At some point in the future i would love to own a horse but i don't have much clue on how much things cost. I would be grateful if anyone could give me an idea of the weekly/monthly cost of owning a horse and what the money goes on. Thanks
How much does it cost to keep a horse?
- Thread starter pharoah
- Start date
JustJas
New Member
How long is a piece of string...
It depends on how you want to keep your horse.
Some basics will be the same - eg wormers and insurance. MY insurance is £45 insurance for 2 per month.
But livery options varies massively. You can go for the basic grazing £10-20 a week, DIY, part and full reflect the effort froim the yard staff work.
My horses live out and cost about £200 a month plus then there are rugs/tack etc.
It depends on how you want to keep your horse.
Some basics will be the same - eg wormers and insurance. MY insurance is £45 insurance for 2 per month.
But livery options varies massively. You can go for the basic grazing £10-20 a week, DIY, part and full reflect the effort froim the yard staff work.
My horses live out and cost about £200 a month plus then there are rugs/tack etc.
Just wanted a general idea on what you needed to buy eg. rugs for outdoor weather. Horse would probably be kept on diy/part livery cost haylege or does this normally come in with livery costs etc. Any advice is appreciated.
i keep mine at home..
old lad needs feeding several times aday and rugs, total cost for him is around £20 a week in feed, he is also rugged, but barefoot so £20 every eight weeks for that, wormer average£25 every 13 weeks
my big girl , has no feed in summer, never rugged and barefoot again , same in wormer as above , winter she has hay and as it gets colder she will have 1 then up to 2 feeds a day, cost in feed winter £20 a week including hay
section A x same as above but less feed, about half proberly less than that
all 3 live out 24/7/365
is there anything else?
old lad needs feeding several times aday and rugs, total cost for him is around £20 a week in feed, he is also rugged, but barefoot so £20 every eight weeks for that, wormer average£25 every 13 weeks
my big girl , has no feed in summer, never rugged and barefoot again , same in wormer as above , winter she has hay and as it gets colder she will have 1 then up to 2 feeds a day, cost in feed winter £20 a week including hay
section A x same as above but less feed, about half proberly less than that
all 3 live out 24/7/365
is there anything else?
Insurance can be expensive depending on horses vaule, vet coverage, activities such as xc.
Also don't forget car fuel, for going to see to horse twice aday.
Also don't forget car fuel, for going to see to horse twice aday.
Obviously will vary according to area of country/type & age of horse/type of livery, but here's what my Highland costs:
£20/week grass livery (although now moved to £20/wk including stable, which is v. good, for DIY).
£5/wk straw
£7/wk hay
£10/wk shavings
£25 every 4-6wks for farrier (trim)
approx £15-£20/month feed and supplments
about £10 as required for wormers, varies according to make.
£20/month insurance (personal liability, Class A uses (hacking, schooling, riding club activities level), vets fees etc, tack not included).
£40 vet call out charge (hopefully not more than once a year for shots, but you can't count on that being the case obviously) plus costs for treatment.
Previously I've been on yards where it's cost £30/wk for grass livery/£40/wk for DIY, and another yard was around £300/month in winter for everything (including shoeing). Hope this helps
£20/week grass livery (although now moved to £20/wk including stable, which is v. good, for DIY).
£5/wk straw
£7/wk hay
£10/wk shavings
£25 every 4-6wks for farrier (trim)
approx £15-£20/month feed and supplments
about £10 as required for wormers, varies according to make.
£20/month insurance (personal liability, Class A uses (hacking, schooling, riding club activities level), vets fees etc, tack not included).
£40 vet call out charge (hopefully not more than once a year for shots, but you can't count on that being the case obviously) plus costs for treatment.
Previously I've been on yards where it's cost £30/wk for grass livery/£40/wk for DIY, and another yard was around £300/month in winter for everything (including shoeing). Hope this helps
In addition to all the above... what type of horse? A low maintenance cobby type, who lives on hay and fresh air and only needs a rug in the most extreme weather if at all, or a high maintenance thoroughbred type, that needs loads of hard feed and a rug if there's a spot of rain? It's a bit like asking "how much does a house cost"!
