How much should i have to buy a horse

[chicken gal]

I was thinking of boarding my horse at my neighbor. But I would like a rough out line of the cost so I know what to shoot for. (boarding at my neighbor would bring it down a bit)

 

[lovetopaint]

Here's my advice:
I proved I was responsible and truly dedicated, so my parents are going to buy me a horse.

We just haven't found one yet.
The actual horse might be free. It's the vet, farrier, tack, feed, fencing, etc that is expensive. This could be upwards of $300 per month. And that's not including tack or boarding.
I'd recommend taking riding lessons once a week for a good 2-3 years (if you haven't already) before even considering leasing a horse.
Then you'd probably want:
Ideally a gelding (mares can be 'mareish', definitely not a stallion)
Over 10, under 18
Probably in between 14.2-15.2 hands
No allergies
No serious medical problems
The horse could be free, like I said, but generally a good beginner horse is under $2500.
I STRONGLY recommend looking at several horses, and if you still like the first one, go ahead and make an offer.
Do a pre-vet check!! This can be around $200-$300, but it is better than having to pay for expensive surgeries, etc.
If you'll be boarding it, that should be around $500-$700 per month for a modest boarding facility.
Please note that the farrier will need to come every six weeks--approx. $40 for a trim if they are barefoot, about $120-$150 for a reset.
Go with your gut. Good luck on your search!

 

[lovetopaint]

Okay, here's a bit more info if you want it.
Shavings--about $5 a bag in my area, you'll need about 5-7 a week.
Hay--about $3.50 a bale. With a decent sized horse, that'll be about 3-4 bales a week.
Grain--depends on the horse. Probably abut $5-10 a week.
Boarding--If it's at your neighbors, I'll just estimate $300 if it's cheaper than normal.
And then there's the startup costs....and the vet, and the farrier, and dentist, and chiropractor, and on and on and on....

 

[MeepBeep]

Hay--about $3.50 a bale.  With a decent sized horse, that'll be about 3-4 bales a week.

Check your local prices on this it can vary drastically by location... I can't even get cattle hay (or even decent bedding straw) for $3.50 a bale around me unless I buy an entire wagon full at harvest time... A decent horse hay around me starts at about $5 a bale farmer direct and that assumes you load it off the wagons yourself at harvest time and store it yourself, once they rack it into their barn and start to store it for the winter months the price generally goes up at least a dollar a bale... For example right now horse hay on Craiglist by me is going for $6 to $8 a bale, heck 'rained on' hay is selling for $5 a bale right now...

 

[enola]

Something no one has mentioned is the amount of physical WORK a horse takes. Horses poop...... a LOT! Unless the horse is on a large pasture, all of that poop has to be scooped up and hauled to the manure pile. Then there is the feeding, grooming, bathing, exercising and upkeep/cleaning of the tack.

I love my horse, she keeps me young!

 

[chicken gal]

Here's my advice:
I proved I was responsible and truly dedicated, so my parents are going to buy me a horse.

We just haven't found one yet.
The actual horse might be free. It's the vet, farrier, tack, feed, fencing, etc that is expensive. This could be upwards of $300 per month. And that's not including tack or boarding.
I'd recommend taking riding lessons once a week for a good 2-3 years (if you haven't already) before even considering leasing a horse.
Then you'd probably want:
Ideally a gelding (mares can be 'mareish', definitely not a stallion)
Over 10, under 18
Probably in between 14.2-15.2 hands
No allergies
No serious medical problems
The horse could be free, like I said, but generally a good beginner horse is under $2500.
I STRONGLY recommend looking at several horses, and if you still like the first one, go ahead and make an offer.
Do a pre-vet check!! This can be around $200-$300, but it is better than having to pay for expensive surgeries, etc.
If you'll be boarding it, that should be around $500-$700 per month for a modest boarding facility.
Please note that the farrier will need to come every six weeks--approx. $40 for a trim if they are barefoot, about $120-$150 for a reset.
Go with your gut. Good luck on your search!

Thanks, you gave me a lot of advice. I am starting riding lessons this Friday. Its been like a year since I have done it! My ideal horse would be a gelding about 10 or 11 about 15hh since I since I bit bigger I will see how much a horse is a week! Thanks you all sooo much!

