how much is it to purchase a horse and then care for it?
horizon asked:
my little sister wants a Fell pony. a 4 1/2 foot tall, normally dark colored horse that is good for riding (says the book) now i’m curious, how much would you think it’d cost to purchase this breed? and how much would it cost to feed and care for it over the years? what about a stable? i havent a clue
Ok, so yeah the pony can range from $2000-$10000 depending on the training and if it is registered. You sound like you don’t know much so probably more like $5000. Also I would suggest getting a trainer, as you would need to learn how to ride. Per month if you board at a riding stable it could be anywhere from $250 USD- $1000 USD PER MONTH!!!! If you are going to keep it on your own property you have to buy land- $500,000 barn-$50,000, fencing up to $20,000 and then about $200 per month. Make sure you know all aabout horses before you even think about purchasing a horse. Good luck and hope everything works out!
EDIT: horses are very high maintenance and expensive!!
it can range from a couple to 7 thousand dollars to purchase and maintenance
stabling fees can range anywhere from $200.00 to $500.00+ per month ($250.00 x 12 months = $3,000.00 )
If you are stabling your horse and the cost of food is included in their monthly rates you can ignore this expense, but if you are considering keeping the horse at your own place you will need to consider the costs of food.
Horses should consume approximately half a bale (20 lbs) of hay daily, though this number can be increased or decreased depending on your horse’s size and access to grazing pastures throughout the day. Going with the standard of half a bale each day, you’re looking at approximately 183 bales of hay each year. The cost of hay can vary again depending on your location, but generally it will be between $2.00 to $3.00 per bale, so let’s assume a cost of $2.50: (183 bales x $2.50 = $457.50 )
In addition most horses should receive some form of grain, so let’s assume you provide your horse just 3 pounds of sweet feed daily. A 50-pound bag of Blue Seal Pacer usually costs between $7.50 to $8.00, so let’s assume a low cost of $7.50. 3 pounds daily would be 1095 pounds each year, which equals about 22 bags of Pacer. (22 bags x $7.50 = 165.00)
- So adding together the minimal hay and grain expenses above we have a total of $622.50 yearly for food, not including any food supplements you may wish to provide your horse.
Unless you can make your own, you will pay $4.00 to $5.00 per bag for the bedding that will be placed within your horse’s stall. The good news is if you clean the stall daily (preferably more than once) one bag can last a week before requiring a replacement.
So if we assume one bag per week at a cost of $4.50 then your approximate yearly bedding expense will be $234.00.
Farrier expenses are a little more predictable. If you plan to keep your horse unshod the average cost of a foot trimming will normally run around $25.00 to $30.00. The rate at which your horse requires his feet to be trimmed will vary depending on his natural hoof condition, activity levels and atmosphere. Assume he will need to be trimmed at least 4 times each year, totaling $100.00 annually for farrier expenses at $25.00 a trim.
If you decide to shoe your horse you will find the expenses far higher; the average cost for shoeing runs about $80.00. Shod horses should also be checked at least once every other month.
So assuming you pass on shoeing your horse and meet up with no unforeseen medical problems, the combined veterinarian and farrier costs will run around $400.00 annually. Add shoes or stumble across an unforeseen medical problem and the cost can jump much higher to well over $1,000.00.
There are quite a few other miscellaneous costs that will come up should you decide to purchase a horse, such as quarterly de-wormers, horse toys, tack, etc. Try to ensure you will have enough money on-hand that should an unforeseen expense come up you can easily address it.
Hello. they are right horses are very expensive. Housing coul be either full board. horse totally taken care of… rough board… you clean and do all feedings( cheaper usually), co-op similar to rough board where owners create a schedule and alternate. As far as your first horse First take some lessons..see if she likes it and is serious. As far as buying… first I recommend and Isuggest leasing a horse. Leasing is when the owner still owns the horse yet they give some privelages to the lesse. There are free leases… leases where you pay the board monthly… full leases where the horse is basically yours for a duration…lease with option to buy…This is a good way to get your feet wet with horses and wont break the bank that much. With horses the initial investment isn’t muchit surley is the upkeep. Good luck and follow your dreams..or they will follow you! ;0)
fells’s are wonderful little ponies. The cost to buy one will vary depending on what age and experience the pony has. You can get a good yearling for about £500 at the sales, but a more experienced pony will probably cost you £2-3000. At the moment there’s a problem with fells foals, there is some sort of immunodeficiency going round killing a lot of the foals so they are slightly harder to get hold of than normal ehnce the slightly more expensive.
As to the cost of keeping they are about the same as any other horse. Livery can be anywhere from £75 per month to £200 per month then feed and hay is probably about £50 per month then farier is £45 every six weeks plus vet fees, travel, lessons and equipment. They can live out as they are a mountain and moorland breed but any horse will appreciate a warm stable if it’s really miserable.