# YOUR responsibilities as a horse owner.



## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

When you decide to buy a horse, you are taking on a monumental responsibility. They are large animals that eat a lot and require a lot of care. 

When you buy a horse, you are in charge of getting proper care for your horse, this means:

*1) The horse should be fed according to their body needs.* 
That means if you buy a hard keeper, you are going to spend more money on feed. It's a fact of horse ownership. If the horse is old or has special dietary needs, you need to be prepared to deal with it.
Signs your horse isn't getting the nutrition it needs:
Take a good long look at your horse, and really look at what you're seeing. -If you can see the ribs, you might need to re-evaluate your horse's nutrition
-If the coat is dull and lackluster, you might need to re-evaluate your horse's nutrition.
-Your best bet is to go through each point on the horse with the BCS:
Body Condition Scoring of Horses
Common excuses:
- Oh, he's old, that's why he's skinny. >No, the horse is skinny because you're not doing something right.
- He just won't pick up weight! >Then it is your responsibility to find out why, and fix it.
- He's always been skinny. >Same response as above


*2) Their teeth need to be looked after. *
Prepare to spend a few hundred dollars each year on this. Or more.
Horses cannot verbally tell us when their teeth hurt, so you need to be looking out for signals. Dropping excessive feed, balking at the bit, losing weight, etc, all signs that your horse needs his teeth done. 
If one person comes out and says your horse's teeth are fine, but he's still not accepting the bit, dropping feed, and losing weight, get a second opinion., preferable from an equine dentist.
Signs your horse might need dental work:
- He is losing weight, or has a hard time keeping weight
- He refuses to eat, eats slower than normal, or drops a lot of feed while chewing
- He refuses the bit, or won't accept the bit
- He has trouble bending and suppling
Common excuses:
- I don't have the money to do it. >Then don't own a horse.
- My grandfather owned horses all his life, they never had their teeth done and were fine. >I call bs on this statement. Ever lived with a toothache? It hurts! You can't eat right, and your every day actions are a pain too. Humans that have never seen the dentist suffer for it. Same goes for your equine pal.
- Horses out in the wild don't get their teeth done! >No, but they also die from it. 

*3) They need their hooves trimmed on a regular basis *- most horses require their feet done every 4-10 weeks. Missing a trim, yes, even one, can damage your horse, and it can be a long road to recovery.
Yes, it's costly, but it's a necessity. My horse's feet grow like weeds and need to be done almost on a monthly basis, so I shell out the $45/visit because it keeps him sound, happy and healthy.
Common excuses:
- My horses feet don't need to be done in the wintertime, I'll keep them trimmed in the summer. >Wrong. The horse can develop lameness from ill-kept feet. You need to keep them on a regular rotation throughout the year.
- Horses in the wild don't need their feet done! >Firstly, the lame ones get killed off pronto. Secondly, they travel vast distances and so their hooves do wear naturally, but they probably aren't balanced. Thirdly, your pet pony is completely out of the wild. It is being ridden, and asked to do things horses in the wild would never do, so your horse needs special hoof care.

*4) Your horse needs regular deworming. *
Horses get parasites internally, it comes from eating unsanitized food. You would need to be dewormed too, if your food came from a field without being washed, or you ate off the ground. 
It's inexpensive, and keeps your horse healthy. 
If your horse is infested with parasites, any food you pump into him is going to be shared with these lovely bugs. You can spend more money on feed and the horse won't pick up weight because - you guessed it - little buggies are getting the nutrients.
It really is cheaper to deworm on a regular basis than pumping more feed into try and offset parasites. 
Signs your horse might need to be dewormed:
- Scratching the tail/butt
- Lackluster coat, not shedding coat
- The belly hangs down and the horse looks fat, but you can see the ribs.


*5) You need to be prepared to shell out money for emergency veterinary care.* 
If your horse is injured, sick, or otherwise unhealthy and you don't know how to deal with it, CALL the vet. 
Will it be expensive? Probably, but it is your DUTY as a horse OWNER to care for your charge. 
Common excuses:
- We can't afford to have the vet out. >Then please sell or give the horse away to a home that can. You should not own a horse. They are big, expensive animals, and if you can't shell out the bucks to get the horse properly cared for, you should not own it. 
I am sick and tired of this excuse. You own a HORSE. Vet care is expensive, but necessary. 


