How Much Does It Cost To Own A Horse Per Month
Introduction
If you own horses, you know that they are an investment. There are many expenses involved in owning horses and it is important to understand this before purchasing or adopting your new friend. This article discusses the cost of horse ownership per month.
Section:A healthy horse will eat on average three percent of their body weight per day.
The average horse weighs about 1,000 pounds. Assuming that your horse eats three percent of his body weight per day, he will eat about 30 pounds of hay per day. This means that at the very least, you can expect to pay around $30 for feed every month.
If you buy high-quality hay and grain, you may be able to reduce this cost by half or more; however, if your horse is eating lower quality food because it’s all you can afford, expect these costs to be higher than $30 per month.
It’s also important to consider that a young horse will eat more than an older one—as well as during times when they’re pregnant or lactating—so keep these things in mind when determining how much money you’ll spend on feeding them each year.
Section:Boarding: $150 to $650 per month
Boarding Cost: $150 to $650 per month.
If you’re an avid horseback rider, the cost of boarding your horse is going to be one that you have to consider in addition to all those other expenses we already discussed. You can choose from a wide variety of stables and facilities that offer different rates and services, but the average is around $100 per month per horse… though some stables charge as much as $1,000 or more for their luxury accommodations! If you decide not to board your horse at a stable, but rather keep it at home with you (a practice known as “pasturing”), then your monthly costs will be lower—but there are still other expenses associated with keeping a healthy animal on hand in case there are emergencies or special requirements for its care.
For example: Pasturing may save money overall over time compared with having your horse live at a stable because there’s no need for extra food or veterinary care—but if any vet bills come up unexpectedly in between visits to the stable where they usually get treated while they’re being boarded out…you’ll need some spare cash laying around just in case something unexpected happens (which always seems inevitable). And this doesn’t even take into account any personal time spent grooming/tacking up etc when preparing them before heading out into nature’s wilds!
Section:Farrier costs: $25 to $155 every six to eight weeks
Farrier costs: $25 to $155 every six to eight weeks
A farrier is a person who trims, shoes and cares for your horse’s hooves. They come out to the barn every six to eight weeks and trim your horse’s hooves, then take care of any issues that arise in between visits. If you want your horse shod (put shoes on), they’ll do that too! We recommend having all four feet trimmed at once because it saves time and money, but if you don’t have the cash flow available then just get one foot done at a time.
Section:Vet bill: $300 to $500 per year
Vet bills are a major part of owning a horse, and the cost varies depending on the horse’s age, breed and health. A healthy horse should see its vet once or twice per year for routine checkups, inoculations and deworming. If your horse needs more frequent care due to illness or injury, costs will be higher. Vet bills can range from $300 to $500 per year if you have just one animal on your farm; however, larger farms may pay as much as $1,000 or more in annual vet bills for all their animals combined.
To find an affordable veterinarian who is also qualified to treat horses appropriately (and who has experience treating large animals), ask around among other local farmers or neighbors with livestock similar to yours (a dairy farmer might have good recommendations for vets who are knowledgeable about cattle). Alternatively you could research local prices online—if there are several clinics in the area that specialize in large-animal medicine they should charge comparable rates no matter where they’re located within that region..
Section:Miscellanious costs
Miscellaneous costs can include shoeing, insuring your horse and maintaining tack. You should also keep in mind that these costs will typically increase as the horse gets older. For example, if you are purchasing a young horse that has never been shod before, his feet will be tender and require a lot more attention than an older horse whose feet have been toughened up by years of wear and tear.
However, it is not necessary to spend lots of money on your tack or accessories since there are many affordable options available online which can help make it easier for you save money on equipment such as halters or bridles.
Section:Grooming
The first thing to consider is how often you’ll be grooming your horse. If your horse has a short, tidy mane and tail, you can probably get away with brushing him or her once per week. However, if he or she has a long, thick mane and tail (like all horses should), you’ll need to brush them at least twice per week. If your horse has especially long hair on their legs and chest (called “feathers”), you’ll want to keep those areas clipped as well—at least once every few months. Your farrier will take care of this for you; if not, it’s up to you!
Consider hiring an experienced professional groomer when necessary: they know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to clipping manes and tails and cleaning hooves—and they have the equipment necessary for this job!
Section:Tack and other items (Buckles, girths, halters, reins)
How much does it cost to own a horse per month?
Some people are lucky enough to have a barn or stable nearby where they can store their horse and tack. Others must pay for some or all of the costs associated with boarding their horse at a facility. The price will vary depending on what you need, but some costs are pretty standard and can be estimated by looking at similar facilities in your area. For example:
- Tack (bridle, saddle, etc.) – $300-$1,000+
- Bedding (shavings/pellets) – $5-$20 per bale
- Hay – $15-$30 per 50-pound bag
Section:Training fees
If you’re a new horse owner, you might find that the cost of training your horse is the most expensive part of owning one. This can range from $200 to $2,000 per month, which may seem like a lot at first. However, it’s important to remember that these fees cover much more than just your horse—they also cover the trainer himself or herself. Trainers often charge per hour and not per session (like many other professionals do), so these training fees can add up quickly if your horse needs extra attention or has special needs that require more than one session per month.
One thing to keep in mind about training fees is that they are often paid on a monthly basis; this means that if something bad happens with your trainer or their business shuts down unexpectedly due to some unforeseen event (like bankruptcy), then there’s no way for you as an owner-in-training who hasn’t yet been reimbursed by them yet because they’ve only been charging monthly rather than hourly will have fewer options available because they already spent all their money before realizing something bad happened which meant no refunds provided so..
Your horse is an investment and you need to prepare for the expenses involved
Your horse is an investment that you will want to protect. It’s also important that you’re prepared for the costs of owning a horse, as they can be high if you’re not careful. To ensure your financial safety and peace of mind, you need to set up a budget and stick to it.
As with any other type of investment (real estate, stocks), there are certain costs associated with owning a horse: food, veterinary bills, clothing and equipment for riding or showing your horse at competitions. In addition to these regular expenses there may be other unexpected costs such as medical emergencies that require expensive treatment for your animal which could end up costing thousands of dollars per month over time if left untreated by qualified professionals such as vets who specialize in caring for animals like horses so make sure you have enough money set aside before buying anything else since they tend to run into trouble quite often especially when they get older so keep reading below where we’ll show how much one might spend after buying their first mare/stallion pair which could cost anywhere between $1 – $3 million depending on whether or not they intend on breeding their own offspring later down the road!
Conclusion
We all want to know what we’re getting ourselves into, and if you’ve been thinking about buying a horse, the big question is: how much will it cost me? We hope this article has answered that question for you. For most people, owning a horse is a long-term commitment, so it’s important to be prepared for all of the financial costs involved. If you’re looking to buy one now or in the near future, make sure you’re ready to take care of your new friend!