What can you tell me about horses?

[micki76]

Are they quite expensive to own? We’re moving to the country in a few months and I’ve always wanted a horse, and I’m thinking of rescuing one. What are all the costs involved? What about their care? I know they live quite a long time. I really don’t know too much about them, so ANY info is appreciated.

Thanks! :)

[tikeyas_mom]

all i know is that YES they are VERY pricey to own!!

[kittie luna]

Horses are very expensive. It cost more to show them and join clubs. I find in the winter horses need more care (and trust me, no fun a night when its snowing to bring them back into the barns).

[wolfsoul]

I know that horses are very expensive to care for. My friend has a horse, and she bought a second-hand saddle for $900! Original price was $1800! I know that many saddles can cost more than a horse itself, but I think the general price is between 500-800 dollars...And then there all of the other equipment too lol. I'd be doing alot of shopping on Ebay and second-hand places. ;)

[wolfsoul]

I know this isn't exactly a horse care site, but it says this:

http://www.lovelane.org/help.html

It costs approximately $3,600 a year to provide board, feed, hay, bedding, farrier and veterinary services for each horse.
This (http://www.care-for-my-horse.com/) site looks like it has lots of info. :)

[G.P.girl]

it kinda depends on what breed of horse youget. but all of them are pretty pricey. American curlies don't need shoes and they live off just grass and hay. and arabs don't usually need shod either, but if you're rescuing i don't know how much choice you'll have in breed. but all horses are cool:D most people just think sbout big things that they'll need when they have a horse, but you have to think about all the little things too. (ie,grooming supplies treats,toys, sprays, shampoos, combs, halters, lead ropes, etc) and even though that stuff isn't very expensive, things get lost (or eaten;)) and you endup buying new ones, and the cost will add up after awhile. But i think it'sdefinatly worth the cost:D i wish i had a horse! of course i wouldn't be the one paying for it anyway...:p

[Desert Arabian]

It all depends on the horses current health status, age, sex, and what you want to use them for. Show horses cost WAY more than the pasture pony that you occasionally take on trail rides. Show horses require boat loads of extra supplements, vitamins, minerals and sometimes special vet work. Male horses also require care that female horses to don't require- sheath cleaning. The older the horse gets the more money you will have to spend, just like all animals. Vet bills are the main kicker. Unlike mules, horses can get serious stomach problems if you do not feed them the correct diet (i.e. colic). They are also very prone to lameness and hoof problems if they do not get the proper farrier work done. Horses also need their teeth filed down by the vet to prevent sharp hooks from forming on them. Horses have to be seen by the farrier every six weeks to get their hooves trimmed and shoes put on, if they are needed.

Horses are A LOT of work, period, and there is no arguing that one. Every day you must groom horses even if you have no plans of riding them to keep them in tip top shape. The average monthly cost of owning a horse is around $1,000-$3,000- and all of that mainly comes from food- horses need lots of it!

If you are considering getting a horse, I suggest you check out a lot of books and read them. A really good one being "Horses for Dummies". And of course, do TONS of research. I have been researching and learning about horses ever since I started riding 9 years ago, and I don't plan on getting a horse for at least another 2 years. There is so much to learn about horses I do not even know where to being. There are some very complicated complex things about horses that the average person doesn't know. In fact, it is impossible to know EVERYTHING about horses because there is just too much to learn about them, you learn something new everyday.

Honestly, I could give you thousands of horse links, you should see my AOL Favorites list for "horses". :p :p :p
You Want To Own A Horse? Are You Sure? (http://silverhorsetrader.com/ownahorse.html)
Very good info on this site!:
So...You Are Interested In Owning A Horse? (http://mdhorsecouncil.org/ownone.htm)
Budgeting For A Horse (http://www.equerry.com/html/ftho/eq_ftho-budgeting.htm)
This only works if you have Adobe Reader...it's an excellent guide!!
Guide to First Time Horse Ownership (http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/PDFpubs/1004.pdf)
To get an idea of how much tack, grooming, stable, and other horse items cost, check out this site:
Stateline Tack (http://www.statelinetack.com)
Good books to look at (you ARE going to have to get books, do not just rely on the internet for information):
Horse Books (http://www.growinglifestyle.com/prod/1585747149.html)
The Basics of Owning a Horse (http://www.equinecentre.com.au/health_foot_basics.shtml)

[Desert Arabian]

It costs approximately $3,600 a year to provide board, feed, hay, bedding, farrier and veterinary services for each horse.

