@CoastalWave
How much does it cost to own your own horse a year? So to feed it, stable it etc? People talk about how it's an expensive hobby but what are we truly talking!
So it really depends on a lot of things (where abouts in the country you live, what type of horse you have, what yard you’re at and what facilities it has… the list goes on) but I’ll break my costs down as an example!
My last horse was around £8k.
I’m over £500 per month for the stable, hay, water, yard facilities and bedding. I’m in a relatively inexpensive part of the country so if this was in a more expensive area this would probably cost double per month.
Saddles start at low hundreds for good ones but go up in price to thousands for fancier ones. They last a while with good care but have to be replaced and a horse grows and changes shape too which affects the fit of the saddle.
Insurance is usually £800+ per year. Mine was £850ish this year.
Farrier is £120 every 6 weeks.
Then there’s the dentist, physio, vaccinations, worming, as well as the cost of general bits and bobs like grooming kits, clothes, hats (my last was around £400 and had to be replaced after having it less than a week after a bad fall!), tack, treats, lessons (private lessons around £40 an hour). These are the costs people don’t think about but they really really add up. I was recently over 1k for a couple of rugs, saddle pads and new boots. Said boots got destroyed in the paddock and had to be replaced straight away!
It can be cheaper and you don’t always need the top of the range, most fancy tack or saddlery, but ultimately a horse will always cost a lot to keep and it’s bullshit when people say otherwise.
Not to mention vet bills. They can start in the hundreds and go up very very quickly to thousands. I knew someone who was left bankrupt after a horse had colic several times (insurance will only cover the first time). The bills can cost in the 5 figure region.
If I was to average all my spending and bills, I would say I’m around £800-£900 a month for my current horse, sometimes more but sometimes less.
Sorry for the long answer! Hope I explained it ok x