| An average horse may cost only $3000 to buy, but | | | | a case of colic requiring corrective surgery). |
| over its working live can easily cost $100,000 to take | | | | - Farrier. Horse hooves need to be trimmed every 2 |
| care of. I'm often amazed at people who feel that | | | | months (cost $30 each time) and if shoes are required |
| cannot spend a couple of thousand dollars more for | | | | these cost about $30 additional. Shoes are usually |
| the horse they really want, considering that the | | | | required if you ride your horse out on a regular basis, |
| purchase price is perhaps 5% or less of the cost of | | | | so allow $360 per year farrier costs. |
| owning a horse. | | | | - Insurance. Third party accident insurance is a legal |
| The typical costs of owning a horse are: | | | | requirement in some countries. In addition to the legal |
| - Professional Stabling. Depending on where you live, a | | | | requirements, you may wish to insure against other |
| professional stable will charge between $250 and | | | | items (e.g. death, theft, incapacitating illness). Basic |
| $1000 per month to stable a horse. This is $3000 to | | | | insurance costs about $40 per month. |
| $12000 per year. Over 20 years, a grand total sixty | | | | - Equipment. To ride your horse you will need saddle, |
| thousand to a quarter million. | | | | rugs, tack, and your own riding clothes. These will run |
| - Self-Stabling. Of course, if you have enough land, you | | | | you about $2000 to purchase a basis set, plus one |
| can build a stall and keep the horse yourself. Although | | | | must allow for repair or replacement costs if one rides |
| this is cheaper than professional stabling (as you do | | | | frequently. |
| the work rather than pay someone else), you will need | | | | - Miscellaneous. Horse sprays, fly sheets, cleaning |
| not only the stall but also storage facilities for hay, | | | | solutions and so on can be expected to run a minimum |
| bedding, saddle, tack and miscellaneous items. You will | | | | of $200-$300 per year. |
| also need to purchase bedding and hay, which will run | | | | In total, one is looking at a minimum cost of $2000 (if |
| you $100 or more per month. You will also need to | | | | self-stabling) or $4000 (professional stable) just for |
| purchase minerals and salt, as well as paying for | | | | keeping the horse. If your horse becomes seriously ill, |
| water and electricity (allow another $40 per month). | | | | these costs can double. In addition to the actual costs |
| Finally, the work which would have been done by the | | | | of keeping the horse, there are costs for using it (e.g. |
| professional stable (e.g. mucking out stables) will likely | | | | training for you, training for the horse, show or |
| take you a half-hour per day just for the basic | | | | competition costs). |
| activities. | | | | Consequently, when buying a horse, one needs to think |
| - Vet Costs. Your horses should be inoculated once | | | | not only of the purchase price, but more importantly of |
| per year, de-wormed 3 times per year, and have a | | | | the costs of keeping and caring for it over a period of |
| dental checkup annually. These basic items will cost | | | | years. If these costs are too high, it may be worthwhile |
| $200 to $300 per year. Should the horse become ill, | | | | looking at alternatives (e.g. sharing a horse between |
| medical costs can range from $200 to $8000 (e.g. for | | | | two or more owners). |