Buying or Leasing A Horse
From HelpWiki
For everyone who thinks your parents are mean because they won't buy you a horse this section is for you. Buying a horse is not only a huge responsibility, it requires a big time commitment and it's expensive.
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Buying A Horse
How Much Does A Horse Cost A Month?
Keeping your big furry equine happy and healthy is a lot more expensive than you think. These amounts may vary depending on where you live (it's more expensive in east coast/west coast especially in expensive areas) I tried to provide an average for many of these.
- Cost of the horse is $2,000 - $10,000. Usually the more expensive the horse is the nicer it is. Older horses and younger horses are cheaper than middle aged horses. Also purebred horses, show horses and horses with a huge pedigree are much more expensive than horses that haven't done any competing.
- Boarding is $250 - $650 a month. You need a place to keep your horse if you don't have your own barn. This would include the cost of feed.
- Grain is $50 a month if not included in board. You can expect to buy at least two fifty pound bags of cheap feed for your horse every month. If you buy more expensive feed this cost nearly doubles.
- Hay is $2-$5 a bale. Depending on how much grass you have and how much grain you feed your horse you may go through as many as 10 bales a month for a single horse.
- Farrier is $50 - $150 a month. Your horse needs it's feet trimmed every six weeks. If you put shoes on your horse expect it will cost about $25 per shoe, so $50 for front shoes and $100 if you get front and back shoes.
- Shots are $200 a year. Horses need once or twice a year from the vet depending on which ones you give them.
- Teeth floating is $75 - $150 each time. Your horse should have its teeth floated at least twice a year.
- Fly Masks are $25 - $45 each. You'll go through these frequently in the summer unless you're willing to walk the pasture and find the one your horse pulled off...
- Cooling Sheets are $100 - $150 each. You use these when it's just starting to get cold out and you want your horse to stay warm.
- Fly Sheets are $100 - $150 each. You turn your horses out in these in the summer to keep the flies off of them.
- Winter blankets are $250 - $300 each. Your horse needs a good winter blanket. Although some blankets last longer than others they do break and tear over time meaning they'll have to be replaced every few years.
- Saddles are $300 - $2,000 depending on the type, age, quality and condition of it. Some horses change shape over time and need a new saddle every few years unless your saddle uses a gullet change system.
- Girths - $80 - $150 each. If your horse looses or gains weight you'll need a new one.
- Bridles are $80 - $200 each. If your horse steps on your bridle and breaks it then you'll need to replace all or parts of it which also cost almost as much as the bridle itself.
- Bits are $50 - $80 each. You may or may not need different bits, it depends on your horse. I would say on average you'll end up with at least two bits per horse.
- Schooling/Training Helmets are $25 - $40 each. The more you ride the more likely you are to break one. You should buy a new helmet every 2 years anyways because the padding hasn't been worn down inside of your old ones.
- Vet bills vary widely. Some horses almost never see a vet and others are prone to injuring themselves. When the vet comes out you can expect to pay at least a $40 vet visit fee and then the costs of the bill. An average vet visit is usually $150 if your horse has no major problems.
- Halters are $15 - $35 each. You typically need a new halter every year because the old ones get really nasty, break, or get lost in the field.
- Grooming supplies are $150. This includes brushes, hoof picks, curry combs, sponges and shampoos. How often you have to replace these depends on how much you use them and what you use them for.
- Wound care and fungus supplies are $75. You need ointments for scratches and scrapes, liniments and wraps for swollen joints.
- Feed supplements are $50+ a month if your horse needs them. Some horses do and others don't this will depend entirely on your horse and any existing conditions or problems it may have.
- Hoof supplements are $50+ a month if your horse needs them.
- Paddock boots cost $75 - $250 a pair. Depending on how well these are made you might replace them once every six months or once every five years.
- If you take riding lessons expect to pay $100 - $250 a month for group lessons. Private lessons are almost double the cost.
- If you show your horse you'll also need show clothes, tack and helmets. These all cost nearly double what non-show supplies cost. Expect to spend well over $1,000 for show supplies. On top of that local horse shows cost anywhere from $5 - $25 a class and you typically ride in several different classes a day. For a local show expect to pay $100 - $200 for the day.
- Horse Trailers cost $5,000 - $25,000. If you're lucky you can find someone to transport your horse for you. Expect to pay as much as $1 - $5 a mile for how far the person has to take your horse.
- Trucks to pull a horse trailer are $5,000 - $30,000 depending on if you buy something new or used.
Why Do My Parents Say No?
Not only do your parents have to pay for their house, and the bills, and keep food on the table they have to take care of you too. In their mind a horse isn't as important as making sure you have clothes and school supplies and everything else you're used to having. All of those things require money and most parents don't have the kind of money necessary to pay for a horse and keep you used to your life style at the same time. So when you're mom or dad says no it's not because they don't want to give you a horse, it's because they can't afford to pay for it each month.
How Can I Convince My Parents To Get Me A Horse?
The answer is you can't. If your parents aren't in a position to be able to afford a horse no matter how much you beg and plead with them they're not going to get you one. However that doesn't mean you can't be around horses.
Alternative Options
Leasing A Horse
Leasing a horse is typically much less expensive than owning a horse. When you lease a horse you usually pay half of all it's vet, farrier, feed and board bills. Sometimes you can also get a half-lease, which means other people are still allowed to ride the horse, for even cheaper than a full lease. Either way, a lease is great because unless you sign a 6+ month contract you can stop leasing the horse at any time.
Riding Lessons
Even if your parents can't buy a horse or lease a horse taking lessons at a local stable is the next best thing. This way you'll get to experience all the fun of riding without any of the work or additional expenses. Many barns offer discounts if you agree to pay for a large number of lessons over the span of a year, and some will also offer free lessons in exchange for your help muck stalls, cleaning tack and grooming horses.
Cost Free Option - Volunteer At A Rescue
Not everyone can afford riding lessons, but that doesn't mean you're completely out of luck. There are a lot of local horse rescue groups that need dedicated volunteers to come out to their farms and help with their daily chores, cleaning, feeding, care and rehabilitation of their horses. As long as you have a parent's permission you can work at a horse rescue for free! Many horse rescues will in time let you ride their older, more
experienced horses to help get them back into shape. Even if you can't ride the horses you'll learn a bunch about your favorite equine friends and you'll have the opportunity to spend some quality time with them.
When Will I Get a Horse of My Own?
Even if your parents won't buy you a horse don't worry! You can always buy a horse later, once you have the time and money to pay for and care for it on your own.
My parents wouldn't buy me a horse when I was a kid/teen either. So when I turned 21 and got my first job I started to figure out if I had enough money to pay for one. When I was sure I did I bought my first horse Erin. A few years later I added another horse, Abbott, to the mix. So remember, while it may not happen right now, you CAN own a horse in the future if you set your mind to it.
