How much does a horse cost?

In My Humble Opinion
21

Ditto that the price of the horse is not the issue. But if you want a bombproof horse so you don’t absolutely need tohire trainer, you’re probably looking at $2,000 and up. Don’t know where you live, but boarding that includes feed and water can be very expensive. I board two horses in the Dallas area and it’s nearly $1,200 a month. As said, it’s the vet bills that will get you, and they are also highly variable depending on where you live.

Emergency vet bills are insane since horses don’t hurt themselves or get sick on schedule. On such occasions, the vet generally needs to come to you. Then, factor in worming, farrier and floating costs.

So, yeah, I’d read up on required horse care, maybe take some lessons, and talk to your local large-animal vets and boarding facilities. My rule of thumb is to always have about $1,000 ready for emergency stuff.

As for the riding lessons someone in your family needs to maintain the horse’s ground manners, and improper riding techniques will end up necessitating remedial professional training.

BTW, I also maintain a few pasture ornaments and cutting horses at a shared ranch. My 23 year-old mare is still used regularly, actually darned near daily, to check fences. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

22

I’m not sure where you are but some of the stables in my area have a shared ownership option. Kind of like timeshare but for horses. Basically you’re buying lessons and a horse to ride for those plus free riding on the horse for whatever extra time you negotiate. Contract also details your share of maintenance costs and what happens when vet bills are incurred.

The only reason I would suggest this over ownership however is that you talk about the horse being for your entire family. Riding is a social activity though and you’re going to want to do it together so a fractional ownership in a couple of horses (or even just a family riding lesson once a week) is a better place to start.

23

It’s extremely inadvisable to buy a horse without first taking at least a year’s worth of lessons. Horses don’t come with instruction manuals and they have a mind of their own. Just like a dog, you can quickly ruin a well behaved horse with poor or erratic handling. Every time you’re handling the horse, you’re training it whether you mean to or not. You should become comfortable with well-trained lesson horses before embarking on horse ownership. You want to experience some of the common problems and learn about your own strengths and weaknesses as a rider and handler. In addition, by taking good lessons, you will build relationships with more knowledgable people who will help you choose a good horse for your family when/if the time is right. Pony Club or 4-H for the kids is also a great idea.

Horse ownership is a huge financial and time committment. If taking lessons is too much of a bother or expense, seriously, DO NOT BUY A HORSE.

Another point: The horse you are looking for should be no younger than 12. A horse only becomes an adult at 4; a 5 year old barely knows anything about anything. Around 8-10 a horse knows the basics and just learning how to become a good citizen in all sorts of different situations. Do not buy an untrained horse thinking you will just “learn together.” I promise this will not happen. As they say, green+green=black & blue.

I would expect to pay at least 5k in most areas of the country, unless the horse is older. The job you are asking of this horse – caretaker to ignorant, inexperienced riders – is actually one of the most challenging jobs a horse can have.

By the way, middling quality saddlery* will run you another $1000 to start. Blankets for the winter if needed, grooming supplies, OTC medications, fly spray, and your own riding clothes are additional. Never ride without a certified helmet.

I agree with brainstall. If, after taking a fair number of lessons, you are still interested, a part-lease is a good idea to get a feel for the expenses.

*Saddle, several saddle pads, a couple of girths, bridle, bit, a couple of halters, some lead ropes, safety stirrups if you have children, a breastplate or martingale if needed.

24

I third what everyone is saying. Lessons first. If, after a year of lessons for the riders, the shiny hasn’t worn off, then start looking.

If you’re boarding, your location can make a big difference, as well as whether the horse does better in stall board or pasture board. When looking for a boarding facility, look for general tidiness (a cob-webby barn with stuff strewn everywhere is likely to be less safe in other ways), look at the condition of the horses presently boarding there - do they look fit, or skinny and listless? Are the fences in good shape? Bad fences can mean injury, which means vet bills. Since you’re not interested in showing you don’t have to worry about boarding at the high-dollar training facilities with jumps, indoor arenas and heated washracks. Board generally includes feed and hay.

The following is based on my experience in Tennessee. I have two throughbreds and two minis, kept at my home.

Farrier - trim and/or shoe about every 8 weeks. I pay $30/each for trims. I spend more on my horses feet than I do on my own. I deworm at each trimming. Dewormers are $3-13 per tube to do 1200 lbs of horse.

Vet - annual vaccinations and dental cost me about $100/horse. A good boarding facility will require that your horse get annual shots and Coggins (a blood test). Emergencies are wildly variable. A simple vet visit to stitch a wound or treat a cough might be about $120. Emergency colic surgery can run into the thousands, with no guarantee on the outcome.

