| Costs of Owning a Horse |
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| 1. The most costly expense is the board bill, that is, unless you own your own property. You will want at least two acres per horse, but check with your local zoning board as you may need three acres for the first horse and one acre per extra horse. Horses are herd animals and need companions. 2. Your next cost consideration is feed. Costs depend on the age of the horse, its physical condition, teeth (age related), breed, and how much it is worked. This cost varies greatly as different animals have different nutritional requirements. A bag of 12% sweet feed averages $8.00 per 50lb bag while senior feed averages $13.00 per 50lb bag. Each bag yields approximately 12 scoops and figure a senior or underweight animals eats about three scoops of grain, wetted down, two to three times a day. Other horses do not have such great nutritional requirements and can thrive on a scoop of 12% sweet feed once or twice a day depending on the condition of your pasture. 3. Hay is another expense incurred as horses need quality roughage all the time. Amounts vary depending on the condition of the grass available. Hay is approximately $4.00 per bale. In the winter feed one bale of hay per horse twice a day; drafts get double. 4. Horses need to have their hooves trimmed regularly, normally every 6 to 8 weeks. A basic trim costs about $30. Shoeing costs between $50 and $85 every 6 weeks. 5. Horses should be dewormed on a roational scheduled every 6 weeks. Dewormers run about $12.00 per tube. 6. Horses must be vaccinated and some strains of viruses require a booster. Expect to pay at least $110.00 per year in shots. 7. Dental care is very important. Horses teeth need to be checked about every 6 months. Expect $35.00 per visit by a dentist and more for a vet. 8. Proper shelter in all fields should be address regardless of boarding arrangements. Full board, which includes a stall, is ideal, but can be pricey. Many people opt for field board, which is fine as long as the animal has proper shelter and is not exposed to the elements 24/7. Generally, a three sided run-in shed is adequate. Please note all fields should have water troughs with fresh water provided on a daily basis. NO HORSE should be without water. 9. Salt and mineral blocks should also be provided. They average $3.00 a block. 10. Don't forget properly fitting winter blankets should your animal require the extra support. Also, having basic veterinary supplies around is preferable. There are other supplies that are needed, for example; manure removal arrangements, fly control, grooming supplies, and more. 11. Tack is another issue that should be addressed. Improperly fitting tack can do significant harm to a horse and cause injury. Please be careful when considering what tack you are going to use on your horse. Consider their background and be willing to try several options before deciding on one. Finally, be responsible. All of these items mentioned above should be considered before adopting a horse. As you see, it can cost hundreds of dollars per horse per month to care for it properly. Please call or email us if you have questions. |
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