# Basic horse owning costs?



## Ingrid25

What is the approximate cost of all of the basics that I would need to own my own horse, such as tack, rugs, hard feed, grooming supplies etc, not including unforseen illnesses.

Around my area basic agistment is around $100 a month as well.

I also know that taking care of a horse is a very big commitment, including lots of time and money, I am just considering how much I would need if I was to own one


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## RachJeremy

Now mine will be in GBP... But the type of livery service i would get is a DIY livery. That costs between £20-£30 a week dependent on yard and what you get. In some cases it's live out DIY, no school or stable, you provide your own feed and hay (cases with most DIY), however i know a yard which is £27 a week, they provide Straw for free for the beds included in the bill, and if you want your horse turned out the yard owner will do it free and bring in, but obviously not muck out or poo pick, that;s your job along with feet and rug change. You again buy your own feed and hay, which you can get from her £5 a bale. And you get free use of the school, a field of your own which you can section off at your will or use the whole field, or ride in it. You also get a stable. 

Working livery, where your horse is used for the school is fairly popular. The yard i used to work at charged £60 a week, which includes mucking out, skipping out during the day/evening, feeding, rug change, feet doing, grooming, turning out/bringing in, everything a full livery would get. However, they have free use of your horse for the riding school. So the downside is you may not even be able to ride your own horse, and if you turn up and your horse is being used in the lesson, you can't obviously pull it out of the lesson. As that's the contract for that livery. And also you'd have to be happy with learners riding your horse, so have the possibility of your horse becoming difficult to ride or learning bad habits to avoid working properly or just generally not enjoying being ridden or even handled in some cases. Also means your tack will be used a lot and often not cleaned. 

They then offered a part livery. Which was £100 a week and full livery at £160, which i thought was a rip off. As the liveries were both the same, as they'd do exactly as working livery, however the full livery the horse would be worked for 4 "sessions" a week by someone on the yard, ideal for someone who wanted their horse worked by a 'professional' rider. My boss NEVER rode the horses but said he did, and only started when the owner questioned it. He also wasn't the best of riders and made many horses hate working and nappy. So in some cases it's not so great. Good if you have a good and decent yard, but not if you board in a place like i worked. One of the many reasons i left! 

But i've known some livery yards to charge almost £300 a week. 

And you also need to bear in mind, tack rugs... Budget what you buy before you've even considering buying a horse, as a saddle can be very expensive. As can rugs and boots anything else the horse may need. 
Our horse is ok, feeding wise, he probably goes off 2-3 bales of hay a week (just on his own) and his bag of feed lasts him about two weeks. So all in all two weeks of feeding is £26 give or take. But then he also gets supplements which last 30 days each and they tot up to around £60. 

But you'll need to shop around, work out a budget of what you can buy and when, and what your horse will need. And obviously shop around for the best livery service for you.


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## Rafa

Dpn't forget to factor in the cost of shoeing also.

My horse is done every six weeks and it costs £65. He is Thoroughbred and some horses of other breeds can go up to eight weeks between shoeing.


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## Wiz201

You would have to consider insurance too in addition to the above things mentioned, covers you for public liability if your horse did damage someone's car as well as any medical conditions etc.


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## DizzyGreyhound

If it helps, this is my cost breakdown: 

DIY livery - £120 a month
Bedding - £12 month
Hay - £24 a month
'Hard Feed' - £8 a month
Supplements - £20 a month
EP (I use a barefoot trimmer, rather than a farrier) -£45 every 8 weeks. 
Insurance - £27 a month 

They are my absolute basic costs per month. 

Obviously, there's tack & equipment to factor in - not to just to purchase originally, but to replace as you go along. To some extent, this bit is as expensive as you make it - you could spend £300 on a bridle or you can spend £40.

For rugs, I generally go middle of the road  I have Weatherbeeta or Amigo rugs. 

