As a horse breeder, I’m often asked how expensive a horse is. Unfortunately, most people are thinking of the ‘purchase price’ when they ask, rather than the ‘ownership cost’. In general, horses are more expensive to own than to buy, a fact that most first-time buyers don’t really understand.

This ignorance is in part the fault of people working in the horse business as breeders, dealers or trainers. After all, if a potential client is unsure if they can afford to buy a horse, telling them that owning it is even more expensive is a good way to lose the potential sale. Of course, some sellers are honest enough to explain this, but far from all.

If you know someone looking to buy a horse, you can do them a big favour by letting them know the financial implications in advance. Of course, it is hard to quote a specific number as costs vary from under /month to over 00/month depending on circumstances. However, here are some tips on how to do a rough calculation.

The first consideration is whether the horse will be stabled with a professional or stabled by them. If the horse will be stabled with a professional, phone around to check the local monthly costs (including box, food, bedding and labour). You can find the phone numbers for the local professionals in the yellow pages or ask your local vet. Such costs can vary from 0/month to over 00/month, with the higher end associated with urban areas.

Alternatively, if you keep the horse yourself rather than using a professional stable, you can save on these costs. However, you will still need to purchase bedding and feed, which will typically cost a minimum of 0/month. If you have lots of pasture, you can spend a bit less on feed. Keep in mind that 0/month is a minimum, in some areas bedding and feed (especially hay) can be far more expensive.

There are also a lot of incidental costs such as wormers, salt, minerals, annual innoculations, and annual dental check. Allow about 0/year to cover all of these. The other big consideration is medical expenses. In a good year your horse may be perfectly healthy and not need to see a vet, in which case there are no exceptional medical expenses. However, one bad case of colic can set you back thousands of dollars. So, you either need to be prepared to foot a major medical bill in the case of serious illness or injury, or take out medical insurance which starts at about /month.

Another consideration is how you use the horse. Riding the horse means that you will need to buy a saddle, tack and riding clothes. Showing or competing with the horse involves additional expenses.

Adding all this up, for the typical horse owner, the yearly costs run into the thousands of dollars. Of course, the exact figure depends almost entirely on circumstances. However, before buying a horse, it is wise to make sure that one is prepared for the long term financial commitment involved in keeping it.

Filed under: All About Horses, Animals, cost, horse, Horses, Pets