Costs a month of keeping a horse? Sorry, know it's been done before.

Perfect_Pirouette

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Ok, so as stated in previous post, i'm getting my share horse on full loan in a week's time.

I am so excited and I am happy, BUT, I am also worried about time and money.

I know it varies from person to person, but how much roughly does it cost you to keep your horses, at DIY livery?

Also, time wise (if they're on DIY especially) Do you honestly have time for anything else during the week? Weekend's arn't so bad but for people, like me who work full time how do you manage to cope?!
 
Depends if you're stabling in winter or not?

It takes me approx half hour in morning to change rugs (stabled) and muck out/ feed. If I'm turning out thats an extra five minutes.
In the evening i allow an hour. That's half an hour to either muck out again and exercise or (if he's been out all day) ride and give an extra groom.

In summer it;s whatever time I want.

Cost wise (on top of yard fees) it's cost of hay, cost of feed, cost of bedding, cost of farrier, insurance, and wormer (which i budget for monthly). I also tend to pop either £10 or £20 away into an emergency fund to pay for rugs/ tack/ vets fees.
 
as Charlie said re costs and those mostly depend on your area. Why don't you speak to his owner for theses? I would always add a extra little bit into the monthly amount you put aside for emergencies.

I work full time and do manage tome to do other stuff during the week, friends either know they aren't going to see me til.....or book late tables if going out for a meal or if early thats the day mine have a day off.
 
I did these calculations a couple of weeks ago. For me, the worst case scenario in winter is £390/month and £240/month in summer (Livery, Insurance, Farrier, Feed).

My pony is a 16.1 Irish Draught who eats rather alot in the winter!! The winter calculations are done based on DIY livery, with the yard bringing him in or turning him out up to 10 times a month (extremely high bring in/Turn out fees at yard (£3.60!!)). Summer calculations done on 24hr turn out, 1 bale hay and 1 bag hi-fi lite and multi vit supplement a month.

These are the necessary costs and don't include lessons, rugs, repairs, tack, vets fees, tempting items on e-bay that I really don't need etc.
 
I have 2, and if I'm not careful with spending (ie keep buying expensive grooming products, hire a school etc) then I spend about £600 a month keeping them both (DOY livery, one native, one warmblood who drops weight).

I could easily keep both horses on £400 a month. George is about 150-200 a month.
 
Thanks everyone, yeh the owner has emailed me a list with everything that he costs for her to keep a month. It seems the bloody clipping is the most expensive as she gets staff down the yard to do it for £30 a pop! Maybe I could try do it myself :-/ Oh dear, can only imagine what he would look like!

I know roughly, I think he'll cost me around £220 a month to keep all in all and i will have to put a bit away each month for extras etc.

Regarding Insurance, on a full loan does the owner keep it up or does the loanee take out their own policy?
 
Could new horsey winter out? I'm going to try that this year and just keep him in on the worst nights. If they get adlib hay/lage in the field then all you need to do is ride/feed. That would seriously save time and money!
 
Normally the loanee will take on the insurance, clipping yourself is do-able but to me its a hassle, i do my own but would much rather pay someone to do it!!
 
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