Coping with rising costs

[kerrieberry2]

It's been a while since I've been here but wondering how everyone is coping with rising costs of keeping and feeding horses?

I feel like I'm constantly worrying and stressing! feed costs have double in the last few years. grass has been like rocket fuel this year so I've had to restrict grazing and supplement with hay, so the cost of that has risen, now my farmer has just put my livery up by 25%.

Feet trimming has risen to £45 per horse.

Physio costs have gone up by £5

Hay has gone up by £10 a bale and is in low supply

a bag of feed has gone from £10 to £20, and even trying to find something cheaper, they're still closer for £18 a bag!

please give me some tips on what you're all doing to save money.

 

[TheChestnutThing]

I’ve moved onto grass livery. It’s sh1t for me in winter but it saves on costs for a stabled horse, my grass is thankfully plentiful and it’s much much much closer to home.

I know this may not help you, but I get everything you are saying and this is what I had to do in order to keep my horse and compete.

 

[kerrieberry2]

I’ve moved onto grass livery. It’s sh1t for me in winter but it saves on costs for a stabled horse, my grass is thankfully plentiful and it’s much much much closer to home.

I know this may not help you, but I get everything you are saying and this is what I had to do in order to keep my horse and compete.

thank you! unfortunately mine are already on grass livery and have been for many years! my geldings are both good doers so I'm having to strip graze at the moment but thinking the best option might be to get the muzzles out and let them have more grass, so my mare who needs more, can munch it down, without being on her own, as she gets upset if they leave her.

 

[TPO]

I honestly don't think that there are money saving hacks left.

Between rising costs and the weather (affecting grazing, forage, and crops) horse keeping is simply more expensive.

Cheaper feed options like grass nuts and chaff have risen massively in price. Earlier this year there weren't any grass nuts available (weather related).

The only cost savings that I can think of is being economical with what you use. If hay goes out in the field can it be netted to save wastage. Is there any unused equipment that can be sold for the horse bank account?

Buying in bulk offers small savings but then you need storage space (rat and mouse free) for feed. Maybe you could split bulk orders with friends?

Sometimes there are savings to be made elsewhere but the costs of everything in every aspect of life has gone up

I don't think there is an easy answer

 

[SpotsandBays]

My lot are getting Mole valley own brand feed. I buy my linseed online (free postage). My farrier is £30 a trim (Buckinghamshire) so maybe shop around? Also buy a lot of stuff second hand, sell whatever you don’t need etc

 

[TheChestnutThing]

My lot are getting Mole valley own brand feed. I buy my linseed online (free postage). My farrier is £30 a trim (Buckinghamshire) so maybe shop around? Also buy a lot of stuff second hand, sell whatever you don’t need etc

Where do you get your linseed from please?

 

[SantaVera]

Does your horse really need a physio? Worth thinking about, how often do you trim? Can you extend the time,mine are trimmed every eight weeks and I've never had a physio or chiropractor out to any of mine,do they really needed bagged feed?

 

[Ahrena]

I moved 200 miles and ported my mortgage (so same mortgage payments) so I now have my horses at home so no livery.

Bit drastic though, I admit.

 

[expanding_horizon]

Minimize the amount of bagged feed you use, and make grass / hay the greater part of the diet. Hay (and grass) are cheapest way to provide calories. Avoiding wasting hay with feeders / nets etc.

Selling on ebay / FB Marketplace / Preloved anything you dont need or havent used in 18 months.

Buying stuff secondhand were possible, can set long term searches when stuff your size / horse's size comes up second hand.

Reduce visits if can share one end of day with others lessens fuel cost.

See if can help anyone else whilst at the yard - turn out / bring in / feed / check can be lucrative if you are already at the yard.

Could push trimming or physio cycle out by a few weeks. Especially if self trim a bit between visits.

 

[Wishfilly]

My pony absolutely hates having physio- he objects to it like he objects to nothing else, so I made the decision after three tries for him not to have it- it didn't seem worth it for the stress it was causing him and I was worried he would injure someone even with mild sedation. He hasn't had physio for two years now, and I don't believe this has harmed him. If the physio isn't treating a specific condition, I would consider whether visits could be spaced further apart to help reduce costs?

I also use Mole Valley own brand feeds, and he seems very happy on them. They have currently got a sale on their own brand feeds, so may be worth a try? They also have a sale on their own brand supplements too. When I see feed on sale, I try and buy in bulk as I have a bit of storage, but obviously this relies on having the cash to buy in bulk in the first place.

