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thanks! That helps, I'll try to do that some time next year. |
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I feel like most of these people are spending more than they need to on feed. I have a decent sized herd, about 18 large horses and 9 miniatures. My big ones eat mainly Bermuda and mixed grass hay, which we buy from our neighbor at 50 USD each, and they go through 2 or 3 every week. Usually 9 per month, plus 2 bales for our ponies every month, so that's about $550 per month in hay. Then the grain. We feed sweet feed to a select few, the old horses and hard keeps and those who are being ridden. Maybe 6 of them get grain year round. The big ones all get some in the winter. It's about 200 per month in summer and 300 per month in winter. Most of them are just pasture ornaments, so they do fine with just grass hay. I can pull them up and do whatever whenever, but until then, they hang out and do their thing. We blanket each horse and buy blankets in the middle of summer online. Our new blankets cost an average of 40 each on sale and are doing great. The last set was bought for the same price and lasted 5 or 6 years. Blankets help save on feed in the winter because the horses don't use as much energy staying warm and don't eat round bales as fast. What's next? A vet? We don't really do vets at my house. We have antibiotics and pain relievers on hand and know how and when to use them. We haven't had a vet do anything other than coggins (25 USD per horse that needs it per year) and health papers (needed for crossing state lines, but we almost never do that). Like I said, they are mostly low maintenance pasture ornaments. We have had cuts, scrapes, punctures, all manner of small wounds, and we can heal those up in no time, but bigger injuries get the vet called out. We just haven't had anything that needs a vet in a long time. Now, the part we were all waiting for. The farrier. Yeah, I don't have one of those. We from our horses feet ourselves. I'm actually pretty good at it and can fix up long toes with little effort. Long heels are a little trickier, but it still takes me less than 20 minutes if the nippers are sharp and the horse behaves. We don't have shoes on any of them because none of them are competing at a high enough level to need them and none are too sore to walk without them. Some have gone years without trimming because they just don't need it. A horse with good legs on good ground will wear naturally and not need trimmed often. The ground where I live is 95% sand, so if we trim too often, they go crippled because the rest are TOO short, so we just trim what needs done and don't bother the horses that don't need it. My barrel horses are trimmed more often to make sure they don't get any problems, but I almost never take more than half an inch off due to not needing to go further to get a nice looking foot. We just sold a horse, who had had very minimal boot care, to a farrier 200 miles away, and he said her feet looked great, so I think we're doing ok. I also ride two of the most sound and healthy horses at my local playdays and spend a fraction of what everyone else spends. My family has had horses for a lot time, so we've just picked up the the skills needed to make the horses comfortable without shattering the bank. We have the horses in addition to about 100 head of other misc livestock (cows, sheep, goats,rabbits, geese, etc.), so balancing the budget is a key part of my life. And if I need cash fast for a bit vet bill, I can take a cow to the salebarn and have whatever I need, I just need to choose the cow that is going to bring around the price I need. Y'all probably don't like how I don't spend an arm and a leg on my animals, but that's what works for me and keeps them all looking and feeling good. My 5 coming 6 year old barrel horse is an absolute tank, and I really need to post a picture of her some time, but she'll be my example of how my horses turn out without overdoing things. After all, we did breed, raise, and train my chonk. |
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Thank you! That helps a lot! |
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I can definitely agree some people make horses more expensive then they need to be but even pasture ornaments have expenses and unexpected things that come up you need to be prepared for, and especially as the horse gets older. I've had two pasture ornaments, neither horse had her costs remain constant. The one had two separate eye ulcers during her life...farm call surcharge + actual appointment cost + eye drops + paying friend to administer them as I lived an hour away from my horse + buying a special fly mask for her with the first one. The same horse developed Cushing's later in life...medication + supplements. The same horse was an easy keeper/air fern that kept her weight from pasture/hay alone until her final few years...Now I'm buying senior (ahem, more expensive) grain and weight supplements all the time, too. So just squirrel away money for extras regardless of how or where you keep a horse, unexpected things will come up and their needs will change. Also even for just pasture horses, I personally believe at a minimum every horse should have their rabies, tetanus, and botulism vaccines kept up on, worming routine kept up on, teeth done, and their feet kept trimmed. Edited to add: the horse I mentioned above was on 24/7 turnout, for what it's worth. I had her that way for fourteen years, until she passed away last year at 30 years old. |
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Horses' food needs are so varied, that some people will inevitably need to spend more. Some horses are picky eaters, hard keepers, have special needs, or the area they live in just has expensive hay and grain. In the US, the difference in price per square bale of hay in Florida vs Ohio, for example, is astronomical. Another one of the joys of horse ownership <sigh> |
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Thank you both! Any tips for buying the right horse? |
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Sagebrush said:
Do you have any suggestions/tips for boarding and transportation? My parents do not own a truck, so should we consider getting one?
If you plan on competing/riding at places which aren't your home/boarding stables, you should definitely consider it. Questions: Do you have boarding or a stable or a field with a shelter (for the winter and colder months, also for shade) sorted out? Do you have feeding and a clean water source/hose to fill a bucket sorted out? Do you have tack and all the other essentials such as brushes, halters etc.? Do you have the money for vets/farriers/dentists? Do you have the time and patience to care for a horse? Do you have the time to ride a horse? Do you have something sorted out for if you are on holiday? (Someone to exercise your horse and if you aren't doing livery, someone to care for it) There is many things I haven't covered here but these are the basic things you need, some of these only apply if you aren't boarding |
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Moonglade Manor said:
Sagebrush said:
Do you have any suggestions/tips for boarding and transportation? My parents do not own a truck, so should we consider getting one?
