Cost of Horses

[clanter]

a second on the reduction of hay cost that it sure has not gone down much if any around here since the droughts of of the 2000s, now a small square bale of nothing special is in the $15 range at feed stores.

But I see the large round bales did go down from cough $170 to $160 even with truckloads being sent to the panhandle to help feed the cattle that lost all their pasture grasses in the wild fires.

The TEFF hay we feed is trucked in from out of state, the cost of diesel really has an affect on the price

[Montanas_Girl]

@usernameTaken

is it typical for TSCs to have things regularly priced differently at different stores?

Yes.

I work in the feed industry, and my company keeps a close eye on TSC prices, as they are one of our biggest competitors. We have found that the pricing at their stores varies based on whether there is a competitor “big box” ag retailer (i.e. Rural King) in the same town and the general cost of living/income in said town. Sometimes by as much as $5-7 on a bag of feed!

[spacehorse]

I have had the same experience near me with the mini flake shavings. One TSC store they are 7.49 I think and the other they are 5.29. Stores are maybe 12 miles apart? I have only noticed this on this particular item but I should probably start paying more attention to the feed now that I am using the TC Sr Active for my geriatrics.

[TWH_Girl]

I am super lucky- but also on my last two horses at 53.

My retired, pasture boarded 14 yr old is $145. It’s nothing fancy- an old cow barn and a super nice retired UPS driver and his wife that like horses. He’s a great guy and takes good care of the horses. Hay is included- I supply grain and SmartPaks.

My younger one is 6 and at a riding facility that is about 7 years old. Indoor arena, stalls, restroom, tack lockers, washer & dryer, wash stall, outdoor ring. $430 a month includes Tribute feed.

Both are in the SE WI area- in rural counties just outside more populated ones. I’d be hard pressed to leave either place even with board increases as the increases tend to be modest.

Vet bills are another story as I use a well known clinic which isn’t the cheapest by far but they’ve always done a great job and have taken excellent care of my horses. I usually let them know if I need to save a few dollars and they provide me options when possible, such as waiving injections fees if done by their intern etc.

Farrier is $155 for two front shoes which is pricey imo but given how fortunate I am otherwise and how much I love my farrier, it’s all good.

I agree overall that it’s sad and very upsetting to see the average middle class person being priced out of horses and life in general these days.

[Texarkana]

Now that this thread has come back to live, what is the answer for the masses to be able to retain some level of access to horses?

I feel like I spent my youth and young adulthood honing the ability to keep horses, even competitive ones, on a shoestring budget. But what worked 10-20 years ago doesn’t necessarily work today.

I agree self care/co-op style boarding is where the puck is heading… but that has serious geographical limitations. Your horse needs to be located conveniently to your home and/or job.

Something I’ve really been thinking a lot about is DIY farriery. Our glue on technology has improved to the point where the acts of forging, shaping, and nailing metal shoes can be bypassed with adhesive products, changing the learning curve and making it slightly more accessible to the “average Joe.” But this really isn’t ideal for most people.

Virtual lessons could reduce training costs in some instances. Or canned instructional programs (ala RideIQ, Ridely, etc.). It’s not going to work for everyone or every situation, but it’s better than the masses all attempting to go it alone because they can’t afford training.

Along those same lines, I’m seeing more and more virtual challenges and virtual shows pop up, so us lower level riders can get some feedback and feel like we are doing something without the expense of a true competition.

We all could get really into bareback and bridleless riding to reduce our tack costs?

As for the cost of horses themselves-- there are always going to be free/cheap horses. Always. It’s a non-issue in my mind.

But I don’t know how you can feed more cheaply. I don’t know how you can reduce veterinary costs. I don’t know what you can do about rising land costs. I don’t know what you can do about rising cost of materials.

[NaturallyHappy]

@Texarkana

But I don’t know how you can feed more cheaply. I don’t know how you can reduce veterinary costs. I don’t know what you can do about rising land costs. I don’t know what you can do about rising cost of materials.

It’s shocking to me how much stuff keeps going up…it really is.

[clanter]

@Texarkana

rising land costs

we are fighting the tax appraisal district’s evaluation on the land, we are on less than ten acres so can not use an ag exemption even though the land is used as pasture. The Taxing district has valued the pastures at $90,000 per acre, it’s a disheartening battle talking to those people in ivory towers who just smile at you as you see your tax bills

[NaturallyHappy]

Oh my word!

[luvmyhackney]

Property taxes/insurance, vet care and hay are my biggest $$ areas.

Prescend has gotten expensive. I paid $1540.00 for shots, dental, blood work on two horses and 1 pony, plus a small jar of bute a couple weeks ago. I paid less than 1000.00 a year ago, same horses and same work.

[Texarkana]

@luvmyhackney

I paid $1540.00 for shots, dental, blood work on two horses and 1 pony, plus a small jar of bute a couple weeks ago.

I hear you. My annual spring visit was just under $1200 for rabies, coggins, and dental floating for 4 horses. Nothing else. And quite frankly, my vet is very affordable… I cringe when I think the possible cost with some of the pricier vets I’ve had in the past.

