COST OF OWNING A HORSE

Standard costs involved with owning a horse:

Board: $50 to $500 per month (varies widely based on area of the country
               and type of boarding)

Shoes: $35 to $100 each 6 weeks (some horses require shoeing more often,
                 some horses less frequently.)

Worming: $10 to $16 each 3 months (some people worm every other month)

Shots: $20 to $60 each year (some people give shots up to 4x per year)
         cost increases when the vet gives shots

Vet Bills: Depends on the health of a horse...
      $50 for the farm call
      $10 to $50 for floating the teeth
      Emergencies from $100 to thousands

Lessons: $25-$30 per hour

Shows/clinics: at least $100 per show/clinic per day

Insurance: Mortality and surgical... About $400 a year

Equipment: Basic equipment include: saddle, saddle pads, bridle, bit,
      halter, lead rope, horse blanket (optional in some areas),
      bucket, brushes, combs.
      $200 (if you're lucky and buy used) to $5,000


The cost of owning a horse varies with the area of the country in
which you live and the type of events in which you are involved. You
can keep a horse in your backyard (where the law allows) for a few
dollars a month. Or you can keep your horse at a stable that has all
the amenities and pay thousands. These are the extremes. Your best
bet is to check around. Talk to other horse owners and see where they
board, what they like and dislike about the stable, who they use as a
farrier and vet, and what they like about each. 





Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?
From: Adrienne Regard
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 08:11:19 -0800


... don't automatically assume your horse needs what people think of as
"the best". A lot of people make the mistake of boarding their trail
horse as if he were a high performance horse.

Horses doing different work have different needs. The 3Xweek horse
needs more space during the week (pasture board versus a stall) for
example. People tend to look at barns and drool, but barns really aren't
the horse's preference. Horses who don't work a lot need more mouth
time (hay) than high-concentrate feeds.

Just for your database, here in Southern California, where land is
precious, standard board is a 24X24foot pipe corral with shade cover. 
Horses in stalls are generally there for the shade, as a place to
contain bedding (we have hard ground) or because they are working hard
(it's more convenient for the human and you get more horses per acre). 
Pasture board that has enough land to really have grass is almost
unheard of in any populated areas. Out in the mountians, of course,
things are different.

A 24X24 at a 7 acre stable that has arenas and a couple round pens for
turn out (boarder has to do it) with alfalfa hay fed morning and night,
and pens skipped 1/day costs $175. Any additional feeds or services
(blanketing/unblanketing) are extra. Stalled horses, fed 2Xday and
skipped once a day, run $240-500 depending on where they are located in
this tight-land area, and what stable amenities are offered.

Shoeing (4) runs $85. Ranch call by the vet is $70, not counting what
he actually does.  Private lessons run from $20/hour to $150/hour, with
classy clinicians.

Just FYI.

I board on my property. Not counting the additional money it cost me to
buy the land (which I hope to get out of it when I sell) and the cost of
putting up a barn (which I don't use for anything but feeding -- I don't
bed or enclose the horses), I pay about $50-60/month in feeds, and I get
to choose. For example, I won't feed alfalfa, which is about all you can
get at the stables, so I'm happy to have the control. But I also don't
take vacations. (-:





Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?
From: Chris Henderson
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian

Just for comparison, I'm in southern Ontario and the place I board my
horse at costs $240.00/month (Cdn) for full-care board. This includes
daily cleaning, feeding and watering (and before people jump on me about
the water woes I was talking about in September, the water situation at
this barn has *greatly* improved. The horses have inside and outside
water available at all times now. I guess all the complaining from the
boarders was actually heard!), daily turn-out (8 hours/day),
blanketing/unblanketing, an indoor (albeit small) arena, an outdoor sand
ring and miles and miles of trails. This barn consists mainly of adult
pleasure riders, who are really only into trail riding, so it's far from
"fancy". A couple of the boarders have an outside instructor come in to
give lessons.

There are fancier, more expensive barns in the area, which cater more to
kids and "serious" riders (ie. riders who are into showing), but these
barns tend to be overcrowded and riders are often competing for arena
time. Also, at a lot of the higher-priced barns in this area, you end
up paying for big, beautiful riding arenas with heated observation
decks, rather than getting better care for your horse. Many of these
barns have minimal or no turn-out time for the horses and the quality of
their hay is no better than the stuff we get at our barn.

