If you’ve read my blog post on Why You Can’t Trust The Costs Of Buying A Horse On The Internet, then you’re here to learn more about the second most googled question buy new equestrians “so how much does it cost to own a horse?

I love a good analogy and much like comparing the million-dollar houses in different markets (I.e.; the market you are buying in will largely impact the cost of what you are buying), I’m going to use my second favorite analogy when looking at the cost of owning and keeping a horse once you’ve paid the purchase price.

So when it comes to asking about the costs of owning a horse;

What if I asked you, how much does it cost to own a car?

You would respond with a few more questions around what kind of car I owned (or was planning on owning).

Is it a used car? A family vehicle? A luxury car? Or was I looking to buy a racecar??

Depending on what kind of car you are planning to own, it’s likely you will take care of it / maintain it in different ways.

• Are you using regular or premium fuel?
• Are you using standard oil and fluids or the specialized ones for your specific vehicle?
• Is your car parked in your driveway or do you store it somewhere temperature controlled and weather protected?
• Do you have standard insurance or specialized insurance? Or any insurance at all?
• Do you take it to any old mechanic or a specialized mechanic who’s an expert in that specific type of vehicle?
• Once you buy this car, are you planning for any upgrades or accessories?
• If it’s an older vehicle, are there going to be any expenses related to age? (is it due for new brakes, new timing belt, tires are showing signs of wear)

You get the point.

There is a common thread that’s true across the board regardless of the plans you may have for your horse. Whether your horse is a pet in your backyard, or a high-performance show horse; all the associated expenses will then be relative. But here’s a hard truth;

The purchase price of the horse will be the cheapest part of owning them.

Horses are expensive. Upkeep and maintenance are the bulk of where your expenses come from so let’s look at what some of those might be.

Remember; I had a bone to pick with websites that include dollar figures of what these costs look like. While I’m sure it’s well-intended, and yes it’s true the categories of expenses can be common in general, the actual costs of care will vary greatly depending on where you live, the facility and services offered at the barn of your choice, and the unique needs of you and your horse. The cost of operating a farm where you live (water and electricity alone) will affect the price of board, and also the cost of local hay and other feed will be different at various places around the country.

For these reasons, it’s impossible to provide dollar figures that would be accurate or even realistic for the widespread audience of the information super highway, AND for the equally as vast range of types of horses people are keeping and caring for.

To start getting an idea of what this might look like for you, I highly recommend doing some of your own research using the information below to guide you.

Monthly Expenses

Board: Choose if full board or self board is the right option for you. If you are a novice horse owner, I don’t recommend taking on the responsibility of self-board.

Lessons and/or a Training program: Speak with the coach at your barn to learn what these costs are, or look up barns in your area and reach out to ask for information on their programs. Looking for a Coach? Here are 7 Ways To Find A Coach

Farrier This is a hard expense to predict. It will depend on your horse and their needs. You could make this a part of your research by asking about shared costs with lease horses at your barn, or talking to someone at the barn about their horses farrier costs.

Vet (Emergencies) Save yourself the stress of emergencies vet calls by setting something aside each month to handle these expected expenses. Even if you don’t have an emergency every month, making it a part of your budget will go a long way when the emergency comes up. Contribute what you can and what makes sense for you.

Supplements These could be simple or complex depending on your horses needs. Seasonal or year-round. One-time or ongoing.

Maintenance Things like massage, preventative or restorative therapies like MagnaWave™, Theraplate, BEMER microcirculation therapy or Equine Physio Therapy can all be both preventative measures or reactive in keeping your horse performing in comfort. If you have a horse in a performance program, you should expect some regular maintenance costs.

Annual Expenses

Vaccinations, Dental Care and Deworming These things can’t be overlooked and might be completed in one visit. This could be a $400 – $900 annual expense depending on your vet and horses needs. Broke my own rule! ⬆⬆😲

Injections This might not be something your horse needs, or doesn’t need right now. If your horse is performing at a high level, recovering from an injury, or beginning to feel the natural changes of aging, injections could be something your vet suggests.

There are so many variables when it comes to horse ownership and forecasting expenses, it’s a tough thing to really get a clear picture of until you know your horse and their needs.  If this was helpful, or if there was anything here that sparked your curiosity, check out the homepage for free resources and more information to support you as you navigate your way into horse ownership.

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