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When you first buy a horse make sure you have a good stall for the horse. The stall should be at least 2 meters tall, at least 16 square meters in area, and should have fresh water and a feeding area. Make sure that the feeding area doesn't have a bar over top so the horse has to stick his head into the feeding area in the same way cows are put in stalls. This has to be open at the top up to the ceiling or else the horse will loose his mane in just a short amount of time. They like to rub the mane on the top bar while feeding and since a good part of the day is spent munching on hay and other kinds of feed, the mane would suffer considerately. The stall should also be on top of concrete or wood, and filled with some straw to make sure the horse doesn't have to stand in a wet area. Instead of straw wood chips or sawdust could be used, and if you live near a sawmill you might even get them for free.
As part of a daily routine, in the morning you should first clean out the horses hoofs. There is a tool available for this purpose called a hoof pick. To clean the hoof make sure you scratch all the dirt out from around the "frog", a V-shaped soft surface in the middle of the horse's hoof. Make sure you don't scratch inside the frog since the horse is very sensitive there. To clean this area be very gentle, there are two clefts in the frog which you should be able to clean out with two swipes with practice even if they are hidden with mud or manure. Sometimes the horse can get an infection in that area called thrush and you can tell if you smell close to the frog and it smells kind of rotten and foul, and the frog turns black. The horse might also limp slightly or refuse to run for long times. To treat this, pour a small amount of Javex (bleach) into a bucket and also put some water in. Then let your horse bathe the infected hoof in the mixture for about 5 - 10 minutes a day until the infection is gone. Make sure you tell the veterinarian if your horse has any problems with its hoofs, especially if you suspect it has thrush.
Now you can clean out the stall. In the morning totally clean out the old straw unless it is dry and still clean. Then put new straw into the box and brush out the horse's fur, with a good horse brush. You can also comb the horse's mane and tail and the more often you do this the easier it will be. These are available at pet stores. Then feed your horse some hay or let him go outside into a field where he can eat grass. If you want to ride the horse let it feed for at least one hour first. Then take it out for some exercise. If the horse is outside it isn't necessary to ride it as well since it gets enough exercise just being out. After riding the horse its important to clean out his hoofs once again since some rocks could get lodged in his hoof. The give your horse a small amount of grains and if your veterinarian suggests it, some mineral supplements. This should only be given to the horse if they don't spend time feeding outside where they graze up minerals along with their food, so make sure to ask for the veterinarian's advice before administering it. Usually the horse should be fed often and small amounts. The bulk, like hay and grass should make up for 1/2 - 2/3 of the entire day's meals. The grain makes up the other part. Give the horse plenty of water to help it with digesting. Watch your horse and its weight gain - don't overfeed it since that would make it poor health-wise, and you might not be able to ride it as much as you want. Allow an hour after feeding for digestion before riding (just like eating and swimming for us!)
At evening time clean out the horse's stall once again removing any 'horse apples' and redistribute the straw. There is probably enough straw left so you don't have to add new straw until the next morning. Brush your horse down and give it a bit of hay to munch on in the night. Horses usually don't sleep that much and spend much of the night feeding. You could also let the horse spend the night outside as long as it is in a secure fenced area, and it isn't a very cold night. If the horse stays outside make sure there is water available to him. In the morning start the whole cycle over again, and he will have a long happy life!
Once a month give your horse a wet bath, you can use a hose for this or bucket and sponge. Don't use the same kind of shampoo as we use since the horse needs the oils in its skin to protect it. You can buy a shampoo designed for horses from your local pet store. Also once a month the horse should be re-shoed by the farrier if it wears horseshoes, or have its hoofs trimmed if it doesn't. Try to find someone you trust to do this job, since if it is done wrong your horse will suffer unnecessary pain. Good luck with your horse care!
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