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I have read, with interest, the various responses on the cost of keeping horses.  It is my opinion that there are a few things that have not been included by those who maintain their own horses at home, such as:  The cost of the land you own to keep horses; The buildings to house your horses and their depreciation.; Any machinery you own to mange pastures or move hay, etc;   Also, your truck/trailer and the various maintenance/insurance/depreciation;  Then, any equine insurance, mortality, morbidity or simply equine or farm liability.

 

There are few of us who would own the number of acres, or live in the locations we do, if we didn't keep horses. 

 

Our place has nearly doubled in value since we bought it--not sure how to figure that as a "cost" of having horses, since land in many places is an excellent investment in its own right.

 

We drive a used truck and pull a geriatric trailer--but would have a second car if we didn't have the truck, so not sure it's a separate "cost" either.

 

We don't "house" horses--they remain much healthier outside.  We do have some horse-related improvements on our place in the form of fencing, waterers, etc.  We have one area where we can get a horse in under a roof in an emergency--but it is cheaply built.

 

If we didn't have this land and the horses, we would have a more "regular" house instead--probably for not much cheaper, and probably not any better as an investment.  Besides, all the work saves me from having to go to the gym to stay in shape. 

 

We did spend $2500 on an old pickup truck with an old hydrabed on it for handling round bales--but then I know folks who have that much tied up in their TV sets...

 

So, I think folks who choose to keep their horses at home have to acknowledge that there are huge costs related to that (not to mention the work and effort to maintain your own place).  We have to include capital purchases of land and vehicles/trailers/tractors/, etc. that we use mostly for hauling horses or managing our property to maintain the horses.  Once you do that and then add the actual costs to feed, house, blanket, brush, shampoo, fly spray, worm, vaccinate, trim/shoe, halter, lead, float, repair, train, insure, etc., the realities of ownership are more accurately reflected.  Once you add up all the costs, boarding facilities begin to look pretty attractive:-)

 

Lots of work?  Sure.  But no, it doesn't even come close to what it would cost to board this herd, even if you DID count the cost of the land.  (Our mortgage payment, divided among our horses, would only add $150 per horse per year to the cost--and it's hardly a horse-related cost since we will MAKE money on the property when we retire and sell it.  In fact, owning the land is far better "business" than owning the horses!)  And since a lot of the reason for having horses is to be able to relate to them, what's the point if you have someone else do all the work?  And yes, I'd choose to live here, even if I didn't have horses.

 

 

My expenses are validated by a website that I recently discovered. 

 

Mine are validated by my checkbook.  <g>

 

It is expensive to keep a horse, and if you think differently, you are missing something:-)  BUT, it is expensive to have kids ( and other large critters).  Those that do both have to learn to be wise managers of their resources.

 

Granted, they are not cheap.  (And yes, it is an apt comparison to consider raising kids, which cost on average a little over a dollar per hour from birth to the time they reach 18.)  However, many people spend a lot of money on stuff that horses don't need and often are healthier without.  Additionally, many people make lifestyle choices to keep horses in areas where it is REALLY expensive to keep them, whereas there are areas of the country where outstanding feed is local and other expenses are relatively cheap, too.  Indeed, the key is in your statement about wise management of resources.

 

Heidi

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