Owning and boarding a horse is like having another car payment or mortgage. Unfortunately there is no cheap thing about horses... they eat a lot, require a ton of labor to care for them 24/7/356, need regular attention and exercise, and riders want a clean/safe facility to use to enjoy them. In a typical day, most horses receive care/handling around 7 times between different feedings, turnouts, and well-checks.
It's a huge commitment!
It's a huge commitment!
Expected Expenses:
Boarding: $500-700 (or if you do self care, this number reflects your feed expenses and time expenses)
Weekly Lessons: $150-400/mo
*If your horse requires large amounts of grain, alfalfa, beet pulp, other supplemental calories, there are additional charges.
*If your horse requires solitary turnout or stall lay-up, $150/mo
Supplements or Meds: $20-100 per month.
Shoeing (every 5-6 weeks): $100-200
or barefoot (every 6-8 weeks): $50
Shoeing is sometimes necessary due to foot conformation or poor hooves. Bell boots (to protect shoes): $30/pair... they love destroying these several times a year.
Dental Maintenance/teeth floating: $50-200/year
Veterinary Care: Regular vaccines/Coggins are $200-500/yearly. Some vets recommend fall boosters for an additional $100-300. Certain shows or out of state travel requires an additional “Health Certification”. Accident/Colic insurance: $40/mo. Mortality insurance: $600+/year
Emergency Veterinary Care: A farm call is $100 before the vet even arrives. Emergency care is extremely hard to budget for... a simple call for stitches or mild illness likely will be $200. Ultrasound or X-rays start at $200. Colic surgery is around $6000. A stay at a vet clinic is $100/day.
Lay-up Fees due to injuries: daily hand walking ($10), wound cleaning/wrapping or leg wrapping ($5-10 daily), administering meds as prescribed by the vet ($5-10 daily).
Body Work: Horses that are in regular work or competing in a discipline should have regular chiropractic ($150) and massage ($50) both as a maintenance and preventative care. Recommended every 6 or 12 months, or more frequently if addressing a problem.
Additional lessons or Training for your horse: $40-$70 per session.
Trailer fees: Most haulers will not move a trailer for less than $100. Generally longer trips are $2-3 per mile, plus a waiting or coaching fee. Travel for a show will cost $200-300.
Show Class Fees: $60-$200 per show.
Tack: Each horse needs its own complete tack set. Most horses require professional saddle fit- which is also considered both a maintenance and prevents chronic problems that a poorly fitting tack can cause. A saddle fitter charges $150 per appointment. Saddles should be adjusted yearly, or more often if the horse’s work load and body condition change. The most basic, older used saddles similar to what you use in lessons range from $300-800. Higher end used saddles cost around $2000, and custom saddles are $5000. A decent quality bridle for schooling/local shows will cost $100. Bits are $20-100. Girths are $50-150. Half pad as recommended by your saddle fitter: $40-100. Saddle pads for daily use: $20-60. Saddle pad for shows: $50.
**Ill-fitting saddles and tack will cause bodywork and behavior problems which take you back up to needing “body work” and “training rides” to help address these.
Blanketing: If you are regularly riding in colder temperatures, your horse will need a body clip ($100) to help cool and dry it. You will need several weights of blankets for a clipped or fine-coat horse. Sheet: $75, Light: $75, Medium: $100, Heavy $150-250. Most barns charge an additional fee ($30-$50/mo) to take blankets on/off. You will also need a fleece or wool cooler ($50) as well as a quarter sheet ($30).
Rider Equipment: muck boots, outerwear, paddock boots, half chaps, vest, helmet.
For Showing: tall boots, breeches, show shirt, show jacket, show helmet.
Miscellaneous:
Fly spray ($20), first aid supplies ($100), shipping boots ($60) , grooming supplies, tack cleaning supplies.
Boarding: $500-700 (or if you do self care, this number reflects your feed expenses and time expenses)
Weekly Lessons: $150-400/mo
*If your horse requires large amounts of grain, alfalfa, beet pulp, other supplemental calories, there are additional charges.
*If your horse requires solitary turnout or stall lay-up, $150/mo
Supplements or Meds: $20-100 per month.
Shoeing (every 5-6 weeks): $100-200
or barefoot (every 6-8 weeks): $50
Shoeing is sometimes necessary due to foot conformation or poor hooves. Bell boots (to protect shoes): $30/pair... they love destroying these several times a year.
Dental Maintenance/teeth floating: $50-200/year
Veterinary Care: Regular vaccines/Coggins are $200-500/yearly. Some vets recommend fall boosters for an additional $100-300. Certain shows or out of state travel requires an additional “Health Certification”. Accident/Colic insurance: $40/mo. Mortality insurance: $600+/year
Emergency Veterinary Care: A farm call is $100 before the vet even arrives. Emergency care is extremely hard to budget for... a simple call for stitches or mild illness likely will be $200. Ultrasound or X-rays start at $200. Colic surgery is around $6000. A stay at a vet clinic is $100/day.
Lay-up Fees due to injuries: daily hand walking ($10), wound cleaning/wrapping or leg wrapping ($5-10 daily), administering meds as prescribed by the vet ($5-10 daily).
Body Work: Horses that are in regular work or competing in a discipline should have regular chiropractic ($150) and massage ($50) both as a maintenance and preventative care. Recommended every 6 or 12 months, or more frequently if addressing a problem.
Additional lessons or Training for your horse: $40-$70 per session.
Trailer fees: Most haulers will not move a trailer for less than $100. Generally longer trips are $2-3 per mile, plus a waiting or coaching fee. Travel for a show will cost $200-300.
Show Class Fees: $60-$200 per show.
Tack: Each horse needs its own complete tack set. Most horses require professional saddle fit- which is also considered both a maintenance and prevents chronic problems that a poorly fitting tack can cause. A saddle fitter charges $150 per appointment. Saddles should be adjusted yearly, or more often if the horse’s work load and body condition change. The most basic, older used saddles similar to what you use in lessons range from $300-800. Higher end used saddles cost around $2000, and custom saddles are $5000. A decent quality bridle for schooling/local shows will cost $100. Bits are $20-100. Girths are $50-150. Half pad as recommended by your saddle fitter: $40-100. Saddle pads for daily use: $20-60. Saddle pad for shows: $50.
**Ill-fitting saddles and tack will cause bodywork and behavior problems which take you back up to needing “body work” and “training rides” to help address these.
Blanketing: If you are regularly riding in colder temperatures, your horse will need a body clip ($100) to help cool and dry it. You will need several weights of blankets for a clipped or fine-coat horse. Sheet: $75, Light: $75, Medium: $100, Heavy $150-250. Most barns charge an additional fee ($30-$50/mo) to take blankets on/off. You will also need a fleece or wool cooler ($50) as well as a quarter sheet ($30).
Rider Equipment: muck boots, outerwear, paddock boots, half chaps, vest, helmet.
For Showing: tall boots, breeches, show shirt, show jacket, show helmet.
Miscellaneous:
Fly spray ($20), first aid supplies ($100), shipping boots ($60) , grooming supplies, tack cleaning supplies.