Spiralling costs....

[Ambers Echo]

So my spending is feeling a bit out of control at the moment! When I first evented at 70cm it was on a fell pony who never wore shoes, boots or rugs. She was in a snaffle bit for everything in a bridle with no cavesson because I took it off then I first bitted her and lost it and didn't seem to miss it! I competed unaffiliated and the basic approach did not seem to do us any harm! But then she was raised on a fell unhandled by man till over 2 so was super hardy and sure footed.

Spin on and now I have Amber. I tried to keep her unshod but she was slipping. So now she is in shoes with stud holes - £80 every 6 weeks. Then I needed a set of studs and all the associated kit - £70. Then I needed a stud girth - £40. Then I needed front and hind boots in case she caught herself with the studs - £120. Then my RI reckoned she needed a different bit as she was fussy in her mouth so recommended a low port bit - £60. I don't even dare add that all up.... and that is before I even enter anything or pay to get there. And that is in ONE MONTH. Ouch

I don't spend anything on matchy matchy. I don't have smart show rugs or anything like that. None of my tack matches as I buy second hand and am happy as long as it fits. But all these extras seem necessary on safety grounds.

Hopefully that will be it for a while, though I am now wondering about air jackets.....

Does anyone have any tips for keeping costs down? Or do I just need to face up to the fact that eventing is very, very, very expensive. Beans on toast for a month I think...

 

[sportsmansB]

I have zero tips, I'm probably worse. And its only for trying to do the right thing / make them as comfortable as possible / be safe
However I can make you feel slightly better by confirming that its not just you

 

[ihatework]

Face facts - it’s expensive. Sorry.
The plus side is that once you have the kit it is usually transferable between horses.
Just don’t buy a fecking giant one 🤷‍♀️🙈

 

[Bernster]

Agreed with the above. I don’t do BE so don’t have that cost but do have lots of kit. But the stuff you’ve bought isn’t what I’d see as unnecessary for what you’re doing and is going to last. So it’s just a peak in spending or at least you can persuade yourself that’s the case!

 

[Michen]

Yup. Boggle is on DIY livery with services and all in (including the running of my lorry averaged out over the year but with no repairs) but including lessons and roughly two events a month £1100 quid.

What is especially fun is working out what you need to earn, to pocket that £1100 quid a month post tax and that makes it even more horrifying

 

[Ambers Echo]

Michen I don't dare add it up! Glad it's not just me though.

 

[sportsmansB]

OMG I definitely wouldn't add it up, that scares me a lot!! They recently did a survey of horse owners in NI to try and find the value of the industry to the economy, and honestly I felt sick - it was annual amounts so that was even more horrifying. But I'm an accountant so I really should face up to it (and I know exactly how much I have to earn to get that amount after tax!)

 

[Polos]

When I first started out competing seriously I must have spent thousands on smart matching top branded tack, show saddle pads and ears, matching show rugs, quality boots etc. I’ve never added up what I bought and I don’t want too 😂 but it’s been 5 years since I bought anything new. All the equipment I spent money on still looks new and I can’t imagine me needing to replace any of it for years to come

I’ve just had to replace a set of veredus jumping boots as mine got appropriated and I scoured the internet for days and managed to pick up a second hand set in very good condition for only £40 as opposed to almost £200. Then I needed to buy an acavallo gel pad a couple of weeks ago and got a second hand one that was pristine for £50 as opposed to £100+ new. Whilst the initial costs where sky high I’ve not spent any money on tack or equipment in years so buying quality items has definitely been worth it in the long run. Anything I need at the minute I always look for second hand bargains too and again that keeps costs down

Hopefully now you’ve had the initial expense you shouldn’t have to buy any of those things for a while so again that’s less outgoings next month and so on

 

[Orchard14]

Guilty...just the membership prices are enough to make you wobble. If it makes you feel any better, I have four horses. Luckily they are all about the same size so share boots, rugs, numnahs etc.

 

[ester]

If it helps I'm not sure how much cheaper it is without one I now have a more expensive gym membership, a separate swimming membership (because the gym there is rubbish) and this week took delivery of a new bicycle....
I also have a lot of unused horse stuff!

 

[Wheels]

You're definitely not alone!

The training, the competitions, associated fuel costs, new bits of tack here and there (my 6 year old is on his 5th saddle in less than 2 years!), feed, supplements, etc etc etc!

