Budgeting for a horse.

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kandm

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Hi,

For the past 5 years I have been loaning a horse, however never had to pay livery nor insurance for said horse. The time has now come where I am thinking of buying my own and I understand it will cost me more than loaning. So, if you don't mind sharing, how much do you have to budget each month for your horse(s) livery, insurance, feed, shoes, vet etc... and how much more you budget for the likes of lessons and competing.

Many thanks,

Kiri
 
Rent - £15 a week DIY
Shoes - I have two fronts @ £30 or including the two back trimmed @ £40 so budget say £20 per week
Feed - approx £40-£50 per month (but thats for two)
Insurance - £45 per month (covers both)
Haylage @ £35/£40 per bale - usually go through two per month (if in majority of the time) - obviously you wont need if out
Straw - mine are both on mats so only use to sprinkle on the floor - £20 per month
Dont put anything aside for the vet - just pay it as and when needed

Dont budget for competing - just pay as and when I do it - have my own trailer so just pay for entry fees really.

Im in Manchester.

Hope that helps :D
 
Hi, Of course it will all depend pretty much on how you intend to keep the horse and what it is.
Im also in Gloucestershire and have gone form one horse on a DIY livery yard to 3.5 by renting my own little place but probably still paying less per month for them.
In my area DIY costs £20-£40 per week. A HUGE money factor I found was that my last livery yard restricted turn out massively in winter and bad weather. Then in "summer" they were out in the day only. This cost me a fortune in hay and bedding.
I could no longer afford my one horse on DIY!
Currently I pay £100 pcm for my field then another £40 for extra grazing. They are out most of the time, ive swapped to straw and my feed bill has gone down because the horses are happy grazing. (this is for all 3)
Look into all possibilities and be open minded to suggestions.
Insurance wise you cant really skimp but at least its a set price monthly so easily budgeted for.
Good luck!
 
How long is a piece of string??? :) To get a better idea of costs you need to think about type of livery, area you're in, add in basic care costs (shoeing/vet/feed/Hay/tack/wormers) and then what and how often you want lessons/competitions and travelling wise.
I reckon all in to keep a horse and competed in an affiliated discipline you are approaching £10,000 per year. Although obviously it varies massively based on all the above factors.
 
Livery: £390 a month.
Food: Maybe something around £70 a month
Shoes: £80 every 6 weeks
Vets - as and when
Comps - 2 dressage tests will set me back £40, and I do average 4 tests a month, ODE - anything from £40-£70...

Actually just scared myself how much my horse costs me :eek:
 
What longdog says (and that's per horse and both mine are at home). That includes annual service, tax and fuel for truck as well as c.£500 insurance a year for each horse.
 
Diy Livery £150pm
Hay £45pm
Bedding £45pm
Feed £70pm
Lessons £110pm
Insurance £26pm
Shoes (remedial) £110 every 6 weeks
Physio every 3 months ATM £55
Dentist £45 every 6 months
I have had loads of vets bills as well as have a problem accident prone tb ;)
I am also just outside London and that is what I pay in winter summer she mostly lives out so bedding and hay at least halves!
 
Livery diy with use of farm ride and school - £120a month
feet trimmed 6-8 weeks £15
insurance - £27 a month
feed approx £7 a month nov -april
hay approx £12 a week nov-april
vaccs once a year £50 inc callout fee
bedding - £30 a month nov- april
dentist £40 once a year
back check - £40 every six months

You will probably also want the odd lessons, transport to places

The initial costs are quite a bit too and now is a better time as you can build up things slowly but tyou will need the following:

Saddle - £300-£2000 (Average again I'd say at £600)
Stirrups and Leathers - £30-£80
Girth - £15-£60 at least two
Numnah - ~£15 at least two
Bridle - £20-£150
Bit - £10-£70
Wheelbarrow - £40
Spade - £10-£15
Fork - £10-£15
Turnout Rugs (at LEAST 2 needed, these figures based on 2) - £60-£200
Stable Rug - £20-£60
Headcollar and Leadrope - ~£10
Grooming Kit - ~£15
First Aid Kit (Equine) - £20-£60
Buckets - £10-£40
Haynets (depending on numbers and size) - £5-£20
Hi-Viz Gear (Human AND Equine) - £25-£100

