A Guide For New Horse Owners
Samantha Jane
March 19, 2008
The cost of owning a horse depends on lots of things, like if the horse will be agisted, need supplementary feeding and so on. One thing´s for sure, horse´s are big animals that take a lot of special care. And unfortunately, money !
I could list a rough guide to prices, but these would vary a lot between states and probably be outdated by this time next year. Farrier and horse dentist fees vary, feed prices go up and down according to the season, so you will need to do a bit of detective work.
I can at least give you a push-start by telling you where to begin………
If you´re thinking of buying a horse, a good place to start doing your homework is at your nearest Pony Club. The instructors there will be happy to give you advice and you might even find a suitable mount for sale. You can look and listen, observe what kind of gear the riders are using, what happens during a rally, and if you´re not too shy, ask a few members to recommend a farrier, vet, feed merchant and a horse dentist.
Ask an instuctor if they can come with you when you go looking for horses, this is the 1st rule of horse hunting, take an experienced horse person with you!
Next, visit any saddle shops in your area to get an idea of prices, you can asked to be placed on their mailing list to receive sale catalogues. Most offer a free saddle fitting service and staff there will be happy to give advice. Basic items you´ll need are a saddle and saddle blanket, bridle, headstall and leadrope, grooming kit and rug. Use the internet to visit on-line saddle shops to further compare prices. Avoid buying from on-line auctions such as Ebay until you have a LOT more experience under your belt!
Another good place to do some groundwork is Horse Magazines. Look at the types of horses for sale, what prices are being asked and anything else relevent that may be advertised there.
Make lots of phone calls, get quotes and list everything down in a notepad to give you a future expenses guide. Horses are expensive to care for properly. Don´t go in with the best intentions and stars in your eyes, love alone won´t feed and shoe your horse, cash will !
Make allowances for possible vet bills although some will let you pay off larger bills.
Samantha writes articles on several subjects including horse health issues, horse riding tips and horse rescue stories. To read more articles please visit our Horse Riding website
I could list a rough guide to prices, but these would vary a lot between states and probably be outdated by this time next year. Farrier and horse dentist fees vary, feed prices go up and down according to the season, so you will need to do a bit of detective work.
I can at least give you a push-start by telling you where to begin………
If you´re thinking of buying a horse, a good place to start doing your homework is at your nearest Pony Club. The instructors there will be happy to give you advice and you might even find a suitable mount for sale. You can look and listen, observe what kind of gear the riders are using, what happens during a rally, and if you´re not too shy, ask a few members to recommend a farrier, vet, feed merchant and a horse dentist.
Ask an instuctor if they can come with you when you go looking for horses, this is the 1st rule of horse hunting, take an experienced horse person with you!
Next, visit any saddle shops in your area to get an idea of prices, you can asked to be placed on their mailing list to receive sale catalogues. Most offer a free saddle fitting service and staff there will be happy to give advice. Basic items you´ll need are a saddle and saddle blanket, bridle, headstall and leadrope, grooming kit and rug. Use the internet to visit on-line saddle shops to further compare prices. Avoid buying from on-line auctions such as Ebay until you have a LOT more experience under your belt!
Another good place to do some groundwork is Horse Magazines. Look at the types of horses for sale, what prices are being asked and anything else relevent that may be advertised there.
Make lots of phone calls, get quotes and list everything down in a notepad to give you a future expenses guide. Horses are expensive to care for properly. Don´t go in with the best intentions and stars in your eyes, love alone won´t feed and shoe your horse, cash will !
Make allowances for possible vet bills although some will let you pay off larger bills.
Samantha writes articles on several subjects including horse health issues, horse riding tips and horse rescue stories. To read more articles please visit our Horse Riding website