I am looking to buy my first horse, I have got the money saved up for the purchase and the extras. ie feeding nad lead reins etc. I am looking if someone would be able to give me a rough idea of how much it costs a month to actually keep a horse, I know the grazing near where I am is £15.00 a week and I think the insurance will be £17.00 but any does anyone have any ideas of a ball park figure that needs to be saved every month to make sure shoes feed etc are covered. Many thanks Kate x

Very difficult to quantify without knowing what type of horse/pony you are looking for. Feed wise a TB type would require a totally different ration to say a native type. Ball park on shoes say around £60 per 6 weeks then you will have your worming, regular vaccinations etc etc. If you are stabling, then bedding will have to come into it as well, this varies in price with straw usually being the cheapest option. Hay is also another regular purchase you will have to make.

As an example for say a 16hh happy hacker:
All rough estimates but to give you an idea.

If you are keeping it at grass you say its £15 per wk.
Feed - £10-£15 per wk roughly.
Hay - £10 per week roughly as its winter.
Shoes - £60-£70 every six weeks.
Insurance - £30-£50 per month.
Wormer - £10-£15 every three months or as stated.
Vaccinations - £50-£80 per year roughly.
Bits and pieces (fly spray, shampoo etc..) £5 per week.


Hope this gives you some idea.

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Lifes roads are for journeys, not destinations!

A LOT!

It can be a bit cheaper if you have him or her on grazing but whatever you have worked out it will cost you put an extra £50 or so aside as there is always something else they may need.

But they are worth every penny!

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You mention field grasing at $15, but unless there is enough grass year-round you will need to pay for hay and supplements. Also, unless the field has a suitable horse shelter, this is only a solution for good weather (e.g. not wet days in winter).

How about costs for a stall (including straw and mucking out)?

Vet costs are a big unknown. Might only run you $200 a year, but if you get a bad case of colic you could spend thousands overnight.

Also, costs change. Some areas are reporting recent hay prices double or even triple what they were a few years ago.

You need to go through the list of all horse costs and see which are applicable to you. Then phone around to check local prices and calculate the total (the link in the previous sentence has 2 on-line calculators for monthly and annual costs). Then add 25% as a contingency.

Anyone who has horses would be wise not to add up how much they cost over ayear or we would never keep them lol.
I spend a fortune on mine I know that much.

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