*6) IT IS YOUR DUTY AS A HORSE OWNER TO EDUCATE YOURSELF*.
In this day and age of information at your fingertips, IGNORANCE isn't an excuse. 
If you take on a horse, it is your DUTY to read up on care for the horse. That means you should know how much to feed. That means you should know that farrier care is needed. That means that you should know to call the vet when your horse isn't well. That means you should know that your horse needs to be dewormed. 



Horses are EXPENSIVE animals, it's a simple fact. If you CANNOT or WILL NOT provide adequate care, please reconsider getting (or keeping) a horse.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Actually, I'd also add regular shot schedule like rabies, 5-way, West Nile, etc.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I was going to, KV, I don't know why I didn't 

*7) Vaccinate your horse.*
Vaccinations are touchy.. some horses never leave their property and no horses come in, so a basic 3 way will suffice. Some horses need a 5 way plus WN plus Strangles.
It is in your horse's best interest to be vaccinated at least against the basics. It is your responsibility to find out from your vet which vaccines your horse needs for that area, and your horse's activities.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

JustDressageIt said:


> *6) IT IS YOUR DUTY AS A HORSE OWNER TO EDUCATE YOURSELF*.
> In this day and age of information at your fingertips, IGNORANCE isn't an excuse.
> If you take on a horse, it is your DUTY to read up on care for the horse. That means you should know how much to feed. That means you should know that farrier care is needed. That means that you should know to call the vet when your horse isn't well. That means you should know that your horse needs to be dewormed.


Reading up on something does not take the place of consulting with professionals. ANYONE can write anything they choose based on how they view things. There are many well educated BOOK people out there. It's the mud and the blood and the sweat that make a real horse person.

I have to say I disagree with many of the points you made. I'll highlight one: Missing ONE trim can mess your horse up for life? Please.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Great post JDI - and I think that is a great eye opener for those younger generations who think owning a horse is everything, or to those who's parents take care of everything for them, so they end up not realizing the importancies and the financial expenses it takes to own your own horse.

It is a huge responsibllity to own an animal - period.

*Animals are not a right, they are a priveledge.*

About the trimming - 

Nelson and I are now paying for 1 year of errors made by our previous farrier. Most people think that TB's are born with natural horrible feet, which I believed for years as well, and my previous farrier kept telling me that too "There's nothing I can do, he is just how he is, work around it" - and that's garbage.

When I bought Nelson and for the year I owned him - his toes were long, no heels what-so-ever and very thin soles. So I had him shod all round with pads. I was forking out big money for this.....without even realizing how incorrect it was.

Nelson had hock issues, he would come out of his stall in the A.M for turn out with swollen ankles. I thought he had to begin Legend Injections. I had him on joint suppliments. His movement wasn't that great either - I had to ride hard just to get him to even track up. He couldn't keep a shoe on if his life depended on it.

Until - one fateful day, he lost a shoe, yet again - and I called my farrier at the time to come out and replace it, but he couldn't because he was on his way to Texas for vacation - so I had to find another farrier right away.

Due to this, I learnt allot! I have a new farrier, and I learnt that correct angles and correct trimming to allow blood flow, is what makes a healthy hoof. 

Guess what - Nelson now has THICK soles. He actually has HEELS and his toes were brought back immensely - he is no longer on joint suppliments. He doesn't have any hock issues, his movement is HUGE and LOFTY - and a much happier horse.

- - - - So it isn't just having their feet done, it is having the right farrier, who is educated and up to date on all techniques, so that your horse has blood flow, correct angles according to their pasturns and hips/shoulders - - - - -

But it took that 1 day of he throwing his shoe, to be educated on how it should be done.

Just thought I'd share that.


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## close2prfct (Mar 9, 2009)

mls said:


> Reading up on something does not take the place of consulting with professionals. ANYONE can write anything they choose based on how they view things. There are many well educated BOOK people out there. It's the mud and the blood and the sweat that make a real horse person.
> 
> I have to say I disagree with many of the points you made. I'll highlight one: Missing ONE trim can mess your horse up for life? Please.


