How much does it cost to keep a horse

[MrsR]

I apologise if this is posted in the wrong area and if this question has been asked a billion times but just what are the costs of keeping a horse monthly - rough estimates as I understand about a TB costing more than a Cob, etc - I just need a rough estimate. Or if someone can point me in the direction for the answers online here or elsewhere. Thanks x

[little lauz]

hi there,
its the livery costs that get you the average is 20per week for diy so thers £80 already then theres hay both tb and a cob would need this through winter so thats aproxx £3.50 per bale i bet you would go through two a week and hard feed say £6 a bag bag of hard feed should last one month. I suppose tb would cost slightly more as they are less likely to keep weight through winter. And cobs amazingly seem to look well off fresh air hahaha . But i supppose it depends on the horse . Ther are some tb out ther that are exteamley good doers hope this helps . Think ive just gabbled on .
laura xxx

[*Sez*]

How long is a piece of string?

To give you an estimate, I live in the North East (invariably cheaper than say, the middle of London). I own a 15.2hh TB, who is shod all round and we do hacking and schooling, with some low level shows thrown in for variation. In summer he has 24/7 turnout, and over winter, day turnout.

My basic costs are:
Monthly

• £83 - DIY livery (includes grazing, stable, personal tackroom, delivery of hay, straw)
• £36 - Insurance
• £25 - Feed
• £40 - Hay (approximate cost over winter, at £3 a bale)

Non-Monthly

• £50 - new shoes/trim (every fourteen weeks - farrier comes every 7 weeks)
• £35 - refit of shoes/trim (every fourteen weeks)
• £30 - dental technician (every six months)
• £35 - saddle fitter (ever six months)
• £13 - worming (approx every thirteen weeks)

Then there's lessons, new rugs, washing and reproofing rugs, replacing broken/worn out tools and equipment, occasionally paying someone to feed and turnout if I can't manage it due to a meeting or appointment, petrol to and from the yard (twice a day in winter).... the costs soon add up!
I generally estimate that my horse costs me £250 a month, which, if I've had the dentist, saddle fitter and farrier all out in the same month, can be a wild under-estimate!

[DEBZ]

Really depends upon the type of livery you are looking for and the prices in your area. In my area full livery is around £120/week, assisted DIY is £45/week and DIY is £30/week. Hay is £3-4 a bale, shavings around £6 a bale. Shoes cost £60 every 6-8 weeks, worming £10-15 6 weekly (depends on program), annual vaccinations are around £35 plus vet call out fee. Feed depends on the type of horse and workload. My average is £5/week.
Insurance varies greatly but you can get a rough idea with on line quotes.

My boy is 17hh 9 yr old ISH coming back into work (dressage only) and I spend on average £560 a month on the basics. I reckon the DIY equivalent would be £280 a month.

Hope that is of some help.

[MrsR]

Fabulous thanks so much for your advice and feedback , its really helped me out, something I'll be printing out and going back too when the time comes x

[monty_special43]

Hi we live in staffs area, these are general prices for my horse. Hes 22 and is 14.2 con x tb. The price will depend greatly on what type, age and height horse you have, as a bigger horse may need more food, and the grass at the place you are planning to keep your horse, as good doers can cope most of the summer on restricted grassing and a vit and min supplement, but come the winter will need different amount of hard feed due to condition and work.

My horse is on restricted grassing all summer (Mar-End sep) and still has food.

Things to pay out
Livery =£100 per month (includes indoor and outdoor school)
Feed =£24.95 (1-2 months, includes mix, Alfa A, Speedi Beet)
Hay/Haylage = Hay- £7-8 per week @ £3.50 a bale. Haylage- £12 per week @£6 per bale
Bedding= £5.70 a bale of easibed, i use 1-2 per week in the winter with the horse in over night
Shoes = £55 per set every 6 weeks, £15-30 for just a trim
Insurance = £255 per year
Dentist= £25-£50 every 6 months (depending on what needs doing)
Back Person= £35 every 6 months (or less a problem arises)
Worming= £13 every 13 weeks with equest

This is generally it, except if you have emergences like vets. Some horses needs supplements adding to their food, some can only eat haylage. Then when you buy a horse there all the rugs you need like coolers, stable rugs, turnouts. And 1 major thing to cost for is when buying a new horse tack on average a decent bridle can cost anywhere from £50- £120, and saddles almost treble that. Its an expensive sport, but well worth it.

I suggest if you haven't owned a horse before you have 1 on loan 1st or try and help out a friend, as they take a lot of time and care 365 days a year

[Lou&Will]

Hi

I live in Glasgow & have my TB 11 y.o gelding in full livery where he is in at night & out during the day throughout the year. My costs are as follows:

Livery (includes bedding, hard feed & haylage) £335
Shoes (£68 every 6 weeks) £ 45
Wormer £ 6
Lessons £ 120
Show entries £ 60
Loan for trailer £ 80

But the cost of a monthly visit to a saddlery shop can also be up to £100, and sometimes more. Plus vets fees, plus I have a physio out to him, the list really is endless....I would say, that however much money you have spare is what it will cost. You always seem to need more stuff! Some people manage DIY really cheaply, and other muppets like me seem to spend a fortune. I never imagined that I would find enough money for everything, but you just make sacrifices in other areas of your life, and somehow cope with it. BUt every penny is soooooo worth it!

