Princess16
Well-Known Member
Wow 11 horses I admire how you cope!
How often do you review how much your horse costs?
- Thread starter DD265
- Start date
Wow 11 horses I admire how you cope!
Crugeran Celt
Well-Known Member
Mine are relatively cheap to keep as they are all good doers and I have my own land. They have hay over winter, feet trimmed every eight weeks and wormed regularly. I have five but three are minis. They bring me a lot of happiness so are worth every penny.
Copperpot
Well-Known Member
No ignorance is bliss!
GemG
Well-Known Member
Like some others... Never!
Think of all those holidays, nice clean new clothes, beauticians, hair done....
..nah wouldn't change a thing, prefer having the horses!
Think of all those holidays, nice clean new clothes, beauticians, hair done....
..nah wouldn't change a thing, prefer having the horses!
tabithakat64
Well-Known Member
My two (cob & retired pony in mid 20's) have cost me £1440, that's DIY with job service, all hay, feed, bedding (wood pellets) wormer and farrier costs for the last 5 months.
Which I don't think is too bad really considering that covers most of the winter, nearly all my busy time at work and holiday cover also.
The only thing they've had in addition to that is one rug for the pony which was £45.
It doesn't include insurance though or the money put by for routine vet/teeth/back/tack though. Which works out at roughly £510. The routine checks usually get done in the spring, summer, autumn, when I'm almost spending nothing on hay & feed which balances it out.
Which I don't think is too bad really considering that covers most of the winter, nearly all my busy time at work and holiday cover also.
The only thing they've had in addition to that is one rug for the pony which was £45.
It doesn't include insurance though or the money put by for routine vet/teeth/back/tack though. Which works out at roughly £510. The routine checks usually get done in the spring, summer, autumn, when I'm almost spending nothing on hay & feed which balances it out.
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B&J
Well-Known Member
My husband cornered me last night about it funnily enough when he came up yard to find both neds wearing new matching rugs and a newly delivered girth (fatal error on my part for not putting old ripped ones on before he got there!). I started adding it up - I stopped counting at £1200 a month (2 x diy) and decided to never ever ever ever again even attempt to add it up. That was excluding the £1500 of new tack and vet bill this month.... just smiled sweetly at husband, went for the diversion tactic and offered to buy him some new fishing reels....
skint1
Well-Known Member
ljohnsonsj
Well-Known Member
Never, they get what they need and extras,and look amazing for it 
they are my whole life, I would never add it all up. 1) It would scare me 2) Because I am happy with everything the way it is
they are my whole life, I would never add it all up. 1) It would scare me 2) Because I am happy with everything the way it is chocolategirl
Well-Known Member
This!!^^^^
D66
Well-Known Member
When the subject comes up I mention joining a gym if I don't have horses ........and OH could come as well. We keep the horses at home so if they are not eating the grass some-one would have to mow it. Of course we could sell up, live in a smaller house and have a holiday home - but that's just two lots of housework. I'd rather keep mucking out.
I don't think we are extravagant, I certainly don't have an expensive rug habit (though I do like to have two heavyweights each in case they get soaked).
I'd rather keep mucking out. I don't think we are extravagant, I certainly don't have an expensive rug habit (though I do like to have two heavyweights each in case they get soaked).
Greylegs
Well-Known Member
I think about it now and then, then turn over and go back to sleep!!! I run mine on as tight a budget as possible, but if he needs (and I mean REALLY needs) something, then he gets it.
xgemmax
Well-Known Member
I added up what I spend in a year once.. Never again! Far too much but they get what they need and I don't skimp on hay/feed. I have them on wood pellets as they are cheaper but a lot quicker to muck out so that's a win win!
Shoei
Well-Known Member
I do this constantly... I don't know why but it makes me feel better
I did when I first started having a horse, but got a bit scared after that. Had horses now over 30 years so probably could have bought a flat in London by now. I have cut down on unnecessary things like supplements as I don't find they have worked, and don't buy extra rugs that will sit in a cupboard. They have vets bills paid,feet, any food and bedding necessary for their wellbeing.
muckypony
Well-Known Member
No, I think I would have a heart attack!
I have a rough idea of what gets spent, that's enough.
I am on DIY, they get whatever they need (farrier, vet, rugs etc) but I don't have anything 'flash'. My clothes are about 10 years old, mostly ripped! But their rugs are, of course, immaculate!
I won't change anything I have because of financial reasons, I'm probably using the cheapest good stuff I could get anyway!
I have a rough idea of what gets spent, that's enough.
I am on DIY, they get whatever they need (farrier, vet, rugs etc) but I don't have anything 'flash'. My clothes are about 10 years old, mostly ripped! But their rugs are, of course, immaculate!
