Getting a Horse and looking after it

man_of_faith

Hi my 15 year old daughter looking to get a horse.

Could any one tell me the costs involved and how much food care and insurances would cost also how much would it cost for winter care use of a stable etc.

Just not anything I know about.
Want to do it properly and any info greatfully recieved.

Thanks

Mara69

Open your wallet, look inside, and say goodbye to the contents......:)

This thread has lots of good advice and should give you an idea of the costs in money and in time. Both you and your daughter need to be fully aware of the responsibilities of horse ownership.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

I dont mean to sound harsh - does your daughter know anything about horses? (I've seen a lot of people buy a horse because they liked the idea of riding but then fail to realise just how much is involved in their upkeep etc)

I think this would be the best place for you to look - http://www.horsetrust.org.uk/pdfs/beforeyoubuy/affordahorse.pdf

If your DD is serious about owning a horse has she tried helping out at a livery on a daily basis to see just how much is involved?

Costs wise - Everything is dependant upon where you stable the horse (Livery, bedding, food etc can be included in the price) and the insurance will vary (It's like car insurance! You can have different coverage etc)

On the Horse trust it lists average costs as this:

Stable Equipment £200
Field Shelter (erection) £500
Stable Erection £2,000
Pre-purchase Vetting (per horse) £200
First aid/ grooming equipment £50
Riding clothes and equipment £250
Leather Saddle £600
Brand new English leather bridle with bit £100
Outdoor Rugs (per rug) £100
Indoor Rugs (per rug) £70

Annual Livery Costs
Full Livery (Per Annum) £5,200
Part Livery (Per Annum) £3,640
Working Livery (Per Annum) £2,600
Grass Livery (Per Annum) £1,560

Essential Annual Requirements
Shoeing (every 6 weeks) £645
Specialist shoeing (every 4 weeks) £1,950
Trimming (every 6 weeks) £215
Tetanus & Equine Influenza Vaccination
excluding vet call out fee £120
Worming Products (1 Syringe every 8 weeks) £78
Shavings (using 2 bales per week £728
Straw (small bales) (using 2 bales per week) £364
Hay (small bales) (using 4 bales a week) £936
Haylage (small bales) (using 3 bales a week) £936
Bag of horse/ pony cubes (using 1 bag every 3 weeks) £122
Bag of chaff (using 1 bag every 2 weeks for) £182

Additional Costs

Euthanasia & Carcass Disposal £500

(These costs are probably out of date slightly - It's been 5 years since I last owned a horse so I'm not 100% how much they have inflated)

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Mara69 wrote: »

Open your wallet, look inside, and say goodbye to the contents......

This thread has lots of good advice and should give you an idea of the not only the costs in money but in time. Both you and your daughter need to be fully aware of the responsibilities of horse ownership.

I love the highlighted bit LOL x

man_of_faith

Thanks that is really helpful.

I am hoping she will make friends as she is a solitary girl.

Any thing that makes it happen is vert usful.

Thanks.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Man of faith - I'm sorry to be "nosey" but I noticed your signature there are a lot of figures - are these outstanding debts? If they are then I would personally tell your DD to help out at a livery in exchange for rides (She will get best of both worlds and will still make friends) - Add a horse onto 35k worth of debt you already have and its a sinking ship im afraid x

rising_from_the_ashes

How much experience does she have with horses?

I was brought up with them so it was a natural progression to having my own but there is a lot of hard work involved - the costs escalate hugely if you don't have your own land/stables and have to pay livery charges.

Many people advertise for people to help out with their horses in return for rides etc and this may be the way forward as she'd get the experience of caring for one wihtout the huge financial commitment - not to say the problems that could arise should she decide it's not for her.

Are there any local stables around she could help out with to get some experience? They take a lot of looking after and tbh you need to know the basics before getting your own if there's no support around (ie other owners/stables etc) as it's easy to do the wrong thing however uintentional it may be.

man_of_faith

Yes I know it is a lot but am gradually getting it down.

Daughter has had a few problems so will try anything to help her.

ItchyFeet

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel wrote: »

Man of faith - I'm sorry to be "nosey" but I noticed your signature there are a lot of figures - are these outstanding debts? If they are then I would personally tell your DD to help out at a livery in exchange for rides (She will get best of both worlds and will still make friends) - Add a horse onto 35k worth of debt you already have and its a sinking ship im afraid x

I agree completely with this!! I think the suggestions to help out at a yard is a much better solution.

walwin

man_of_faith wrote: »

Yes I know it is a lot but am gradually getting it down.

Daughter has had a few problems so will try anything to help her.

Please re-think this. Take the advice of others on here who have suggested helping out at stables in exchange for rides. It will also be a good way for her to learn what is involved with keeping a horse.

It is a huge and extremely expensive commitment to take on a horse and to be perfectly honest, unless she's got decent knowledge of horses and the care of them it will be very unfair to the horse if she doesn't know what she's doing.

elliesmemory1

man_of_faith wrote: »

Yes I know it is a lot but am gradually getting it down.

Daughter has had a few problems so will try anything to help her.

Having a horse or pony is a huge comitment both in terms of time and money.

I know you say you want to help your daughter but getting a horse and finding you cant afford its upkeep wont help her.

I know you say you are paying off your debts but having a horse will not help that.

You will be lookiing at aprox £25min a week for basic livery.
Farrier every 6 weeks around £80 a time for shoes
Hay at the moment is around £5 a bale you will get through a few bales a week in winter.
Plus insurance, tack, vet bills which for routiine things like boosters and teeth etc insurance does not cover. hard feed, riding equipment for your daughter, travel to yard, bedding if horse stabled, rugs etc etc.
Time, most horses will need two vists a day to feed, check, poo pick fields, muck out stables etc etc thats before you think of riding. Often in wind, rain snow etc
Think very seriously about this its a massive thing to take on.
Maybe think of riding lessons or even a share horse.
You will also need a fair amount of knowledge before you should take on a horse, they are not the most straightforward animal to look after and if you dont know enough about them disaster may happen.