Hi Everyone,

 As you're discovering, horse ownership is an expensive adventure.  Not only are there the regular things you have mentioned - board, farrier, lessons etc.  You also have to be prepared to handle emergencies when they come up. (For example, I just recently landed a $1500 vet bill when my horse needed to go into the equine hospital.  Luckily I had the money in savings, or I would have been in trouble) 

If you're still in school and not working full time,  it's probably best not to launch into horse ownership right now.

I certainly couldn't afford to keep one horse at board at the prices your barn charges -- and I have a full time job!  I pay less than that to board my two horses, but I don't have lessons and I no longer show.

What you dream about and what you can actually afford are probably very different. Not trying to burst your bubble, but trying to show you that the reality would probably be pretty harsh.

If I were you, I'd continue taking lessons and competing on school horses, if possible.  That way, you get your horsey "fix", while keeping the costs at a reasonable level.

Thank you for answering! :)

I have to agree with Jayne on this one.  I'm a full-time (adult) student and I work almost full-time as well, and many people would say that I'm pushing it financially keeping my mare.  She's pasture boarded and not blanketed, which makes her happier than being stalled, keeps her fitter when I can't ride as regularly as I'd like, and cuts down on the cost.  I have savings to cover any vet or other emergency.  Still, there's vet, farrier, dentist, supplements, tack and other supplies... I could never in a million years do it at the board price you quoted!

Thanks for answering and happy new year! :)

 The board price you have quoted is terribly high - I could NEVER manage it - and actually I would never even try to.  I suppose it all depends on where you live.  I boarded 3 horses for much less than that although generally we only had 2 horses at a time. We no longer own horses as we sold them when my daughter went to college because the board money had to go to educational expenses.

 Always keep in mind that the least expensive part of horse ownership is the purchase price.  There are many nice horses at very reasonable prices or free even due to the economy and the expense of keeping them.

Depending on your age and what your future plans are you might be better off leasing a horse.  For example if you are in high school and headed to college, you will enjoy the horse during high school but might find the expense too much for college.  You can certainly work and go to high school and still have horse time left over unless you are in an incredibly heavy academic environment.  If you lease from month to month and the time and money commitment become too much you can walk away, whereas if you own the horse you have to keep paying for everything until the horse is sold.

 Not knowing your area I have no idea what the farrier, routine vet, shows, etc would run, but if board is that high I would guess the other necessary services would be also.

 Prices are definitely highly variable in different regions.  I can't even imagine $1000 a month for one horse.  I could board four horses for that price here.  

But as someone else commented, the least expensive part of ownership is the purchase.  It's the vets, farriers, gear, training, competitions, whatnot that add up.  Whatever you think it will be, probably multiply by 3 and it will be closer to that.  Horse ownership is a bottomless pit -- in fact, I wrote one time on my blog, a little test to see if you are ready to own a horse:  pile up all your money and set it on fire.  If it bothers you to see everything you have disappear, you are not ready to have a horse of your own.  However, if it doesn't bother you and you giggle and dance around the flames, THEN you are ready to own a horse.

I am an adult and work full time and then some.  With a mortgage and bills, it is still very VERY hard to afford my horse.  I am lucky to have a very generous mother who sponsors our competitions, as eventing is very expensive.  I recently aqcuired a second horse and he too has some "sponsorship" which makes it possible -- I certainly could not have them both and compete and train all on my own dime.

I guess what I am trying to say is, yes, it is very expensive endeavour.  However, there are a lot of ways to have horses and not all of them require lots of lessons and competing ($$$$$) -- if you are not doing those things, it can be much less expensive.

There are also a lot of ways to have horses in your life without owning them -- volunteering, leasing, schooling for folks without time, catch riding, etc, and these are all worth exploring fully!

 I've got to agree with everyone else, I doubt that having your own horse is realiistic for you for a while. However, if you can be flexible, you may be able to get closer to it. First, there is the location. Is your barn on the high end for your area? If so, would you consider another place? Second, have you asked around at your barn whether some of the boarders might have a lease available? Does your instructor even know your wishes? Maybe she can point you in the right direction. It doesn't necessarily have to be a free lease. You can get a part lease sometimes, and that can mean a lot more riding than you might think. It's surprising how many people own their own horse, or two or three, and don't seem to have time to ride it, or don't feel like they're good enough to bring out the best on it. The better you are as a rider, the more you can look around for those situations.

 

Good luck, and let us know how you do!

Unfortunately I have to agree with everyone else.  When I was in school I worked part-time and made about $150 per week, which was enough to cover expenses for my horse and my own expenses (gas, car, etc).  However, board was only $300/month and I also worked at the boarding facilities to help pay for some of that, as well as lessons.  On average, I probably spent about $50-100 on my horse on top of board.  I also had to pay for gas, about $20/week just going back and forth to school and the barn (which were both less than 10 miles away).  My parents helped me out quite a bit, but it sounds like with the prices at this facility that it would be asking a lot.   I think a lease would a good option.  Just make sure that the agreement works well for you (how many days can you use the horse, any limitations, what costs do the owners cover, etc).  I think that this would be better than having your own horse because you would be saving a lot of money and you would tied down to a long term committment that may not work out well.  Staying with lessons is also a good idea, you can learn a lot and have the opportunity to work with a variety of horses.  You may also want to look into working with a trainer, you can get a lot of expereince and possibly get paid for your work. 

 I agree that you should look into a partial lease. There could very well be someone (maybe a college student) at your barn who just can't find all the riding time her horse needs, and it might not cost you much at all.

I was in a part-lease for a while (the horse's owner was pregnant) and got the horse 3 days/week (which is the most I can do anyway) plus permission to take him to shows if I wanted to (I never did, tho). In return, I paid for half of his farrier, board, and supplements.

 The lease also gives you the chance to get to know the horse first - and sometimes it can turn into a purchase later. 

It will also help you realize what you can (and won't) give up for a horse, as well as what is important to you when you do look for one of your own. The "Dream" may be nice, but you may find that when it's your own horse you want something different.

 I'm 36 and still don't think I can afford a horse full time.  Completely understand the need.  Also, I agree that working and going to school is hard enough. Trying to put a horse in there would decrease your enjoyment of your horse.  I'm not saying you have to wait till you are 36 (I have many student loans and a lot of health problems).   But at least wait until you are out of school.

 

Gosh, I am always envious of people in other parts of the country when I read these kinds of posts.  Around here, in southern CT/NY, board is $1000 and up.  I rehomed my horse last year because $1400 board was so burdensome, even with my husband and I both working full time.  I had previously had a horse at a place that charged $700-$800, but it was much more bare-bones.  Even $1400 didn't buy me anything super-fancy, just a decent barn with daily feeding and mucking, and good turnout with an indoor arena for bad-weather riding.  The farm closest to me charges $2000 a month and they have practically no turnout, and also no indoor.  Thinking of being able to board several horses for $1000 makes me drool.