The Cost Of Owning A Horse

For all of the dreamers out there who wonder what the cost of owning a horse is, this post is for you. I have been asked this question numerous times over the years. You might be surprised to find out the monthly cost of owning a horse is equivalent to a car payment. Not a used car. A shiny new one.

Read on if you would like a breakdown of all the expenses. Please note these costs are normal for where I live, and they may vary based on your location.

FIRST COMES THE HORSE

Just purchasing a horse can cost anywhere between $500 to $50,000 and upwards. The cost varies depending on if you are adopting the horse from a rescue, buying a “green” horse (little to no formal training), an old “bombproof” gem for the kids, or a well-trained show horse. I recommend browsing a website such as DreamHorse.com to get a good idea of what kind of horse you are looking for, and the general asking price. Below is a basic breakdown of the asking price of a horse based on what I have seen in my own experience, but again the cost can vary for a variety of reasons.

• A young horse with no training. $500 to $800
• A “green” horse with little to no formal training. $800 to $3k
• A horse with a decent amount of training, usually in a specific area. An old “bombproof” gem for kids or school horse may fit in this range. $3k to $10k
• Show horses and horses bred to have a specific bloodline. $10k and up.

Next is a breakdown of the cost of boarding a horse. I currently board my horse, so I am not as familiar with the additional costs of keeping a horse on an acreage at home. (If anyone would like to chime in on that cost, please leave a comment below!) I actually prefer boarding, because I take comfort in knowing many people are at the stable monitoring the horses throughout the day. I can also go on vacation and not worry about finding someone to take care of my horse while I am out of town.

PASTURE BOARD

Pasture board means the horse lives in a pasture 24/7. The horse may have a small enclosure to go underneath for bad weather. They are fed outside in the pasture. The cost usually includes feed and hay, but it depends on the stable manager/owner.

Cost: $75 to $150 per month

PARTIAL BOARD

Partial board gives your horse a stall, but you usually provide the daily stall cleaning, shavings, feed, and turnout. You will also have to blanket your horse in the winter. You usually also have to purchase your own feed, hay, and shavings. The option for partial board has become rare, so you may have to negotiate the option with a stable manager/owner.

If you want somebody to feed your horse and turn them out in the morning, and then go to the stable yourself to bring them in and feed them at night. You may have to pay somebody you trust for the additional service. They may charge you $15 to $30 a month for this service.

Here is approximate breakdown of the costs if you go this route:

Board Cost: $150 to $200 per month

Additional costs you may have to cover:

Feed: About $15 to $30 per bag. You will need about 4-5 bags a month for one horse, depending on your horse’s size, weight, and how often they are exercised.
Hay: About $8 to $15 per bale. You will need at least 6 bales a month for one horse, depending on your horse’s size, weight, and how much fresh grass they have access to in the pasture.
Shavings for the stall: About $5 per bag. You will need 2 to 3 bags to fill an average size horse stall. You will need fresh shavings about once a month. I love spreading a bag of the pellet bedding down before shavings, because it soaks up moisture better. The pellets cost about $5 per bag.
Help with blanketing in the winter: $15 to $20 a month.

FULL BOARD

Full board includes a stall, daily feeding, hay, water, turnout, stall cleaning, and shavings for the stall. The service usually includes blanketing in the winter too.

Cost: $350 to $750+ per month

FULL BOARD + LESSONS + TRAINING

I have only heard of this style of boarding once. The package includes full care board, lessons for the rider at least 3-4 times a week, and training for the horse. The facility is known to train riders who are serious about showing competitively, including show jumping and dressage.

Cost: $1,600 to $1,800+ a month for the package deal.

HORSE HEALTH COSTS

To keep your horse healthy throughout the year, expect to pay for the following services.

Farrier (every 6 weeks): $30 to $45 for trimming a barefoot horse. $100+ for trimming and shoes. I prefer to keep my horse barefoot, because his hooves are soft and do not hold shoes well. He used to throw his shoes all of the time. I also only ride on dirt trails and soft arena sand, so their is not a need for the shoes to protect his feet. (When your horse throws a shoe, you will have to pay to have the farrier come out and replace the shoe again.)
Deworming (once every 2 months): $30 to $70 per year. Deworming prevents parasites and worms in your horse. Talk to your vet about a rotational schedule between chemical classes, and whether you should go with a paste or daily feed-through dewormer.
Veterinary (two visits per year for shots, coggins): $400 to $500 (about $200-$250 per trip). An emergency vet visit can easily run you $200 depending on what is wrong with your horse. The vet will charge you about $15 to $30 just to drive out and check on your horse, which is standard in the industry.
Dentistry (teeth floating every 2 years, or as needed): $85 to $185. A horse’s teeth need to be floated (basically shaved down) regularly, otherwise they will become too sharp and cause pain when a horse chews food or holds a bit in their mouth.

OTHER COSTS

The following are additional products horse owners usually spend money on.

Supplements: $10 to $30 per month. I give my horse supplements for his hoof and coat health. (He has soft hooves, and they would crack often before I put him on supplements).
Hoof dressing: $15 per bottle. I apply hoof dressing on my horse to help prevent cracked hooves throughout the year. I go through 1 to 2 bottles per year.
Fly Spray: $7 to $20 per bottle. You will need about 1 to 3 bottles per year to keep those pesky flies at bay. You may also want to invest in a fly mask to keep flies away from your horse’s eyes in the summer.
Grooming Tools: You must have a hoof pick and grooming brush at the very least. You can get a starter grooming kit for about $35.
First Aid: You should not have to call the vet out for minor cuts or other medical needs. First aid kits can run you $30 to $50. Talk to your vet about what you can treat on your own, and what you should keep in your horse’s first aid kit.
Horse Treats: $3 to $5 for a bag of fresh apples or carrots, or $7 to $15 for baked horse treats. My horse loves soft mints (yes, the kind you find at restaurants) too!

RIDING A HORSE

Lessons/training: $125 per month and upwards.
Showing: There may be a $15 entry fee just for one class. The cost is easily $300 to $15k+ per year depending on what you are doing, and if you need to traveling. Don’t forget the horse trailer, gas, helmet, grooming supplies, attire, and tack you need!
Tack:  You will need a halter, lead rope, saddle, saddle pad, cinch, bridle, bit (or bitless bridle), and reins at the very least. A good saddle can run you a minimum of $1.2k. You can go to any horse tack store or website to browse those costs.

NOT READY TO BUY? TRY LEASING A HORSE!

Needless to say horses are a huge commitment to your finances. My horse costs me easily $7k a year without any training, lessons, or showing. If you want to dip a toe in the pool before taking the plunge, I recommend leasing a horse. Leasing can cost starting at about $100 a month, and is a great option if you want the ability to ride whenever you want without the full cost and responsibility of owning a horse.