Horsey money saving hints? (merged)

Nicoll

Have you tried No-Bute? My girly was on half a bute a day for arthritis, more when ground was hard and weather really cold but I've had her on No-Bute for nearly a year. It cost about £15 for a bottle which lasts her about 6 weeks, it's not just the cost of bute for me althought that is a consideration especially as our vets insist on coming out to see her once a year to check she still needs bute but mainly I was worried about the side effects of long term bute use with the stomach problems and ulcers it can cause.

Might not work for yours if on 2 bute a day but you might think it's worth a try then maybe you could reduce the bute down to perhaps 1 a day? I put mine on the No-bute for 2 weeks to give it time to really kick in before trying her off the bute.

My girl is 21 years old.

ScattySkewbald

I feed my boys on CWG's own brand Alfalfa Lite - it works out at £6.75 per bag. I have heard all their own brand feed is made by Dodson and Horrell but not sure how true that is.

My lad has arthritis and is on various supplements to help manage it. As he is a big lad he's on maximum dose so it does work out expensive, however I found feedmark have stands at loads of shows such as HOYS, Olympia, Your Horse Live, Burghley etc. At the events their supplements are all half price so I stock up. May cost me a small fortune at the time but saves loads in the long run, for example a 30kg sack of general purpose vit and min supplement which would last the average horse a year works out at about £37.

I order all my wormers on line and try to coordinate with others on the yard to all order together - works out loads cheaper if you order in bulk.

A local laundrette will wash and reproof turnout rugs at a fraction of the price of what it costs to send them through tack shops.

and ebay ebay ebay!!!

ma1brw

OMG my mare costs me so so much money...but I love love love her.

I've never been able to totally master the art of money saving when horses are involved!

I guess the closest I got was getting Supermarket Own Brand baked beans instead of Heinz!!

xoxox

Sammyantha

Buy feed and hay in bulk and off ebay where possible - I have gotten a pallet of 100 shavings before now for less than £200 via ebay

Buy tack on ebay (then have it checked and re-fitted if necessary - still saving)

Buy all your grooming kit, tools, and riding gear off ebay.

Police auctions

Car boots

Poo counts instead of wormers - better for them instead of pumping chemicals into them all the time, and much cheaper as you only worm when absolutely necessary.

If you do buy wormers, buy online as far cheaper. Think the one i used to use was something like equine australia. They sell wormers which are unlicensed in the UK so much cheaper (perfectly safe, just that UK government has not gotten round to testing to their own standards).

Mentioned before, but baby oil works a treat for everything from detangling manes to shining hooves.

Go barefoot if your horse's hooves are strong enough, or just have front hooves shod. Shop around farriers and haggle/ offer cash instead of cheque.

Keep out 24/7 - this is the main saver, and usually the best option for all hroses anyway.

Use old quilts with a surcingle as stable rugs, and a lightweight or rain rug with fleece under as outdoor - layering is key as with humans.

Deep litter if your horse is stabled and isn't too messy - saves money in the long run as you can just take out the poo and leave the rest for longer.

Rubber mats - initial outlay is expensive but they save soooo much over time it's unreal.

Shop around feed/ hay providers and make friends with local producers. You can often get much cheaper direct from the producer, especially if you buy in bulk during the summer instead of just coming up to winter.

Collect old bits of leather tack/ rugs etc and use them to replace/ repair any breakages in your equipment.

Saddlers often sell second hand tack, and have regular sales.

Home made flyspray is a god send!!! Coupled with garlic in the feed, I haven't had a fly problem for years.

If you feed supplements - buy the ingedients individually and make up yourself as lasts longer and works out much cheaper.

And you probably already know, but avoid anything with the word "horse" or "equestrian" in the title, as invariably it's about 3 times dearer than anything else
:T:j

UnluckyT

Hi, i was wondering what people did for riding kit to save money.
Ie shopping around for the best deals for boots or wearing sturdy reasonable price walking boots and chaps.
im still looking into getting back into riding (used to ride 10 years ago and no longer have any riding bits) and could do with advice on saving money on re buying kit and so on.

moggymutt

If in or ever visiting rural towns, visit the charity shops- we sometimes get riding gear in. If you are near Swansea, Lluest Horse and Pony Trust have started doing tack and equipment sales a few times a year- check out the blog on their website for details of their next one, which is on about 7th April.

UnluckyT

cheers will do.
i like having a nosy in charity shops when i can and was fortunate to get a riding jacket that fits, mens though not that im bothered but a bargain at just under £15.
seen long boots in charity shop nearby, almost brand new and reasonable, but where im on the big side at the moment i couldnt get them on.
will try your advice, thanks.

lostinrates

UnluckyT wrote: »

cheers will do.
i like having a nosy in charity shops when i can and was fortunate to get a riding jacket that fits, mens though not that im bothered but a bargain at just under £15.
seen long boots in charity shop nearby, almost brand new and reasonable, but where im on the big side at the moment i couldnt get them on.
will try your advice, thanks.

If you are just re starting, do you need long boots and a jacket? I rarely ride ATM ..I am retired from riding atm as are my horses!(I am a yard owner though) when I do climb on a clients horse for them it's in short boots (which I have always prefered, though love half chaps and gators, the former are certainly found inexpensively) and more often than not jeans, because it's not worth me washing breeches I have put on for twenty minutes to help a client with a shoulder in or something. I personally have few problems riding out for shorter rides in jeans.

A good pair of comfortable breeches/johds in a dark colour might be more useful. Personally though when I do buy such things I always buy competing colours and then dye the pair being replaced a more day to day friendly colour if I get round to it.

I would rather out my money into really supportive boots (I love my arias) a super pair of gloves (my gloves cost a fortune but make all the difference in 'feel' for me, and I can sometimes get them in sales) and making sure my hat is replaced every time it needs to be (I keep my hat in the tack room and while I fon't fall my hat has been knocked onto the floor a couple of times:mad:).


As a yard owner now I would say this but the cheapest yard doesn't always mean lower costs. The weather was cold today til after my DIY clients had been and gone, I charge more than other local yards, for the same services but then, I don't make a charge for going out and taking rugs off when the sun comes out and putting them back on when the sun goes in. The paper trail of adding up £1 for rug changes or £2.50 for bits of sweeping or putting feeds down or whatever etc costs more than me just pricing for covering for the times when we all need slack in our lives. I would rather make sure all the horses here are ok myself anyway....their care reflects on me and my business.
Similarly, I tell people not to risk life and limb in snow and ice. I am here, I would rather do all the horses alone in grotty weather and have my clients safe and sound. besides, people can always return the favour somehow!

A good vet, a good dentist and a good blacksmith or trimmer will always earn their prices. One of the horses here, an OTTB was shivering in the summer all rugged up. His dentistry has been paid for in the reduction in food he needs...so much so he was able to keep himself warmer and has gone through most of winter snug in the same weight rugs the race yard he came from had him in in summer (his rugs came off in summer shortly after his teeth were done, and he started 'doing' better. He has put on weight over winter with no bucket feed.:D

olias

Ebay has some amazing bargains if you shop around.

Tack and tog sales - often in local village halls in rural areas - the local pony club will usually have details.

Olias

grey_lady

Any moneysaving tips for having them at home, eg turning an empty field after hay is cut to being suitable as a pony paddock?
I'm guessing, fencing, small wooden stable block, hard standing? Water, lights, fencing all costs a lot!