I agree with you MLS, furthermore a vet does not need to be called every time a horse isn't feeling well or has an injury. Learn how to take care of minor problems yourself it really isn't that hard to do, do your own vaccinations, deworming etc. Not everyone even feed analysts agree on the type of feed that should be fed. Not everyone has 10,000$ in the bank to cover surgeries etc that may or may not arise & this should not prevent anyone from owning a horse. No one and I mean NO ONE is immune from sudden catastrophes in their lives that could land them unemployed, disabled or dead if we were to base our ownership of horses on the "what if's" no one would own any period.
If you can provide food, water, shelter, deworming, vaccinations and tend to their teeth & hooves then there is no reason why you shouldn't own a horse.


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## onetoomany (Dec 10, 2008)

While I agree that as a horse owners we are responsible for their care and upkeep but I do think you have gone a bit overboard and extreme here. Yes, horse owners should be educated and I often find myself shaking my head at the basic things people don’t know BUT there is a line between being educational and using scare tactics. If we are speaking to educate there must be a certain screen between thoughts and words. The most well received lessons are often tempered and moderate. I’m picking the same example as mls because I simply have the biggest bone with it.

In response to responsibilities- 
Re. #3. Horses should be trimmed or shod on an as need basis. They have their own growing schedules and those schedules change from season to season. You cannot say that all horses fall in the 4- 10 week range and that all horses need to be kept on a regular schedule. I watch my horse for signs of growth and wear and tear. When her feet need to be done they are done, not any sooner and not any later. I can definitely say that I do not keep track of weeks in between. It happens to be that her feet get worn down more in the winter so she really doesn’t get done as often in winter. I can also say with a clear conscience that I don’t remember when my mare last had her feet done but I can confidently say that they do not need to be done right now. 

Very rarely will skipping a trim, two trims, three trims etc. lame your horse for life. While we shouldn’t let our horse’s hooves get overgrown and chipped- the end result is not that extreme. We’ve all seen the photos of horses with slipper-feet get proper hoof care to go on and live happy, active lives.


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

close2prfct said:


> I agree with you MLS, furthermore a vet does not need to be called every time a horse isn't feeling well or has an injury. Learn how to take care of minor problems yourself it really isn't that hard to do, do your own vaccinations, deworming etc. Not everyone even feed analysts agree on the type of feed that should be fed. *Not everyone has 10,000$ in the bank to cover surgeries etc that may or may not arise *& this should not prevent anyone from owning a horse. No one and I mean NO ONE is immune from sudden catastrophes in their lives that could land them unemployed, disabled or dead if we were to base our ownership of horses on the "what if's" no one would own any period.
> *If you can provide food, water, shelter, deworming, vaccinations and tend to their teeth & hooves then there is no reason why you shouldn't own a horse*.


I agree with both of these......

This sounds like a frustrated rant JDI, and don't get me wrong we have two right now that suffered at the hands of abusers, so I can understand where your coming from. However, if a person can provide the minimum in care who are we to say they shouldn't own a horse. 

How do you draw the line on what can be considered ignorance? I may have more experience than another person about a certain subject, be it training or health. Does that make them ignorant? No, they just haven't dealt with the issue before. One can never be 100% prepared for everything.

We had to do a $10K colic surgery a few years back............we could afford it, but if the kid down the street can't, should it ever happen does that mean they shouldn't be able to enjoy and own a horse?

This is a slippery slope...... what one person feels is minimum care may not fit what you feel is minimum


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## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

Missing one trim isn't going to kill your horse! Sometimes, FARRIERS DON'T COME OUT WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO! Especially farriers in this area. They tend to be pretty flakey and will drop appointments and not tell you until you call them. Luckily, I have found a farrier that comes when called 

It's a bit more serious if you have a horse with shoes on, Then it is vital that the horse gets them reset on a schedule. But when they are just getting them trimmed and have a fairly good base of support? It's not going to kill them.