 

[chicken gal]

Can I ask you, lovetopaint, how you showed your parents you were responsible and dedicated? I would really like to know.

 

[lovetopaint]

Of course!
I spend 9 to 5 every week at my riding instructors, cleaning stalls, sweeping aisles, riding, riding bareback, driving a mini, lounging horses, feeding, watering, cleaning more stalls, helping the farrier, dentist, vet, and acupuncture person...
I got decent grades...
I was responsible for our other pets. This was the main part. I have done all of the chores for all of our animals (and convinced my parents go get all of them) including a parakeet, a flock of chickens, cats, a dog, and anoles, since I was 7. And I'm a little older than you. Oh, and we're getting 12 more chicks in Feb, plus maybe fish and goats and maybe a second horse and peafowl and pigeons and doves and more guinea fowl and mini horses and bees....
At least I think so.
Anyways this isn't about me, so....
I have done these chores every night of my life (including Christmas, my birthday, when we get home at one in the morning...and then there are morning chores....)
Plus I take care of my younger siblings a lot (I have a whole herd of them!)
I'm really dedicated and persistent, too. For instance, I usually (accidentally) cluck to people/cars to get them to move, say 'whoa' to stop, and when we accidentally slide on the icy gravel roads, I say 'whoop, whoop.' (that means calm down.) Plus I call my brother a yearling on accident sometimes....
Of course, my parents are pretty firm on their choices, so you might have it easier.
Good luck!!

 

[res]

Can I ask you, lovetopaint, how you showed your parents you were responsible and dedicated? I would really like to know.

I was born into a horse family, so I never had to prove anything to get my first horse. However, my social life as a teenager was dependent on my performance at home caring for my horses... If my horse's stall was not cleaned, feed set up for the evening, and horse was turned out and spotless by 6:30am every morning, then I was going to be sitting at home that evening and not be out with my friends. Even though my parents were more than capable to fully care for my horse, they made me be 100% responsible, so all they had to do if I was gone for an evening was to lead the horses in from the pasture to their stalls in the barn. Those "chores" sometimes seemed like a burden when I was 16, but I consider them priceless now.

I would say, Chicken Gal, if you want to show your parents that you are responsible and capable of caring for/owning a horse, that you might look for a local therapeutic riding center, or possibly a normal lesson barn. Many times, those facilities welcome volunteers and are willing to teach them the basics of caring for horses. You will likely start out doing the "grunt work" and NOT working independently with the horses, but that type of work is what you HAVE to do to own a horse. Some facilities, if they are non-profit or not-for-profit, will track and record your hours as a "volunteer". That record can be shown to your parents so they know you are ready.

I have seen kids at my current facility work their way up, and their parents have leased and/or bought horses for them because of the dedication they have shown as a volunteer.

 

[chicken gal]

Of course!
I spend 9 to 5 every week at my riding instructors, cleaning stalls, sweeping aisles, riding, riding bareback, driving a mini, lounging horses, feeding, watering, cleaning more stalls, helping the farrier, dentist, vet, and acupuncture person...
I got decent grades...
I was responsible for our other pets. This was the main part. I have done all of the chores for all of our animals (and convinced my parents go get all of them) including a parakeet, a flock of chickens, cats, a dog, and anoles, since I was 7. And I'm a little older than you. Oh, and we're getting 12 more chicks in Feb, plus maybe fish and goats and maybe a second horse and peafowl and pigeons and doves and more guinea fowl and mini horses and bees....
At least I think so.
Anyways this isn't about me, so....
I have done these chores every night of my life (including Christmas, my birthday, when we get home at one in the morning...and then there are morning chores....)
Plus I take care of my younger siblings a lot (I have a whole herd of them!)
I'm really dedicated and persistent, too. For instance, I usually (accidentally) cluck to people/cars to get them to move, say 'whoa' to stop, and when we accidentally slide on the icy gravel roads, I say 'whoop, whoop.' (that means calm down.) Plus I call my brother a yearling on accident sometimes....
Of course, my parents are pretty firm on their choices, so you might have it easier.
Good luck!!

Thanks! But I can't really spend 9 to 5 weeks doing all that stuff! But I think I will somehow figure it out! I only have 5 chickens, two adorable cats, and one very kind doggy!