:eek: :eek: Horses cost $3,600 a year!?! If that was the case I would have 20 of them by now!

Try $3,600 a month, that may be the reason why I don't have my 20 horses yet. :p :p

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
I know that horses are very expensive to care for. My friend has a horse, and she bought a second-hand saddle for $900! Original price was $1800!

That may sound horrendous to the average person, but techincally that is too terribly bad for a second-hand saddle. Second hand saddles, in many cases, are better than brand new saddles because they are already broken in, that is the main reason why horse owners by second hand saddles. But if the saddle is beat to pieces, parts are missing and falling off, the leather is frayed, etc, then you are better off getting a brand new saddle. If the saddle has only been used for a couple of years and in good condition, buy it!

[Cincy'sMom]

Originally posted by YellowLabLover
:eek: :eek: Horses cost $3,600 a year!?! If that was the case I would have 20 of them by now!

Try $3,600 a month, that may be the reason why I don't have my 20 horses yet. :p :p

I know you know a LOT more about horses then I do, but there is no way general care of a horse costs $3600/month....yes, you could spend that in shows and if you board at an expensive barn, etc, but just general care in your own barn, while expensive, is not that outrageous.

Micki- Delidog would be another great sourse to PM about horses. She spent a lot of years working with them and I'm sure could help you out

[Twisterdog]

Here is the sum total of my vast knowledge about horses:

1. They are very large.

2. They make me sneeze.

3. It hurts a LOT if one steps on your foot.

4. In the summer, they are stinky and lots of flies like to hang out with them.

5. They like carrots, apples and sugar, and they have big, funny, rubbery lips.

6. They eat some type of dried grassy stuff, that also makes me sneeze.

If you have any more questions about horses, please feel free to ask me. As you can clearly see, I know a LOT about them.

;)

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by Cincy'sMom
I know you know a LOT more about horses then I do, but there is no way general care of a horse costs $3600/month....yes, you could spend that in shows and if you board at an expensive barn, etc, but just general care in your own barn, while expensive, is not that outrageous.


No, my post was in a sarcastic tone. :p. I was just being silly.

Most horses cost more than $3,600 a year, but just your plain old loveable field pony wouldn't run you that much. Now, if you had a Dutch Warmblood imported from Germany and compete in the Rolex in Kentucky, then I think you will be spending a wee bit more a month. :p

OR..if your a person love to spoil your horse rotten and have lots of money, you might be spending that much a month! Who knows!? :D :D :p

[Cincy'sMom]

Originally posted by YellowLabLover
No, my post was in a sarcastic tone. :p. I was just being silly.



Leave it to me to take things seriously!! :) And usually, I am so good at catching sarcasm. Oh well :D I'm sure like any animals you can spend as little or as much as you want to on them

[Uabassoon]

Twisterdog I am so impressed by your knowledge of horses :)

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by Uabassoon
Twisterdog I am so impressed by your knowledge of horses :)

Thank you. Glad to help. Anytime. ;)

[micki76]

Twister you had my husband and I literally rolling on the couch reading your post! OMG! That was truly hilarious!

YLL thank you so much for all your help. I knew I'd get some good info from you!

Good point about the small things adding up G. P. girl!

All in all, it seems like if we do rescue a horse (or two) it will be far off into the future. I'd like to be fully prepared and know as much as I possibly can, before I make any decisions. So it looks like I have lots of reading and maybe a weekly visit to Sunny Farms (local horse breeder) to check out the cuties and get some experience!

