The cost of owning a horse

Owning a horse is a dream of almost every child. Some of us lose that dream as we grow up and cultivate other interests. However, there are die-hard horse fans who won’t be satisfied until they have a horse of their own, and whose dreams only grow larger as time goes by.

You may be a parent of a young horse lover and are considering making his or her dream come true. Or perhaps you are the one whose life-long horse goal is about to be realized. Whatever the situation, if horse ownership is in your future there are things to be taken into consideration before you become the cowboy or cowgirl you were born to be. One major area which is often under-estimated is the cost of owning a horse. Horses come with their own set of expensive necessities.

Room and Board
Where will your horse live? Do you have ample land of your own for a sufficient grazing area and barn? Pasture land must be sown with optimum grazing grasses, suitable for your climate. In colder climates you will need to feed your horse hay along with his regular daily feeding regimen during the winter months. Hay prices tend to fluctuate according to the hay production in any given year. It can be quite expensive in years of drought or flooding, for example. You will also need to construct and maintain adequate and safe fencing in which to contain your horse.

If you have to house your horse at a boarding facility, there will be boarding fees. These fees will range in price according to the level of care or special services the horse receives. You will find that the area in which you live and board your horse will also come into play in determining boarding rates.

Basic Equipment
You will need certain items of horse paraphernalia. Saddles, blankets, and reins are basics necessities for horseback riding. Many times these can be purchased somewhat less expensively secondhand, perhaps at an online auction site. You will need feed and water buckets, brushes and currycombs, to name a few essentials. For climates where the water freezes in winter, a heated water bucket will be a life saver for you and your horse.

You will find that a horse trailer, while certainly not a necessity, will pay for itself over time. Veterinarian fees are less if you take the horse to their office when possible, as opposed to the doctor coming out to your place to see your horse.

Medical
Horses, just like other domesticated animals require regular checkups and inoculations in order to stay healthy. They catch equine diseases. At times they will have dental issues and require the services of a horse dentist. Horses develop joint and bone disorders and often require the attention of an equine chiropractor. Many horses have intestinal or gastric issues and must be administered daily medications. Just as with humans, medical attention for horses can be extraordinarily expensive.

Although the expenses incurred through horse ownership are many and large, true horse lovers will tell you that it is money well spent. They will attest to the fact that nothing can replace the sight and smell of your faithful four-legged friend at the end of a long, hard day.