Priced out of the sport?

[subk]

It all depends on your goals.

After one miserable summer recognized event with the USEF mask mandate I decided that I would no long support the anti-science mentality that is mask wearing while outside. My daughter and I reworked our calendar so as not to compete at any more recognized events in 2020. We pivoted to schooling events and we had a blast, made great advancement with our horses and riding and saved a ton of money. (Or actually still spent the budget, but did a lot more with it.)

Not sure where any of you are, but in the heart of Area 3 (ie not Florida) many of the big venues offer one day schooling events with optional XC schooling the day before. In the same fabulous arenas, over the same wonderful show jumps and across the same excellent xc courses these venues use for their recognized events. In some cases the exact courses. And while, yes there is a request to wear masks, it was without announcers calling out people walking XC maskless and golf carts of officials berating young people while alone in their stalls with their horse. We all managed to be sensible without the authoritarian dictatorship of the USEF/USEA. Amazing, I know.

We traveled to Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky. And before Karen pipes up I have antibodies and my daughter too likely had it Dec 2019. Gas was cheap, hotels were cheap, restaurants were grateful for our business, and we got to support all our wonderful venues and organizers with our dollars–we paid less and they made more from them.

Was it the toughest competition out there? No. Was the judging the most impressive? Not every where. Were the ribbons 2 feet long? No. But the important stuff was top of the line and we had an absolute blast. Maybe it’s because I’m old and I’ve been there and done that and have no burning desire to ride those levels again. And maybe it’s because my daughter is new to eventing and she doesn’t have much to compare to and has a ton to learn. But these schooling events are the cat’s meow and if you have them in your area I highly, highly recommend you check them out. Discovering them was, for me, a really nice silver lining to 2020.

[Spudsmyguy]

I really enjoy competing but for every recognized event I have to carefully plan and save before pushing submit and entering. Luckily our area has a number of derbies and one days that are fun and low key throughout the season so I can get my xc fix that way and just volunteer at the recognized. Yeah, I get a little FOMO when I see my friends going to all the big events but for the most part these people are pretty well-heeled. C’est la vie

[B-burg_Dressage]

It does feel like it’s getting more and more expensive.

I know that I can only really afford one recognized show per year right now. But I get out in other ways to still feel like I’m part of the horse world. Whether that’s supporting friends, hitting the trail, schooling shows, or clinics.

I also have a used truck, a trailer that is older than I am, used tack, and $20 saddle pads. There are a million ways to save money without sacrificing quality of care if you’re not worried about keeping up with the Jones. I find this easier now that my horses are kept at home, I admit.

Ideally ulcer treatment is only once, then you make management changes.

I also have a $500 OTTB (who had injuries that thankfully haven’t caused issues so far) and a $1500 guy whose owner was looking for a good fit rather than profit. All about the training journey and not necessarily getting to the top.

[Libby2563]

I’m curious, what does a recognized show cost people, including gas and hotel if needed? I’m lucky to be close to a lot of recognized shows so I have never stayed overnight for an event. (I used to travel for one or two dressage shows a year, like regional/national champs, so I know how much that increases cost and I know how fortunate I am.) Factoring in gas, a normal recognized Novice or Training level HT costs me about $260-70. For me that seems pretty reasonable and well worth it. Dressage shows used to cost me as much or more, and I even didn’t get to gallop around jumping fun things.

As far as horse cost, one of several reasons I’m focusing on eventing now is that it’s easier to be successful on a less expensive horse than it is in dressage. A couple years ago I had a ton of fun eventing a Craigslist pony.

[Jealoushe]

It is definitely getting more expensive, overall with entries, memberships, gas, food, lodging if need be…it’s easily $400 for a one day event for me.

[leheath]

In my area (west coast), almost all events are run over 3 days. The haul in fees, gas, and time involved in trailering back and forth is not worth it to me, so my horse stays overnight even if I don’t. Even if I stay overnight, I have a self-contained truck camper so it doesn’t cost me anything. All that said, a normal BN recognized event costs me $400-$500 just for entry and stabling fees, without the cost of gas (my truck is ancient and a gas guzzler so most shows would be $50-100 gas) plus a day off work. A two-day dressage show costs me roughly the same amount if I ride two tests a day and stable my horse.