[Rio and Me]

Hi
It also depends on you, can you ride? how much?
If you have a draft type horse they may not need a rug, as much feed etc.
But over here if you want a second hand saddle there are lots in the paper for like £40, you dont need pricey stuff to start off with (safe stuff).
Yellow lab lover I dont know how you keep your horse's but i diffenatly dont spend that much per month,lol
also if you own your own field/stable or rent is alot cheaper than livery.
Ky and Rio

[Vermontcat]

Delidog knows a lot about horses and you might want to PM Dukedogsmom because she owns and boards a horse named Flair.
She would probably be able to help you with real numbers since she has owned Flair for a number of years.
You also may want to look at horses on Petfinder or other horse sites for ideas of what kind of horse you want and how much you want to spend on the initial purchase price but remember the cost of upkeep is more than the initial cost. You might also want to look into leasing a horse before you buy to be sure it is one you want. Good luck!:)

[Marge]

Wow! I'm reading about how much people think horses cost. I couldn't afford a horse if they cost that much upkeep.

I own 3 horses. My initial outlay for a very nicely bred Poco Bueno/Three bars QH ggrandaughter was a grand total of $300. Yes...... $300. I bred her to a very nice QH stallion in CA for $500 stud fee, and again to a Wonderful Andalusian stallion in WA state for another $500. Mare care for both places cost about $600 total. So, for my three horses, my cost to buy them was $1900.

One of my saddles is synthetic. My Wintec saddle cost me $350 brand new. They are more than that now, and you can regularly find synthetic saddles for cheap on ebay. I have one Western saddle I spent $800 brand new because I bought it at a discount. It's a Crates trail saddle complete with breast collar, bridle and reins. My dressage saddle is a custom made $2500 Hans Biglajzer saddle, which I stole for $725 from a consignment store. My bridles are all cheapies. I don't buy the very expensive ones......... I don't have any reason to.

My horses all live on my own land. I have 3 stalls that I use very rarely. I have a run in shelter and pasture, with 24/7 turnout. The horses like it better that way. I do not have to buy shavings for my stalls because of it. I grow my own hay or buy locally for $60 a ton. I spend about $600 a year to feed hay. I buy very little grain because horses that are not in heavy work do not need grain. I do feed some grain in the winter when it's cold. I feed very few supplements because horses who get high quality grass hay, and a mineralized salt block do not need many supplements.

Veterinary care is very minimal. I give my own shots, worm my horses myself, and very rarely have to call a vet for anything. I've had three horses colic (bad tummy ache that can and does cause death, or can be very minor) in my entire 37 years with horses. 1 of my horses died of a twisted gut. My vet bill is usually less that $200 a year IF I have to call the vet which is rare. Worming is done every quarter because I have a closed herd. Horses do not go in and out of my place so I can get away with waiting a little longer. So, $120 for wormer a year.

My farrier costs me about $75 ever 8 weeks IF I don't feel like trimming my horse's feet myself. I usually only have the farrier out in the summer when hooves are too hard to trim myself. I do not shoe my horses, they don't need to be shod. If I take them out on the trail I put rubber boots such as easy boots on them. I want a pair of Old Mac's but they are $150 for two... , that's $300 for all 4 feet. BUT, they outwear iron shoes, do not come off, and you don't use them all the time, so they will last forever.

I'd say I spend less than $1500 a year on my three horses. That is not taking into account any new tack I buy etc. That is just upkeep. If I didn't own my own property I'd have to board out. Here in my area it costs about $250 per horse to board. For my 3 horses that would be $750 a month. I couldn't afford that.

Finding low cost horses is very easy, especially right now. The Premarin industry is downsizing and there are a LOT of PMU mares and foals for sale cheap. One caveat is that most of them are basically unhandled and must be trained. People also give horses away when they don't have time for them, they don't want to bother with selling them, or they become a burden. I've turned down several free horses, and there are many more out there.

I do not show, It has never appealed to me. I like to have fun with my horses and showing is not fun to me. No showing expense there.

Horses are highly socialized animals that live in groups. Their groups have a pecking order in that one of them will be leader, one will be second, on down to the peon who is the one who always gets picked on. If one has had no contact with horses, or knows little about them, they need a trainer or a mentor to assist them in getting to know horse body language, learn to care and ride the animal. That can run into lots of money if you let it.

The discipline you get into also can affect how much owning a horse can cost. Riding with great dressage trainers can be up to $200 for a 45 minute lesson. It depends on what you are going for and what you wish to learn. If you want to be an olympic rider, plan on getting lots of sponsors and learning to ride well enough that horse owners offer you their horses to ride in the olympics........ If you want to be a backyard horse owner who basically wants to trail ride, your expenses will be a minimum. Horses do not have to be prohibitive in price. A lot DOES depend on your own situation though and where you live also plays a role in expense.