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## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

JDI,
I like what you are trying to do, let people know how complicated, time consuming, and expensive it is to have a horse and make sure they are not neglected. Writing such a detailed account is sure to draw criticism. I do disagree about the trim but it is true most horses need trims 6 to 8 weeks or so. My horse does not, she wears her feet naturally. However if she didn't I would get them trimmed whenever she needed it.

I do agree too that you ought to have some money saved for emergencies, however right now I personally don't. I basically "rescued" my horse and was intending to sell her but the market is no good right now. If I can't take care of her for some reason, I would make sure I found a place she would be cared for. But it is good to know what can happen and what to be prepared for.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

MIEventer said:


> About the trimming -
> 
> Nelson and I are now paying for 1 year of errors made by our previous farrier. Most people think that TB's are born with natural horrible feet, which I believed for years as well, and my previous farrier kept telling me that too "There's nothing I can do, he is just how he is, work around it" - and that's garbage.
> 
> ...


I don't know why farriers who don't know what they are doing bother trying to balance a horse and trim their precious feet. 

For about a year, I was trimming Daisy's (and my other horses') feet with the farrier that the boarding stable had come out. After EVERY trim, Daisy was lame for about a day. So sore that she didn't want to do anything, not even go out for turn out. 

I addressed this with the farrier, and he said it's because her feet are so small, blah blah blah, that's just how she was, nothing he could do about it. For some reason, I accepted this. 

Then both my girls got huge abscesses in their feet, and were lame for about a month.

I decided to switch farriers. Called my vet and had him recommend one. 

Guess what - Daisy doesn't go lame after every trim anymore. My new farrier knows exactly how much to trim on her tiny little feet, and knows where to stop, and how to balance her.

Farriers who make excuses should not trim horse's feet.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

This was a frustrated rant, one that was provoked by reading yet another Craigslist ad for a horse for sale for $10 because they couldn't feed it any longer.

While some of you may not agree with my points, they are my points; take them or leave them.
I do think it's something that new horse owners or potential horse owners should read; it's an eye-opener.

Regarding feet - I should have said a series of trims, however depending on the horse it can result in a very long and tough road to recovery.

Regarding the vet - no, I never said a vet should be called for every bump and scrape, but when the horse needs a vet out, you need to be able to provide that service to him. I specifically said "if you don't know how to deal with it."
My horse is insured. I pay a flat fee every year to keep him insured. This means that I don't need to have tens of thousands of dollars to spare for him because he's covered.
I do think you should have enough in the bank to euthanize a horse and dispose of the body, unless slaughter is an option for you.


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## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

totally agree The reason why I have my horse is that the lady who bred and trained her couldn't afford her. She is a great rider/trainer but she just kept breeding when horses weren't selling. She got into financial trouble and the horses were not getting proper hay or feed or vet care, etc. Friends tried to help but she was being ridiculous, not wanting to sell horses for reasonable prices, etc. Shortly after taking the horse to help out she had to have several of her horses put down because of bad hay, digestive issues, etc. 

I think insurance is a great idea too


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

...I've had to hit the credit cards on more then one occasion to pay for an emergency call... for horses and dogs alike... I do have a SMALL amount of money set aside, but it isn't enough for a major medical emergency.

It is a really, really good thought though and a terrific suggestion, if anyone has the ability to squirrel money away....


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

I feel where your coming from JDI, but don't you think your preaching to the converted for the most part on this board? Yes there are a lot of young ones on here, (at least I hope they're young judging by their choice of words.....) that could really benefit from picking up a book or two and reading up on basic care. Some of the questions on here just make me want to hit my head repeatedly on my desk. BUT hey, isn't that why us "old timers" sign up on these forums for...... to maybe learn something new ourselves and to try and impart some knowledge on the less than educated. ( I use that word for lack of a better one..... no offense meant)

I think this blog should be daily reading for EVERY horse owner out there. While I may not agree with everything she has to say I can appreciate her devotion to trying to make things better.

Fugly Horse of the Day

Like I said before I get your frustration, the little guy I'm working with right now was locked in a barn without food and water for 4 plus months. He survived licking the walls and recycling his poop. The kicker is right outside the barn they were renting was a huge pasture.....so tell me why?? 