Other possible equipment needed depending on the horse and usage

Brushing Boots - ~£20
Grazing Muzzle - ~£20
Overreach Boots - £5-£10
Travel Boots - £30-£80
Travel Rug - £10-£50
Poll Guard - ~£10
Tail Guard - ~£10
 
Livery - £168pcm (DIY)
Hay - £67.50pm
Shoes - £45 every 6 weeks (fronts & trim on back)
Bedding - £20-40pm (sometimes he's mucky so use more. Just acquired some rubber mats so hopefully will be using less!)
Feed - £30pm roughly
Supplements - £20pm
Lessons/training - £20pm, can't afford more atm
Petrol - £40pm
Insurance - £60pm

Had to get new saddle in April, that was £700. He is difficult to fit so had to get made to measure. New bridle was £50 this month. Then extras like dentist, wormers, back-person... not all regular outgoings, but it's best to save up.

Whatever you budget for, add an extra £100 on top of that for those little emergencies. And don't forget the amount of time required - if you work full time it will take a while to find a good balance between work/stables/home life. My OH is still coming to terms with this major factor lol having to make his own dinner some nights, shock horror!!

ETA: Whenever you find you need something (like brushing boots or other tack/equipment) try to buy second hand. I've save loads of money buying bits and bobs which I've needed at a much lower price, even for never worn/used goods. Good brands, too. I always scout the forums & FB groups before buying brand new.
 
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Thanks for all the replies, it's roughly what I thought I would have to budget. Time wise I've factored in for 5 years now so I know how to make time as always had to :). Keep them coming...
 
I started off with a cheapo saddle. You can pick them up for £50 easily as long as they are in OK nick and fit the horse it doesn't really matter how they look.
I had (bought in summer) -
fly rug £35
stable rug £25
wheelbarrow £30
pitchfork £15
feedbin £12
bridle £25
saddle £100
girth £15
numnah £15
synthetic leathers - £15
bit £12
grooming kit £15
first aid £25
water bucket from asda £5
food bucket from asda £3
haynet £5 x2
headcollar £8
leadrope £3
saddle rack £15

So start up inc other bits would have been about £400 for me.

I payed £30 a week DIY inc straw and hay.
She was unshod and trim was £20 every 2 months.
Put nothing aside for vets, just payed as and when.

So was about £45 the average week inc. anything I wanted to buy.

Now I have 5 and on own field so if I work out for same horse its now -
£40 pcm for her share of the field and stables
£71 every 6 weeks for her shoes
£10 a week for her hay
£5 a week for her bedding
so she now costs about £35 a week to keep and I own pretty much everything for her that I wanted.

Start off with the basic brands and the basics of everything and build yourself up if you're like me and were on a budget :)
Obviously you have the extras of teeth etc that you can't be stingey with but I think as a whole you can keep a horse for relatively little money!
 
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£25 a week livery (stable and field, and use of school)

In winter £20 a month for a large bale of hay. £10 a month for a bug bale of straw.

A bag of feed and chaff a week (approximately) £20 a week.

Shoes £65 every 6-7 weeks.

Insurance £38 a month.

Flu & tet £60 a year (give or take incl call out best to try to share call out).

Treats! Bag of carrots every few days and some toast!
 
Also cost of egg counts and wormers- supplements, fly spray, first aid supplies, petrol to get to yard.............
 
I won't upset myself by adding up my startup costs...

Part livery with good facilities and hay/haylage included: 175pm
Shavings in winter: 25pm
Hard feed: 40pm
Insurance: 40pm
Supplements: 25pm

Then you've got lessons which is 1 a week for me, we are both unfit and yo gives us short lessons so that's about 50pm.

Chiro 2x per year 100
Dentist... Hasn't been yet as vet says teeth are ok, so don't know!
Feet... My lad's feet don't grow, hence the supplement. So far I've had them trimmed once in 9 months and that was 20, but this is weird!

We don't compete yet but I'd keep some funds saved if horse needs box rest, mine did and that was an expensive ten weeks as he had to be mucked out twice a day and I could only do it once due to work.
 
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