But we love it so...

 

[tallyho!]

I’ve always thought eventing wasn’t invented for horses... it’s just that the warmblood became a “thing” and now we’ve got divas jumping round courses made for tough ponies. 😂

 

[tankgirl1]

I don't compete, but hay prices alone have gone up 4 fold for me personally over the last 5 years, so I'm not surprised everything else is getting more expensive too

 

[Chippers1]

I'm noticing all my costs increasing as I'm getting towards BE! The bridle I mentioned on the weekend plans thread I'm now seriously considering but I really don't need to spend that much on a bridle! Especially with an upcoming £400 lorry bill... I'm convinced buzz will go well in it though 😆

 

[SpringArising]

It's almost as if horses are expensive!

 

[Ambers Echo]

It's almost as if horses are expensive!

Haha. Yes but there is expensive and EXPENSIVE!!!

 

[JFTDWS]

Reasons I don't BE I like alternative horse sports... Tend to be fairly cheap and fewer opportunities to do stuff, so less opportunity to spend money! Though it does mean I end up with loads of random kit - horse balls, polocrosse racquets, horse bows...

 

[Ambers Echo]

horse bows...

I was thinking dressing up at first....

 

[milliepops]

Honestly it's the reason I gave up eventing
I lived in massive debt for years and then sold everything that wasn't nailed down to fund a CCI* (old money!) at which point I decided this was utterly ridiculous and I had to go cold turkey. I had a break from HHO at the time, didn't go to Badminton, just couldn't stand to read about other people out eventing nor watch it.

Taught myself to love dressage instead.

Bonkers as that sounds. I look round the lorry park at a big show green with envy at the £100k lorries and £50k horses but can absolutely say I get the same fulfillment out of it on my £2 horse and £5k box. I couldn't ever have afforded to buy even my old box if I was still eventing.

I had to add up the costs recently when deciding what to do about Salty, it's still eyewatering because my livery is expensive now and I spend a lot on training... but my shows only cost £25 so I feel much, much less awful about it!

 

[JFTDWS]

I was thinking dressing up at first....

Not so much my style

 

[tallyho!]

It's almost as if horses are expensive!

Is it the horses, or is it the owners? 🤔

 

[Orangehorse]

I have stopped competing and only hack my horse now and I have discovered just how little I need. I used to go off to various places always with a shopping list of "must gets" - try a new bit, must get a new numnah, need a thicker/thinner/waterproof rug, etc.etc. - and I hardly ever do that now.

Eventing always has been particularly expensive though. Years ago I knew a girl who worked full time but also was a regular competitior and she said once that she had to consider if she could afford a new bra …………………….. know the feeling.

 

[Lammy]

Eventing is ridiculously expensive for what you get out of it at the end too (shit prize money if any!). I now prefer to get my xc fix at a hunter trial and do a dresssge test the day before, makes everything a lot cheaper.

 

[Asha]

BE is without doubt the most expensive of the disciplines. I’ve been where you are now and it’s really not worth adding it all up ( for your own sanity !!) I’m going through a bit of a meh moment with it all , and have just withdrawn my mare from somerford and have no plans for her at the minute . Other than attempting to get on her myself ( I haven’t ridden her since she was 5 )

At least you have everything you need, for now !! 🤣🤪

 

[Goldenstar]

The cost of BE is the economics of madness , no doubt about we are all bonkers .

 

[Leo Walker]

I have a solution for you all. Take up carriage driving for 3 months and aim for driving trials. It will make BE seem almost free! People are driving round in carriages that cost more than my nearly new car, and thats just the start!

 

[JFTDWS]

I have a solution for you all. Take up carriage driving for 3 months and aim for driving trials. It will make BE seem almost free! People are driving round in carriages that cost more than my nearly new car, and thats just the start!

Carriage driver the other week (well, Rara's dad actually) to me: "do you use side on stabling trailers at TREC?".

I was baffled by the question, as until that point, I hadn't worked out that the trailer we were packing up was designed to be used as stabling at competitions. That's how alien the idea (and the money!) is to me

 

[Leo Walker]

Its a different world!

 

[ester]

lol I did realise you were baffled , it made a good gazebo too .

Come to Sandringham when the Attelage is on, they make the FEI carriage drivers look poor...

 

[Leo Walker]

do not get me started on Attelage!