How do you keep your costs down?

Hal1k1

Hal1k1

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I would love a second horse because mine is just a happy hacker but need to find some ways of reducing my expenditure before I can even consider looking for something to compete on.

How have you saved money in the last year?
 
Unless there is a medical reason - keep the horses out 24/7. I used to compete 1.30-1.40 on horses that lived out year round - fully clipped as well.

Get proper feeding advice often owners waste money on suppliments and feed horse dont need if put on a proper diet.

Dont pay for livery services you dont need. Some yards will turn out/bring in included in price if you can do this yourself, find a yard thats cheaper that doesnt include this. Make sure you check ,mileage as sometimes its not cheaper to do this

Share the horse (s)?

Dont buy tack you dont need? Im terrible for this!!
 
Mine are out 24/7/365, hunter clipped in winter too. I've not stabled anything for six years now, apart from when box rest was needed (only for a couple of hoof abcesses and when the horse trod on something that sliced a bit of his sole off). IMO horses are far more healthy living out and will therefore suffer less ailments.

I feed straights, which I have been feeding with a linseed, brewer's yeast and seaweed sup, like a herbal Pink Powder. Will be switching to PP as the price of the herbal stuff has jumperd up recently so will be cheaper for me to feed PP.

Buy a native or native cross - MUCH cheaper to feed! Better feet too.

I have one shod, one barefoot. You could try barefoot or just shoe in front.

I buy my winter rugs in the summer sales. Buy the best rugs you can afford, especially if keeping a clipped horse out 24/7. Unless you horse is a rug wrecker, cheap turnout rugs are a false economy.
 
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I have a dutch warmblood x and a dutch warmblood. Both live out 24/7 all year round. Even with full clips in the winter.

I used to feed hay off the floor but last year fed from nets and saved loads of money!

I avoid supplements and fancy feeds!

Both of mine are barefoot, always have been.
 
- Out 24/7
- Only fronts on, if they dont need them then why not go just 2 or barefoot? (if you can)
- Save on bottles of stuff, homemade fly repellant and I find lots of human (particularly baby ones) products are fine on my horse too, eg wash with cheap baby shampoo ! and clean with human disinfectants.
- Buy supplements in their simple form, eg I dont use a calmer but magnesium instead, Biotin instead of farriers formular.
- Avoid tack-shops, you will always be tempted to buy stuff !
- Repair rather than replace
- I also wash my own rugs and equipment

Mine is a tough native type, I wouldnt apply some of the above to my TB though... :')
 
Mine is on DIY but would live out if I could find somewhere that did decent grass livery near me - I share winter yards with a friend to keep petrol money down and in summer they're out 24hrs. She passes by everyday so looks in on him whereas its completely the wrong direction for me to visit.

Mine is barefoot, has plain chaff for breakfast and dinner but all the haylage he can eat through winter, has supplement of limestone flour (3yr old ex-racehorse so ensuring his bones are going to be good!) and biotin for his tootsies are they were just awful after a shoe had ripped off and taken most his foot with it. Unless an eye is hanging out or a leg has come off or there's an ear missing, I never call the vet. Please don't misinterpret that, I'm not putting penny pinching above his welfare!!

In all honesty, the horse doesn't sacrifice much - I DO! I only go on holiday once a year, I don't go out at night as often as I used to, my supermarket shop is usually done in the Wupsies section or I just buy anything that is on offer, my car is ancient but doesn't cost me anything than the usual insurance, tax etc and I don't buy myself loads of clothes - if i need clothes, my first stop is Primark!!! :D

(Slight tale about the clothes actually - I have some reeeaaallly nice clothes but all bought before the horse or Christmas/Birthday presents!!)
 
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I had a thoroughbred and now have a cobbier good doer type and the money i now save is immense!
~buy the best quality you can be it rugs, tack, hay or feed.
~Sometimes using the assisted services works out cheaper for me - £1.50 for bringing in and changing rugs is cheaper than petrol for making the journey to and from yard!
~teaming up with friends for turning out and other things at weekends will also save petrol and time.
~ Home made fly spray, baby wipes etc are all cheaper than horse specific - same with buckets my tub truggs were a pound or two from Tesco rather than horse £6 from a tack Shop!
 
When I was out of work and keeping 4 horses I cut out all supplements and expensive brands of feed for those that didnt need it. I also stopped using the dentist and went back to just the vet as the dentist i used always needed the vet to sedate anyway. I just couldnt afford both.

Competitions were cut down to only a few a year. I have kept it that way since as often i was just going for the sake of it.

Lessons were also cut to once a fortnight rather than once a week.

Nuts also seem to go further than mixes and are often cheaper but have the same nutritional value so mine all get nuts. I also buy feed in bulk so only need to go to feed merchant every 2-4 weeks depending on time of year (saving petrol and time). If a horse can survive on just grass it doesnt get fed.

I generally try to replace one rug a year so i never have a huge outlay all at once although I only now buy Rambos or fals and tbh I dont need to buy rugs very often. I also buy them in the summer if possible and have had some bargains from ebay doing this. You can often pick up last years stock for half price.

I never scrimp on vets, farriers or insurance (third party) but will have shoes removed if the horse doesnt need them.
I woiuld always buy good quality tack but bits and irons can be bought off ebay.

I have also invested in mats for stables and that is also a saving but more in time than money as mine live out as much as possible. But when they come in for farrier (he comes while I am at work) I dont waste as much bedding so save moiney.

So lots of little things but, as the saying goes, take care of the pennies and the pounds take care of themselves.
 
Thanks for all your replies!

I think I need to rethink my situation. I have an ex-racer who used to live out and was fine as long as he was rugged up well and fed properly. I suppose it was easier for me to keep him in a stable but it is costing me a fortune.

I live in West Berkshire so finding grazing is difficult even though it is close to the racecourse and many training yards.
 
Save money by never going to the shops! It does work. my cob is out 24/7, when we had another lighter cob in the same field who loved her stable she was out in all the snow rugged up and they were fine. cost of hay when the grass is non existent etc

When mine was in work in winter he would have a jug of low heat pony nuts(un branded cheapest the store had), Sometimes dengie and speedibeat. Only in the winter. I shoe every 8 weeks(every other pay day). But agree if you arent doing road work etc take them off so just a trim?

The cost is my time:I dont have any mucking out/bedding muck heap to get rid off, I just poo pick, pick the feet and visual check over.

I dont pay to get rid of the manure as we use it on our garden, so do our neighbours, my friends with allotments love me(I bag it up in ie dengie bags and they collect it in their cars)! Find an allotment near you they will come and collect for free(some people may pay for it too..sell it cheap they will)!
Rugs we are quite strict when the other pony was around if the sun was out no rain above 5 centigrade the rug came off during the day and went back on in the afternoon!(Well thats how we do it). I am glad when we didnt have to rug as it cost me more time. But a rug can save all that stabling costs.

Even if my old boy who now isnt being worked he has just grass a handful of nuts which I scatter on the floor he nibbles each one up(more to keep him sweet). Also no fancy licks either. he has an old fashioned salt block which lasts for weeks on the field on the ground! Cost £2! If he doesnt stand on it but it really does last!
 
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