All riders dream of one thing: their own horse. However, whoever does not make this dream come true, has no idea that a horse is not only a source of endless joy but also... spendings.
Do you consider buying your own horse? Before making this big decision, it's worth knowing what kind of costs would that bring. Below, you will find a list of estimated regular spendings that you would have to make as a horse owner. We hope this will prove useful!
A horse resort - pension
A price of a hotel begins at 10 GBP per day even up to 250 GBP per day depending on whether you want to stay with your horse or not, and the quality of the facilities - the infrastructure, localization (usually the closer to big cities the more expensive). The more expectations you have, the highest the cost you may expect. If you dream of a beautiful heated stable with AC, inner washer, a solarium for horses, indoor hall with quartz ground, carousel, big grassy pastures, a few maneges, and video surveillance, you need to be prepared for a big expense.
Usually, the hotel price includes:
- a stall with regularly changed bedding (most often hay),
- roughage and concentrated fodder (usually pressed oats and full-grain + hay),
- fees for electricity and water,
- cleaning and feeding,
- letting out on a paddock.
An additional cost may be:
- bedding different than hay - e.g. pellet or sawdust,
- nutritional supplementation (fodder, vitamins, or supplements bought by you),
- more frequent letting out on the paddock or carousel,
- using a solarium for horses.
The costs will vary depending on the hotel. Please, thoroughly check the prices of the hotel you are interested in.
Horse health and maintenance
Horse's hooves, just like human nails, need to be systematically shortened. For horses, it is the basic treatment to keep them healthy. A farrier should come each 4-6 weeks depending on how fast your horse's hoof walls grow back. If you take part in competitions or ride on hard surfaces, your horse would need shoeing, which means higher costs. Similarly, if your horse's hooves are too soft or if he needs a special correction of the hooves (that applies when your horse has certain ailments) - your spending on a farrier would be higher:
- trim - around £25-30,
- classic shoeing - £25-45 for just the back/front hooves,
- with problematic hooves - after laminitis or different ailments, the cost of special shoeing or trim is higher.
Another specialist that will need to visit your horse (we hope the visits would be spare and merely prophylactic), is a veterinarian. Here, you need to consider systematic spending such as:
- deworming every 6 months - £10-15,
- dentistry each 2-3 years (but the truth is - it depends on the horse) - £65-240,
- vaccination each year (if you take part in competitions, every 6 months) - £40-50,
- vet consultations + blood tests (which you should do at least once a year especially when your horse is an elderly one or when you notice a behavioral change), including morphology, biochemistry - £60 and more if you want to get an extended test. Additionally, you could test your horse's urine and feces, which costs more as well.
Unfortunately, illnesses and injuries mean additional costs that are very difficult to assess - depending on how many visits a vet needs to pay you and how many treatments and tests (s)he needs to take.
Diet
Feeding a horse is yet another field where there is no limit to how much you spend. Depending on your horse's age and purpose (sport, breeding), season (no access to grass during fall, winter, and early spring) - you should invest in proper additions, fodders, and supplements.
To plan your horse's diet well, you might use a dietary consultation (£25-60).
Systematic training
If for any reason you are unable to provide your horse with a proper amount of exercise, you can ask for additional training sessions while you're absent. It would, of course, cost additionally.
Many people realize that young horses need systematic, daily training, not only from the saddle. If you do not have enough time (or experience, or knowledge), you can leave your horse with an experienced coach that would help you with his daily training. Costs of such a session differ between £20-75 depending on the coach - his or her skills and accommodation (you might need to pay for his or her commute). It is also possible to place your horse's training in a stable, where a particular coach teaches. In such a case, the cost would be much higher, as you would also need to pay for your horse's stay at a hotel/resort. All in all, you should sum the cost of a coach commuting to where you are - this solution might be much more beneficial to you.
Some people, to avoid additional cost, search for people that would like to co-own a horse. Having a horse co-owner allows you not only to provide your horse with the right amount of exercise but also to share the monthly costs of maintaining a horse.
Proper equipment
If your training with the horse is intense, he would gain muscle mass and his body will change. Thus, you would need to adjust the equipment you own - especially the saddle.
The horse's body could also change due to stress (causes e.g. by changing the stable), diet modifications, purpose (e.g. a mare that is now due to be pregnant after months/years of intense training), or illness (e.g. starting training again after being ill). The quickest changes occur at young horses that change their bodies due to systematic training, but also horses after injuries.
It might be smart to check how expensive is saddle fitting at this very moment. You could order a service from a local equestrian store or make it online.
Horse's insurance
While having a horse, you should give some thoughts to insurance. The basic price starts at 100 GBP per year. Most insurers offer coverage in the case of death or having to put the animal down due to illness, surgery, castration, pregnancy, and labor, but also in case of a theft, or colic.
The decision of owning a horse should never be made hastily. Owning a horse brings much joy and satisfaction but only when you are aware of all the costs and responsibility it entails.
Any questions? Call us or leave a message.
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