Tack - surf your local craigslist and go to tack consignment sales if you have them in your area. Make sure the leather is still supple. Check all straps and buckles. This is a safety issues, as well as preventing sores on your horse. Buy riding helmets for each rider. Traumatic brain injury is no one’s friend.

Looking for your new horse will be easier if you’ve been taking lessons. Involve your trainer - you’ll pay more than off Craigslist, but they know the horses out there. Definitely have a PPE - prepurchase exam done. It doesn’t have to be too costly, but your vet can save you a world of hurt down the road. Unless there are soundness questions, you probably won’t need x-rays done.

Keeping my horses at home, I spend about $125/mo on feed for all of them. Many horses are easier keepers than thoroughbreds, though. That includes hay, which I generally only feed in Winter, because they graze when the grass is growing. I spend probably about $7-800/year for all on vet bills (I’m fortunate that my horses are healthy and not accident-prone. Although in part you make your own luck). It’s an expensive hobby, but worth it to me.

StG

25

Side note: in some, warmer areas, an indoor arena is a luxury, in other colder areas it’s a minimum requirement for year round riding. When I lived in Michigan the outdoor geround was hard-frozen a good portion of the year. Without an indoor, you would have zero opportunity to ride above the walk for 4 months of the year.

If an indoor is a necessity because of your local weather, don’t bother with any facility whose indoor is less than 120ft x 60 ft. Rings smaller than that get crazy as soon as you get more than two or three riders in it (especially if one of them – you – can’t steer).

Some signs of a good lesson barn:
[ul]
[li]reasonably tidy with not too much cobwebs or dusty stuff around.[/li][li]Stalls aren’t dark, low, or gloomy.[/li][li]No urine smell. A little grassy/poop smell is ok. [/li][li]Some organized way of securing your personal tack. Some barns have lockers for boarders, others have a room for tack trunks, others have a room of saddle racks for boarder use, separate from the lesson equipment.[/li][li]Horses in healthy weight (that means, no ribs showing, and no porkers with fat bulges everywhere)[/li][li]Turnout at least part of every day. Full-time outdoor living is healthiest for most horses, but not always practical or convenient (land is expensive, and that 40 acre field looks amazing till you have to find your horse in it). [/li][li]Fences in good condition, and made of a safe material. Board and vinyl board and pipe are great, but should be free of cracks, splintery bits and stabby poking-out parts. Tensioned vinyl strap is ok, as is no-climb/woven wire fencing with wood posts and one board on top. Barbed wire and tensioned smooth wire are both dealbreakers. [/li][li]On site access to trails (especially important if you don’t have a trailer), and bonus events like “fun shows” (in-barn competitions where you don’t have to dress up), or clinics (outside trainer comes in for a day to teach on a particular subject).[/li][li]Trainer doesn’t scream or lose his/her temper with children or horses.[/li][li]Horse available for both beginner and intermediate learners.[/li][li] When you visit, people, including teenaged girls, are friendly and helping each other out, not all ignoring each other or sniping at each other. [/li][/ul]

26

Another thing to consider is boarding at a small barn. For a few years we had a girl board her horse in our barn. She lived five minutes away and her monthly fee for boarding was $0.

She cleaned stalls, fed, etc. She paid her own vet and farrier bills, but that was it. She used our saddles, etc and was good company on trail rides. She sold the horse when she went away to college.

27

I have to comment on this post below. I agree, not ALL rescues are trust-worthy, but neither are all money-grubbing people ready to stab you in the back. The rescue I have been volunteering for, Hoof & a Prayer, is one of the good ones. Their contract is nothing unreasonable. They inspect your property BEFORE the adoption is completed. If something is not to their standards- fencing is usually the big one- they will actually help you get proper fencing installed. They test your riding ability and will help match you with a horse that suits you. Many times, I have see them turn down an adoption application for a horse because they thought it was too much horse for the adoptor. If, for whatever reason, the horse does not work out, they will take it back, no questions asked, and if the adoptor wants, try to match them up with another horse.

Are they perfect? No, no one is. But they have the best interest of the horses and riders in mind.

Owning a horse is a huge responsibility. It is an expensive and risky hobby. The most bomb-proof, dead-broke horse can spook, or be stung by a bee, or mis-step on the trail and take a fall. Without even getting on the horse, you can be kicked, bitten, stepped on or squished agaist the wall. I’m not trying to discourage you… I have had all of these things amd more happen to me in my 52 years of being horse crazy. Just be aware that it’s not all My Friend Flicka/Black Stallion/Fury/Trigger. If you have little horse experience, please spend a year or so getting to know these wonderful creatures that own my heart. Take lessons, volunteer at a rescue…Just be around them. Learn about them. Decide if this is really something you want to do. You’ll know pretty quick. Horses are something that either get in your blood or they don’t.

