As children, many of us dreamed of someday owning a horse; galloping about green pastures underneath the warm yellow sun. Now as adults many of us are “living the dream.”
Horse owners quickly learn that the cost of buying a horse pales in comparison to the costs associated with horse maintenance. From vet bills to farriers to blankets and competitions, the costs of caring for our furry friends can add up in a hurry.
Although there are certain times you should never try to cut costs when providing for your horse, there are certainly many creative ways to reduce your horse bills and overall cost.
Preventative Care: Know Your Horse
Money can be saved on vet bills and farrier visits simply by knowing your horse. Just like people, horses have individual quirks and traits. Does your horse get hives and rain rot from being left outside during a rain shower? If so, leaving them in will reduce your vet bill for various topical treatments and antibiotics. Does your horse need to be shod precisely at four weeks to make sure their feet don’t suddenly fall apart? Knowing how your horse responds to different weather conditions, bumps and bruises and the like can save you money in the long run.
For instance, some horses will stop drinking cold water when frigid temperatures strike during cold winter months and they will begin colicking. By noticing this change in behavior, you can make a simple change of giving them warm water to drink, thus alleviating their tendency to colic due to dehydration.
Knowing how your horse reacts to certain situations — or understanding their temperament in general — can help alert you to potential problems that may arise. Recognizing a change in attitude early on can help prevent a potential health emergency. Pay close attention to your horse’s idiosyncrasies and learn what is normal — and abnormal — when it comes to your horse’s temperature and heart rate.
In addition to knowing your horse’s quirks, it’s also important to provide preventative care. Check with your local vet and see what vaccines are needed for horses in your particular area. If you’re planning on shipping to competitions outside of your area, see if the vet thinks other vaccines are necessary. You can cut costs by arranging for the vet to come out and give the entire barn vaccinations at one time, thus reducing the farm visit fee. If you feel comfortable doing vaccinations yourself (or have a barn manager that can do them) you can save a lot of money by purchasing vaccines directly from your local Southern States.
You don’t need a veterinarian for every little bump and scrape your horse gets. Horses have lived for thousands of years without human intervention. They simply need us to know the difference between what is and is not a serious injury.
Feed What They Need
The Legends and Triple Crown lines have several organic trace minerals and yeast cultures included in their formulas. When it comes to a healthy coat, all Triple Crown feeds have flaxseed, and all of them except for Lite have rice bran added to the formula. Legends Performance Pelleted and Textured also contain rice bran and flaxseed. New to the Legends line is Legends Omega Plus. This 25% extruded supplement is wonderful for adding pounds to hard keepers and puts a wonderful shine on their coats. Not only do the Legends and Triple Crown lines help with your horse’s coat, but they have a guaranteed amount of biotin and amino acids, making an additional hoof supplement unnecessary in most situations. All Legends and most Triple Crown feeds also have added fat, so you often won’t need to add a fat supplement.
Often times horse owners try to cut costs by feeding a lower cost feed and adding on additional supplements. However, if you look into feed options you can find a feed that allows you to either eliminate all or most additional supplements.
Don’t Cut Corners
When you buy a horse, one of the first things you must understand and accept is that there are certain times when costs should not be a determining factor when caring for your horse. You never want to jeopardize your horse’s well-being by selecting inferior products or services just to save a buck. For instance, if your horse appears to be colicking, has gotten tangled up in a turnout accident or has another life threatening condition, get on the phone and call your vet immediately. In emergency situations that require veterinary attention, precious minutes can make the difference in your horse’s health and recovery time. None of us like to pay the higher costs associated with an emergency vet call, but as a horse owner you have a responsibility to always put your horse’s well-being above cost. If the injury or illness appears to be serious, take it seriously.
The same theory holds true when it comes to having your farrier come out. As the old adage goes, “no hoof, no horse.” If your horse has a quarter crack, bad feet or a special shoeing situation, make sure you stay on top of it. Horses don’t have calendars; they don’t know they are supposed to be shod every four to six weeks. It’s your job to know when the next shoeing should occur.
Stock Up
If you have the ability to store it, buy hay in bulk. Generally the more hay you buy from a particular dealer, the better the deal you get. Summer hay prices are the lowest of the year, so if you can keep it stored and dry you can be dollars ahead when the winter months roll around and hay prices double or triple.
Same goes for shavings. Buying shavings in bulk rather than in bags will help cut costs too. Contact a local mill in the area and find out what their loose bedding prices are. Some mills will deliver the shavings or sawdust to you while others will allow you to come fill up your truck bed with it.
