I think this is one of those things where both the supply and demand exist, but rarely seem to find each other.
Leases are tricky. People aren’t always willing to enter one with strangers.
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A major global company that I’m aware of donates a 50 year lease on vacant industrial land in a major Australian city to the local Pony Club. The land itself would be worth at least $100m and will eventually be built on by this mega corporation. In the meantime it is used as affordable agistment (boarding) for the local Pony Club kids’ horses. It is used for 24/7 turnout in a herd situation with shared horse shelters, parking space for floats etc. Our climate is suitable for this year round. Parents and kids do the pasture maintenance on a rotating schedule, round bales are purchased in bulk and individual feeding, rugging etc. is DIY. It has been operating for the past 50 years that I’m aware of, and in the last few years has moved onto a second property after the first one was sold and developed. Without this there would be no Pony Club for these kids who live in the middle of a major city. It’s probably still not a cheap hobby, but at least it is being run as a non profit and costs are heavily subsidised by the corporation’s donated lease.
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along that line, near here, there is a fairly rough boarding facility that offers cheap board with lovely pasture near the city. In a way it is great, as it makes boarding affordable, and accessible (you can get to it by bus/bike), but it is only a matter of time before it is overtaken by the city, and then where will those people go? They have become used to subsidized board that has enabled people that probably can’t really afford horses have horses. Unsustainable options are great while they last, as long as people understand how much they are being subsidized and are prepared for it to end.
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This sounds like a bit of heaven.
So, tell me about property taxes in Oz.
How is “vacant industrial land” taxed? Non-profit or not.
What do property taxes fund?
I’m trying to figure out whether your model is UK, US or something unique.
It would be taxed on it’s value, with or without improvements. They would pay a fortune for it in taxes, but the company is holding the land for it’s long term plans, capital growth on it’s value would be huge, and it’s going to sit vacant anyway so they donate it’s use to the community (ie an inner city Pony Club which wouldn’t exist without this type of help).
It may or may not happen in some other locations, but it’s not part of any program that runs on a wider scale.
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This has been a very interesting thread to read, as I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Is this worth it? It is SO expensive.
I’m in California, where I feel everything is more expensive. In my area, we are lucky to still have programs that offer school horses, obviously with limitations. I pay $360 a month for my daughter to have 4 30 minute private riding lessons on a school pony. They do offer a 1 hour group lesson for the same price, but unfortunately there hasn’t been a rider of a similar skill level that has the same time availability as I do. The limitations are: 1) a weight limit and 2) you can’t jump over 2’ in lessons if you use school horses (completely understandable). I feel so, so so incredibly fortunate that this area was more rural when I first moved here 20 years ago. As a 13 year old, I literally walked up to a neighbors house and asked if I could ride her horses and get lessons in exchange for chores (feeding / muck / turn out, etc). I feel that would be unheard of these days.
As far as my personal horses go, I actually do self care board at the same neighbors house mentioned above. With the self care option I keep my boarding expenses as low as I possibly can, but I’m not factoring in my time and energy into the equation when I calculate the cost of self care board. As it is I’d say I spend WAY too much of my “disposable” income towards horses. Almost everything I have goes towards the horses. Like, yes I save for retirement via 401k but I could certainly be contributing a whole lot more than 6% without my horses. If I didn’t do self care board, the competition barns are priced at over $1k a month for basic care. Some of the smaller / more run down / feed less hay / no turn out options barns are around $700+.
But at the end of the day, my entire life and identity revolve around the horses, I’m honestly not sure what I would do with my time or money if it wasn’t spent on them. Which, that statement in itself is likely problematic, but I’m just being honest.
ETA: including the price of board in this area.
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Yup, I know of a barn like this and a few others in my area. Right down to the mud. Lesson programs have often been hit or miss, but when I was growing up there were some good ones, and now, the ones that are surviving have rather questionable horse care or soundness. As well as a question of ethics, it can also be difficult to learn on a horse that doesn’t have a decent saddle/diet.