Also, what country are you in? In the UK, there is insurance for everything, and you pay accordingly - where I am in Austria, insurance means 3rd party liability for your horse causing damage to other people's property - and it costs next to nothing.
Will the horse be barefoot or shod? A barefoot trim is probably half the price of shoeing.
Are you city based, or out in the country? Livery tends to be cheaper the further away from a town you are.
You might find it more helpful to think a bit more specifically about the type of horse you might like, than ask around the local stables for livery prices, prices for farriers, vets etc. etc. These can also vary enormously from one area to another. Anyone here who says "my horse costs XYZ" may or may not bear any relation to prices in your area for what you are looking for.
Also, what country are you in? In the UK, there is insurance for everything, and you pay accordingly - where I am in Austria, insurance means 3rd party liability for your horse causing damage to other people's property - and it costs next to nothing.
Will the horse be barefoot or shod? A barefoot trim is probably half the price of shoeing.
Are you city based, or out in the country? Livery tends to be cheaper the further away from a town you are.
You might find it more helpful to think a bit more specifically about the type of horse you might like, than ask around the local stables for livery prices, prices for farriers, vets etc. etc. These can also vary enormously from one area to another. Anyone here who says "my horse costs XYZ" may or may not bear any relation to prices in your area for what you are looking for.
Keeping a horse can vary from not too much to quite a lot.
The most expensive items for me are insurance (about £35 per month for my lot) and trimming (about £25 every 6 weeks but I have three to do)
Otherwise they live out on my own place and mostly eat hay in winter. Of course land has to be bought and maintained so thats not 'free'.
The most expensive items for me are insurance (about £35 per month for my lot) and trimming (about £25 every 6 weeks but I have three to do)
Otherwise they live out on my own place and mostly eat hay in winter. Of course land has to be bought and maintained so thats not 'free'.
It all depends my two are kept out 24/7 and that cost me £40-£50 a month but you have to take into account rugs, tack, farrier and vets fees etc
DIY Yard for 14.2hh 14yr old mare
£25.00 per week rent for stable (includes 2x 30min sessions in school)
£15.00 per week hayledge
£8.00 - £12.00 per week for straw
£11.00 per week shoes (£65.00 every 6 weeks approximately)
£10.00 per week feed
Total £69.00 per week = £276.00 - 280.00 per month (jeez when I look at it like that it's an expensive hobby!!
Then you have
Worming - £35.00 per year (we've just got an amazing deal on wormers)
Dentist - £25.00 per year
Jabs - Not sure need to check
Rugs etc - as and when she needs them she gets them, although I am cutting back on non essential spending.
£25.00 per week rent for stable (includes 2x 30min sessions in school)
£15.00 per week hayledge
£8.00 - £12.00 per week for straw
£11.00 per week shoes (£65.00 every 6 weeks approximately)
£10.00 per week feed
Total £69.00 per week = £276.00 - 280.00 per month (jeez when I look at it like that it's an expensive hobby!!
Then you have
Worming - £35.00 per year (we've just got an amazing deal on wormers)
Dentist - £25.00 per year
Jabs - Not sure need to check
Rugs etc - as and when she needs them she gets them, although I am cutting back on non essential spending.
14.2 cobby mare, 8 yrs old in yorkshire
- Full livery £56 per week - includes hay / bedding (winter only, otherwise £25 grass livery in Summer)
- £30 every 6 weeks for farrier (front shoes/ trim on hinds)
- Feed approx £6 per week in winter (probably £1 per week in summer)
- Clipping two or three times per winter at £35 a go
- maybe a couple of replacement rugs each year - I buy cheap - prob £40 each
- Insurance £35 per month
- I budget about £150 per year for replacement tack
- Wormers - about £8 every 10 weeks
- Dentist about £30 a visit - I tend to have dentist once a year but should really be every 6 months
- Vaccinations £35ish a year
- If you're starting out you'll need to buy feed buckets, bins, grooming kit, haynets, maybe fork, shovel, brush, wheelbarrow
- Impossible to say what vet fees might be - Mine were around £1300 last year but were covered by insurance (except for £110 excess)
- Then there's the cost of lessons £20 per week at my yard
- Some yards charge for the use of their school (not mine thankfully)
- Show entry fees and cost of transport to shows
- Extra fuel to get to the yard
it really does depend on the horse, and whether you are keeping them at home,or at livery!
