Are you aware of the pelleted bedding made from wood scraps? It might be available where you live, and it's worth checking into. It is a very economical alternative to shavings b/c it absorbs urine SO well--better than shavings--and it is much easier to work with than shavings. I use it at my barn and wouldn't trade for it anything. HORSE JOURNAL calls it a wonderful product. It composts well, too, which is something that you can't say about shavings

There was a pelleted bedding available here for a little while.  I tried it, and for my application, it was useless.  The instructions said to cut the bag open and add water to make the pellets expand (?!?), which in addition to being counterproductive was way too time-consuming.  If I used them as I do shavings (just on the wet spots, and in addition to straw), they promptly rolled into the corners of the stalls, from which they had to be chased back with a broom.  I guess everybody else who tried them came to more or less the same conclusion, as the woman who was carrying them and promoting them stopped.

 

Yes, I can see how using the pellets only in spots would be less than ideal. I'm sure if you used them exclusively, with no straw or shavings, you'd love them as I do. As far as the instructions on use go, those you saw were not particularly good. You actually spread the pellets on the stall floor--preferable the entire floor--then sprinkle them with water. Sprinkle, not douse. The water makes the pellets expand from a pellet to sawdust, which is more comfortable for the horse to lay on. The sawdust still absorbs urine--a lot of urine--b/c the sprinkle of water you put on them is just a tiny part of what they can suck up. It's too bad that no one had the use of those pellets figured out b/c they are wonderful. If you get HORSE JOURNAL you can read about them.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, and even then I suspected that the pellets would work better as the sole bedding, rather than a spot one.  But straw here is cheap and local (and composts well), so that's what I use as my main bedding. 

I've stopped buying the expensive grooming items (conditioners, shampoos, detanglers, leave-in conditioners) and have switched to "human" brands like Suave and V-05.  I've found they work very well and may even stay with them as things start looking back up.  I the silicone sprays and spot cleaners much less frequentlyput more elbow grease into grooming and use .

I've stopped taking lessons and have taken my horse out of training - he's already well trainied and I'm learning to do his "tune-ups" on my own.  When I travel to shows with our barn I have stopped using the trainer as a show coach, saving approx. $50 per day and no longer having to split paying for his hotel and meals. 

I trailer myself now, as well, rather than paying for the convenience of having my horse hauled and I haul someone else's horse along with us for the full price of gas (they pay my half of the gas as I clean out the trailer and do the driving).

I've cut back on the number of classes at shows, staying within our abilities rather than showing beyond for the experience.

And the most awful thing I've cut out, according to my horse, are his apples...  I still give him carrots, but he's still giving me a reproachful glance each time he sticks his head in his feeder and finds no apples slices as well...  :)

We ride on the road a lot which keeps feet worn nicely which saves on Farrier bills. We have a nice circle of people we know; one is moving shortly and gave us her used jumps; another friend grows her own hay and sells it to us cheap. We also have a great tack shop close by that deals consignment item, used tack and supplies, that sells extremely cheap. Two nearby communities have spring tack exchanges where they rent a hall and a table costs 25 dollars to sell everything you are not using and you can buy stuff that other people no longer need. I don't call the vet every time my horse is swollen or sick and treat most ailments myself after careful research and conversation. It helps that I work in research and I have access to vconverse with the vets daily. Our horses live outside 24/7 so we don't pay for bedding or take time doing stalls. We picked up a small electric fencer and some metal sticks and post a simple pen around the lawns and between fields for our horses to graze down saving on feed and hay.

 I am 22 and work full time to afford my two horses and a rented house. I have little left over at the end of the month so my expenses are a minimal as possible. I have even set up a small paddock at my work with an electric fence so I can ride the 45 min ride to work as I do not drive and it saves on cabs. I know all about cheap. Hope some of this helps.

 Jessica :)

How great is that, that you can ride your horse to work, and have a place to put him while you are there...It's so hot here, It would be  inhumane to ride home in the evenings..

I'm making my own flyspray - 1/8 Avon Skin So Soft, 1/2 vinegar, rest bought flyspray.  It lasts longer on the horse than the store-bought flyspray and goes much further. 

I try to let my horse eat grass for about a half an hour a day so he eats less grass, and then I am limiting myself to just qualifying shows. 

 

Some people, you'd swear there was no economy problems.  They bought a ten year old fourth level/Intermediate horse for international showing next year, as well as a jeweled bridle and French Leather saddle to go with him.  It makes me wish I had that much money.  I've always wanted to do Junior Young Riders and then Young Riders, but I don't have rich relatives or a mom willing to get me sponsers.  I hate low-income-ness.

 We put up our own hay too.  This year we put in  a test plot of teff.  If it lives up to its advertisements we will have hay to sell.  Hope so because it is supposed to be 10 to 12  protein.  It sure looks good in the field.

Ah well, I went out and bought another horse before selling my other one of course - argh!  So now I'm working 7 days a week - 5 days at my regular full time job, and 2 days mucking, watering and feeding at the boarding barn to offset the whole new collection of expenses.  I have given up riding lessons for now and am trying to cut back on eat-out lunches and lattes.  Amazing how much money you save making your own coffee and sandwiches!  I'm hoping some of these new habits will make things a little easier later too when my other horse finds her new home and I'm ready to resume lessons again.  Also went through my collection of unused tack and put quite a bit of stuff up for sale.  Otherwise, I'm making do with some of what I have and will be looking for a good used dressage saddle rather than a new one. 

We did the worst possible thing you could do in this economy this year, we bought our first horse. Scout (Sir David) was a two-year old Gypsy Vanner gelding and we picked him up only because he was about half his original asking price. The fact that he is as cute as can be, and has the potential to be a great horse didn't hurt either. The bad part about this economy is there are some great horses for sale at great prices. We are compromising on buying things like used saddles, and as little extras as he needs. We limited the number of shows he was in this season and kept him on pasture board for as long as possible. We feel vey fortunate to be able to find a way to afford our young guy without feeling like we are sacrificing anything.

Well I sold my riding horse to be able to keep  my yearling and my foal.  He was getting a bit sour on dressage and I sold him to a gal looking for a reliable, fun trail horse, and he is now happy as can be as he loves going out on the trails much more.  We make our own hay and sold the surplus to a friend for half the going rate in our area to help him out, went to buying our shavings in bulk and picking them up ourselves, no buying new tack, selling any tack I won't need to use at all in the next two to three years and putting that money aside in a savings account for when I will need it...let it make a bit of interest for the couple years instead of staying in tack that needs cleaned even unused.

 I like that motto: Keep It Simple Stupid! It really does cover a lot of ground, doesn't it? As someone who tends to overthink just about everything, I should probably have it tatooed on my forehead.

I started to get stressed last spring about money. I had lost my job in 2007 and hadn't been able to find anything else, so I decided to go back to school. I am now a middleaged college student working on an elementray school teaching credential. I thought we could swing the expense, but it has gotten more and more expensive each semester. 

I board my gelding, and really like the small barn we are at. I ran an ad in the state dressage association's newsletter looking for someone to do a split lease to help with expenses. I did finally find someone, but I think she is going cancel the contract after only 3 months. I have offered to clean stalls for the BO to cut some off the monthly board, but the BO is not sure she can afford to do that (there are only 4 boarders, the other 5 horses belong to the BO and her husband). She said she would let me know in the next couple of weeks if it is doable.

I will have to move him to another, cheaper barn if this doesn't work out. I have already dropped most of my lessons, I have participated in no clinics, shows or test of choice nights this year. I am down to the bare bones right now. My financial outlook should be better after the first of the year, but I sure am picking dirt with the chickens until then.