There are definitely other pricey activities for kids, but I find that for parents, they still find even stuff like dance and soccer provides more impressive “bang for their buck” than riding. Yes, a dance mom and a horse mom might spend the same, but the dance mom can travel to competitions for the same amount that a kid might lesson twice a week or half lease, maybe go to a local schooling show. The “best of the best” is reserved for the elite in the riding world.
As my own financial situation has gotten more precarious, I’ve gotten increasingly depressed for myself and the sport in general.
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Not to mention dangerous!
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So true! It’s one thing to have a green horse in the program, but it’s another thing entirely when horses are stumbling or (less obvious to a non-horsey parent) spooking and fussing because of of ulcers or a bad diet or bad tack fit.
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…and to be sure I understand, unlike the UK, the land is included in the price, yes?
Exactly. I’ve been pushing back for years against the hobby v. sport v. lifestyle (gak!) tri-chotomy. For me, I have no choice.
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Well said. I’m in the money industry and having read for YEARS now that MOST Americans have no corporate pension coming, no retirement savings (401k or IRA), living paycheck to paycheck. And yes, when you look at the income bracket breakdowns and see that, what 80% of Americans make very little money compared to what it takes to have a generous discretionary income.
I know for me, the decision to not have children was I knew it was expensive and didn’t want anything to infringe on my horse addiction.
I find it so sad to read this thread and know how much all this has impacted good peeps on this board and the future. We know being involved with horses is so rewarding and therapeutic.
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Good point. DH and I have no kids, and no mortgage. There is absolutely no way I could afford a horse if we had one or both of those things to deal with – and we are in the top 15% income-wise.
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Yes, it’s payable on the capital improved value which is land plus buildings. Owner occupied homes are exempt, but I’m not sure how much land can be included (ie house + ? acres).
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An indoor arena is so cost prohibitive to construct. I completely understand why boarders in the midwest and northern states want one (I definitely wish I had one in the winter in mid Missouri) but you’re looking at at least $100k to put in a new one. Most people aren’t willing to pay what that costs for pasture boarded horses.
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Oof I think these days you’re looking at closer to $300-$500k, depending on snow load and site prep/electric/permitting needs.
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There was a big regional ranch horse sale this past weekend and the results were eye opening. We all know horse prices went nuts after covid. I accepted a while ago I am priced out of affording a WB, so I always thought that my next horse will be more along the lines of a repurposed ranch QH. Nothing fancy, but serviceable and amateur friendly.
Well, green broke 3-4yo QHs were going for around 20k CAD and green broke draft crosses or anything with feathers and hair were going for 30-40k. One nice 5yo QH with disclosed hock arthritis went in the high teens.
Maybe with stagflation in 5-10 years that will seem reasonably priced, but right now my head is still spinning.
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I would love to say that’s insane pricing but at our last local auction a QH that was husband safe, mid teens went for 20k.
TBs are still cheap off the track, there is a doll of one for 2k close to me and I’m tempted, but I know better.
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My parents were the comfortable middle class. Paid for college for 4 children, Mom sewed the clothes for my sisters and I, bought store brand groceries, etc. They traveled a bit and went out on their 18’ boat for fun. Saved $$ for retirement. Mom died when she was 61. I was 32 and that changed my “put it mostly off until the kids are grown and gone” approach to my horse hobby which was briefly on hiatus due to our daughters being young.
We never did horse stuff at the highest level but we always did horse stuff with the girls. Even now my horse stuff isn’t at the highest level but it brings me joy and doesn’t have us in the poor house. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I have a 12 year great niece who shows in coastal GA. I’m gobsmocked at the expenses of “local” showing which involves shows in Aiken. Growing up the only overnight horse stuff I did was Pony Club regional rallies. So different now.
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I think the big reason it costs so much is liability. Gone are the days when you can let a local kid ride your horse without worrying that you’ll lose the farm if she falls off an gets hurt. Same with part leasing a horse to reduce costs. Too much liability to make it worth it.
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