| Owning a horse takes on a whole new set of | | | | shelter, no arenas - $150 - $350 |
| responsibilities that leasing and lessons did not | | | | Private small facility, good care/feed, stalls, |
| have. | | | | turnout, arenas (outdoor) - $300 - $550 |
| I find that this is the most overlooked part of | | | | Self board, you do everything, pay for all feed, |
| horse ownership, and I see it daily in the horse | | | | clean stalls - $150 - $350 |
| world. Horses can be expensive, even when they | | | | Quality barn, come competitors, excellent care, |
| live with you as opposed to being boarded out. | | | | instructors, indoor arena - $550 - $700 |
| They are living, breathing creatures whose very | | | | Competition barn, discipline specific, best of |
| lives are completely dependent upon YOU for | | | | everything, trainers, coaches $700 - $1,500 (plus |
| survival. I cannot state this enough, especially | | | | frills) |
| having gone through years of watching people get | | | | Keeping your horse in your back yard depends on |
| them and dispose of them when no longer | | | | the amenities and outbuildings you have. Lets |
| needed or wanted. | | | | start with the buildings you may have to build |
| If you have any indications that you may not be | | | | (based on averages only): |
| able to keep up the commitments, I ask that you | | | | Outside shelter/run-in, 14'x14', open 2 sides: $350 |
| keep your lease horse and read no further. I'm | | | | - $600 (untreated or treated lumber), if someone |
| not trying to be harsh, but this next step requires | | | | else build it: $1,000 + |
| you to do some soul searching. It's not really | | | | Small barn, 2 stalls, hay storage, concrete floor, |
| about the money. | | | | one storey, 'traditional' building style, around |
| Since you are still reading, let's take a good hard | | | | 36x40: You build-$35,00. They build: $45,000 |
| look at the real cost of horse ownership. | | | | Hay storage shed: $400-600. |
| There are many articles on this subject, but three | | | | Shavings and bedding shed: $400-600. |
| factors to keeping costs down are: | | | | Fencing, corral 40' x 100': Wood 3 rail painted - |
| Buy a sound, healthy, happy, trained, quiet horse | | | | $16,000. Bayco high-tensile horse wire at 5 |
| that has passed a battery of veterinarian testing | | | | strands: $17,000. Metal: $65,000. |
| and professional trainer/coach approval. | | | | Fencing, pasture: wood, untreated unpainted - $60 |
| Keep the horse in a place that is safe and free | | | | per every 10 feet. |
| from hazards. | | | | *Please note the absence of barbwire pricing. |
| Research and read everything you can about | | | | Barbwire has no business around horses. I have a |
| horses: skeleton and structure, feed and nutrition, | | | | saying: "That horse never died before." |
| care and grooming, feet and maintenance. The | | | | Building anything on a property only increases the |
| riding is up to you and your coach. | | | | property value, if done well. Anything less |
| Costs for owning a horse go through the roof | | | | becomes a safety issue, which we talk about |
| when these above principles are neglected or | | | | later. |
| passed by. If I wrote down all the people I know | | | | Training and Lessons |
| right now, whose horses are out of commission, | | | | Lesson, one hour, qualified instructor: $30 - 50 |
| the reasons would be because of at least one of | | | | hour |
| the above principles. | | | | Training, one month, qualified trainer: $1,000 |
| The Cost of a Good Horse | | | | month |
| Horse prices vary around the world, so we will | | | | Feeding |
| use North American averages. Let's look at a few | | | | Grain for one 1100 pound horse: $35 - 50/month |
| of the necessities of a first horse and the price | | | | Hay for same horse: Grass/orchard hay: $110-150 |
| for it. | | | | month. Timothy: $120-170/month. Alfalfa mix: |
| Sound, healthy, vetted clean, not too young or old | | | | $120-170/month. (pure alfalfa is for cattle. More |
| (7-13) | | | | on that in future articles, or see Kathryn Watts, |
| Well mannered, trailers nicely, can be clipped and | | | | Marijke van de Water). |
| bathed | | | | Average 50 lb. bale cost: orchard $5-12. Timothy: |
| Has basic training levels down well: stop, go, turns, | | | | $12-18. Alfalfa mix: $16-24. |