The old mare we have was apparently a biter, so instead of dealing with that the people who had her took a rock and knocked out all her teeth.......Tell me why?

It sucks, the economy sucks, there are a lot of aholes out there that shouldn't have horse's and then there are some really good people who are just having some real hard times. It doesn't mean they don't know anything about horse's. 

I would think this post would of been better placed in the Breeding section...... I can't go to that section or I'd be telling people off all day......... We don't need any more horse's!!!!!!!!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I did figure that this would get read most by the people who don't need to read it, but maybe, just maybe, someone who should read it, will?

We are of very like minds, G and K, regarding the breeding thread


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> I did figure that this would get read most by the people who don't need to read it, but maybe, just maybe, someone who should read it, will?
> 
> We are of very like minds, G and K, regarding the breeding thread


There are A LOT Of people that read this board that don't belong to this board and I'd imagine there are a bunch of people that are new to horses or interested in getting into horses so this post is a great topic. Plus I'd imagine there are more than a few people here that need to read it as a reminder.

Quite honestly, I'm a bit shocked at a lot of the pictures I see on this forum where the horse has really crappy feet. They don't say No Hoof No Horse lightly. It's very true. While it is hard to find reliable farriers, you should always have a list of people as a back up if your farrier flakes out. There just is NO excuse for your horse not having proper hoof care. NONE.

Great topic. I have different opinions on some of what you wrote but I think they were very good points and thanks for taking the time to write them up.


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## G and K's Mom (Jan 11, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> I did figure that this would get read most by the people who don't need to read it, but maybe, just maybe, someone who should read it, will?


Here's hoping. Even it makes one person think twice and then think twice again it's a good thing!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

Not trying to defend JDI (she can perfectly do it herself  ), but I think it's a great "summarized" reading for the people, who consider getting a horse. Yes, a little bit too emotional, and a little exaggeration here and there, but... Too often they have no idea at all HOW much it cost. 

I don't buy super-puper expensive feed for my horses, as well as I'm not doing say teeth floating 4 times a year (lol!), but even reasonable expenses (floating once/year, shots/coggins, trim every 8 weeks, and hay/grain) are still pretty big expense. And I'm not paying for boarding (which is super expensive if you want a nice barn with the ring).


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Thank you to those who understand where I'm coming from - KV, G&K, Solon, Farmpony, MIE and ILMP - if I missed you, I'm sorry.
Yes, this is an emotional list. 
Yes, it was due to draw attention and probably get some tempers flared because of its emotionality. 
However, it was written with good intentions. 

I am tired of seeing skinny horses, horses with bad feet, horses that need veterinary care and people say "oh, well I didn't know" or "it's too expensive."

Times are tough. Those effected do have to take a loss somewhere, and sometimes it takes a big person to say - look, I can't afford this, I need to let this horse go for now and get back into it later on, or find a different situation for this horse temporarily.

When you take on ANY animal, you are taking its life into your hands, and you must care for it as such


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Yeah - I'll tell you my story.

I started riding in Grade 4, my Grandma paid for my lessons and I loved it. I only got 1 perspective though.....riding. That was it.

I wanted a horse so bad I could taste it, but my parents never supported it. So - to those who have Mommy's and Daddy's who buy you a horse and pay for everything, you're pretty darn lucky in some ways.

Anyways - so growing up, I had to do everything myself. When I joined pony club, I had no horse of my own, so I leased. I worked my patootie off mowing lawns, babysitting, cleaning houses, walking dogs - anything I could to make my own money to pay for Pony Club, lessons, clinics and shows.

I did it though. From D to C3. 

All those years, was hard work - and the horse never even belonged to me. ALL THE WHILE I still had no idea the costs of taking care of a horse. I never had to -the owners did that.

Of course I learnt first aid and proper care and how to feed and amounts to feed and all that good stuff you learn in Pony Club - but that was only book smarts.

Heck, I even compeated Preliminary on a lease.

Then I got my own horse. Woah - reality check!!! DING DING DING - it isn't all about getting on and going for a ride, there is a WHOLE OTHER WORLD out there full of responsibillities that come along with owning your own horse.