Pete does have an expensive made to measure saddle as he's an awkward shape to fit an 'off the peg' saddle to. Likewise, he has a sensitive/awkward mouth - so he's in like a £100 bit, whereas my friends horse is in a £20 bit. 

But he wears bog standard £20 saddle cloths and brushing boots, whereas some of my friends spend £££££ on fashionable 'matchy matchy' saddle cloth and bandage sets. 

Lessons and/or competitions add up to. 

Plus, other things that crop up like vaccinations, saddle checks, physiotherapist/chiropractor checks, teeth checks. 

And that's assuming you won't be hit with an unforeseen vets bill (usually a month you can least afford it. Or a Bank Holiday!)

Whatever you think you will spend, double it, is a good rule of thumb


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## Hanwombat

I have two horses

They're on a yard with all year turnout, they don't have stabling and its around £60 a month or something
A big bale of hay is £25
Both of them are shoeless so thats about £35 every 8 weeks
Accessories aren't a problem, nor is feed, supplements etc as my parents own their own equestrian shop


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## Wiz201

Just out of interest, do your horses go on roads happily without shoes?


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## Hanwombat

Wiz201 said:


> Just out of interest, do your horses go on roads happily without shoes?


One of my horses Hollie was shod when she was ridden, but she has been retired since 2009 due to spinal issues so her shoes were removed, so yes she was shod, partly due to the fact that her hooves used to crack alot! and I mean big cracks towards her coronet band

The other horse is new and will depends on how her hooves manage, but she won't be ridden much so I doubt she will be shod, if she was perhaps only her fronts


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## DizzyGreyhound

Wiz201 said:


> Just out of interest, do your horses go on roads happily without shoes?


Pete cope fines on all surfaces shoeless - we do tamac, gravel, stones and everything in between!


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## robinsons

The cost may vary according to your needs,so for that you have to first of all search for your needs and then the estimation can be made.


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## toffee44

I wrote out all my finances a while ago.

Basics ie no extra stuff like fly spray, hoof oil, treats, bits and pieces 

I shoe 8 weekly which is £70-75
Insurance £24 a month

Winter ( livery, bedding, hay, feed)

£240

Summer ( livery, feed )

£160

I spend £40 a month on fuel to the yard but the facilities, hacking and the company make it worth it


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## Mia123

havent got a horse yet but i've worked it all out  (i do share a horse atm tho)

part livery (including stable, field, muck out, shavings, hay, feed turnout, 5* yard in south east UK) £450 a month
(dont have to pay for shavings, hay or feed as its included XD )
insurance: £30 pcm
farrier: £40 a month
vet: £8 pcm
teeth: £6 pcm
saddle check: £4 pcm
equipment: £20 pcm
pony club membership £3 pcm
lessons: £20 pcm

total: £530 pcm
per year: £6360 YES ITS EXPENSIVE

and that is only the basics... also you could add on treats, supplements, therapy, etc...

for time... it takes about 2 hours at the stable at a time if i get on with everything. (groom, ride, hose, turnout, muck out, tack clean, sweep, tidy)
... but of course in the holidays and weekends i spend the whole day there because i have time :')


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## AutumnAngel

There is a page at Cost Of Keeping A Horse that gives a guide to the costs in the UK.


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## Never Surrender

i currently run two horses, between them they cost me approximately £200 a month. However, i keep them on a friends farm, they are unshod and i dont pay for insurance as my parents do (im very lucky!) 

when my big horse comes home (the pony will stay with my friend), for him i will be looking at 250 - 300 a month in expenses for him, easily, as he is a large horse who needs lots to eat and makes a lot of mess! Breakdown for DIY livery would be:

Stable: £100
Bedding: £40 
Hay: £40 
Farriery: £20 
Feed/Supplements: £10
Insurance: £25
Breakages/Extras: around £30

Total: £265
(+ £35 for everything ive forgotten) and as i said, im looking at spending anywhere between £250 and £300 pcm! Hope this helped


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## crumpet

Wow they sure are expensive


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