One quick story from the rescue- A lady named Donna started volunteering there at the same time I did, in January. Unlike me, she had NO horse experience. None, zip. She was afraid of them at first. She had no idea what had drawn her to the place. In April, they began giving riding lessons at the rescue. One of the horses they used was an Appaloosa named Bella. For the first time in her life, Donna sat on a horse, and began learning how to ride. A week later Donna ADOPTED Bella. Every week when I see them together, I am amazed at how far she has come. Donna and Bella are true partners now.

Two weeks ago, Donna rode in her first horse show.

I think she’s hooked. :slight_smile:

28

Another factor: in my experience, horses are easy to acquire and hard to get rid of. Sometimes, life happens, and you need to rehome your horse in a hurry. Well, horse BUYERS are not in a hurry.

If you’re looking for a family horse, consider a smaller, stockier breed. Plenty of “pony” breeds like New Forest, Welsh Section C or Icelandic horses have been carrying fat old farmers around all day for a long long time. Even if you have long legs, if you want your horse to be ridden by kids, don’t let the fashion for overhorsing trump good sense.

29

Adding to the take lessons for a while first! crowd. There is so much more to riding than just buying a horse, they aren’t big dogs that eat grass, they are wired very differently.

Also, buying a horse is a lot easier than selling one, especially if you find yourself with a horse that has some training or behavioral issues. Even if you buy a bombproof horse, they can learn bad habits just through the rider/owner’s ignorance and those habits can sometimes take a professional to eradicate.

So my suggestion (as someone who has worked with horses for 40+ yrs, and spent a good chunk of that teaching people to ride and re-schooling spoiled and soured horses) is that you take lessons for a while, and make sure you really are interested in the sport to the point of buying a horse. A good interim step would be to do a partial lease, perhaps graduating to a full lease. Many good lesson programs will have barn-owned horses that they will lease out to people, usually for a flat fee (anything from $200 on up, depending on the horse, location, etc…)

And don’t be discouraged if you have a lot of trial and error in finding a good riding match - it really does have to be a partnership, and sometimes equine and human quirks and personalities don’t mesh. Finding a good trainer/instructor is probably your best first step, they can guide you and keep you safe and happy.

Good luck, and have fun!

You don’t say what part of the world you are in, or what kind or riding you are interested in. I’m sure the horse people here would be happy to recommend barns, trainers and/or instructors for you to try. I’m in SE TN if that’s any use, and I know people all over the place on the east coast-ish. Holler if you want some names.

30

So why do you want to buy one?

5-7 y/o is an adolescent in equine terms, you’d want to be looking for something 10 y/o, but having said that, there are some very laid back young horses out there.

Gender isn’t always a huge factor, it’s the horse’s personality/character that determines it’s general demenor towards humans. A gelding being neutered should be the quietest of the three choices (mare, stallion, gelding)

anything from $0 to $10million. You can get a thoroughbred off the race track for free -THIS IS NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR A NOVICE OWNER- otherwise you’d need to look in equestrian publications for an idea of what’s available where you live, and how much people are asking for said horses

This depends on where you live and what facilities/services the place is offering for the money.

My horse is on full livery, this covers his stable, bedding, feed and hay plus use of the yard facilities.

Ponies (equines up to 14.2hh ) tend to live longer than horses (equines over 14.2hh) as a generalisation 20 years is common, I know a pony who is in her 30s and there was another pony who was nearly 40 when she passed away. With better care, nutrition and veterinary services [these days] horses are living longer than they used to.

Disposal of the body depends on the laws where you live, traditionally you bury the heart and hooves on your land, but since most horse owners don’t own the land the horse is on, this isn’t necessarily an option. Burial requires heavy duty digging equipment (you’ll need a damn big hole), cremation is increasingly popular as you can get the ashes back to keep.
In Britain people often call the local [fox] hunt to dispose of their horse. Some people even ‘donate’ the carcass to wildlife parks for the big cats.

As well as purchasing the horse you’ll need tack (saddle and bridle) and -depending on the climate where you live- rugs for the horse to wear in the stable.

31

When one of my gf’s horses was euthanized a few years ago, the burial was incredible.

She phoned a local excavator and he arrived a short time later, hauling a trailer carrying a backhoe. He asked where we wanted the horse and we showed him. The horse was intentionally put down right by where she wanted him buried. He dug the hole, used straps to lift and maneuver the body, and lowered him in.

He then refilled the hole, smoothed the top, and was done. It took around an hour total and IIRC was $200. All that was left to do was spread some grass seed!

32

Thanks! I’ll mention this to her, although she might have already tried it. The cubes we are soaking and feeding are $35 for 50#, but he hasn’t obstructed his esophagus in over a year.

33

I was going to pull out quotes and statements from a number of posts, and when I started replying to that, the post was unreadable. So I will do it like this: improvisational answering.