So, just because a place costs a lot of money, you may not be getting
better care for your horse than you'd get at a cheaper, less fancy barn. 






Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?
From: Emily Conger
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian

I pay only slightly more than that-- $175. That includes a stall, an
indoor arena, an outdoor arena, turnout(24/7 if I choose) and a few
other "nicities". But (of course there's a but!)-- it's self care. ;) 
Doesn't bother me any, I don't do the full care thing anyhow (if I did
though, at this particular place the charge is $250-- this is very cheap
for this area).

Around here, I get front shoes and a trim all around for $40. Vet is
$40 farm call plus what she does while she's here. We do all
vaccinnations ourselves(except rabies of course) so that helps cut
costs, they go between $6-$8 a peice (rather than $12-$15 from the vet). 
We buy all our own feed, which next to board is probably the most
expensive part. I come up with a rough guesstimate of $4600/year/horse.
 This doesn't include any showing, cost of tack, lessons, etc. This is
just the basic needs for the horse. It does of course depend on what
arrangement you have (i.e. we could cut that cost substantially by being
in full care where all feed is provided, rather than buying everything
ourselves) and your location (generally around here you will not find a
set up like ours for under $350, and that is low end). And of course,
buying your own property helps buy eliminating the cost of boarding out.





Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?
From: Rachel
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Date: 15 Jan 2000 00:04:57 GMT

Austin, TX area full board is $395/mo. and $650/mo. for training board
(regular training rides) but when all is said and done, it usually evens
out to about $450-$500 for the full board when vet and shoes figure in.

Pasture board here ranges from $65-$150/mo. but most of these places you
have to still factor in hay, grain, vet & farrier.

There are cheaper barns, but it's definitely hard to find a good, cheap
hunter/jumper stable around here. 





Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?
From: K Carroll


North Kitsap-Bainbridge, WA area average $325/mo full care

One such full care facility - Giants Bench, Poulsbo, WA
       There are two barns, 24 stalls
       2 tack rooms
       3 hot water wash stalls,
       ample parking by the outdoor ring.
       100'x200' lighted, covered arena (year round riding) 
       12'x12' box stalls with turnout 
       outdoor ring 
       stalls with paddocks 
       feed three times a day 
       heated viewing room

    Optional
       full training available
       lessons
       clinics
       schooling shows






From: Bruce Tait
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian
Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?

In the Boston area, a box stall will run from $350-$500 per month, which
includes daily cleaning, feeding, and watering. Turn out, grooming, etc.
is usually extra.

    
    Stay safe and in the saddle,

    Bruce Tait
    Quincy Police Mounted Unit
    Quincy, MA
    
    





Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?
From: Catja Pafort
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian

Think of a figure and double it. Honestly.

First, you need to kit out your horse with everything you can think off
- saddle, bridle, grooming kit, rug(s), equine first aid kit - and then
you'll find yourself running down to the tack shop every five minutes
for the things you forgot. Like having several good pairs of breeches
you can ride in. Or good stout wellies.

Even if your board includes feed, you might want to feed him more, or
feed him a supplement. Even if your board includes hay and bedding, you
might want to buy extra.

And then there are the things you never counted on - your horse being
picky about the hay he eats so that you have to hunt around for
something that his Highness finds palatable, no matter how good the
standard stuff is. Or yourself developing an allergy to the sundry
things straw tends to have been sprayed with, so you need to switch to a
shavings bed. And don't forget the silly bugger changing shape so you'll
think about a new saddle only a couple of months after you found one
that fit him.

Is it worth it? Silly question. But it's a darn expensive hobby...
Catja





Subject: Re: Cost of boarding?
From: "Jennifer"
Newsgroups: rec.equestrian

For another Canadian point of view... Calgary area.

Board $225/mo - outdoor pen w. shelter, fed 2x per day hay and grain
$350/mo - box stall with turn out, fed 2x per day hay and grain, stalls
cleaned daily Facility has large indoor heated arena with mechanical
cow, outdoor sand ring x2, round pen, hay field to ride in during fall
and winter, no access to trails, but a truck and trailer will get you to
the Rockies in about 15 minutes. Lessons available, $45 dry, $65
w/cows.
      

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