To think, people say horse riding is really expensive/posh, when actually a lot of other hobbies are just as or more expensive

[LardLizard]

Like dancing for example, I know people that spend far more on that

Of course a lot of other stuff is expensive too. But that's how life is for a sizeable part of the population. And horse-riding is still quite expensive, even as expensive things go.

Doesn't mean your commitment was not impressive though. It totally was.

You just do it don't you? I was that kid hanging over a fence trying to see a pony or pretending my bike was a horse, fixing reins to my bike to "practice", building jumps out of trees to do on foot, begging/borrowing rides. Gave it up for 5 years after my horse was PTS. Didn't last
Most people with horses are skint because all their money goes on the horse
My dad still refers to it as "a passing hobby", it's only been 28 years so far

Oh I'm permanently skint Ollivander! No new clothes/social life etc for me -it all goes on horse shoes/shows/tack etc etc. My horses grooming kit contents cost FAR more than the contents of my make up bag. We are so far from rich or posh, we sacrifice A LOT to afford this life but wouldn't change it. It's addictive!

I saved and got half as a Christmas present - new pair of riding boots. I would never dream of spending that amount on normal shoes or even a handbag

Haha, I know! When I spend £85 a month on horse shoes without batting an eyelid, but wince at spending £20 on work trousers. Bloody £16 on fly spray -FLY SPRAY! Madness. Yet we carry on...

It depends where you live. I have friends in Wales who keep 3 horses for about £20 all in every week. It would be £250 a week basic per horse where I am. Friends live pretty much on the breadline, week to week and think I am loaded but I could never afford a horse here.

I had riding lessons as a kid and everyone said that was posh but I never had a dishwasher or sky TV and they all did. Also no tumble drier because dad said they were too expensive. So I thought these things meant you were super rich.

I'm not horsey but my brother is. Where we grew up horse riding is not a particularly expensive sport. We had our own land and stables but there was plenty of land available for pony grazing lets and plenty of opportunities for non horse owners to ride.

The nearest riding school to me is £95 per hour for a group lesson and £129 per hour for a private lesson so no, I can't think of any other hobby as expensive as horse riding.

See £129 where I am would get you a loan/share for a month. And that would be 3 days a week. I pay £20 for a private lesson on own horse

Yes it's expensive. Riding lessons are ridiculously expensive, for the cost of keeping my horse and pony a week me and dd would get 1/2 - 1 hr session each a week.
But then I know what I'm doing, trained with horses, and have years of experience and do everything myself except farriery and vet things. I don't do/have anything else - know where I was on a sat night after an 8 hour shift at work? Shifting barrows of shit out of the field at 9pm at night. I don't go out, I don't have new clothes unless they're essential, I have free view TV, no broadband, no home phone etc, so I can afford the horses.
I don't think the issue is the cost, it's the stereotype that horsey types are posh. Yes, obviously shovelling shit when others are sat spending £30/40 on alcohol on a sat night is posh!!
Because I love it, I sacrifice to have them. My brother loves cars, he spends more a month on his cars than I do on my horses. My sister is very into fitness, with supplements, gym and other membership and activities, she spends a similar amount on that than I do on my horses. Guess who's stereotyped as posh though?!
And around here there's a worrying trend of horses being very cheap to buy, you can pick up a youngster for a few quid at a sale, ex racehorses are often given away to people. Both these need expert care and training. My horse was 4 when I got him and I trained him myself because I knew I had the skills and friends with skills to do it properly. I broke and trained my daughters pony, and taught her to ride. She rides both now. But it can get very expensive very quickly if you don't know how to train correctly, how to prevent/spot/treat minor ailments and injuries, how to deal with behavior etc. Being able to do those things, as well as not being interested in doing anything else, means I get to keep 2 amazing and beautiful animals. I live in the country though, I have lived in cities before owning my horses and I didn't last because it was too expensive to keep up my love of them!

Of course there are more expensive hobbies, but it's all relative, isn't it? I could only dream of affording riding lessons for my children, and they'd love it. Sadly, they'll have to stick to knock down ginger.

I could keep mine for less than £200 per month. She's a native and cheap to run.

However it usually runs much more than that due to competing (£12 per class plus cost of transport means a day out can run into £100s!) plus she always needs something buying. I could do it much cheaper if I only hacked though.

I have spent £120 on a saddle and physio check, £20 on some fly spray and £70 on dental treatment this week alone in addition to livery.

So yes, expensive but worth it for me.

Some things are expensive shock. Soooo?

The lessons are massively expensive but the clothes and safety equipment are cheaper than the kit for other sports; I spent more on cricket and tennis kit than I ever spent on riding kit.

Op was trying to say horseriding wasn't particularly expensive hobby.

Most posts have said it costs at last 200 a month, so proving it is an expensive hobby, with few chances for low priced entry level participation. (with a few exceptions.)

I don't think anyone minds that its expensive, it's looking after animals and youd want to do that well. It's more when people like the op try to claim it isn't or everyone could afford it (bit like the private school threads, "oh everyone can afford it if they cut back on holidays and take aways...." arg!!!)

YABU. Group horse riding lessons around us are £25 per hour. My dd ballet classes in a proper dance school work out at £4 per hour. Her brownies is £2 per hour. Swimming £2.80. Gymnastics £4.50. Ds judo £3. His sailing which is for 4 hours is £8:50 per session. Yes horse riding is an expensive hobby which sadly few can afford.

I don't think it's the expense that makes horse-riding 'Posh'. Of course, owning your own pet horse is expensive, but a couple of £35 lessons a week is far less than many people will blow on a night out at the weekend, but that's not labelled as 'Posh' is it?

Where we are horse riding is £15 per half hour. So more expensive than dancing etc but not crazy.
There is a kid near us who races go karts. Now that is an expensive hobby..

Horse riding and/or horse owning IS expensive! £25 for a 30 min lesson? And owning a horse is a bottomless pit to throw your money in! I loved having a horse and have ridden for years and years (but it was part of my job - the only way to ride regularly without it costing a fortune!) but now I have a family the horse had to go. Just couldn't afford to do it all.

Bloody hell alleypalley where do you live?!?!? £95 for an hours group lesson??

Round here music is a similar price to horse riding- £15-20 for half an hour. Go-karting is astronomical- £50 a time, but it's the insurance I suppose!

Dance and gym are cheaper on a weekly basis but can get ££ if you are good and/ or compete- dn did gym 3 nights a week, £10 a time, £50 leotard, travel to comps- all mounts up.

Think your mil is just being a bit of an inverse snob!

I have 2 horses, one retired one I compete at dressage. I have no children that is the most expensive hobby.

We pay £21 for dd for a one hour group lesson. It's around £25 for a private half hour lesson. That's perhaps equivalent to 4 hours at a dance school.

Not read whole thread.

My four cost £15 p/wk each at grass livery. Includes hay in the winter. All barefoot so trim every twelve weeks at £20 each. Vet checked once a year at vaccs time, approx £120 total if I remember right. Wormer approx £15 p/horse every three months.

Definitely cheaper than skiing, or scuba diving.

As for lessons - they're roughly the same for riding as for music lessons.