[catchcan]

I agree with this. I’m on a modest budget and spend accordingly - my horse was free, 99% of my tack was purchased used, I tent camp at horse trials, don’t own a truck and trailer, can afford to do a competition or a clinic per month but not both. I have fun and win ribbons. I do have emergency funds for vet fees and even spend monthly on equine body work because my horse is older, but those are just budget factors. Maybe it is because I grew up poor I am just used to these kinds of decisions, but it doesn’t really bother me to be eating my sandwich I brought from home or driving my car from 2003. If that’s what it takes to do what I love, then that’s what it takes.

[Libby2563]

@leheath

In my area (west coast), almost all events are run over 3 days.

Good point, I don’t know how often I would want to do that either! It’s weird how regional that is. Around here I think almost all non-FEI events are run with all three phases in one day.

[leheath]

@Libby2563

Good point, I don’t know how often I would want to do that either! It’s weird how regional that is. Around here I think almost all non-FEI events are run with all three phases in one day.

Yes, I think it is because a lot of west coast competitors drive many, many hours to get to an event that doing it in one day would be too stressful on horse and rider. I moved to southern CA because in eastern WA, there was 2 events per year (first and last of the season) 15 minutes away and the rest were 7+ hours each way! I grew up in southern Ontario, Canada and pretty much everything was run as a one day and they just put different divisions on different days if there were too many competitors or levels to fit everyone into one day. The west coast approach really makes competing an expensive proposition.

[OTTBs]

@subk

After one miserable summer recognized event with the USEF mask mandate I decided that I would no long support the anti-science mentality that is mask wearing while outside.

Where have you been when I’ve made this argument? I say a herd of us need to bombard USEF with the fact that wearing a mask while walking XC makes NO sense. Or anywhere where you can keep 20 ft between you and another person.

[Horse_Rider]

There’s this part of me that always wants to ask “HOW MUCH MONEY DO YOU MAKE!!!” when folks on here talk about buying another horse on a whim, or a trailer, or dropping everything to fill a spot at a $$$ clinic, or buying a barn, or putting in a ring… I have a healthy savings account but it’s for emergencies and I just can not justify splashing it down on some flashy OTTB I spotted when I wasn’t even horse shopping. What is that like?! The very idea gives me a heart attack. But clearly people can do it and their savings don’t evaporate before their eyes as they calculate board, custom saddles, lameness exams when it turns out flashy doesn’t equal maintenance free…

I work one FT job and then a second PT job to help pay for my horse costs. I think of myself as well paid (6 digits, FYI) and I certainly make more than most of my non-horse friends but by the time I’m done paying for board, farrier, massage, chiro, and the random items that always add up to more than I expect, my horse budget is pretty well tapped out. And then 9 times out of 10, my horse is sick or lame or not right. I haven’t ridden more than five or six times a month since - well, honestly, I don’t even remember the last time I managed to get my horse actually fit and going well. Within two weeks of throwing common sense out the door and starting to plan my horse’s latest fitness schedule, he gets kicked or bitten or hurt in the field and I’m back to doctoring.

People keep asking if I’m going to buy another horse so I can have one I can actually ride. With what money?!? Are they going to pay my board?!? And when that horse turns out to also be high maintenance? I already don’t vacation, don’t buy myself clothes, can’t afford other hobbies, have no life because every spare moment has to be spent dealing with horse things. I get that some people can live on ramen and never see a doctor and that’s billed as “being driven” and “really wanting it.” I might have believed that in my early 20s. In my 30s with my body already giving out on me? Nah.

Yes, I’m beyond priced out, not just of the sport, but of horses in general. Literally the only way I see myself continuing in horses after this horse dies would be if I won the lottery. Sorry. No inspiring stories here.

[Scaramouch]

Saaaaame.

I grew up doing the little local schooling H/J shows that don’t seem to exist anymore, where you could go and ride in five classes for $50.

