Horsey money saving hints? (merged)

Katie-Kat-Kins

GemmaB78 wrote: »

I have 2 chestnut mares: can't beat 'em!

Minnismoor Mistique:


14.3 part-bred Arab and 13 years old. I've had her for 6 years now and adore the very bones of her. We 'do' endurance amongst other things and she's just brilliant. We've done up to 120km ER, but she's just been diagnosed with arthritis so will be slowing down, living a life of riley, and nannying my new horse,

Vlacq Majid:


who arrived today! She's a 7 year old, 14.3 pure-bred Arab. I'm hoping that she's my next endurance superstar but we'll see what she likes and take it from there.

I keep them both at grass livery which works really well for all of us. They live out all year and thrive on it.

Ugh Gemma, I can't see the photos, but I'm drooling just thinking about your mares. Chesnut arab mare, my teenage dream horse.......

trudij

Another vote for Batesons here - I had a Deauville, towed it with a Nissan Terrano, and it was fab.
One of the livery yards I looked at recently was £120 a month for assisted DIY - that was stable, hay and straw, evening haynet and field maintenance. Turn out/bring in was £1 each, and you could pay extra for other things. To have grass livery assisted (which was basically hay put out 5 days a week,fill water and check over once a day) is £70 a month.Free use of the school,but the hacking wasnt great,so I didnt go there. I went to a yard with good hacking, but the grass livery is £65 a month - free use of the school,free trailer parking and they will feed her if I want them to. Im leaving there tomorrow though - and going to a farm with better grazing, £20 a month less money, and 15 mins nearer home. No facillities, and there is lane work - but once you get off the lanes,the hacking is fabulous. Its all about compromise....

anyways - back to the question.... livery £45 a month. feed - about £25 a month (if that now shes going soemwhere with fantastic grass) everythign else, about £20-30 a month. She has got 2 Wugs - one mediumweight, and one heavyweight. Shoes are £65 a set. I dont ride as often as Id like to,but that is only till the weather and light comes back to normal.

WolfSong2000

hhhmmm....if you were more into dressage I'd suggest a shire. People seem to forget how rideable and versatile these horses are...I've ridden a few over the years, and the last, in particular, was fantastic at dressage. Jumping he was okay at, but only at a low level as he found it difficult as his hooves were so big, bless him. Still, they have wonderful temperaments, your OH could ride one comfortably, as could you I suspect.

If you're looking for a big horse that'll be better at jumping, look at a shire X, an ID or an IDXTB...I used to have one of the latter on loan and I swear to God that mare could have gone really far in the right hands. She loved to jump and was so amazing at it...complete cow to be around and rather "quirky", but she had a sensible head on her shoulders and was always there for you when it counted .

Katie-Kat-Kins

Wolfsong, the one we're lusting after at the moment is a pure ID, (though a lightweight one, I thought it was probably a cross) would definitely consider a IDx. DH would be very happy with a real heavy like a shire, as he loves his dressage, is tall and wants something sensible. I'd like to do a bit more with my jumping though, not sure in what direction yet, so would like something with decent alround potential. The maxi cob that I won the novice WH on is suspected to be half clydesdale and an absolute gem, if I had no desire to jump anything more than 2'6" he'd be perfect, he does wonderful lateral work. He loves jumping but doesn't have much spring unfortunately. The judges love him too but he's over height for cob classes

Sadly think this lovely ID will be too expensive, I'm planning to get a bit more info and see if I can find out whether the owner would be open to an offer, if not though there is probably no point in persuing it, and I will just have to look elsewhere.

lostinrates

KatP, I just want to say how brilliant it is to see someone REALLY costing it out and thinking a head

Buying a horse to suit one person is hard enough for you and OH to share more interesting still

BTW: I have sailed over five bar gates and terrifying hedges on a shire x....:)

Katie-Kat-Kins

LiR It is something that I've wanted for a long time, and to be honest I think the longer you wait the more worried and paranoid you get about the whole blooming thing!