| cues lightly, trained mouth | | | | Hay will rise substantially in the next 2 years from |
| Has registration papers | | | | the cost of fuel and the depletion of farmland for |
| May have competed at entry level | | | | corn crops. Drought and economy also play a role |
| Price for this horse: $5,000. Price for this pony: | | | | in the variable feed pricing. |
| $3500 - 5000. | | | | Worming |
| Now let's add some frills: | | | | Every 2-3 months: $20 each time |
| Horse has been in many shows and pinned in 'A' | | | | Vet Care |
| circuits - Add $2000 and up | | | | Call out (before they do anything) $65-85 |
| Horse is discipline specific; jumping, hunter, reining, | | | | Average one hour visit with no return or |
| breed classes - Add $2,000 (smaller levels) to | | | | emergency: $250-350 |
| $15,000 (medium levels) to anything over $50,000 | | | | Vaccinations: $120/year |
| (higher levels) | | | | Feet |
| Breeding: purebred or reasonable bloodlines - Add | | | | Trim, all 4: $30-45 |
| $2,000 and up. For the top bloodlines - Add | | | | Shoes, general all-purpose set of 4: $220-280 |
| $5,000 and up. Poor bloodlines can drop the price | | | | Shoes, 2 fronts: $90-140 |
| of a horse. | | | | Specialty shoes, all 4: $280-450 |
| Horse has level 3 and 4 dressage - Add $25,000 | | | | Trims average every 4-6 weeks for optimum |
| and up | | | | health. Shoes the same. |
| Horse is a proven broodmare - Add $2000 and up | | | | Bedding |
| Horse comes from a notable trainer - Add $3000 | | | | Per month: Shavings: $40-65. Pellets: $50-85. |
| and up. | | | | Straw: $25-50. |
| Costs vary with every horse, but these are | | | | Equipment |
| generalities. When it comes to the price of a | | | | Saddles |
| horse, it's not always the quality or training. | | | | English, medium quality. Dressage: $1,700 - 3000. |
| Market value is what someone will pay, and if no | | | | Hunt seat/all purpose: $1500 - 3000. |
| one will pay $50,000 for a well-bred hunter, you | | | | English, used, good quality: Dressage: $700-2500. |
| won't sell it. It's very simple. | | | | Hunt seat/all purpose: $400-1600 |
| Good ponies are worth their weight in gold, so | | | | Western, medium quality, all purpose trail: |
| you may have to spend more for a winning pony, | | | | $1800-2400. |
| but if the pony is young enough, you will recoup | | | | Western, good quality used: $800-2200 |
| every dollar and sometimes more. | | | | Bridles |
| The price of horses also is dictated by the | | | | English with bit: $85-125 |
| economic climate. As of the writing of this article, | | | | Western with bit: $70-110 |
| July 2008, you don't even have to pay for a | | | | Halters |
| horse these days. Auctions have been selling | | | | Web traditional: $25-55 |
| them from $20 to $200; half of the value of | | | | Rope: $14-29 |
| meat. Check out this site for the truth on auction | | | | Leather: $50-120 |
| horses and the current auction prices: Speaking of | | | | Lead ropes: $12-30 |
| Auctions | | | | Grooming Equipment |
| Can you get a good horse at an auction? | | | | Brushes, combs, picks, misc: $30-100 |
| Absolutely, but it relies on 50% - skill and 50% - | | | | Misc: saddle blankets, horse blankets, boots, |
| luck. There are more bad reasons for horses | | | | wraps, first aid, tack cleaning supplies, sprays, |
| being at an auction than good reasons. | | | | bandages: $200-600/year. |
| Should you try an auction? As a first time buyer, | | | | Hauling |
| absolutely not, unless you bring someone skilled, | | | | Average 100 mile trip: $1 to $2.50/mile |
| and even then it's still 50% luck. If it's your first | | | | Insurance |
| horse, it would be heartbreaking to bring the | | | | This cost varies too greatly to make sense or |
| horse home and a week later have a vet tell you | | | | put it on the site. |
| the horse is unserviceable for life. We will have | | | | Total Equine Costs/Averages for One Year |
| more on auctions in a future article. | | | | Recreational horse at home (after building): $1800 |
| Cost of Ownership | | | | Boarded recreational horse $7000 |
| Boarding | | | | Boarded competition horse $15,000 |
| Keeping your horse at a stable varies immensely. | | | | It costs the same to board and feed a bad horse |
| Let's look at the monthly variants: | | | | as it does a good horse. The initial price of the |
| Backyard, no barn, reasonable feeding, full care, | | | | horse is the easy part. |