How Much Does It Cost To Have A Horse Per Month
Introduction
I’m a horse owner, and I’ll admit it: The costs are steeper than you might think. In fact, some estimates say that caring for one horse every year could cost upwards of $10,000. That’s certainly not chump change. But it’s also important to remember that owning a horse is an immersive experience full of joy and satisfaction. If you’re looking for more information on the costs of owning a horse, keep reading. We’ll start with what you should expect to pay in monthly expenses, then we’ll address those pesky other costs that can come up.
The Cost of Owning a Horse
The cost of owning a horse varies greatly. It will depend on the type of horse you purchase and how much you feed it, as well as your location. In general, though, it’s safe to say that the average monthly cost of owning a horse is $1,000 per month.
The start-up costs for having a horse are usually less than $1,000. However, this figure should be multiplied by two or three if you want your horse to be healthy when you buy it from a breeder—this includes purchasing hay (or grain), bedding material like straw or wood shavings, and other necessities like fencing materials and grooming tools. You may also have to pay extra fees for transporting your new pet home if it comes from outside your state or country!
Other Expenses to Consider
To be fair, the monthly cost of owning a horse is not the only expense you’ll encounter. In addition to food, hay and bedding for your horse, there are also other fees that you need to consider:
- grooming supplies
- tack (halters and leads)
- farrier services (shoeing)
- veterinary costs (vaccinations and annual health checkups)
It’s important to remember that some of these expenses will vary depending on where you live. For example, in some places it may not be necessary for your horse to have winter boots whereas in others it may be absolutely necessary! The same goes for veterinarian visits—if your veterinarian is located 40 miles away from home then those costs aren’t going to add up very quickly!
How Many Horses Should You Get?
How many horses you should have depends on your lifestyle. The average horse owner has 2 horses, but if you want to ride every day, you should have at least 4. If the thought of owning more than two horses makes you nervous, start with a pair and see how it goes.
You’ve got some money saved up for your new life as an equestrian enthusiast! You’re ready to make some choices about which breeds and types will fit into your property and personality best. Let’s take a look at some options:
Owning a horse is an expensive proposition, but it’s also an immersive experience full of joy and satisfaction.
The cost of owning a horse per month depends on many factors. The initial purchase price is only part of the overall picture. You also need to consider the ongoing costs of owning a horse and how many horses you need to own in order to get all your money back.
As an example, let’s say that you buy yourself a brand new mare for $2,500 at auction and then spend another $500 on her vetting and training. If we assume that she’s going to be worth around $4,000 when she leaves racing behind her, then after four years you can sell her for $1,500 in profit (or if you’re feeling generous with your budgeting powers, maybe even break even). This means that during those four years she actually cost you $3,000—and if we factor in inflation over those same four years we could say she really cost closer to $5K than anything else!
So while buying one horse may not seem like much money up front (compared with what it would be if they were goats or cows), particularly if they’re young enough not yet retired from their careers as racers but still old enough not yet retired from their careers as pets—but when added up across several different animals over many months/years? Well…let’s just say it adds up quickly!
Conclusion
If you want to make sure that you can afford a horse, then the best thing to do is plan ahead.