Ideas and help!

[Tattoo]

I am thinking about buying me a horse, the only thing is my husband thinks you have to be a billionaire to own one. how much do you think in all you spend a year on one horse and on what kind of things. (veterinarian bills, food, ...etc...ect..

[BearStepinHoley]

Well board where I am at is 700 bucks a month, and farrier is like 100 bucks every 8 weeks, and vet can range depending on whether your horse has any serious problems ect. You also have to have all your tack, saddle, bridle, and grooming kit. Board where you live might be cheaper, I'm on long island where there is a lack of space -.- But I don't know if you are going to board it or keep it on your property..It's not the cost of the horse, it's the cost of the upkeep.

[Tattoo]

I live in Texas, my husband said that you have to get your horse vaccinated every 5 months or so, how much do you spend on hay and feed? what size is a suitable stable and fence for running room?

[ewin2002]

Hi! I will break down what we spend every month on 4 draft horses:

Feed - about 1200lbs = $140.00

Hay - 4 Large Round Bales = $120.00

Farrier - my dad's certified so free for us but usually about $25-$45 depending on the horse's behavior, how bad they are, and the area you are in. you don't need shoes unless you ride the horse on pavement or in shows.

Vets - Our horses get vaccinated and tested every year. I'm not sure what we pay because our vet gives us a good deal because his family of vets has been our family's vet for over 50 years. Plus an emergency fund if anything happens.

Halter - $20 or so
Lead Rope - $8 or so
Brushes - just depends on what you buy depending on what your horse needs.

If you are going to ride you will need:
*a saddle - $200-any amount depending on the quality you want.
*a briddle - $60- any amount - same as saddle
*saddle pad - usually pretty cheap $30 or so

Plust extras - we have additives that we put in the horses food - soy, muscle builders, coat conditionars, etc.

All of this is just for starters. You can spend a lot more than this depending on what you want to do with the horse. We just use ours for enjoyment and occasional riding. We also show them in the county fair, nothing big, just for fun. First you need some horse knowledge. You need to understand how to handle a horse and how to properly take care of one. Spend some time at a local stable. Riding a trained horse for a few hours is much different than owning a horse. Good luck!!

[Tattoo]

thanks so much i think this convinced my husband to get me one! he's just mad cause his dad made him take care of barrel racing horses. any more info i'm still listening

[lneill84]

Horses are extremely extremely expensive. They arent like other animals, where there is just a high start up cost. Techinically, one horse needs a 5 acre paddock to ensure they get enough grass and nutrients. Most people don't have that kind of space for one horse. Smaller paddocks are fine, but they need a high quality hay to supplement the missing grass. Pastures also should be rotated to allow the grass to rebulid. Easily, one horse that is meant to be ridden (not including the cost of the horse, barn, fencing), can run somewhere around $3000+. Supplies, feed, shavings, saddles, farrier, vet, etc. Add on a decent barn, safe fencing, and you are looking at around 15. Horses are herd animals, so they need some sort of companion, whether its another horse, donkey, goat, etc. Farriers and vet are routine things that need to be taken care of. I had 5 show horses at one point, kept at a barn, and my expenses were running around 20k a month. Add in any emergencies (which you will have), and its a lot of money. Colic surgery can get expensive, even if your horse has no complications from it. if you need to call a vet out on an emergency, its going to be expensive. I live in the Northeast, so naturally things are more expensive. My farrier was $200 a horse. Vet I can't even imagine how much. Board was $1600 a horse a month. Shows were not included in that. I suggest you start riding at a good barn and start learning a lot fast, especially if you want to keep horses at home. You need to know what to do in case of an emergency, which can mean the matter of life and death to a horse. You need to learn the signs of colic, which is easily fatal if not caught in time. Even if it is caught in time, surgery can be required and horses have a rough time through. Horses get themselves in a lot of trouble-they aren't the brightest animals in the world. Safe fencing is a must, because, guarenteed your horses are going to have a tangle with a fence at some point

[Bilbo12]

[QUOTE=BearStepinHoley]Well board where I am at is 700 bucks a month, and farrier is like 100 bucks every 8 weeks [QUOTE] :eek: I live in Oklahoma and I spend $100 a month on board and $15 for the the farrier!

[BearStepinHoley]

Lol seriously, the cheapest place I know of is 150 a month for part board meaning you clean your horses' paddock and feed all the horses on your assigned days. I would rather be there but it is to far away from us and we live near rich english people -.- I boarded a Qh stallion at a barn that was 950 a month now that was ridiculous.
*wants to live in oklahoma* my horse was born there XD

[KellyP]

It really depends on where you live. It's probably best to call around in your area and check the prices.

Prices to check:

Board - ( prices will vary greatly depending on what the stable offers )

Feed - Hay, Grain and any supplements the horse may need.

Tack and Equipment - Good qaulity tack can cost hundreds even thousands of dollars and must be fitted to the horse.

Farrier - Your horse will need a trim/new shoes ever 6-8 weeks. Keep in mind some horses need specialty shoeing to stay sound, which can be costly.

Deworming Medications - You will need to choose between the monthly or daily deworms to keep your horse free of parasites.

Vaccinations/Annual Check up - You will have to find a local equine veterinarian and find out what shots are routinely given to hroses in your area. Keep in mind there is also a farm call that is charged anytime a vet needs to see your horse.

Emergency Care - Horses are great at getting themselves into trouble. You need to make sure that you have back up money saved in case your horse ever needs life saving veterinary care.

Lessons/Training - Odds are if this is your first horse you probably will need the guidance of an professional trainer.

Showing - If you plan on showing your horse this brings a whole new set of bills. Theres trainers, show clothes/tack, grooming supplies, travel/entry fee's, ect.

Dental Care - Horse need thier teeth floated at least once per year to keep them wearing evenly.

There are a million and one other things that can't be planned for that will come up. Horses are a huge financial burden, and you shouldn't even consider getting one if money is tight. Just keep in mind that the horses purchase price will be the cheapest part of owning one. It's the care and upkeep that are what costs the most.

[Tattoo]

what about a dude ranch vacation, if anyone knows of any in Texas around Midland let me know

[Bilbo12]

I boarded a Qh stallion at a barn that was 950 a month now that was ridiculous.
*wants to live in oklahoma* my horse was born there

950!!!??? I almost screamed when I heard that price!!!!

P.S I was born in OKlahoma just like your horse!

[BearStepinHoley]

Seriously lol its robbery. That barn is in a state park, and it was the original polo ponies barn. It had heating in the winter (although the ponies were sent to florida for winter O_o) and they never use the heating. It has like a brick floor which is really really slippery when wet and in the winter it was terrible when you tried to bring your horse in from the indoor and they had gigantic ice balls in their hooves and they slid all over the place. Thw only real perk was they had an indoor washstall with hot/cold water. They only had 3 hours turnout a day and their paddocks didn't even have grass X.x Some lady even had 2 horses in there. Oklahoma is such a cool state xD