How much cheaper are ponies compared with horses?

[cp1980]

People keep telling me that it is far cheaper to own a pony than owning a horse.

Some put it down to size (a smaller equine eats less), others put it down to genetics (a native breed is lower maintenance than a warmblood).

In driving trials, you can compete at the highest levels with ponies, but warmbloods seems so much more... professional... *sticks neck out* Assuming I can get over this irrational prejudice about ponies...

What are the actual differences in owning costs when everything is taken into account?

Is it that significant?

Will a 13hh riding pony cost that much less to "run" than a 16hh warmblood?

 

[Sparkles]

My Welsh D costs me nothing virtually. No livery bills, no feed bills for her. Just wormers, dentist and trims etc when needed [though her feet have only needed to have been done about 6 times in the 7 years I've had her [well, exclude nearly 3 years whilst away on loan....so about 4 years]. Farrier loves her feet!]

 

[Meowy Catkin]

It depends how you keep them and how accident prone they are. My pony (fell x) cost more than any of my current lot (arabs and TB) but he was always stabled at night where as they all live out.

 

[mcnaughty]

OP, I think you answered most of your own questions there.

Ponies are GENERALLY cheaper to keep as they use less bedding, eat less, are hardier than horses but there are always exceptions to the rule.

 

[FoxTrotx]

Interesting. I have a 17hh warmblood that eats money. Her little cob friend seems to live on nothing (not literally nothing, obviously but there is a noticeable difference). They are both equally happy and healthy but there is a massive difference, not only in day to day costs, but how much actual 'stuff' the warmblood has (I probably take up two thirds of the yard ).

I'm sure people could keep her far more cheaply than I do (my friends laugh at my super organised feed and supplement area) but I really want to give her the best possible life so if I think she needs something, she gets it. The little cob is happy with a cup of balancer a day, bless her

 

[PennyJ]

OK, all broad generalisations of course...

If you are talking running costs, then I think ponies are just lower maintenance. They are tougher - they are generally better at living out. Saves on livery bills, bedding costs and time.

Ponies are less likely to do something stupid to themselves which saves on vet bills, medication and box rest. Equally they are less likely to do something stupid which ends up hurting you.

Ponies are just generally less complicated. They are cleverer.

Often ponies cost more to buy in the first place than a horse does.

 

[be positive]

It depends on the pony/ horse, what you plan on doing with it, where and how you keep it.
A pony kept in full work, fit, fed, shod, insured, at livery and out regularly competing will cost almost as much as a horse, a lot of the costs will be exactly the same, there will be significantly less outgoings if kept at home, living out, unshod as a happy hacker.

Ponies are great fun though, generally tougher, although not always, a good native will be able to turn its hoof to any job and I would think for driving trials they are far easier to get through those tricky obstacles and round the dressage arena, they can look as smart as any warmblood.

 

[katastrophykat]

My section D costs far more than my hunter- though the hunter is a youngster. I do do driving trials with the D, and his shoes cost an extra £18, as they are driving shoes with road studs, he's a poor do-er generally so costs way more to feed, and he is as wet as any horse I have met in the stable- so more bedding required!

He also has a touch of sweet itch, so boetts and rambo bug bodies needed, and costs a fortune in shampoo and chalk (4 white legs!)

So no- I'd say not!

 

[FfionWinnie]

My native ponies live on thin air, don't need stables, or rugs, or shoes. My TB needed fed all year round, extra dentist visits, she was shod, rugged, needed a stable really. Will be interesting to see how new horse compares to them.

 

[cp1980]

Thanks for your interesting comments.

I have seen some excellent ponies at driving trials so they can be superb for sport. But as keeping horses and competing is an expensive way of life, having a pony might make things a bit more financially feasible.

 

[Capriole]

It depends on the individuals animals Id say. My big horses are less high maintenance and get less feed than next doors native ponies, who are always suffering from something or other.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

My Welsh D costs me nothing virtually.

though her feet have only needed to have been done about 6 times in the 7 years I've had her [well, exclude nearly 3 years whilst away on loan....so about 4 years]. Farrier loves her feet!]

Our section D stallion was similar, his feet were incredible and took very little care really compared to the others, hardly ever needed his feet trimmed!

I think ponies are more often than not cheaper as they generally require less feed etc but its obviously not always the case going by other people's stories

 

[The_snoopster]

I thinks ponies are only really cheaper when it comes to food,tack, vet,farrier,livery and insurance (depending on purchase price of course) cost exactly the same.

 

[JFTDWS]

Depends on pony and horse really. My highland costs less than half in hay bills than the bit 17oddhher on his yard, and a tiny fraction of the short feed bills (as in £15 quid lasts months, while the horse probably eats that in short feed in a few days). Less straw as he's in a smaller stable. Because he's got good feed he also costs a lot less in shoeing (mine is unshod).

On the other hand, if I were to compare him to my cob horse, who eats similar amounts of hay, less hard feed and is unshod too, though he'd seem similar in costs

 

[SO1]

I think they tend to be good doers so eat less. I have also seen articles on the scury driving ponies and they have two kept in the same stable.

They will eat less if you at the RDA on the feed bags you will see the amounts are smaller for smaller ponies. The same for wormers and medicines.

I imagine if you are driving if you have a pony you need a smaller carriage and therefore don't need such a large lorry for transportation so saving fuel costs as well if competing.

However there is a big difference between a Riding Pony and a native pony, in the some way as there would be between a TB and say a shire.

The costs really go down if you can keep a horse or pony living out all or most of the year. However some full/part livery yards do charge less for ponies than they do for horses.

 

[CrazyMare]

My ponies cost more than my OH's TBs....

One is more accident prone

One is a poor doer, on a special diet

Ponies being cheaper is a generalisation.

I breed warmblood/TB/native cross ponies for eventing. I have lots of horse bloodlines in my ponies, and to all intents and purposes they are big horses in small bodies.

I have a colt who has had lots of interest for top level driving, as he is all the flashiness in a small package.