I do think the costs of everything have gone up though.

I am worried about hay this winter though.

 

[expanding_horizon]

I used to have two horses, and train and compete, run an old lorry, and keep both on part livery!

Now I have one horse that lives out, on DIY still training and competing and running an old lorry.

Still just as broke. I have no idea how I afforded two!

 

[horsesense]

Heygates feeds are perfectly good and more reasonably priced, and the supplements and additives that everyone seems persuaded to buy are just not needed by the vast majority of horses. It seems odd that many owners who are worried about their horses eating too much and getting fat are, nevertheless, spending considerable amounts on supplements. "Balancers" didn't exist fifty years ago before the marketing men realised what rich pickings were to be had amongst the gullible horse owning fraternity.

 

[Carlosmum]

I consider myself lucky, pony lives at home on the farm, all hay/straw is 'free' and at the moment he is not on any hard food. Unshod, so farrier trim is £50 every 6 weeks. Teeth, back and flu jab up to date, so ok for a while there, but we are in need of lessons, so that is where any spare money goes.

 

[Squeak]

As others have mentioned, do you definitely need hard feed? If they're good doers anyway they could well be fine without. It sounds like muzzling so that they can all eat a bit more grass and less hay could also be a good way forward. The goodness seems to have gone out of the grass here so I don't know if that would make it any easier for you?

Otherwise are you competing or having lessons or anything that you can change? I rarely have private lessons anymore and try and make the most of venues that are close. It has to be something I really want to go to for me to go further afield and use lots of petrol.

 

[kerrieberry2]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys

For those that feed the mole Valley feed, are you able to send me the details of the ingredients, I was looking for them online yesterday but they don't seem to be published anywhere

My good doer is only on 1 tiny feed a day for his gut balancer and boswellia. So he's not expensive

It's my mare who is a 17hh oldenburg so needs a lot of feed, especially since the grazing has been restricted. I currently have her on grass nuts, linseed and oats as I try to keep their diets as simple as possible.

I'm thinking the muzzle for the boys is going to be my best option so my mare can have more grass

I've lengthened the physio appointments from every 2 months to 3 month. My mare came with a weakness in her hamstrings so she needs to have a regular session but I am hoping to push my boy out so he can be done every other time now.

 

[criso]

I feed the long soak sugarbeet, Trident Equibeet. At my local feedstore it's £8.99 a bag compared to £18.65 for Speedibeet. I just need to be organised and make sure i soak the day before. That and Emerald Green Grasstatic £11.70 a bag, are the bulk of my feed with Copra and Linseed added for calories.

 

[Widgeon]

Where do you get your linseed from please?

I wasn't the one who originally posted but I also buy linseed online and split the cost with another owner. I buy ours from the Linseed Farm and it's really good stuff. They've put their prices up by a fiver in the last few weeks though, it used to be £90 (not blaming them at all! Their costs will have risen too). I think it's still the cheapest source of good quality linseed oil around.

Linseed Oil (25 litres) Drum

Slow Cold-Pressed Linseed (Flaxseed) Oil for adding to Horse feed for shiny coats and healthy hooves!25 litre drum of linseed (flax) oil. FREE P&P (UK only)If you would like to purchase our 25 litre Drum WITH a tap cap, then you can do so together by purchasing this product.Mix 2 to 3...

www.thelinseedfarm.co.uk

 

[Follysmum]

Have made some small changes which have helped.

Dentist 12 mths for basic checks, still every 6mths for older ones

Mctimoney yearly instead of 6mths , they are all maintenance no issues

Changed from small hay £5.50 each to big round bales £25/£30

Changed from honeychop lite and healthy £15.95 a bag to mollichaff lite £7.80 a bag for my good doers

Changed from brand named conditioner nuts to shops own brand

 

[paddy555]

Thanks for all of the suggestions guys

For those that feed the mole Valley feed, are you able to send me the details of the ingredients, I was looking for them online yesterday but they don't seem to be published anywhere

My good doer is only on 1 tiny feed a day for his gut balancer and boswellia. So he's not expensive

It's my mare who is a 17hh oldenburg so needs a lot of feed, especially since the grazing has been restricted. I currently have her on grass nuts, linseed and oats as I try to keep their diets as simple as possible.