If you plan on competing/riding at places which aren't your home/boarding stables, you should definitely consider it. Questions: Do you have boarding or a stable or a field with a shelter (for the winter and colder months, also for shade) sorted out? -I do not, but I have two places which have space and will allow me to board. Do you have feeding and a clean water source/hose to fill a bucket sorted out? -Yes Do you have tack and all the other essentials such as brushes, halters etc.? -I have a saddle, but I still need everything Do you have the money for vets/farriers/dentists? -Yes Do you have the time and patience to care for a horse? -Yes Do you have the time to ride a horse? -Yes Do you have something sorted out for if you are on holiday? (Someone to exercise your horse and if you aren't doing livery, someone to care for it) -Yes There is many things I haven't covered here but these are the basic things you need, some of these only apply if you aren't boarding
My parents have still not (and probably will not) allow me to get a horse, this is all just to gather information and see what I need to know if I even want to think about getting a horse. |
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Some questions to ask yourself and tips for buying: 1. What is your budget? Both for initial purchase price and for upkeep. A hard keeping, accident prone Thoroughbred will most likely end up costing you more in feed and vet bills than a laid back Quarter Horse or pony. 2. What do you want to do with the horse? Do you want to show or trail ride casually? And at what level? Ideally, you would purchase a horse that is safe and capable at your current level of experience, but has the ability to "move up" with you. (But err on the side of caution here. If you're a beginner, a beginner safe horse is more important than one with the potential to be a rockstar in the show ring.) 3. Do you have a more experienced horse person to go with you? They will have the know-how to evaluate a horse's conformation, movement, and behavior. If that person is your trainer, even better, since they will know the most about your riding abilities and goals and can play matchmaker here. 4. What is this horse's mileage? As a first time horse owner, I'm assuming you would be looking for something that's been there, done that. However, you also want to take into consideration how many more miles this horse has left in them. Is this horse on the brink of retirement, stepping down from the upper levels as they get older, recovering from an injury, showing arthritic changes? This is another time when having an experienced horse person with you is important as they can likely suss out the longevity of the horse. 5. Will the owner let you do a prepurchase exam with a vet of your choice? If they say no, then walk away, this is a red flag. 6. Will the owner let you take the horse on trial? Some owners are reluctant to let you take the horse off their property due to liability issues, but I think that especially for a beginner the trial period is invaluable. You can see if the horse acts differently away from "home", and continue riding them to see if any issues rear their head. Some horses don't show their true colors initially, or worse may have been drugged when you first went to see them. 7. Speaking of drugs, ask the owner about medical issues the horse may have, as well as any maintenance supplements/medications they are on. A horse with a lot of health issues is more difficult and expensive to maintain. A horse that gets a scoop of joint supplement in breakfast is not a reason for concern, while a horse that lives on bute to be rideable may be on its last legs. 8. What living conditions is the horse used to? Some horses are happy to live in a field 24/7 (and pasture board is cheaper) while others need to come into the barn. Also note: some horses that have only ever been kept in a field need an adjustment period to get used to being confined in a stall. 9. What is the horse's shoeing schedule? Are they barefoot, shoes on the fronts, shoes on all 4? Do they have any special shoeing needs? Do they need to be on a strict schedule? For example my horse needs to have his feet done every 5 weeks or he will start to go lame. 10. What and how much is the horse eating? Do they have any special feeding requirements? Some older horses in particular need their food soaked if they don't chew as well as they used to. 11. Will the horse trail ride alone and in a group? And how do they behave? 12. How does the horse act in a ring with other horses? Some need a lot of personal space or they will kick! 13. Does the horse load into a trailer? 14. Does the horse stand in cross ties and/or when tied to a fence? 15. Is the horse well-mannered for the vet and farrier? 16. Does the horse have any vices? The most common is cribbing, which when uncontrolled will ruin their front teeth. 17. Is the horse up to date on vaccines, coggins, and deworming? Especially if you want to bring this horse home, you don't want to endanger any of the other animals on the property. 18. How does the horse behave at shows (if you want to show that is)? Some horses get very excited being away from home, and shows are especially exciting since there are some many new horses, smells, dogs, people, etc. 19. General tip: don't get too attached to any horse you see when doing your search. Some people fall in love a little too easily, and then miss potential red flags or have their heart broken when the horse doesn't pass their pre purchase exam. 20. General tip: determine what points of your ideal horse you can compromise on, and which ones you can't. Are you willing to pay more for a horse that is the perfect fit, or do you stay in your budget to get the horse that's a little older/a little short/whatever. 21. General tip: Once you've bought the horse of your choice, allow some time for you two to become a harmonious pair. These partnerships take time, at least 6 months. This period may have some ups and downs, but a trainer can help guide you through this. Phew, I think that's everything I can think of off the top of my head! |
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Thank you! I'll go over this if/when the time comes where I am allowed to get a horse, and whenevever I need this great advice! Also, how expensive are younger trail/pleasure horses compared to show horses? How diffrent is a gelding from a mare? And, what are some red flags that you can find just while reviewing advertisements? |
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Warming, with Sleet and Heavy Icing
