need some advice!

[JenHan disease]

hey guys!
in a year or two my dad may be moving house, and there is a property next to it where i could keep a horse for free. i have wanted a horse so much for basically all my life! i have just always loved them, to me (and probably for u too) they r just the perfect animal, i think they are absolutly beautiful and amazing creatures.
i love horse riding more than anything!
anyway...here are my questions...
1. how much would it cost around to keep a horse a week? (in AUS dollars)
2. coz i have skool, would it be ok if i feed the horse once a day?
3. how often should i ride it?
thank you
and another thing the land that i am thinking of putting it on needs sum work, it has had horses on it before. but the stall is all junky, but i would be able to get that all fixed up, my dad is a carpenter. the land is quite big, but i can only keep ONE horse, i couldnt afford double the amount. what could i do so the horse doesnt get lonely.
hey thanks heaps.
looking forward to getting ur replies!!! :cool:
~Hannah

[rubysoho]

hmmm... I would recommend you start taking riding lessons or helping out at a barn to learn about horses before you actually consider getting one. They are a huge responsibility and can get very expensive, even for trail riding (vet bills, shoeing ever 4-5 weeks, etc...)

1. not sure how much it would cost in australia. Do some research on foods your horse will need (hay, grains, etc...) as well as how much shavings or straw will be for your horses stall. You will need to clean the stall daily, even if your horse gets to go outside in the feild. Also see how much the vet charges for vaccines and for visits in case your horse becomes sick or lame. Find a GOOD farrier. Go to different barns in your area and ask around. Ask about different farriers at different barns because not everyone knows a lot about how a horse's hoof should be properly trimmed, etc... Then look into the farrier's rates (there will possibly be a fee for coming out to your barn on top of shoeing/trimming). Once you figure out how much everything will cost, you can divide it up to what it will cost per week but remember that horses can unexpectantly go lame or get hurt, or sick and you will need to be able to pay for this. Oh and think about blanketing for the winter, the cost of tack (unless you plan on just riding bareback), cleaning supplies (brushes, hoofpick, curry comb etc...)

2. horses are less likely to develope colic if they are fed twice a day. (read about this, there are different kinds dealing with different kinds of blockage in the intestines as well as how to prevent, what warning signs there are and how to responde...call a vet ;) )

3. Ride as much as you can, but realize that even if you are riding for fun, you need to warm up and cool down your horse, or else your horse will become stiff and sore. Another result would be his/her's hocks fusing (a painful process for the horse, but after it is over, they may either be lame, okay except sometimes, or even perfect, but don't gamble on this). A good gauge for this is walking at a marching pace, but not fast, for 10 minutes, then trotting for 5 minutes, doing transitions between the two, and then moving into your cantering. A good cool down would be walking your horse until breathing is normal and his/her body is back to normal temperature (you can gauge temperature by placing your hand on your horse's chest). Dont forget to groom out all the sweat. Sweat can cause itchyness and sores from where it is rubbed by tack.

For the stall that you are fixing up, just make sure it is high enough so your horse won't hit is head if he spooks and no nails are sticking out. A good friend would be a rescued donkey or perhaps a goat, but I beleive donkeys are less tempermental and it is easier for them to bond to your horse. They are really cute too!! But will also need to be groomed, hooves trimmed, food, and winter protection. Oh, and make sure the barn has a good source of water. You'll need to change water buckets daily and every other day in the water trough in the feild. (or if bugs are really bad, it gets dirty, every day)


I probably gave you more information than you asked for, sorry. Let me know if you have any other questions. Getting a horse is wonderful, but they need lots of love and care.

[rubysoho]

oh, another suggestion, you might want to look into leasing a horse. But for now, start reading about horse care, feeding/nutrition (especially if you are going to be the one getting the food). There is so much to learn about horses. The more you think you've learned, you'll start seeing there is always so much more to learn.

[JenHan disease]

thank you heaps rubysoho!
i understand the fact that owning a horse is a huge responsibility and i am prepared to give alot of time and comitment.
yes i will probably start taking horse riding lessons with one of my friends (although i do know how to ride, there is still alot to learn!)
i have been reading books, magazines and surfing the net for info etc. i also kno some people who own horses so i have got some really valuable information! and petshub is just really helpful too!!!

[rubysoho]

awesome!!! good luck

[JenHan disease]

one more question- how much does it cost a week to own a horse?
thanku
(i dont really mind if u live in another country, i can figure it out)

[rubysoho]

well... if I can remember correctly (it has been a while since I owned my own horse...I just ride whatever I can now)... these were our costs

Month:
shoein- $65 US dollars
board- (included shavings, feed and hay) $400 USD
gas money to get to the barn- about $30 a week


However, those are the expenses only after you have purchased everthing else (blankets, tack, clothes...even if you don't want "riding clothes" you'll still need to buy some clothes you can get dirty, a horse ;) ). Then you also need to figure in some extra money for a vet or suppliments for your horse if he needs them. My horse needed legend shots in his hocks because his previous owner never warmed him up or cooled him down properly (she was a great owner other than that) and his hocks had fused. He also needed consistent exercise to keep his hocks strong. After I sold him, the girl didn't take proper care of him, pretty much ignored him, and he became lame. *sigh* So, getting back to the subject, there are a lot of unpredictable situations you need to be ready for. If you are hoping that problems won't occure and you only have enough money to get from month to month, then I say don't buy a horse. It would be much better to lease a horse and you will split vet costs and shoeing with the owner.

[tabbie]

;) :p :cool: :eek: :o :D : :innocent: i have a horse and for me it costs round about $300 a month in aussie dolars and i live in australia so i am sure the price would be round about the same the food would costs about $93 and the rest but we keep our horse in a place that we have to pay for so i recon about $200 a month
tabbie -propeller

[Jessica23]

There's no such thing as keeping a horse for free!! :D
I keep mine at home so dont have to pay for stabling and stuff like that but roughly, every month i pay:

Shoeing - £80 (mine has bad feet though so usually a bit less!!)
Hay - £50 approx.
Food - £30 approx.
Shavings - £20

And then ontop of that you have to have insurance which can be expensive though DEFINATELY get it! My horse had a nasty fall and to fix him the vets bills ran to over £5000!!!

I'd very seriously considering everything before buying a horse :)

[JenHan disease]

i didnt mean keep the horse for free i just meant i didnt have to pay agistment lol
thankkkks heaps guys!
CoOL =D

[bubbles11]

1.Dunno in Austrailian munny.
2. If the horse has lived on once a day feeding for most of his/her life, then once a day around noon would be fine. Otherwize, twice a day.(2 hours after you get up, then about 5 hours before you go to bed.I would tell you what time, but I'm too young to know time zones. :blush: I'm only in 5th grade in America.)

[bubbles11]

In Minnesota time 10:00 in the morning 4:00 in the afternoon. Go figure. :D