I'm thinking the muzzle for the boys is going to be my best option so my mare can have more grass

I've lengthened the physio appointments from every 2 months to 3 month. My mare came with a weakness in her hamstrings so she needs to have a regular session but I am hoping to push my boy out so he can be done every other time now.

they don't publish them. You have to ask Mole for them. I asked for one via E mail. They provided the info..I told them that it was no good for horse owners if they didn't detail the ingredients etc online but it was a waste of time telling them.

 

[Nudibranch]

Not much of a saving perhaps but have you tried switching linseed to copra? Last bag of linseed I bought had gone from £25 to £45! Copra is about £20 and I think has a fairly similar profile (though more of a carbon footprint I suppose).

 

[LEC]

My lot are getting Mole valley own brand feed. I buy my linseed online (free postage). My farrier is £30 a trim (Buckinghamshire) so maybe shop around? Also buy a lot of stuff second hand, sell whatever you don’t need etc

Good choice as it’s Mars (Spillers) plus they are doing tonnes of discounts this week £3 here and two bags for £29.99 of fibre

 

[LEC]

I buy horse feed which has a discount. If feed reps are around locally I always ask for vouchers. I recently switched to Castle Horse Feeds which are 20kg sacks and had £5 off a sack which made it £10 a bag and bought loads of it which is stored in dustbins to keep it away from rodents. I hate 15kg sacks as expensive. I buy supplements from Feedmark and buy biggest tubs when 50% off like now and buy it in bulk. I buy shavings in bulk as well and pick them up. Everything is netted now in the massive haynets to save waste on haylage as used to be put in corner mangers but they drag it on their bed and waste it.
I only buy anything when discounted and out of season like rugs. Horses not in work have shoes removed ASAP. I sell anything which hasn’t been used for over a year. All my rugs are very good ones and washed professionally once a year and repaired so they tend to do 15 years on a non wrecker horse. I store them carefully out of season as well to save from any rodent/dust/light damage. I don’t use stable rugs. I buy 2nd hand a lot especially premium stuff. I love a used once type thing for stuff like Xc boots, tack like bridles and girths which will then be 50% cheaper. I buy all my breeches at 50% off and all premium. I also will buy extra if a real bargain out of season then sell for a profit when in season.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I have been trying to keep my horses cheaply for years!! We do our own hay which is a bonus as we use a lot between 2 as no grass really. They get all their routine appointments still which are slowly creeping up. I try not to buy new now, I buy good second hand and really think about whether I really need it or not. Feed is my biggest expense. I compete/ clinics or something most weekends. That would be a big saving if I didn't but this is my hobby, I don't go out, drink, smoke, so I can justify my weekend outing.

 

[follysienna]

Buy rugs out of season. I never spend more than £30/35 on a rug. Now is a good time to look through different companies sales to buy fly rugs for next summer.

 

[Wishfilly]

I definitely do the buying lightly used for things like girths, rugs, saddle pads etc. There's lots of people who will buy something, find it doesn't quite fit etc, and then can't return it as it's "used".

I also try not to buy too much "stuff" and think about whether I will actually use it/do I actually need it?

 

[Arzada]

Where do you get your linseed from please?

I buy Charnwood Micronised Linseed from Equi Supermaket https://www.equisupermarket.co.uk/products/charnwood-milling-micronised-full-fat-linseed-meal £29.99 free shipping.

 

[humblepie]

I have changed feeds due to changing need but my competition horse was on Mole Valley own brand cubes. As above was told when our countrywide became Mole Valley that they are Spillers feeds.

 

[Laurac13]

I’ve swapped to Mole valley for feed own brand horse and pony cubes on offer couple of weeks ago £8.50 a bag I buy their quick soak fibre for my elderly shettie who has old man teeth only £13.50 a bag lasts around 3 weeks and he prefers it to more expensive brands and looks great

 

[marmalade76]

I won't be paying £18 for a sack of feed. One of my local shops sells Omega beet, same as Speedibeet but £11.99 a sack. Their linseed (also Omega brand) is still £20 something. Mollichaff products are a good price compared to others as are Castle Horsefeeds (cool cubes currently £10.99) and as suggested, Mole Valley own brand are good prices. I'm still struggling to find reasonably priced hen feed though

 

[holeymoley]

I think I'm all out with money saving hacks. Our livery's gone up and we're really struggling to source hay this year without paying crazy prices. Although I did get a cracking deal on a brand new Amigo rug at a car boot sale the other day.