I won't change anything I have because of financial reasons, I'm probably using the cheapest good stuff I could get anyway!
fabscd
Well-Known Member
I don't earn enough to not need to know! (or maybe i have too many horses to not need to know!) After a few months in my overdraft, i decided i needed to know where the money was going. I should be able to live within my means, but had a few big bills that meant i needed to tighten things up a bit for a while. I would also be a lot better off financially without the horses...i'd also be rather miserable so i guess i'll just have to live with a tight belt!
Dizzle
Well-Known Member
Yes.
I got rid of my TB and bought a New Forest pony who I can now afford to have on full livery for the same money I was spending having a TB on DIY! She is superb, pulled her shoes of 12 months ago when I got pregnant and so far don't see the need to have them put back on, as she is currently stabled over night I haven't rugged her at all this winter, no hard feed, no supplements, my only luxury (apart from full livery!) is paying the yard to exercise her twice a week!
IF we were in a situation that I had to curtail my pony spending I know that I could easily have her in a field with no facilities for peanuts.
As she is 13.2hh she will also double as my son's lead rein pony when he starts riding basically two for the price of one.
I got rid of my TB and bought a New Forest pony who I can now afford to have on full livery for the same money I was spending having a TB on DIY! She is superb, pulled her shoes of 12 months ago when I got pregnant and so far don't see the need to have them put back on, as she is currently stabled over night I haven't rugged her at all this winter, no hard feed, no supplements, my only luxury (apart from full livery!) is paying the yard to exercise her twice a week!
IF we were in a situation that I had to curtail my pony spending I know that I could easily have her in a field with no facilities for peanuts.
As she is 13.2hh she will also double as my son's lead rein pony when he starts riding
basically two for the price of one.
Thriller
Well-Known Member
Noooo. Never. I would never lol
peanut
Well-Known Member
I know how much I need to allow each month for my horse, but I don't add up exactly how much I've spent.
supsup
Well-Known Member
I think about it every three months or so. I have this app on my phone that allows you to set budgets and keeps track of your expenses. Since I can afford my current horsey lifestyle, I pretty much set the budget to whatever I think I'll spend, but it's still interesting to realize when you spend money on the horse (as you'll have to tag the expense as horse-related when you enter it), and what things are costing you the most.
Turns out my horsey upkeep is actually quite low (DIY grass livery, good doer, shod only in summer), but what I really spend much more money on than I thought is weekly lessons and horsey weekends away in the summer (clinics, competitions, fun rides etc., including diesel cost). I could easily slash my horse expenses in half (or less) by simply not going anywhere and stopping my lessons. But what would be the fun in that?
Turns out my horsey upkeep is actually quite low (DIY grass livery, good doer, shod only in summer), but what I really spend much more money on than I thought is weekly lessons and horsey weekends away in the summer (clinics, competitions, fun rides etc., including diesel cost). I could easily slash my horse expenses in half (or less) by simply not going anywhere and stopping my lessons. But what would be the fun in that?
alsxx
Well-Known Member
I keep a spreadsheet of all my outgoings, I plan everything at the beginning of the month so I know what I'm left with. It's sectioned out, so a section for the house, car/transport, horse, credit cards, other shopping etc. It's useful as it gives me a breakdown each month on what I have spent on what, and also totals up annually as well.
For my horse section, I have a line for each of their insurance policies, vet costs, hard feed/bedding costs, rent costs, forage, and other costs. It's actually really useful as I know how much I spend each month and each year on the 'basics' of keeping them, but also the luxuries: lessons, buying things - and can see where I can easily make savings. I find it really useful as I know how much I spend annually, but I also know how much I can shave off if I need to.
For my horse section, I have a line for each of their insurance policies, vet costs, hard feed/bedding costs, rent costs, forage, and other costs. It's actually really useful as I know how much I spend each month and each year on the 'basics' of keeping them, but also the luxuries: lessons, buying things - and can see where I can easily make savings. I find it really useful as I know how much I spend annually, but I also know how much I can shave off if I need to.
Meems
Well-Known Member
My head is firmly buried in the sand when it comes to how much my horse costs me each month. She is on grass livery and I took her back shoes off last year, so I try and save money where I can. Also she's a good doer which helps with feed/hay bills.
Tobiano
Well-Known Member
I am an accountant.
I never add up what my horses cost!!
I never add up what my horses cost!!
dixie
Well-Known Member
Same here. It's about the only thing I don't keep a tight control of! No spreadsheets for me.
spotty_pony
...
I try not to but I think I am going to start having to. He's cost me a fortune this winter, even though we are on the cheapest livery we have ever been on. I have spent a lot of money on hunting and also competing my other horse. It should be a bit cheaper over the summer again with them living out 24/7 again and not having to buy so much feed but I will be paying more competition and transport fees for my other horse instead of Hunt caps. I'm not too bothered though as my horses are looked after like royalty and never want for anything, even if it does leave me a bit short of money - at least they are happy!