I administer my other vaccines myself and spent $450 on them this year. Ironically an old FB memory popped up and the same vaccines were less than half that cost 10 years ago.

There really aren’t any more corners to cut in this department. I could use a slightly “cheaper” dentist, but my vet has a pretty extensive dental background and it’s worth it. The horses need coggins to go places. I give the vaccines that need to be given; the core recommendations + bot + flu/rhino + PHF… all are kinda necessary in my area and the risk isn’t really worth the savings.

My vet deserves to make a good living. But what’s going to happen if a significant number of owners are priced out of horses because of the skyrocketing costs? She loses revenue in that case, too.

[beowulf]

What state are you in? Does it have a recreational exemption?

[Jarpur]

My old boy has recently tested positive for PPID (he’s been tested before, but this time resulted in a diagnosis). Fortunately, his labs otherwise look great.

Vet wants to re-test every three months for a year, which makes the repeat testing several times more expensive than the treatment (total price of each test is about 70% of the cost of an entire year of Prascend, when purchasing the largest amount of pills to get the medication price down). Next year, when testing is cut back to twice annually, it’ll still be considerably more expensive than the treatment.

At some point, I’m going to want to discuss the whole ad infinitum testing thing, assuming that the old man is doing well.

[luvmyhackney]

If your vet will submit paperwork the company that makes Prescend will cover the initial paperwork. Or at least they used to do it.
https://idppid.com/testing-program

[Jarpur]

Thanks for the link. The veterinarian didn’t mention anything about this, and it might be too late, since he’s now already been diagnosed, but I’ll certainly look it to it.

[skip99]

My general feeling is that horses will no longer be for the masses except in very rural areas or at a very entry level in more populated areas - ie walk/trot or pony rides.

I am fortunate to be able to keep my horse costs very low at home (excluding “wants” like lessons, showing, a trailer, etc). Despite this I have mostly stopped encouraging those would are interested in casually riding to the sport as I have seen a definite shift in the overall riding culture/business models in my area which have significantly increased costs, expectations, and program structure that are not conducive to supporting inclusion of “the average Joe”.

If I ever became independently wealthy I would totally have a few tolerant horses/ponies and open my doors to provide an opportunity to, at minimum, interact with horses to a broader demographic. I feel that in 10-20 years even the likelihood of even that existing will be even smaller.

[clanter]

Tarrant County Texas, between Fort Worth and Dallas (can see the high rises in both cities plus Cowboy Stadium over in Arlington can be seen) , we are centered on nearly ten acres (not all ours) with several million people around us… and the tax district just assumes the best use being chopping the place up into tracks for million dollar houses.

Very strange place since we are less than a mile from a $2B plus retail district, yet my nearest neighbor to the rear is 1,000 feet back there. Actual closest neighbor is the house across the street 300 feet away. Anything wanted is just within a few miles (we can order stuff to be delivered by drones now)

[Texarkana]

@skip99

My general feeling is that horses will no longer be for the masses except in very rural areas or at a very entry level in more populated areas - ie walk/trot or pony rides.

I mean, they already aren’t for the masses. But it hurts everyone as they become relegated to the richest of the rich. Less vets, less services, less market, less variety…

And “rural” doesn’t automatically equal “horse friendly.” I’ve lived in rural areas where there were no horse services. All the land in the world isn’t helpful if you don’t have a vet, don’t have a farrier, don’t have a feed store, don’t have a hay supplier…sure, you might be able to pick up some of those tasks yourself, but not all of them.

[sherian]

I am always torn on the subject of cost - I know how much money and work it takes to keep horses but if the industry prices out the middle class where will future service providers like farriers, saddlers, feed reps etc come from? All fine and dandy to cater to rich jr riders and have them become “pro riders” and trainers but it’s the horse mad middle class kids that grow up to be most of the people who keep the horse industry going. Thankful I have my own farm and am a farrier and vet tech so I can keep a lot of costs down, but with the cost of feed, fuel, equipment, and property maintenance, the ever increasing fees and paper work hoops from governing bodies it’s likely I won’t be showing again and don’t plan on replacing any horses as the seniors pass on

[beowulf]

I am an Assessor in MA, not Texas, but check to see if you have Chapterland (Agricultural and/or Recreational) exemptions. I just briefly looked at Tarrant Co and see they have an agri exemption for livestock but it does look like it has to be continuous 10 acres. There is mention of Special Agri Exemptions - might be worth looking into or, buying the difference from one of your neighbors, or inquiring about if the Recreational Exemption laws have a different acreage requirement. In my town in MA, a minimum of 5 (continuous) acres must be devoted to livestock or recreational use. It has to be owned by the entity applying for the exemption; so no splitting 2.5 acres between two neighbors to make the acreage minimum. We have farmers landswap often to try to get this exemption - it reduces your land value 75%, so a whopping figure for most parties.

In MA you have to assessed based on highest and best use; sounds like Texas is the same. Unfortunately that is standard assessing practice. Avg 1 acre parcel value in my town is $330,000, land value only.

[cayuse]

Around here they laugh at you when you see your tax bill. It IS disheartening. 100%.