What do you spend in time and money on your horses?

[Bedford Joy]

I am possibly moving from a livery yard to a private yard and I would like to know how much time and money it costs you to look after you own horses mainly in winter?

Particularly if there are working people on here with a young family as that is my situation.

How much time does it take you each day and what sort of costs are we talking for hay/bedding/feed per horse?

I love being on livery but have always wanted a yard of my own but I need to be realistic as to whether I have the time and money to go it alone.

Thank you in advance x

 

[Highlands]

Hay £4 a bale, bedding was £300 for two all winter. Feed was £600 for 5 but mine are natives. Fencing is mega money but an investment, stables and shelters around £2500 for two 12 by 12 boxes. Its expensive outlay but once done apart fro. The odd rail or odd bit it's ok. Land management takes a lot, spraying, topping etc. My advice is only look into it if you have time. Getting hay in, access in winter etc. Lights, water electric?

You could share a yard and costs?

 

[Bedford Joy]

Okay well the yard is already there, 4 stables, fencing, water troughs, extra grazing if needed. Water, electric etc already there. Farmer grows hay and straw on the farm where the stables are so its just the time issue mainly x

 

[Bedford Joy]

Farmer will maintain paddocks etc

 

[Mongoose11]

How many horses do you have and how much time? I don't like everything to be a rush and if I were going to be in your position then I would want to be able to allow myself at least two hours a day (however it is split) to be able to make successful DIY a joy. I look back on being a true DIY with such fondess but now I have been promoted and my work hours increased by 3.5 a day, I just can't do it anymore!

 

[Bedford Joy]

I work from home and I have 2 horses

 

[Cheshire Chestnut]

Assisted DIY livery is £173 per month at my new yard inc bedding, hay, basic feed and turn outs/bring ins.

The rest of the money I spend on all the extras (shoeing, tack, rugs, dentist, insurance, lotions & potions, vets, injections, lessons, days out, shows, fun rides, transport etc) I never add up because I daren't!

ETA: Just re-read your post and my answer is non-relevant. Sorry Opppsss

 

[HaffiesRock]

I have 2 ponies that live out. It takes me about 20 minutes in the morning in winter (check over, break ice off water, hay and feed) in the evening it takes about an hour as I like to get rugs off and have a proper check, hoof pick, feed, hay, top up water and poo pick (my equivalent of mucking out). Then if you add on exercising you are talking another hour. So I would say at an absolute minimum, I need approximately 2 hours a day, but it is usually more as there is always a bit of fencing that needs fixing, the hose pipe freezes, a cut to clean etc...

 

[HaffiesRock]

Forgot to add, I get through a small bale of hay a day in the winter at a cost ranging from £2.50 - £3.50 a bale depending on if its this years or last years hay. Feed bill is about £50 a month so approximately £150 a month to feed two ponies. They live out so no bedding costs, but straw is £1.50 a bale here.

 

[xgemmax]

Takes me 20 mins to turn out in the morning - field is a little walk away, and I leave turn out rugs on over night to save time changing rugs

Probably there from about 45 mins - 2 1/2 hours in the evenings, depending on whether I ride or not.

Pay £173 Livery for DIY, shavings is £8.70 a bale and use 1 a week, hay is 3.50 a small bale and he has 2 wedges at night at the moment or 3 in the winter. Dont spend a lot on feed, bag of chaff and speedibeet lasts ages as he doesn't get a lot!

 

[redfoxhunter]

Will they be living in during the Winter?

Mucking out/hay nets etc would take me about 40 mins a day for two (can save time on hay nets by filling them all up at the weekend).
Turning out/bringing in should only be 5 mins I guess - unless you have a long way to walk?!
Plus 15 mins each horse for rug change/pick feet out/quick brush over (in the evening).

I work full time and have a young daughter, I used to get up super early and get my jobs done before work (and riding if light enough) then I only had to bring in and rug change in the evening. Its very doable, if you have a support network for bits and pieces of babysitting?

 

[9tails]

I'm fully DIY at a livery yard. I buy in hay, my horse is bedded on wood pellets and she has a breakfast and dinner every evening. She lives out 24/7 from May to November. Winter regime could take me 40 minutes a day, turn out/muck out/hay and water in takes me 25 minutes in the morning and evening is bring in/change rug/give dinner. But I wouldn't enjoy it so usually spend at least an hour there every evening. Of course there's hard feed, hay at £4 a bale, bedding £250 per pallet, shoes, insurance, annual vet and dentist visits on top. Ad hoc are saddler and physio.