any money saving tips?- want to get a second horse to compete

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Dora5

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So- I have a 16 year old gelding who I love dearly but finds flat work very dull and he is a bit inconsistent with jumping, I.e one week he will be very confident out at an ODE and the next at the same venue will just flatly refuse. So I'd like to get a younger horse and prob concentrate on dressage. I currently rent 2 stables on a private yard (one stable is rented out) with only a coulpe of acres. in terms of hay bedding and feed, does anyone have any fab money saving tips? The new horse would prob have to stable share or I might be able to put up a field shelter on the yard as a temporary 3rd stable
 
Just do your sums carefully, it will probably fine while they're both young, but what about when one of them gets older and starts to cost you a lot of money in terms of extra feeds, meds etc?
 
Of course it does cost a lot more than one but I found that being sensible about it all I now have two for less than I kept one. Wood pellets, yes they look a bit rubbish but save serious money. I too rent a bit of land and put up our own stables so no extra livery. Turn out as much as possible. Buy what you can in bulk hay wise. Things like injections and routine vet stuff get all together so only one call out. Cut supplements not really needed. It's do-able its more the time I struggle with. Hope that's readable, not very good on my mobile ;)
 
Don't mean to be negative but if your fields are waterlogged atm they'll probably be bad some other winters too.

Could you give the other owner notice and use their stable/grazing? 2 acres, especially wet ones, isn't heaps for three.
 
Yes your right, but been there for a couple of years and this year has been the only year we have struggled a bit. Unfortunately in my area there is very little all year turn out so what I have is actually quite good in comparison. I could ask the livery to move but I would then need to pay all the rent for the yard, currently she pays half. Thinking about it, its prob not achieveable at my current yard, just feel a bit stuck
 
My best tip would be don't get a second horse. And certainly not a third as I've just done!
Seriously though, there really isn't a cheap way to do it. Small savings can be made with deep littering, shopping around for low bedding prices, buying in bulk if you have storage, but it's minimal.
Just be prepared to wave goodbye to your pay packet very quickly each month. That said I wouldn't have it any other way. Wonder if I can afford another? A small one maybe?;)
 
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