The horse has been an important part of human society since the origins of agriculture. However, the question remains: how much did a horse cost in 1880? In this article we will discuss the value of horses in different situations and estimate how much a horse cost at the end of the 19th century. Let’s start by taking a closer look at some data from the census bureau. Did you know that in 1880, the average cost of stallion was 12.21$, or $225 in today’s money. While these might seem like mere numbers it is fascinating to look at how much a horse has cost over time.
Horses have been around for thousands of years, and they’re still one of the most popular modes of transportation in the world.
But how much did a horse cost in 1880? And what was it like to own and ride a horse in that era? Let’s take a look!
Horses were used throughout history as pack animals, haulers, and cavalry mounts, but they weren’t considered pets until the late 1800s. Before then, horses were treated like any other farm animal—they were bred to serve their purpose and then killed when they were no longer useful. By 1880, however, people had begun to recognize the value of horses as companions. That year there were over 1 million horses in New York City alone—and many more across America!
Owning a horse wasn’t cheap back then either: average annual cost was $100 per year (about $2,500 today). For comparison: an average house cost about $3,000 at that time!
How much did a horse cost in 1880
How much a horse cost in the Victorian era depended on its breeding, quality, age and intended use.
The price of a horse depended on the intended use, quality, age and breeding of the animal. There were many different horse breeds in the 19th century, some more expensive than others. For example:
- The Arabian was bred for speed and agility, making it an ideal mount for racing or hunting.
- The Clydesdale was known for its strength and endurance when pulling carts or carriages over long distances.
- The Belgian horse was praised for its intelligence and loyalty so it could be trained to perform a variety of tasks such as driving carriages or pulling plows through fields to prepare them for planting seedlings.
Without the influence of modern transportation and mechanization, horses were indispensable for travel, work and war in the 19th century.
Horses were used for transport, work and war in the 19th century. Without the influence of modern transportation and mechanization, horses were indispensable for travel, work and war in the 19th century. However, they were also expensive and valuable, which made them a desirable commodity.
By the mid-19th century, however, horses could be had for as little as $10.
By the mid-19th century, however, horses could be had for as little as $10. Prices varied based on factors such as size and quality. Some were sold at auction while others were purchased privately or by mail order. The following is an example of pricing structure during this time period:
$1 – $5: Pony-size ponies ($20) or mules ($5-$10).
$6 – $10: Warm blooded horses (small) ($15-$25), ponies (medium) ($15-$30), and mules ($6-$12).
$11 – $20: Warm blooded horses (large) ($25-$35), ponies (large)<!– END CONTENT —
A horse was often one of the family’s most valuable assets in 1890.
A horse was often one of the family’s most valuable assets in 1890. Horses were used for travel and for farm work, but they also had a surprising number of uses in war. This made them more expensive than ever before, as well as more important to families who needed them for their farms’ survival. In 1890, the average price of a horse ranged from $25–50 (or about $715–1,520 today).
A good saddle horse might cost $20 or $25.
In 1880, the average wage in the United States was $1.82 per day. If you were fortunate enough to have a job and worked that average, you would make $5.34 per week. A good saddle horse might cost $20 or $25 — not unreasonable for a family’s most valuable asset.
A cow pony could be had for less than a good saddle horse, but it wasn’t always so easy to find one when you needed one (unless your father owned ranches). The cowboys who drove cattle from Texas up through Kansas found themselves needing horses as well as cows along the way and had to pay whatever price was asked for them by the ranchers along the trail who owned herds of wild mustangs — which were descendants of Spanish ponies brought over by explorers centuries before.*
In 1890, a good saddle horse might cost between $25 and $50.
In 1890, a good saddle horse might cost between $25 and $50. Another way to look at it is that in 1880, the average wage for an unskilled laborer was 40 cents an hour. The cost of a good saddle horse was equivalent to about three weeks’ wages for someone who worked full-time on a farm or ranch.
In 1890, you could probably have found an old mare in decent shape for around $10 that would make a decent pack horse or cow pony; however, horses were essential to transportation as well as work and war (see below). Therefore most working people would likely have had some kind of horse by this time unless they lived in the city where it wasn’t necessary or impossible to keep one due to lack of space or urban restrictions on livestock such as horses being allowed into town limits (often referred today as zoning laws).
A cow pony cost less than a good saddle horse.
A cow pony, which is a small horse bred specifically for working cattle, cost less than a good saddle horse in 1880. These horses were bred to be fast and enduring, with the ability to run long distances while carrying riders or pulling wagons and carriages.
Cow ponies were also used by cowboys when they were rounding up cattle. The cowboys would ride the ponies into herds of cattle, who would follow them back to where they wanted them so they could then be branded with ownership marks or cut out from the herd for other reasons (such as being sold).
The “bank value” of a cow pony was around $40 in 1890 compared to the value of a harness mare at around $100.
In 1890, a cow pony was worth about $40. A harness mare, on the other hand, would go for about $100. Both were useful animals that could be used to herd cattle or pull a buggy. While these prices might seem high today (and they certainly were back then), it’s important to keep in mind that horses weren’t just pets—they were essential tools for survival in many parts of America.
Horses were expensive but necessary in the 19th century.
Horses were expensive, but they were necessary in the 19th century. Horses were used for transportation and farm work, making them an investment as well as a necessity. They also represented status; owning a horse was an indication of wealth. In 1878, a horse cost anywhere from $25 to $1,000 depending on its size and quality.