Deflation in the horse world

[Texarkana]

We are always talking about the insane inflation we experience as horse owners, which makes me appreciate this topic even more.

What horse-related costs have actually become cheaper in your lifetime?

I’ll start: blankets! Or at least turnout blankets since the advent of tech fabrics (and outsourcing unfortunately).

In the 90s I remember scrapping and saving to buy blankets. Anything close to waterproof was expensive and most of them didn’t hold up at all. Don’t even get me started how they rubbed the horses raw.

While the high end blankets are still going up in cost, there are so many options for functional, waterproof turnout blankets for a fraction of the cost they used to sell for.

What else has come down in price, or stayed at a constant price despite inflation? I have a few others but figured I’d open it up to everyone else first!

[clanter]

unsolicited advise certainly has become cheaper and more prevalent

[NaturallyHappy]

This is awesome and made me laugh out loud😀.

[McGurk]

Nahhhh,

Unsolicited advice has always been cheap and readily available!

[Highflyer1]

There are so many decent low end horse things in so many sizes now. My first horse was a 15 hand TB mare with super short cannon bones and I lucked into a pair of used leather open fronts with sheepskin that had been originally purchased in the UK, and that was the only pair of off the rack boots that fit her-- they were literally irreplaceable on my budget. Now I can find a cob sized neoprene pair for $30 and have them delivered before the weekend. And riding boots for my short stumpy legs is the same deal-- I was like the last person to get zipper field boots because I couldn’t find any that didn’t need to be cut down. I bought a nice pair last year for under $200 shipped that fit me like customs (although they did come from the UK, thank God for the internet.)

[RMJacobs]

I was picturing a horse that sprung a leak.

Rebecca

[OverandOnward]

I can’t think of anything that’s cheaper over the last 10-15 years. Blankets cost me about the same, so maybe they didn’t follow inflation up as much?

There are more options for less cost in things like show jackets at the more informal end.

[Amberley]

Boots! I remember paying $500 for semi-custom tall boots in the 1990s. Not even high end ones. And they rubbed my feet raw and gave me a charley horse every time I took them off for months. Nowadays you can buy perfectly functional boots for a fraction of the cost in inflation-adjusted dollars and they don’t wreck your feet.

Chaps too- custom chaps cost an absolute fortune in the 80s and half chaps are much cheaper in comparison.

[Texarkana]

Adding another: ivermectin.

Even with covid ridiculousness driving up the demand, it’s still cheaper per tube than it was 30 years ago.

And until quite recently, I don’t feel like dewormers changed much in price over my lifetime. Some anthelmintics have become slightly more expensive, but all in all they have stayed within the same $10 price point, plus or minus a few dollars either direction. Only this year when buying my fall Equimax did I notice a whopping price jump.

[trubandloki]

@McGurk

Unsolicited advice has always been cheap and readily available!

But the internet and horse forums have made it even more readily available.

[Foxglove]

Breeches and riding clothes in general --not necessarily because brand new is cheaper (although as a fox hunter, I tear up breeches more than wear them out (going at speed though heavy woods) --but I paid (or my dad did) $800 for my first heavy hunt coat in 1984 --tailor made by his tailor (still fits, and I still wear it) --every other coat I’ve purchased has been used --the WWW has enabled the buying and selling of fox hunting coats to be much cheaper that having new made --or going to Middleburg VA to see if there are any used that fit. Our hunt is a 3-season hunt in MI so one needs spring weight, mid weight and heavy weight coats --as well as cubbing jackets. Love searching the web for things like that!

[Renn_aissance]

@Texarkana

Only this year when buying my fall Equimax did I notice a whopping price jump.

My mom picked up a tube of Equimax for me when she was at the tack store and when I found out how much I owed her I asked if she had bought the special edition gold plated tube.

Panacur has steadily crept up in price the last few years too, and I’m not looking forward to seeing what that costs this January.

This isn’t deflation, but the sheer availability of secondhand quality goods (thanks, internet) has made them more affordable. Someone else’s semi-custom saddle that probably cost them $7k new cost me $2600 used in good condition and I didn’t have to wait for anyone to make it for me. If my hunt coat doesn’t fit I don’t have to hope the consignment store has one in my size, I can go on eBay.

[blue_heron]

Not that it’s cheap, but good tack, clothes, and veterinary care is so much more accessible now.

[Texarkana]

Amazon, Temu, etc. have really changed the tack & equipment market in terms of offering a glut of low-end, off brand knockoffs that just didn’t exist before.

[showy]

Breeches. Much more variety and different price points. I remember when everyone HAD to have those puke green Tailored Sportsmans in the hunter ring. Of course, all the other colors for schooling too as jeans and chaps fell out of fashion.

I’ll take my $80 tights any day now.

[Texarkana]

@Renn_aissance

My mom picked up a tube of Equimax for me when she was at the tack store and when I found out how much I owed her I asked if she had bought the special edition gold plated tube.

I ordered a 3 pack online at “normal” price. I have 4 to deworm, but one of them is a donkey and another is a yearling. Normally the yearling and donkey can split a tube, but I threw the weight tape around the yearling and realized she graduated to needing the majority of a tube. I went to buy a 4th tube and HOLY COW, they increased in price $10/tube in the short time since I purchased mine!