Turnout is Your Friend
If possible —and if your horse doesn’t object — keep your horse turned out as much as possible. As long as there aren’t bugs aggravating your horse during its turnout time, increasing turnout can be a win-win for both horse and human. Your horse will have fewer hours of boredom in its stall, which may lessen vices such as stall walking, weaving and cribbing. Not only will you have a happier horse, but you will be saving money on bedding and hay.
Another cost-cutting option is to move your horse from stall board to field board. This option is good for horses who easily become bored in their stalls or older horses with arthritis where the extra walking associated with field board can be a benefit. This decision must be made based on how your horse handles the elements, but it can be a great solution for some. As long as you have a run-in shed and access to plenty of water, you should have a happy horse.
Spend Money Today, Save Money Tomorrow
In some cases it costs money to save money. An upfront investment can help you save money in the long run. For an investment of $300, you can purchase a good set of body clippers and begin body clipping your own horse throughout the year. With body clipping rates around $150 these days, the clippers can pay for themselves in two clippings. If you get skilled at clipping, you can even offer your services to others in the barn, and put some extra money in your pocket. Paying for new blades or sharpening services will be small in comparison to paying for multiple clip jobs per year.
Although a bigger investment, a trailer is a great item to have for any horse owner. As gas prices rise, trailering rates continue to follow suit. If you plan to travel to competitions on a regular basis, investing in a trailer is something to seriously consider. You don’t need a brand new fancy trailer – you can often times find a high quality trailer that is lightly used, and at an affordable price. Check your local tack stores and see if they have any trailer for sale ads. Another option to consider is trailer co-op; purchasing with another horse owner which will cut your initial investment costs.
We all need tack to ride our horses. Investing in high quality tack can help you save money through the years. Some brands of saddles particularly hold their value for many years. The secret to getting a good resale value from it is to take care of your tack on a daily basis.
Clean, Condition, Repeat We all love to get new — or new to us — tack and equipment. However, infatuation with our tack can be short-lived and we start neglecting to properly care for it. Well maintained equipment will last longer and save you money in replacement costs. Make sure you keep your tack cleaned, conditioned and oiled. Looking for a barn chore to do on a less-than-ideal riding day? Spend a few hours in the tack room and restore some of your bridles, martingales and saddles to their former glory. It’s amazing what a little tender loving care can do to restore the appearance of tack. Remember, you don’t have to buy new tack, you can often find used tack that is just as usable as those with new prices.
Competing on a Budget
One of the largest expenses horse owners/riders incur are the costs associated with going to horse shows, events and other competitions. However, there are ways to save money while you are on the road. If you have your own trailer, trailering yourself and even a friend can be the start of your money saving. Once you arrive at the competition, provide your own daycare services and learn to braid your horse if that is required for your discipline. There are plenty of YouTube tutorial videos on this.
Instead of making frequent trips to the overpriced — and often unsatisfying — food stand, try to pack a few snacks that will help get you through the day. You can also see if any of your barn mates want to share a hotel room when traveling to competitions that require an overnight hotel stay.
Be Creative
Use your creativity to help you save money. Remember not everything needs to be bought, some things can be made. One great example is jumps. Do a search on the Internet (Pinterest is a good place to start) for homemade jumps and you will find a wide variety of creative examples. Using your own woodworking and design skills can help you save thousands.
When it comes to repairs around the barn and you have to hire a contractor, try to barter. Offer to trade out lessons or board if you have a big money job that you can’t do yourself. Northern Virginia trainer Jane Nordstrom has successfully used bartering in the past. “I once traded out a combination of personal chef services and lessons with an electrician to get a small barn I was leasing rewired,” Nordstrom explains. “The barn manager had received an initial quote of $2,800 to do the job and I ended up paying about $300 for materials.”
Bartering can also work when you are trying to pay your board or for lessons. Ask your barn manager or trainer if there is something you can do to work off your bill. Can you update the barn’s website, redo the landscaping, clean the tack rooms or have some other special skill?
Share the Wealth
Own a horse that you love, but you don’t have the time to get out to the barn? Consider half leasing your horse. This will not only help make a horseless rider’s dreams of having a horse come true, but it can really help you cut your costs in half. If you half lease your horse, both you and your leaser pay half for board, shoes, vet bills, and any other items you mutually agree upon. This can be a win-win for both parties.
For more information contact your local Southern States Feed Specialist for a feed consultation.