Then most of my adult life choices have been based on the paradigm that you can either a) have time to ride and spend quality time with your horses regularly or b) make enough money to easily afford horses … and full board and lots of training rides, which you’ll need because that kind of job will leave you no time to see your horses during the week. Given that my goal has always been to ride well. I’ve long since accepted that I will always be on a shoestring, used truck/trailer/tack, OTTB budget.

Even so, I’ve ridden in like one schooling dressage show since 2014. On paper, money shouldn’t be a problem for me. My paycheck is frankly pathetic, but I’m lucky to have an SO who covers the mortgage and utilities. I would feel mildly guilty about this, but he’s military and that is what BAH is for. Even with that being the case, and having two horses on a shoestring - the retired guy costs me nothing outside of regular vet and farrier because I work off his board, and my slightly younger and sounder mare is on self-care - it feels like I’m always scrambling to cover all of the costs.

I really don’t understand how “regular” amateurs afford to show every other weekend on top of all of the regular expenses of owning a horse. Even schooling shows. Our local unrecognized HT series is $150. When I weigh the time it takes me to earn that money against the 12-15 minutes of “competition time” it buys, it makes no sense. Same goes for $90 for two dressage tests. I understand the expense of maintaining a facility - I guess announcer’s mansions and technofooting covering every square inch of every arena are required elements now? - but I doubt I’m the only one being “priced out.”

[On that note … I think it’s sad what the “professionalism” of eventing has done to the sport overall. There’s no such thing as grassroots anymore, and smaller venues are compelled to catch up or go extinct. Please don’t get me started on the absurdity of “crowdfunding” Kentucky…]

For what it’s worth I still volunteer anyway. Barring a miracle that’s as close as I’m going to get to a show any time soon.

[HeyJealousy]

Again, thank you for sharing your stories and experiences. I’m totally with you, @Horse_Rider, I just want to ask people how much money they make to afford what they have. I know it’s none of my business but I am genuinely curious. My husband and I make excellent money especially for our area and it’s just never enough. And yeah…it seems like something always goes wrong with the horse that makes it even more expensive and then you’re not even riding. It’s frustrating.

[LadyB]

I think a lot of people go into debt. You know when you see that nice expensive car that someone is driving, the odds of them owning it outright is most likely not the case. A lot of people go into debt. I think many of us just choose not to.

I have a friend that goes into debt to show. I will not do that, not for my hobby. I work two jobs to just get by, just to afford one show a month, with maybe 2 lessons a month and one cross country schooling. Its a struggle that is for sure.

[aregard]

@midstride

I used to have big dreams. But the last HT I went to I had to W as my horse was NQR, and we had been worked so hard. Walking back to my ride’s trailer, I looked around and realized I was never going to be the one with matchy truck and trailer, etc.

gYou have the same realization when you are parked with your old stock trailer next to a flashy set up, and your $5000 Appendix has beaten their fancy imported warmblood all hollow. When you realize they can buy their way to the top, but it’s the training and riding that matters in the end.

Competition can become/has become a game of money. And what’s the prize at the end of the day? We had the ribbon, she felt cheated.

So we went back to the riding and training, since that’s the part that matters.

(*This was a dressage show, not a HJ show, just FTR, but I think the principles are the same.)

[B-burg_Dressage]

FWIW
My recognized show will run $500-700. My horse stays two nights and I stay at home (about an hour drive).
My schooling shows are about $100 and we will likely only go one day.
Trail riding costs me about $50 in fuel.

Some of the income game depends on what area of the country you live in. I can get nice quality grass hay that’s grown less than a mile from my place for $4/bale (50lbs). And we only paid $4000/acre for our property.

I paid $2200 cash for my trailer and my DH brought it up to it being solid and safe.

We do have a mortgage for our house and property. And we have a fairly small truck payment on our gently used truck. Wouldn’t remotely consider going into debt on the price of a horse or shows, but I do know people that do.

DH and I combined don’t come close to a six figure income. But we built our own house, fencing, outdoor arena, and interior of our barn (stalls/electric/water/etc.). If you’re handy and live in the middle of nowhere on a gravel road more things are possible.

I also ride 5-6 days a week (when it’s above 25 degrees), I couldn’t justify all of the expenses and not ride regularly.

