Horsey money saving hints? (merged)

lostinrates

bouncyd!!! wrote: »

With the benefit of hindsight, I would contact my local riding club to ask if they knew of anyone who might be interested. Does your riding club have a website - you could post on there. I would also ask at the local pony club as I expect some of the PC members will have friends who don't own a pony. You could also look up BSJA coaches for your area via BSJA website and explain what you are looking for - again they may know of someone's younger brother or sister.

What about asking other horsey friends in case some of them know somebody - years ago when I first started riding I had a part loan via my local riding stables as the owner was taking her GCSE's and just wanted somebody to ride three days a week. I paid for a set of shoes which helped them out with cost and that was the price they set.

NB - before anyone says "she used to ride but didn't have experience to have a pony for her daughter", I only rode for a couple of years before she was born and felt I didn't know enough - know loads more now though from being DD's groom!

That's great thanks. No friends to ask as while all this is going on I'm moving to a new area :o PC/RC seems the consensus.

nicjohnson

Hi All,


I'm about to move home - uppping my mortgage considerably...so am looking for areas in my life where I can cut back. I've attacked the car insurance, home insurance, gas and elec, food shopping bill and am now looking at the costs associated with keeping my two horses (yes yes I know it'd just be cheaper to get rid - but theyre family )

Theyre on livery at £35pw (£30 in summer) each to include hay and straw, so I think I'm doing reasonably well there.

What I'd really like is your money saving tips in other areas like hard feed, tack, stable equipment, rugs, first aid, horse insurance etc etc.....

Any / all ideas appreciated :money:

penguin83

Hi nic, there is a thread knocking about somewhere with some tips on, I'll find a linky for it. I am the worst person to speak too about cutting back where horses are concerned, I have a weakness for rugs! xxx

Here it is xx

nicjohnson

penguin83 wrote: »

Hi nic, there is a thread knocking about somewhere with some tips on, I'll find a linky for it. I am the worst person to speak too about cutting back where horses are concerned, I have a weakness for rugs! xxx

Hey Pengiuin - Thats brill - thanks!! I'll have a good read thru!

Know what you mean about the rugs - last year I got a real bargain from a company called Protuff - newbie so cant post link but they are google-able. bought 2 heavyweight full necks and 2 standard necks for about £125 all in. .... hoping theyre as cheap this time around! They are fab - my big lad hasnt even managed to kill his yet :rotfl: xx

lostinrates

bump for someone who was seeking the thread.

lostinrates

Hi, I bumped the other thread for you.

opps, it must have taken me ages to find that link while penguin 83 linked it, lol.

nicjohnson

lostinrates wrote: »

Hi, I bumped the other thread for you.

opps, it must have taken me ages to find that link while penguin 83 linked it, lol.

Hey thanks - have been having a good read thru...its great to see that there are so many other horsey MSE'ers!

vette_2

Hi Nic,
Don't know what you're feeding your babies at the minute, but we've recently changed ours onto Simple Systems feeds (http://www.simplesystem.co.uk/index.asp) and they're doing SO much better at significantly less cost! :-).
As an example, our little brood mare has gone from:
2 scoops of stud mix,
3 scoops of chaff,
2 scoops of speedi-beet,
2 scoops of fibrecubes,
50ml of soya oil &
1/2 a scoop of weight-gain since we got her in March,
to:
600 grams of Lucie-nuts
100 grams of Red Bag Grass Pellets &
75 grams of Total Eclipse
in the last 3 weeks, and is now gaining more weight, looking in WAY better condition, behaving calmer, and generally seeming MUCH happier than the previous 3 months that we had her!
WELL chuffed with the feed!
Oooh, also, we use a QUALIFIED Barefoot Trimmer (aka "Equine Podiatrist") called Abi Hogg who is AWESOME and this saves us money, too.
Be well,
Y'Vette :-)

vette_2

ditzymuppet wrote: »

- Make up your own fly spray out of Citronella oil/meths/watered down..bugs hate it..

Be careful with citronella oil IF YOU SHOW, it's banned on most showgrounds! :-/ (according to BHS)

Be well,

Y'Vette

DansMum_2

Have heard good things about simple systems... I feed Danny on Hi-Fi Lite as he's a really good doer it costs £9.50 for 20kg which lasts me 6-8 weeks and a GP supplement as his feet are carp. He's out 24/7 too (without a rug) on DIY livery which is £90 p/m Am going to put him on straw over the winter as we have a supply at the yard.

Giff is on kwik beet (laminitis prone!) mollasses, vegetable oil, veteran supplement, 16 + nuts and veteran chaff. Also out 24/7, but will to come in from end Oct - March. Have to feed him haylage as his teeth are getting worn as he's so old. The biggest expense if the bute he's on £70 for 6 weeks worth (2 sachets a day) no real alternative to that as I want to be sure he's getting the proper pain relief.

Am so glad I'm at a yard where we can do pretty much what we like when we like and its only 1/2 mile from home! The last yard I was at had no 24/7 turnout, no hacking and a clique

I will go on beans on toast rather than see my babies go short!:rotfl: