The Real Costs of Keeping a Horse

Owning a horse is much like having another family member. You need to take care of them, invest in all kinds of things to make them happier and make their life better, and you also need to take care of their medical conditions as well. It goes without saying that owning a horse is a lot of work (arguably more than any other kind of pet due to their size) and keeping a horse can get very expensive.

So before you consider buying a horse or if you want to learn how to drastically cut down the costs, here are a few considerations and tips to keep in mind.

Owning a horse feels like a princess but never ask you bank account what it feels like #horsebroke

Understand the commitment required

If you’re thinking of purchasing a horse, then you probably already have a good idea of how much work it’s going to take. You need to be willing to spend a lot on your equine companion, so ensure that you’re financially prepared for what’s about it come. The cost of horse ownership can vary depending on your location and what needs your horse has, as well as your current living conditions. To help you cut down costs, you need to ask yourself if owning a horse is actually financially viable for you in your current situation. If not, then it might be worth waiting a while until you’re able to better take care of them.

Boarding for your horse

The cheapest way to keep your horse is to board them at your own property. This is easier if you live on farming land or have a countryside property with a lot of space. If you live in an urban environment, then it can get very expensive trying to find a stable that will be willing to look after and house your horse. This can get expensive quickly especially if you’re forced to pay for everything from food, to boarding, to medicine or other extra services. However, if you do live in an urban environment, then this is really your only method unless you own a second property somewhere in the country.

Medical fees

Much like any pet, you’ll need to have pet insurance that will cover your horse. In addition to this expense, you’ll also need to look after ctheir teeth annually so that they don’t have discomfort in their mouth, and you’ll also need to worry about worm control. Most of these things will be handled by the stable if you choose to board it somewhere, but you’ll personally need to do these things if you own the horse on your property. If your horse currently doesn’t have shoes, then you’ll need to add on the additional cost of trimming their hooves and shoeing them. Horseshoes need to be replaced every 1-2 months because hooves will continue to grow, making it fairly expensive to maintain.

Tack

Never underestimate the things you may (or may not even) need for your horse when it comes to saddle pads, saddle, bridles, bits and pieces.

Summary

Stabling your horse is arguably the most expensive part of horse ownership, which is why many people are choosing to live new lives in the countryside for the sake of lowering those costs. They’ll have more time to interact with their horse, and enjoy their free time in nature rather than in city centres. Medical fees and tack are the other sources of spending tons of money. At least when it comes to medical fees, make sure that there is some extra money on the side just to make sure. Even the healthiest horse may suffer from an injury from time to time.

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