I keep my horses at home...so no outgoing payment there.
they have 2 rugs each - mine are about £50 a piece, so thats £200....but thats a one off payment until they ruin/grow out of them...
My tack was cheap as I found somewhere that was changing stock - say £200 - that'll need changing at some point though...and prices can get VERY EXPENSIVE.....having said that, some horses come with tack and rugs when you buy them....and they probably wont need replacing if the horse is full grown/or has treeless saddle, and doesnt rip its rugs.
the local livery yard here is £90/wk, per horse and £70/week per horse...so not cheap. But the former does have an indoor sandschool with jumps, a horse walker etc....but they dont come down on price, even if you only have horse at grass, and dont use other facilities.
My horses arent shod, so thats £30 every 8 weeks (for both horses to be trimmed).
My horses get no extra feed in summer - so i save some money there...
They get hay 1 bayle of hay between them everyday from Oct/Nov-Feb/March, at £3 per bayle.
Both of my horses are still growing, and winter grass is rubbish here, so they get a little extra hard feed when its really cold - say £100 tops for the winter months...(but when we were in Cornwall, we had good grass all year, so I didnt really feed anything other than hay in the winter.)
vets fees are expensive...I use the Northern Racing College's vets...so they are quite expensive...but I have a good first aid kit, and have a fair understanding of the horses anatomy, so only call the vet out if a horse needs stitches/is REALLY sick. Otherwise, I generally have my own antibiotics (I call vet before administering though, just to check...but it keeps down call out fees), and I buy wormers online in bulk - say £100 a year MAXIMUM for all horses....
hhhm....older horses need their teeth checking 2x every year, not sure how much that is....Ive always had youngsters, and only had dentist out 1x to do them all...and cant remember the cost...
Smaller native ponies, and cobby type horses will generally be the cheapest to keep as long as their health is good because they keep condition well, even in fairly poor grass, they are hardier - so dont shiver off all their condition in the winter, keeping feed costs lower, and they are more sure-footed, so dont injure themselves as much as, and their skin/hair is usually tougher/thicker, so they stay warmer in the winter, and dont snag their skin as easily. Having said all that, there are always exceptions to the rule!
all in all, keeping a horse can get quite expensive at the best of times!
I keep my horses at home...so no outgoing payment there.
they have 2 rugs each - mine are about £50 a piece, so thats £200....but thats a one off payment until they ruin/grow out of them...
My tack was cheap as I found somewhere that was changing stock - say £200 - that'll need changing at some point though...and prices can get VERY EXPENSIVE.....having said that, some horses come with tack and rugs when you buy them....and they probably wont need replacing if the horse is full grown/or has treeless saddle, and doesnt rip its rugs.
the local livery yard here is £90/wk, per horse and £70/week per horse...so not cheap. But the former does have an indoor sandschool with jumps, a horse walker etc....but they dont come down on price, even if you only have horse at grass, and dont use other facilities.
My horses arent shod, so thats £30 every 8 weeks (for both horses to be trimmed).
My horses get no extra feed in summer - so i save some money there...
They get hay 1 bayle of hay between them everyday from Oct/Nov-Feb/March, at £3 per bayle.
Both of my horses are still growing, and winter grass is rubbish here, so they get a little extra hard feed when its really cold - say £100 tops for the winter months...(but when we were in Cornwall, we had good grass all year, so I didnt really feed anything other than hay in the winter.)
vets fees are expensive...I use the Northern Racing College's vets...so they are quite expensive...but I have a good first aid kit, and have a fair understanding of the horses anatomy, so only call the vet out if a horse needs stitches/is REALLY sick. Otherwise, I generally have my own antibiotics (I call vet before administering though, just to check...but it keeps down call out fees), and I buy wormers online in bulk - say £100 a year MAXIMUM for all horses....
hhhm....older horses need their teeth checking 2x every year, not sure how much that is....Ive always had youngsters, and only had dentist out 1x to do them all...and cant remember the cost...
