Hmm possibly a horse? How much are they about a month?

[PartridgeRooster]

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Excellent advice. I feed my horses something called Carol Feed and it around 6.00 dollars a bag. They have abundant pasture and Alfalfa/Timothy hay in the winter. My first horse cost me around 80 a month, not including shots or worming or Farrier.

 

[LegginMF12]

Emergency Fund - $20 per month minimum. One colic bill can put you in a cardboard box under the local bridge and your horse in a shallow grave.
Medical Kit - $10 per month; but a much bigger investment up front.

I have had horses for more than 30 years and you can expect the unexpected in costs. I have a BLM mustang that was on a routine sanding program who still sand colicked and the cost to save his life was $6000.00. This included emergency vet call, 5 days in the hospital, IV meds, antibiotics, probiotics, special feed program for close to 3 months as he developed ulcerations in the intestines from the sand, and I also took a week off of work as he had to be fed small meals every 2-3 hours for a week. I have to inspect his feed very carefully for dirt and if it has dirt wash it before he gets it. Horses are a 24 hour, 7 days a week commitment. If you do not have horse experience you need to slooooowww down and think before you act. In the area I lived in if you want your horse to see a vet you have to take the horse to them. You will also need a truck and horse trailer if you are planning on showing. It's not nice to rely on the genrousity of others to take you to the shows all of the time. I would be worried about keeping my horse at a facility that only charges $100.00 a month for everything. I had my Taz at one like that and found out that they were feeding a 1/4 of a flake o f alfalfa in the morning then feeding fines (sp)(this is the fine dust, chaff left over on the floor after the feed company uses straw or hay etc. to make pellets or a mixed feed) and old produce from the grocery store for evening. I showed up to find my horse standing ankle deep in tomato juice and had apparently been like tha for a few days as all of the hair had been burned off of his ankles.

 

[PartridgeRooster]

I love my horses but I don't know if I would spend 6 grand on a vet bill. I guess to each their own.

 

[welsummerchicks]

There's no problem spending that much.

For example, I just got a 2000 dollar vet bill - none of it for 'extras'.

For 2 horses and a pony:

Hay: 300 per month
Feed: 325 a month
Bedding: 220 a month
Farrier: 142 a month
Additional Home Insurance for outbuildings: 100 a month
Additional property tax for improvements to property: 300 a month

1300 a month, 15,000 a year or so(about 6,000 per horse, 3000 for small pony).

Of course, that's not including extra electricity bill, riding lessons, clinics, shows, registration fees, membership fees, veterinary care, maintenance and repairs on buildings, fence and truck and trailer, insurance on truck and trailer, periodic additions of sand and gravel, fertilizer, seed, depreciation on buildings and equipment, and some sort of allowance for our time and labor.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

With 9 horses on the ranch, & 3 ponies at home, I don't even want to know how much it costs!

 

[BobwhiteQuailLover]

Kenzi wat did u show in?
Guys she is a NATURAL! She is an AWEEEEEESSSOOOMMMEEE rider!
O, GET A CURLY HORSE! Toby is a 5yr old curly and he is the calmest horse at the farm! Not kidding!

 

[DuckyGurl]

I think the best way for you to go now is leasing/lessons. Are you financially prepared for an emergency? Long-time ownership? And taken from what everyone else has said, horses cost a lot of money.
So, that being said, I would stick with lessons and leasing.

 

[bobwhitelover]

Ok i showed in Jumpin Rachel soo much fun plus it was only my 2nd time jumping!!!!!!

 

[BobwhiteQuailLover]

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nice!!

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

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What are you spending that much on?

and what are you skimping on?