Experience also plays a role in horses. I have almost 40 years of experience under my belt. But I continue to learn every day. I do not know it all........... :)

That's my two cents....... now I'm broke!

Loree

[countrycowgirl]

i agree with marge and rio i own two horses and it doesn't cost that much plus i barrel race and i got my barrel saddle for 400 dollars and it was origanally 1300 and it had only been used twice and it looks like i just bought it but in the end all of it ends up being worth it because you find a long time freindship that stays with you forever;)

[kittie luna]

Originally posted by Twisterdog

6. They eat some type of dried grassy stuff, that also makes me sneeze.

Its called hay. :rolleyes:

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by kittie luna
Its called hay. :rolleyes:

Um, she was being sarcastic. :)

[Marge]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by YellowLabLover
[B]. Male horses also require care that female horses to don't require- sheath cleaning.

Ahhhhhhh but female horses DO require special cleaning. Female horses get smegma between their teats just like male horses do in their sheath. This needs to be cleaned too. It's still a dirty smelly grimy job! :D

Loree *eeeewwwwwwww what is that smell on my hands?*

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by Marge


Loree *eeeewwwwwwww what is that smell on my hands?* [/B]

Next time you guy's come over I'll make sure you wash your hands! LOL Just kidding. :p Did you happen to get the info I posted in Honey's thread about the cages?

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by kittie luna
Its called hay. :rolleyes:

Joke, honey, joke. Ever heard of it? It goes right along with "sense of humor." A nice thing to have.

I graduated magna cum laude, sweetie, I DO know what "hay" is, honestly.

;)

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by Marge
[QUOTE]Originally posted by YellowLabLover
[B]. Male horses also require care that female horses to don't require- sheath cleaning.

Ahhhhhhh but female horses DO require special cleaning. Female horses get smegma between their teats just like male horses do in their sheath. This needs to be cleaned too. It's still a dirty smelly grimy job! :D

Loree *eeeewwwwwwww what is that smell on my hands?*

Yep, I know. I have cleaned both male and female horses. :D

[delidog]

Micki,
Please let me know if I can help...
CincysMom wasn't kidding....that was my Job for 18 years..

All Horses and aspects of horsemanship are different.....

in 1980,the barn I managed boarding fee,not farrier,not vet,not show fees,not lessons,not on the road grooms fees....Board Alone was 12,000.00 per month...and they Required that you kept 2 Horses!!:eek: ...that was not a typo...that was 12,000.00 per MONTH!!!!!
and that was 24 years ago:eek:

You should go to amazon.com,or borders.com.....get Any books authored by Susan B. Harris,William Steinkraus,Judy Richter,George Morris,Bill Cooney & FrankMadden,Kip Rosenthal....
These are just Some of The Masters of the Sport!!!!
And when it comes to Care & Husbandry...None of these people can be beat....

Before you buy a horse...Why not go and Volunteer at a local stable.....Learn while you earn so to speak!!!
Learn to Muck,sweep,Brush,Feed....They'd be giving You free lessons....and You would be Helping them!!!!

Also,if you are interested in equine rescue....contact Black Beauty Ranch...It is in Texas......blackbeautyranch.com....
It is a rescue Facility that was started by the famous author/animal activist...Cleveland Amory....( The Cat & TheCurmudgeon,amongst other Great Books)

Hope this helps you a bit

[dukedogsmom]

That's a good suggestion to go to a barn to see if you can learn some things. Also, check your want ads or the local feed store for a Horse and Pony paper. There might be some ads in it for horses to rent. Some people who own horses rent them out to a person when they don't have time to spend with them. Horses are very expensive, especially when they get sick. Also, before you buy your saddle, remember the seat sizes. The bigger your rear, the bigger seat on the saddle you need to get. So, if you're really small, I think they start out at 13". I think it's great that you want to rescue a horse. I would love to have my own place and have my horse in my back yard.

[delidog]

How about Volunteering at a feed store???
There is a Wealth of info there.......