[SavingGrace]

Blue is on full livery and I pay 50/50 on everything!

So thats £160 every 4 weeks!
£32 every eight weeks for shoes!
£10 every 3 months for wormer!

I like these kinds of posts as it keeps reminding me of my budget lol.

Tyler is a 16.2hh ID gelding and we stay in North Lanarkshire

I pay the following:

Livery: £80 per week (Full livery including everything except grooming and exercising)
Shoeing: £56 every 6 weeks (All four hooves)
Vets bills: £200 per year approx (Dentistry and vaccinations only)
Lessons: £80 per month
Clipping: £25 per clip (Service provided by YO)
Worming: £15 per worming (Service provided by YO)
Insurance: £400 per year (Pet plan)


I spent around £1000 on set up costs for him, and that doenst include the unknown amount of money I have spent since :S

Jenny and Tyler
x

[acw295]

I'm budgeting £500-£600 per month, but that is to include everything inc lessons (and money for vaccs, back man etc etc) and some emergency funds and I'd rather overestimate! Hope it will be less than that in summer, so I shouldn't be on too tight a budget overall. Livery here can be very expensive, and I will need some help for weekday mornings - but don't want 7 day full livery.

I'm budgeting £3500 max for horse (not looking for anything flash) and £2500 for buying costs and all tack/equipment to get me started. Have saved approx £2500 so far - so almost halfway there

[Trewsers]

Keep mine at home so no livery costs, but I seem to have huge vet bills nearly every month at the mo! Farrier £100 for a trim and set of shoes every 6 weeks - haylage varies from about £5.50 a small bale - we use one every three days - to be honest it really does depend on how many horses you have and what you feed them in terms of turn out - or being stabled - obviously if they are stabled they will eat more with hayalge rather than just grazing.

[4eva bankrupt]

My 2 horses have very different costs

Both kept at home so no livery costs

Savannah- TB mare
Feed- She is a poor doer so i send about £15 a week, 1bag alfa a oil, and 3/4bag build up cubes
Shoeing- full set every 8weeks £50
Recent vet bills £450 when she cut herself

Lilly
Feed- nothing but grass
Shoeing- checked every 16weeks, but farrier doesn't actual trim her, as she is good at self trimming, but she does get done about 3times a yr at £16 a time
Vet bills- none in the last nine yrs I've owned her (yet)

[myhorseisginger]

My sportshorse costs in winter:

£110 p/m for DIY livery
£25 p/m for hay (approx 10 bales a month)
£15 p/m for hard feed
£25 p/m for bedding (flax) approx 4-5 bales per month
£14 p/m insurance

So about £200 p/m from October thru March. From April til September tho it'll be far less, literally just £110 livery and a little bit of feed.

I too am a tack shop fiend however.... I keep my local one in business !

[Morganna]

It's quite startling the difference in cost depending on the area isnt it?

Im another Glasgow livery and I am

£60 per week full livery,
£55 every 6 weeks for shoes,
£50 per year for worming,
£34 per month insurance,
£150 annually on vaccines and dentist (not including any other vet requirements)
£17 per lesson

and a small fortune at the saddlery every month buying things that I have convinced myself that I, or my horse, absolutely must have

[courage_uk]

out on a local farm:
not a horse facility hacking only:

Horse to be kept - 17.2HH Irish Draught Gelding on hay only no feed:

Rent £60 month (inc stable and grass)

Ins £30/40

Hay n straw £15-30 depending on if mine is in or not, he will generally eat aprox 2/3 a bale of hay a day

shoes £ 50 mine are a monthy bill (4/5 weeks) and he is cold shod,
but mostly peeps are 6-8 weeks,
trim for us is £15 quid

wormers every 13 weeks aprox £10

then the loan for horse is £ ** amount depending on how much you are buying lol

£150 of money to keep for safety ( insurance excess)

my bill for summer typically is £190
bill for winter will im expecting to be like £220

but be smart, you dont need brand new things for the horse, go on ebay and tack shops and buy second hand stuff and repair it your self iv not spend mroe then £20 on any of the rugs for mine, as for the cob, you might be like me and get away with hard feeding and just kept on hay/ haylege for winter months which would be really cost effective, 1 extra hay net to a bag of alfalfa and cool mix your saving £20

you know it isnt cheap, and i was put off for a long time buying my own horse again now i got my self a morgage,

but after seeing a few people at the farm and some local people with horses who are on benifits well .... ya know, it cant be that hard, my advice, over budget, and ensure the morgage is paied and you and your family can live comfortably, only then if you have a spare 200+ quid should you get a horsey never struggle you could always share ad reduce the costs and responsibilities as nessessary and i hope some people could agree with me here :-) be smart and truthful to your self
good luck xx

[CurlyWurlyRach]

Hmmmmmmm

I have a 16.2 TB mare in Yorkshire

Monthly (things that are less rugular than 1 month are broken down into monthly bits)
Rent - 56
Bedding - 25
Hay - 40
Feed - 20
General Supplement - 10
Shoes - 30
Worming - 5