My horses are my life full stop. I can't imagine being happy without them. I can't think of anything else I'd rather spend the money on, it just wouldn't make me happy.
Horse keeping costs
- Thread starter Jessey
- Start date
Me too! I will happily shell out £10 a bale for shavings for madam, but cringe at paying £20 for a new duvet cover!!!!
£130 livery a month including hay and straw
£70 farrier every 6 weeks
£30 Clipping every 4 weeks from October to February
£20 worth of feed lasts me around 2 months
Horse insurance £55
I spend quite a bit on hunting, the sub, wire money, fuel getting there but I really enjoy it can afford it so why not.
£70 farrier every 6 weeks
£30 Clipping every 4 weeks from October to February
£20 worth of feed lasts me around 2 months
Horse insurance £55
I spend quite a bit on hunting, the sub, wire money, fuel getting there but I really enjoy it can afford it so why not.
@orbvalley I'm the same, Lottie is my life. I'm not interested in much else. I defo don't resent any of the money I've spent on horses.
I'm West Sussex/Surrey boarders
DIY Livery: £180 pcm at a non-fancy yard but has good winter turn out and really good hacking.
Assistance: £25-100 a month. Closer to the top end at this time of year, at the lower end in the Summer.
Feed: £85 for 4-5 months
Supplements: £33 a month.
Hay: £40 a bale which lasts a month in winter
Bedding: £25 a month
Insurance: £38 a month
Barefoot Trimmer: £120 every 8-12 weeks
Lessons: £45-90 depending
Competitions/clinics: £10-45
Mines a little harder to quantify monthly, as I don't pay for feed, bedding, hay or my barefoot trimmer monthly. Some months I might do two clinics and two lessons, other months I don't do any. Some months I might need to buy or replace equipment, other months I don't.
I would say on average, he's about £350- 500 a month but that doesn't include the cost of quarterly physiotherapy sessions, equine dentist, vets or my off road riding permit.
I do keep a spreadsheet, so know what is spent on him. My OH also knows ...
I know Pete is worth every penny, I'm unsure if he thinks the same
DIY Livery: £180 pcm at a non-fancy yard but has good winter turn out and really good hacking.
Assistance: £25-100 a month. Closer to the top end at this time of year, at the lower end in the Summer.
Feed: £85 for 4-5 months
Supplements: £33 a month.
Hay: £40 a bale which lasts a month in winter
Bedding: £25 a month
Insurance: £38 a month
Barefoot Trimmer: £120 every 8-12 weeks
Lessons: £45-90 depending
Competitions/clinics: £10-45
Mines a little harder to quantify monthly, as I don't pay for feed, bedding, hay or my barefoot trimmer monthly. Some months I might do two clinics and two lessons, other months I don't do any. Some months I might need to buy or replace equipment, other months I don't.
I would say on average, he's about £350- 500 a month but that doesn't include the cost of quarterly physiotherapy sessions, equine dentist, vets or my off road riding permit.
I do keep a spreadsheet, so know what is spent on him. My OH also knows ...
I know Pete is worth every penny, I'm unsure if he thinks the same 
Several people have mentioned that their horse is the most important thing in their lives. That would never be so for me. Life gets more complicated when one has family. Unless one is living on an income level where one doesnt need to budget.
@Skib I don't think it's about not having to worry about the cost or not needing to budget, but about it being a priority in one's life. I love the bones of my horse & I don't begrudge a penny I spend on him. I told my OH on our first date, Pete would always come first
I'm fortunate my OH isn't hands on horsey at all, but is very supportive. It's also because of my OH we have to remain in such close proximity to London and that does limit us somewhat in some ways. But it is what it is & we've both made sacrifices
Yes, life is complicated and a juggling act. Of course it is - I myself know that better than you might know. I can't think of anyone that doesn't make even some compromises or sacrifices even in a small way for their horse(s).
For me, it comes down to although my OH & family is a huge part of my life, so is my horse - he's a member of the family as far as we are concerned (as have been/are our dogs).
I'm fortunate my OH isn't hands on horsey at all, but is very supportive. It's also because of my OH we have to remain in such close proximity to London and that does limit us somewhat in some ways. But it is what it is & we've both made sacrifices
Yes, life is complicated and a juggling act. Of course it is - I myself know that better than you might know. I can't think of anyone that doesn't make even some compromises or sacrifices even in a small way for their horse(s).
For me, it comes down to although my OH & family is a huge part of my life, so is my horse - he's a member of the family as far as we are concerned (as have been/are our dogs).
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@Skib - fair point and not wishing to encourage you to take on a hore that would not only be good for you but the horse too but............I have family and we live on a budget.....the budget includes the horses as like @Pete's Mum they are part of our family, the same as a dog or cat, we wouldn't put them out in the gutter just because we couldn't budget well enough to feed us all. We go without other things in order to feed us all
but............I have family and we live on a budget.....the budget includes the horses as like @Pete's Mum they are part of our family, the same as a dog or cat, we wouldn't put them out in the gutter just because we couldn't budget well enough to feed us all. We go without other things in order to feed us all
Yes we budget too - there have been times in the past when we've improved our waistlines cutting down on unnecessary food to be sure they got what they needed! If we didn't have them we would have more spare money - but spare for what?! I honestly can't think what I'd do.
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OMG I have never worked it out before and I don't think I ever will again. East Yorkshire (not an expensive area). Livery, which includes all basic feed, hay, bedding, turn out and bring in, feeding and mucking out during the week, but you have to do your own mucking out and filling of nets at weekends, isn't too bad for Raf, but is more for Jack with him being bigger. But when I add on insurance, Raf's Prascend and Acid Ease and Jack's Danilon, plus balancers, dried grass, farrier, dentist, it comes to £510 per month for Raf and nearly £400 for Jack, and that's not including lessons, what I spend on the truck and fuel, rugs, boots, my clothes etc. Flippin heck it's a dear hobby
Not so easy to work out now horses are at home! Farrier is £90 every 7 weeks but that's for three. I've just bought enough feed and bedding to do me until nearly summer, that came to £800. Dentist yearly is £150 but again for three. I've upgraded to a truck so doubled my fuel bill compared to my super economical wee golf. Our mortgage is £1400 a month so as horses are at home part of that could be classed as livery. we have field upkeep (£450 this year for topping 15 acres but included travel as guy had a fair trek!).
It's no wonder I'm only taking 6 months maternity!! But as others have said, if I didn't have the horses I wouldn't have my sanity. They are worth every penny.
so as horses are at home part of that could be classed as livery. we have field upkeep (£450 this year for topping 15 acres but included travel as guy had a fair trek!).It's no wonder I'm only taking 6 months maternity!! But as others have said, if I didn't have the horses I wouldn't have my sanity. They are worth every penny.
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