Horse Cost Calculator

[Matt73]

Found this neat calculator from a website. I always find it amazing how some people can afford having 10+ horses. Mine worked out to $2788/year for two little ones (but I probably spend a bit more than that). It just shows you how much you spend in a month and year on your horses. I have mine at home. We have our own straw (which I pile on top of shavings...so I buy, like, 5 bags of shavings/month). And the Hay we have right now is super compacted (they weigh 60 or 80lbs. each), so one bale lasts a whole week

See what you spend...if you dare...lol

http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-exclusives/horse-expense-calculator.aspx

 

[Jill]

I already know what they cost us, but I love them anyway

I'm the best investment my hoofed wonders have ever made!

 

[Carolyn R]

SSHHHHH!!!!!! Hide that from my husband!!!!!! He's always been a good sport about purchases and everything that goes along with the horses, he doesn't need to see it on paper!

 

[chandab]

I don't need the calculator to know what I spend in a year, I keep pretty good records and its pretty scary what I spend on my 11 minis and 2 saddle horses. Good thing I can keep them at home and we put up our own hay (although, I do buy some small squares, as all our homegrown is round bales).

 

[targetsmom]

I don't need a calculator either, as I am in the process of doing taxes and know I spent over $18,000 last year just on VET BILLS. That was for 10-11 minis (depending on when you counted them) and included 4 hospitalizations or overnight clinic visits. You (and I) don't want to know the total of everything.

 

[Relic]

l already knew but was fun to see anyway..good thing l'm the banker in the family or the old thing l'm married to might have a stroke seeing those numbers..

 

[disneyhorse]

$4,300 annually for mine... (per mini/pony)

 

[CZP1]

It is the initial cost of the horse that is the cheapest! Thanks for the link, it is way cheaper to have a horse than paying a shrink!

 

[wildoak]

It is the initial cost of the horse that is the cheapest!

I try to explain that to new buyers with no horses experience....they "can only afford" a $300 horse but what will they do with vet bills, etc. They would keel over if they saw my expenses lol.

Jan

 

[~Lisa~]

Well that was not a good way to start the morning LOL

 

[Matt73]

LOL

I think it's a great tool for people to use before they get a horse/horses. Many people get overwhelmed with the cost of keeping a horse.

 

[RhineStone]

That website is a great resource for first-time or potential owners! (Kinda is like a 4-H Record Book for adults!)

I agree, I find it a joke that people go out and buy "cheap" horses, but then whine when they can't afford to cut the stud that they had no business buying in the first place!

So then as long as they have a stallion and a mare, they might as well breed it so they have more mouths to feed that they can't afford to have!

But, you know, they are going to sell the babies so they can make money!

Each breeder should have those approximate local numbers available for buyers (like the local cost of hay and other feed, as well as vet costs, etc.). As we found out with the hay thread, that cost can vary greatly depending on where you live, and some people just don't have easy access to those costs (those of us that can't purchase our hay from a retailer, but a local farmer). I realize that there is variability in the local numbers, too, but you can still give an approximate so buyers make an "educated" decision.

 

[targetsmom]

When I was a kid (14) my parents bought me my first horse and paid $250 for her (the going rate in 1960). Then I was responsible for all her expenses, and being in 4-H, I kept a record book. It didn't take me long to realize they got the best part of that deal!!

 

[LAminiatures]

Yes, they are expensive to manage but priceless. It could be worse like an addiction. I think Jill said it best.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I don't want to look- I spent $100 on five (5!!) square bales of Timothy yesterday!

Then with the bagged feeds, beet pulp, medications, treats and the rest we were out of...total of $261 for just two minis. I about choked.

I try to remind myself that I used to spend that every two weeks when I had the big horse but I'm still wincing. Somehow it seems like a lot for two such tiny horses.

Leia

 

[chandab]

I don't want to look- I spent $100 on five (5!!) square bales of Timothy yesterday! Leia

Ok, so I can't get timothy, but when I buy small squares of grass hay (prairie hay, bromegrass or crested wheatgrass), it costs me $100/ton, they are 70-75# bales, so that's 28 bales of grass hay. I can't believe what some have to pay for baled hay. I do buy some grass hay pellets and those are about $10/40#bag, so that's like $500/ton; but I don't use a lot of them, so not too scary.

 

[sedeh]

Just did my taxes so I know what mine cost!!

Just don't show this link to my husband!!

 

[Magic]

I don't want to know, lol! I'm just immensely thankful to be able to have them in my life, regardless of the cost in time and money.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Since I do know I can't afford to keep you all at my house I had better not tell you what it costs me to keep mine.......

 

[Riverrose28]

This is a very bad thread to have on here at tax time, we just turned in all our paper work and my gosh, I can't believe how much I spent last year. I already know all of my retirement check goes to feed and vet bills every month, we do our own hay, but still have to pay the land owner every year. I am so glad my husband is scared of the computer, cause if he saw this he would freak out! We have been operating the farm in the red for the last 3 years, thanks to the recession, and I am hoping that it will turn around from a buyers market. I didn't breed any mares for this year because of the expense, I would like to breed four for next year if I can rehome several. The cost of feed and hay and everything else keeps going up and up, just had a colt gelded yesterday I almost had a heart attack when I paid the bill. I always tell prspective buyers about all that is associated with owning a little horse, simply because some of them have no idea.