We've both been getting so disillusioned with riding school life for a long time, and we really want to take our riding on to the next level. We've shared before and are only too familiar with the pitfalls of that so we're reluctant to share again, it would also be difficult for us to both ride that way (finding a sharer to suit us both or having different shares).

We really want to do it but it is such a responsibility and such a big comitment!

If this horse that we have come across doesn't work out, and I think that he will be too expensive and I am trying hard not to be tempted to spend too much for a flashy looker then I think we'll ask our instructor to keep an ear to the ground and take things slow. We can save up in the meantime and acquire some bits of kit (although where we'd store things is another matter all together!)

Nicoll

I've had my 16.2 ID x TB for 18 years and livery costs and conditions vary so much, I've been at really expensive ones that give you nothing and lovely cheap ones too.. I've moved around a lot!

Hay and straw prices are a major cost that can change depending on the weather during harvesting and how much is available. This year 3 of us got together and bought a load of hay in bulk straight off the field, luckily we have lots of storage space, so got it for £1.25 a bale and that should last until next spring when they will live out again. One year I was paying £4.25 a bale and as I use about 3 bales a week that really upped my bills.

Luckily my horse is generally a very good doer so only has Bailey economy nuts or mix at about £7 a bag and chaff at about £4/5 a bag and this lasts her about a month.

My livery is £100 a month and is a really lovely private yard with only 3 of us there and we have an outdoor school and lots of good hacking available. We all help each other out so livery is DIY otherwise I would need part livery which would be more expensive, but with work commitments I need someone to help me as can't get to yard twice a day, once is ok but I work shifts.

Shoeing is between £45 and £60 depending on whether horse can have removes or not.

Rugs, I have loads, 3 outdoor, rain sheet, medium and ears to tail mega thick one for when it's proper freezing plus a variety of stable rugs to mix and match according to coldness.

There is always something to pay out each month either worming or dentist or vet, flu and tetanus jabs, new rugs that get ripped, new tack items that are worn out or damaged. New fencing when your horse decides to break it! The list is endless.

If I sat and added it up I would say no way could I afford a horse but some how I manage it and I would sell my house before I sold my horse.

Katie-Kat-Kins

Thanks for all the advice folks, we have had another word about this horse and are planning to arrange to go and see him.

So any advice on what to ask/look out for when we view him? We will be taking our instructor for back up but I want to be prepared.

Also any advice on necessary start up kit? He comes with his tack (not sure about rugs) we already have our riding gear and between us a fairly comprehensive grooming kit but not much else. Would want to get things cheaply at first as there will be so much expense, although I appreciate somethings it will be better to buy good quality. So advice???

lostinrates

KatP wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice folks, we have had another word about this horse and are planning to arrange to go and see him.

So any advice on what to ask/look out for when we view him? We will be taking our instructor for back up but I want to be prepared.

Also any advice on necessary start up kit? He comes with his tack (not sure about rugs) we already have our riding gear and between us a fairly comprehensive grooming kit but not much else. Would want to get things cheaply at first as there will be so much expense, although I appreciate somethings it will be better to buy good quality. So advice???

Just because the tack comes with him, don't assume it fits! There are very few horses wearing saddles that actually fit The saddle should also fit you and your OH: people forget if the saddle doesn't fit them the natural, sub conscious adaptations a body makes changes the way the weight is bourne by the saddle for the horse.

As long as the horse/you have the very basics you can buy things slowly over time, and Christmas is coming. We got by years ago with a lot less stuff than people have now.

I like to have two very light rugs, eg summer sheets,coolers, to go under winter rugs, so I can keep the inside of rugs clean t all times: summer sheets/collers/fleeces fit in washing machines.

Katie-Kat-Kins

Thanks for that LiR.

I'm aware about the saddle and whether it fits, if it isn't great then I'll see whether they will reduce the price for no saddle, but I know who the previous owner has been having lessons with so I'm sure it will fit the horse. Whether it will fit me and DH is another matter, but if it is *ok* we'll probably have it and part ex it in due course.