Smaller native ponies, and cobby type horses will generally be the cheapest to keep as long as their health is good because they keep condition well, even in fairly poor grass, they are hardier - so dont shiver off all their condition in the winter, keeping feed costs lower, and they are more sure-footed, so dont injure themselves as much as, and their skin/hair is usually tougher/thicker, so they stay warmer in the winter, and dont snag their skin as easily. Having said all that, there are always exceptions to the rule!
all in all, keeping a horse can get quite expensive at the best of times!
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DIY Livery including wormer and ad lib straw £132 pcm
Insurance - £48 pcm
Half set shoes every 6 weeks £32
Feed & Supplements - £60 pcm
Hay - £42 pcm
Lessons - £35 every 3 weeks
I budget £40 pcm for vaccinations, teeth, clipping, back and saddle checks
Fly spray, tack cleaner etc - £25 pcm
I reckon £6000 per year will be about right for Molly when you take equipment & tack, travel & competition fees into account
Insurance - £48 pcm
Half set shoes every 6 weeks £32
Feed & Supplements - £60 pcm
Hay - £42 pcm
Lessons - £35 every 3 weeks
I budget £40 pcm for vaccinations, teeth, clipping, back and saddle checks
Fly spray, tack cleaner etc - £25 pcm
I reckon £6000 per year will be about right for Molly when you take equipment & tack, travel & competition fees into account
I am in Swindon, my tb x newfie 18 yr old mare costs approx:
£15 p/w stable rent, includes just stable and a field and running water and electricity
around £20 a month in hard feed (in the winter) much less in the summer
hay/straw as needed, it varies depending on the weather, i deep litter to save on straw.
wormers around £15 every 13 weeks
replacements for rugs etc, although i have so many i dont really need to replace them!
shoes £45 every 5 weeks
and insurance, around £32 a month i think
£15 p/w stable rent, includes just stable and a field and running water and electricity
around £20 a month in hard feed (in the winter) much less in the summer
hay/straw as needed, it varies depending on the weather, i deep litter to save on straw.
wormers around £15 every 13 weeks
replacements for rugs etc, although i have so many i dont really need to replace them!
shoes £45 every 5 weeks
and insurance, around £32 a month i think
DIY livery £120 pcm
Hard Feed £25 pcm
Hay/haylage £30 pcm
Shoes £40 pcm (£55 every 6 weeks)
Wormers £5 pcm
Vaccs & dental £6 pcm (£70 per year)
That is basic per month for me. But then add on new rugs, new saddle (£1000 oops), back lady at £20 a go, grooming and mucking out tools, wheelbarrow, buckets, every type of tat that catches my eye in the tackshop and you can spend as much or as little as you want.
Hard Feed £25 pcm
Hay/haylage £30 pcm
Shoes £40 pcm (£55 every 6 weeks)
Wormers £5 pcm
Vaccs & dental £6 pcm (£70 per year)
That is basic per month for me. But then add on new rugs, new saddle (£1000 oops), back lady at £20 a go, grooming and mucking out tools, wheelbarrow, buckets, every type of tat that catches my eye in the tackshop and you can spend as much or as little as you want.
I am the only person who has to get their horse shod every 4 weeks?!? No fair, Wah!
DIY livery - £30 per week - includes hay & straw
Farriery - £60 every 4 weeks
Dentist - £30 every 6 months
Vaccinations - £50 (approx) per year
Insurance - £50 per month
Shavings - £200 per year
Haylage - £250 per year (approx)
Tbh, no idea what I spend on hard feed (prob not much), chaff & supplements (a bit more!); then there's the lessons, plus have just started going to shows, so there's entry fees, transport costs, etc
DIY livery - £30 per week - includes hay & straw
Farriery - £60 every 4 weeks
Dentist - £30 every 6 months
Vaccinations - £50 (approx) per year
Insurance - £50 per month
Shavings - £200 per year
Haylage - £250 per year (approx)
Tbh, no idea what I spend on hard feed (prob not much), chaff & supplements (a bit more!); then there's the lessons, plus have just started going to shows, so there's entry fees, transport costs, etc
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