Cost of a Horse

[jennyenicholls]

Hi

I am looking into the possibility of me getting a horse on loan. I was hoping I could get some ideas as to a rough guide of the cost. I would have to have full livery at my local stables which is £50 a week. What about the Farrier (the horse will have shoes) and Worming how often should these be done and what price. Also how much does it cost to get the Dentist out and vaccinations, and anything else that I have missed.

Cheers

Jenny

[domane]

Whereabouts are you as costs seem to vary greatly around the country?

Depending on where you are shoeing seems to cost between £40 and £60 every 6-8 weeks.

Worming is quarterly, around £15.00 average and tapeworm twice a year too.

Insurance, again varies greatly but prob minimum £20pm.

Dentist is usually twice a year and here in Wiltshire it's around £30.00

But it's the "hidden extras" that really empty your purse.... the things you realise that you can't POSSIBLY live without (in my case things like mane and tail conditioner and 7-day Mud Away), OK, I COULD live without them, but they do make life easier!!!

I would say calculate a monthly budget for essentials (livery, shoeing, worming, etc) then add a specific amount for a "kitty" - some months you may not spend it all so you can then put it towards things like rugs, etc.

So? Have you a particular horse in mind then for your loan? If so.... details please........

[Pink's lady]

Have a a search through the older posts - there's loadsa posts on this topic

To give you an idea, going on the slightly dear side, just in case -

Livery £50 per week(that's fairly expensive, so should include hay and bedding)

Feeding £5 week (hay about £5 a week if not included)
Shoeing - £50 per set
worming - £100 a year
Insurance - £300
tack - £1000 outlay, about £100 a year replacements etc
dentist £30 a year
vet (vaccinations etc) - £100 a year
rugs etc £200 a year

miscellaneous stuff (brushes, brooms, buckets etc) - £100 a year

Than there's riding costs - lessons (about £20 a lesson), school hire (£10 an hour) showing costs (usually £50+ for even a local show), transport is horrible expensive if you don't have your own

When added up, it works out about £2000 a year for the 'expected', minimum. Then you have the unexpected - vet bills (god forbid) but also that lovely numnah you saw that would suit him, or those nice brushing boots, or the comfy girth that was on special offer, or the new jacket you need since Jimmy hoss ripped your last one or that...............................;)

[LouHarvey]

Like Domane says, costs vary greatly around the country, and down here in the South horses, like everything else, seem to cost more to run.

For each of my horses I pay, at the moment -

£65.00 per month livery (DIY)
£8.00 per month (straw bedding) or £20.00 per month (shavings)
£12.00 per month hay
£20.00 per month feed and supplements
£60.00 every five weeks shoeing (roughly £48.00 per calender month)
£350.00 per year insurance, or £29.00 per month
£30.00 per month on 'new junk' aka items I think I need but don't really!
£15.00 for four wormers per year, and £20.00 for two tapewormers
£80 once a year for tetanus and £80 every three years for 'flu

So it costs me roughly £226 per month to keep each horse, so a grand total of £5254 ish a year, plus £160 each for injections.

[*Sez*]

Mine cost, per horse:

DIY Livery - £64 per month, which includes stable, turn out and bedding.
Farrier - £35-40 every seven weeks (reshaping of shoe, £35, brand new set £40 which alternates every two visits)
Worming - £7, every 13 weeks (we're all on the same cycle at our yard and our YO gives these out and adds the £7 to our bill)
Hay - £10 a month
Morning feed/turn out three days a week - £12 a month
Hard Feed - £15 a month only in winter to make up for restricted grazing.
Insurance - £30 a month

Then there's extras like vets/dental visits, rug repairs, tack repairs and those bits you just need - treats, toys, new bits for grooming kit, replacing things used from first aid kit, new rugs, as well as things for yourself such as a warm winter jacket, gloves, boots, etc etc. It all soon adds up!

[DebO]

Hi there

Blimey if you are only paying £50 a month full livery I think I'll have some of that.

My friends pay £450 a month full livery.

Farrier every 6 weeks you may be able to go 8 weeks in winter as their feet growth slow down. Trims can be from £10-15. Shoes £50-£80 depends on type, location of course. You can also have a refit if the shoes are not worn, that's putting them back on and not using new ones, saves a few quid.

Hay is usually anything from £2-£4 depending on size and quality. With 2 I get through 1 bale every 2 days.

If you have your horse on low maintenance feed such as hi fi the bags are very large for £10 would last 1 horse a month at least, bag of nuts £5-£8.

Dentist once or twice a year depending on horse anything from £10.
Vaccinations once a year, twice when you first start if he's not already vaccinated. Not compulsary, but if you want to go to shows a lot insist you bring your vaccination cert with you.

Vet's bills for accidents, call out charges can be anything from 16-20.

Insurance anything frm £60 to £300-£400 a year depending on horse, activities etc.

Wormers this will also depend on whether your horse is amongst others that are not wormed regularly. Wormers can be from £10 to slightly more. You will need to rotate the wormers each year so you are not worming the same each year. One year you could use a wormer that lasts 12 weeks for general worms, then tape worm, then redworms.

Assume horse will come with tack. You will need hat etc if you haven't got it already.

Debo

[Slambid2004]

horse and rider just did a survey of vets bills average s over £300 per person a year remember when it comes to vets though most of the bills it seems are just over your excess usualy £100-£150 a month and once you have claimed you often wont be able to claim for that problem again i spent hundreds on my lad because he had lots of little problems ie odd bot of colic strained tendon puncture wound they were all unrelated so carried an excess each and when they were only aroung £200 a bill wasnt worth it really for £50 buying a horse on a budget can and does work for many but be very carefull about vets etc i always make sure i have an assett ie my car that in an emergancy i can sell to pay the excess on my vets bill.

[Leo's Mum]

Is £35 per week a good deal. My horse is kept at full livery and is stabled and ridden twice by the yard gang and twice by me. All stable and turnout and feed is included.

[iloveshearer]

35 pounds for all that!!!!! blimey, im in shock, lucky you!!!!!

[Cheeky]

Heya

My horses are kept seperate, and have free board all round. My mare, Hunny, lives with family so its obviously free. She is no hassle at all. She isnt shod though .. just trimmed. Never clipped or anything like that.

Hunnie is kept on her owners yard, and refuses me to pay her. She says 'what you are doing with her (the training) is more than I could ask for, and I am greatful to just see her in work again . I was going to get a pro to come do this, but your doing this for free - so its the least I can do'. I am greatful to her, as I have free use of all her tack, but I use my own anyways.

:)

[roan rebel]

£10 a month hay?!
£35 a week full livery?!

You people have it great! Even £50 a week full livery is cheap compared to down here!

I used to pay £4 a bale of hay, horse would eat about a bale a day in winter, sometimes more, so that was at least £28 a WEEK!!

Full livery is £70 a week around here, probably more in some places.

Go for it, loan a horse! Doesn't seem expensive where you are!