be a suitable height for you to ride and it must be able to comfortably carry your weight. For your first horse everything is new to you, so life is much easier if you buy a horse with a good nature, who is sensible and well-trained. A difficult horse, a young and untrained horse, or a "rescue" horse is not a good idea for people new to horse owning. Have the horse checked by a vet before you buy it to make sure it is not lame or sick or drugged.

I hope you have found this information helpful and I wish you very good luck. x