Getting a horse – sounds dreamy and incredibly fun. No matter if you have always wanted one or you can’t help but fall for the tears of your child, you need to know how BIG of a responsibility this is.
Not only will you have a lot of obligations if you get a horse, but your wallet will also suffer. So, let’s list all the expenses that come hand in hand with a horse and you can see for yourself if it is something you can afford.
Buying The Horse
Horse or pony ownership expenses don’t stop the minute you decide to spend a certain amount of money on your future pet. Your child might not understand this, but as an adult, you will have to give it a second thought. Even if you make a good bargain be prepared that the expenses won’t stop there.
Just as any other pet, big or small, your horse will require attention, time and money once it’s under your care.
Food For Thought
A great deal of money you spend on your horse will be on food and for a good reason. These animals are really big, and their daily intake of food such as grains, hay, chaff, molasses, and other horse feed formulas will be HUGE.
Feeding a hundred-pound animal will be costly, as the horse approximately requires between 1 and 2 percent of his weight of food daily.
Routine Veterinarian Check-Up
Regular maintenance and visits to the vet are a must, no matter what kind of animal we are talking about. If you want to keep a healthy animal at your home, vaccinations and parasite meds are a must. And let’s not mention all the unfortunate situations that can occur.
Hoof Care
You might also want to get familiar with how important is the maintenance of their hoofs. Neglecting this aspect of horse ownership can cause further health problems and infection that can seriously harm your horse. Visits to the nearest farrier every two months are a must, and it needn’t be mentioned that this is not free.
Place To Sleep & Eat
Provide a place for your horse to sleep in is yet another necessity. You will need to make a shelter (if you don’t have a stall), put up a high fence and make a feeder. Additionally, your new horse area will need maintenance and regular cleaning, so unless you are ready to do that on your own, add this as one more expense.
Horse Equipment
Finally, don’t forget about all the grooming supplies for maintaining your horse clean and neat. Then, there are horse tack and other supplies if you want to practice equestrian activities, plus all the equipment for the rider. The list is almost infinite.
