Complete Annual Horse Costs?

[Caitlin1309]

Over the last couple days, i have been trying to work out how much it would be to own a horse per year. Please tell me what you pay a year not including livery (mine would be £138 pm diy -stable, use of 3 schools, and turnout area) thanks

 

[ihatework]

It's a how long is a piece of string question!
To run a mid level dressage horse on part livery down south I budget £1000pcm. It can be done cheaper.
To keep a retired, medicated, TB living out I budget £200pcm, can't be done much cheaper.

For the average RC type allrounder, part stabled on DIY with mid range facilities in a mid priced area, with no particularly special needs then you should budget in the region of £300pcm give or take.

 

[Caitlin1309]

I live in the south east. If i were to buy a horse I would most likely be looking at 14-15hh welsh sec d - definitely not a high level horse, I would maybe do a show every couple of months but nothing major. Also lessons would £14 every 2 weeks 😃

 

[be positive]

Definitely a piece of string question, my ISH costs very little for 8 months a year as he lives out 24/7 and just has a token feed that costs probably no more than £2 per week with some hay when he is in for a few hours each day, feet trimmed every 8-10 weeks he self trims so only gets done when required £20, worming £5 month, teeth/ jabs £80 per year. During the winter, about 4 months he will be in at night so costs rise, £5 per week feed, £20 hay/ bedding. So a total of around £750 per year, if my maths is correct!!
But this is the absolute minimum, does not take into account any sundries or vet treatment that may be required, I have my own land so can turn out as much as I want and I buy feed/ hay/ bedding for about 10 equines in my care which means I get a better deal, my ponies live out all year and cost me very little apart from the essentials but I do have to pay for things like field maintenance/ fencing/ electric/ water/ rates which a livery will not have to do, I have a lot of stuff collected over many years so rarely need to buy new tack or rugs.

You may want to insure which will add around £50 per month and always have some money in reserve to pay for the unexpected.

 

[Schollym]

The cost of livery is only part of it. Insurance and minor vets bills, farrier supplements, wormers and then there are the rugs etc.
Start competing and a trip out doesn't just include the entry fees!

I work to keep the horse, pony and competitive daughter!

All those holidays I could have had instead and this from an enthusiast.

 

[Shay]

The BHS do a really good breakdown of costs. You can see it here http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/BHS/Files/PDF Documents/The Cost of Keeping a Horse or Pony.ashx

When I first put our PC Schoolmaster up for share I worked out how much he cost to keep and was astounded at the amount. Finally I knew why my sister and her OH can have all those holidays and we never did - despite the fact I was on a better salary!

Out total cost per annum the last time I did the calculation (and costs will have gone up) was just over £9,000 per year for a good do-er 13.2 cob on DIY - and that makes no allowance for vets fees. The competition ponies go up quite sharply! We are SE based too - just outside on London.

OP - your lesson costs look very low. Actually so are your livery costs for the South East. You might need to budget for that to go up I'm afraid! Also don't forget to budget for the initial costs of tack, rugs, yard equipment etc. They factor in to an annual cost but nothing like the initial outlay for the first horse.

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I live in the south east. If i were to buy a horse I would most likely be looking at 14-15hh welsh sec d - definitely not a high level horse, I would maybe do a show every couple of months but nothing major. Also lessons would £14 every 2 weeks ��

Ok I have to ask, where are you getting lessons in the SE for £14?

Anyway, back to your original question, I think it's incredibly difficult to work out an annual cost for a horse as there are just so many variables.

You've factored in the livery but you will also need to consider the following...

Feed
Bedding
Tack
Rugs
Grooming kit/Buckets/Wheelbarrow/Broom/Shavings fork/First aid kit etc.
Insurance - £55 per month
Wormer - £19
Farrier - full set of shoes comes to £65 every 6 weeks
Saddler - wise to have your saddle checked every 6 months minimum
Physio - I have a physio see to H every 3 months at a cost of £55 per session
Dentist - every 6 months - £60
Vaccinations - annual, think this was about £90 last time but can't remember
Lessons - I pay £35 weekly for an hour
Competition fees - £12 per class + travel which is usually about £90 shared horsebox hire

Then you've got the unexpected costs say your horse throws a shoe and needs a new one put on or requires box rest for any number of reasons. So all in all, it's pretty damn expensive. My horse is on full livery in Surrey so I daren't actually add up the annual costs but I suspect they are way over £10k a year.

 

[Caitlin1309]

Ok I have to ask, where are you getting lessons in the SE for £14?

Anyway, back to your original question, I think it's incredibly difficult to work out an annual cost for a horse as there are just so many variables.

You've factored in the livery but you will also need to consider the following...

Feed
Bedding
Tack
Rugs
Grooming kit/Buckets/Wheelbarrow/Broom/Shavings fork/First aid kit etc.
Insurance - £55 per month
Wormer - £19
Farrier - full set of shoes comes to £65 every 6 weeks
Saddler - wise to have your saddle checked every 6 months minimum
Physio - I have a physio see to H every 3 months at a cost of £55 per session
Dentist - every 6 months - £60
Vaccinations - annual, think this was about £90 last time but can't remember
Lessons - I pay £35 weekly for an hour
Competition fees - £12 per class + travel which is usually about £90 shared horsebox hire

Then you've got the unexpected costs say your horse throws a shoe and needs a new one put on or requires box rest for any number of reasons. So all in all, it's pretty damn expensive. My horse is on full livery in Surrey so I daren't actually add up the annual costs but I suspect they are way over £10k a year.

I live just outside outside Southampton so I guess more like like South than South East. As for livery and lessons, i am only following what the yard i hope to keep my future horse at, says on their website 😃

 

[ApolloStorm]

My breakdown of costs in the rainy NE
Livery- £110 pcm including hay
Shavings (1.5 bales a week at £3.50)- £21 pcm
Shoeing (fronts only) - £45 every 6 weeks so £32.50 cpm
Feed ( Alpha A oil, Equerry Mash, Conditioning cubes, pink Powder) - £45 pcm
Insurance - £23 pcm
Dentist- £40 a time so about £6 a month- doesn't sound like much but jumps out at you as do Vaccinations which cost me £60 once a year!
= £240 pcm = £2800 PA
Anything ontop of that is extra and I have plenty left over for competition entrys, and replacement tack - this is important as horses will ALWAYS break something when you can't afford it!

 

[Theocat]

I reckon I spend about £500 per month, of which about half is part livery (and includes feed, forage, bedding).