[Scribbler]

I expect that most people who casually add an extra horse have their own property so the extra cost per horse is not huge, especially if you have usable pasture at least part of the year.

Land and feed costs vary so much regionally. In my metro area a ton of good Timothy hay is $530 (3 to 4 months for one horse) which isn’t extreme. But a horse acreage is going to cost about $5 million. So the best budget option for me is self board. But I am also not seriously prepping to compete in anything.

[HeyJealousy]

Thanks for sharing the breakdown. I am so jealous of your land costs. Here, acreage is anywhere from $25-40K AN ACRE. No, I’m not exaggerating. And hay is upwards of $15 a bale. Makes it harder, that’s for sure! I’m so glad you have a way to keep your horses at home and have made it work for you!

[subk]

@OTTBs

@subk

After one miserable summer recognized event with the USEF mask mandate I decided that I would no long support the anti-science mentality that is mask wearing while outside.

Where have you been when I’ve made this argument? I say a herd of us need to bombard USEF with the fact that wearing a mask while walking XC makes NO sense. Or anywhere where you can keep 20 ft between you and another person.

Hahaha! We’ve been passing in the night. I made that argument in a thread here detailing my experience after the first eventing weekend of mandatory mask wearing pointing out that not only is there no science behind outdoor mask wearing, but that the virus is so fragile and uncontainable when outside that we can’t keep it alive long enough to even do the science. And quite frankly, some of the participants here can’t handle dissenting opinions with much grace. Unfortunately that’s been the case for a few years–I’ll never forget the conniptions it caused when I had the audacity to mention the science behind men and women being different biologically making for differences in physical abilities. “Wokeness” eventually kills everything it touches and is likely one of the reasons these boards see so much less participation than in past years–certainly in my individual case. Seriously, what rational thinking person wants to put up with it?

But yeah, it would be nice if the governing bodies employed a little science in their stances instead of one size fits all mandates that make no sense (and assumes we are idiots.) I voted with my dollars. By not renewing my USEF membership and by exclusively going to schooling shows at established venues this year all the people who normally get financed through competitors got my financing except the governing bodies.

[RSEventer]

Embrace the suck. I am a retired school teacher and have a very nice novice horse (Stella) that I have done very well on. (#5 in the country last year at BN) She cost less than $4k. I bought her at an online auction without a vet check, without sitting on her. I have bought and sold horses that did not work out. I did not start riding till I was 24 yrs old and bought my first horse at age 33. I am 59 yrs old and I have never given up on my dream. It is not an option, I am determined and thoughtful in my choices. I often work in exchange for lessons. I organize clinics and my fee is free participation. I watch the warmup of the best riders, and I watch training videos. I am a good grant writer and have benefited from a Sports Psychology Grant that the USEA offered and I won. I do live in Area 3 in Florida, so I am lucky to have the opportunity to show with some of the best in the country. I support the local riding eventing group (FHTA) and also benefit from being a member. I volunteer a lot! It gets me free schooling passes and free education. I don’t understand why people do not volunteer more- it is such a good way to learn. Many people do not want to put in the hard work to succeed. I have no problem working in exchange for services- my highest salary as a teacher was 62K and that was after 30 years teaching. I started at 18K as a salary. I worked side jobs to pay for schooling shows and horse expenses, and I am not sentimental about selling a horse if it is not helping me towards my goals. I have had to pay mortgages, insurance, etc. I have done partial board where I went to the barn before and after school. I have zero regrets because now, I am retired and showing rated shows and having an absolute blast. When there is a rated show, I stay overnight with a friend or camp in my horse trailer at a place near the show that is less costly than on the grounds. There are so many ways to “get it done.” My experience as a school teacher taught me to deal with disappointments and brush them aside and move on. As a teacher, you have kids, parents, administrators and other teachers to deal with- it is such a thankless, stressful job! My horses got me through the stress of work for years! You have to think outside the box and just push on through. Start volunteering and see what happens. I have shown without a groom my entire life- it’s not easy, but I am very self-reliant and self-sufficient. Good luck and I know for a fact that there are tons of working amateurs like you and me out there. You can do it!