First, THANK YOU ALL for the sincere and heartfelt answers. It has demonstrated two things to me. The people on the dope are a very good group of people when it comes to answering a question like this, and two, horse owners in general must be very special people. There is clearly a lot of concern for me and my family over safety issues, and the commitment that it takes to own a horse. There is also clearly a lot of concern over horses in general, which is also great to see.

Quite frankly, I wasn’t and am not properly prepared to own a horse. It is not that I cannot afford one. It seems that although it would be an expensive hobby, it’s not something I would consider out of my price range. It IS however, something out of my experience range, so signing up for lessons is the next step I will take. Getting on a horse and goimg around a worn trail at a tourist ranch isn’t exactly what I would call good experience; however, it did jump start something inside me, something that made me want a horse. I still want a horse, after all of the scary stories in this thread, but I’m much more excited about pacing the process and getting some real riding lessons first. This makes sense on so many levels, and for a novice like me, quite frankly, it should be the only thing permitted. But I guess if they will let you have a kid without any sort of training or test, a horse is probably easy to get for someone with the right money. I’m not interested in owning a horse for bragging rights… I really do want to ride it, and care for it as a pet and/or member of the family. But getting the riding lessons sounds like the best way to go… I can try different horses, test different temperaments, and see which one works with my personality. (it’s too bad there wasn’t an option like this available when I was looking for a spouse. Sure, we date… But a horse isn’t offended after you have one ride on her and you decide that she’s not the one. She doesn’t start telling her friends how you stink riding, nor does she get upset if she sees you with another horse. Ah, if life were so simple)

I am still interested in any stories you all want to share, but my mind is made up on this particular issue. I have not disclosed my location for personal reasons, but I am on the east coast of the US, if that makes any difference. I also live in a fairly rural area (I am not that far from a major city, but I’m also not too far from serious farmland and boarding stables). Finding one will not be an issue. Finding the correct one may be, however, so I am willing to look, for both my sake and the horse’s.

You know, it occurred to me that if people cared for others the way you all care about horses, the world would be a much better place. But I guess we can’t have everything.

Thanks, all. You’ve not only done me a great turn, but you have probably saved a horse from a potentially miserable life. He (or she) thanks you also. :D. (horse face smile)

34

You’ve gotten some very good advice in the posts above. I’ve owned horses for 35 years and have done some training. A person has to be committed as owning a horse isn’t like owning a dog, it’s a lifestyle. It’s a lot of work. You sound like you’re nowhere close to even committing to making a commitment, so I agree that lessons and hanging out at the barn for at least a year are in order. You may very well find this is not what you want.

15 years ago one of my horses had to have colic surgery at a cost of $3,200. I now have a credit card with a $5,000 limit set aside strictly for emergency expenses and I suspect it wouldn’t cover that surgery now.

Horses are hard work. They’re expensive. They have to be in your blood for it to be worthwhile-it’s not a casual hobby. It would be very unfair to a horse to purchase one prematurely then discover you don’t want it.

35

When I was in high school, one of my friends was very into horses (so much so that she’s now a large animal veterinarian!). She would take care of the horses at the farm next door every day before and after school. Weekends, too. I’m not sure how much she got paid for that. But she loved horses so much, she would probably have done it for free. The horse owners were still very horse-savvy, though, and rode often. They just preferred not to do the day-to-day care.

So that was a better option than boarding for them, because they got to keep their horses on their property but didn’t have to do all the feeding and brushing and stuff. But their arrangement was also dependent on knowing a horse-savvy high school student who was willing to work on the cheap.

36

Stink Fish Pot I must say I salute you. Those of us involved in horses have seen oh-so-many times that when you tell someone that horses an are expensive, time consuming, sometimes heartbreaking committment, they storm off in a huff and don’t want to hear it. To hear someone listen seriously to that advice is refreshing.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Good luck with your lessons!!

37

How much does a horse cost?

Well, according to Richard III, a horse is worth a kingdom … :wink:

More seriously … I have a kid who may be interested in horse-riding. He’s 6. How old do you horsey people think he should be, before he gets lessons?

38

I’d call whatever the local horse-riding facility is that you’re interested in taking him to and asking what age groups they have lessons for.

39

Until now, I had considered myself well-read, educated, and worldly.

There’s clearly so much more in the world that I didn’t know about!

I thought it ridiculous when rappers get insanely wealthy, but when 2 kids can put grocery bags on their heads, sing “Fuck your Subaru…” and get rich and famous, I feel certain the world will indeed end soon. :smack:

I know ***I’m ***not paying my Visa bill any more this year!
Sorry. Please continue your horsey talk.

40

He’s plenty old enough now. My brother and I had a pony when he was three and I was 6 months, and my cousin’s developmentally delayed 5 year old started lessons with a local equine therapy group this spring.