You know what - out of everyone I rode and compeated with for years in Pony Club, only a handful, including myself, are still riding and working hard. Everyone else who had their parents pay for everything, had no appreciation - and are no longer in the equestrian world.


*SO - I feel this thread is directed at those who don't own their own horses, who take lessons and only see the riding aspect to being around horses. Or towards those who's mommy's and daddy's pay and take care of everything - to make one realize that it isn't all fun and games and the load of responsabillity that comes with the whole package.*

So I can totally respect where JDI is coming from with this thread.


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## RedHawk (Jun 16, 2008)

Great thread! I pretty much agree withmost of what's mentioned.
I have to speak up for the beginners though, at least for the kids, you can't always blame them for their ignorance. Some, like myself years ago, join up for lessons at a barn/riding school expecting to be taught and taught right, but are let down.
From where I am now, looking back at the lessons I had as a child, they were pretty poor, but being a beginner I knew no better. They were the "experts" so what they taught must be true, right?
Some years later I happened upon a free horse and suddenly I was being told about things I had never heard of at my riding school. My mare needed her teeth done, massages, proper feed (of which I knew nothing, my instructors neglected that aspect of our learning in our theory lessons, in which we were usually used to clean tack :?) and saddle fitting, which I believe is BIG thing as well, up there with getting their feet done. Just as a horse is not going to be comfortable or perform well with bad feet, so he is also going to be cranky with a sore back.
My mum is rather un-horsey and rolls her eyes when I mention some of the (very necessary) things I get done for my horse ie. 4-weekly trims, massages, hoof boots etc. As for saddle fit, andgetting it refitted which she thinks is unecessary as I've already had it fitted once, I tell her: Either I pay for this now or pay for vet bills later.
Although a horse can miss a few trims and be ok, it doesn't take too long for a badly fitting saddle to do damage to a horses back, the sverity depending upon the fit of saddle and how often the horse is ridden.

Also want to say I agree with MIEventer and some of the others who mentioned that it's not enough to just get your horse trimmed/floated/treated etc, it has to be done correctly. I've had a couple of instances where dentists and farriers have done shoddy jobs, and I've now switched to better ones and I have a happier horse.


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## Joshie (Aug 26, 2008)

JDI, you have some great points. I totally get where you are coming from. Horse ownership is a luxury. It's expensive and few people can really afford it. The items on your list are a huge part of why I recommend that people board their first horse. It's important to develop horsey relationships. I think a horsey mentor is a huge part of successful horse ownership.


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## mystikal222 (May 26, 2009)

I would recomend working at a boarding stable before owning a horse.I learned sooo much at the barn I worked at (including how only seeing your horse when its "show-time" will affect your horses view twords you).But horse-ownership is a learning expirence.I dont know even half of what I would like to and I spend a good majority of my spare time surfen the web,reading and learning.But the best learning comes from DOING.A book wont be able to adequatly explain how you will "know" when there is something wrong,only knowing that horse will.Mostly i get annoyed with ppl who think horses are like cars-they buy for looks and performance.IMO horses need more than just proper care,they need love too(and yes,I know EXACTLY how cheesy that sounds lol).


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## hotreddun (Jun 27, 2008)

Sigh...the craigs list horses. Some of them are REALLY BAD on my craigs list. There is one particular individual that has little ponies with about a 200 lb. "boy" riding them "kid safe!":-( I can't really look at that section of craigslist.

I only have one quibble with your OP...wild horses hooves are VERY balanced. And as such are the "model" for most barefoot trim philosophies.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

mystikal222 said:


> I would recomend working at a boarding stable before owning a horse.


Agree completely (helping at the rescue is a good alternative too). I did that for couple years before I got my horse. Even though it was pretty crappy barn I still learned about shots, trims, teeth, and deworming, which I NEVER even heard about. And after I got my horse (I boarded her for year before moved to my place) I started to educate myself about other things (like proper feed, on/off pasture, hay, etc.). And let me tell you even though I new about what's coming, expenses are still higher than my initial calculations. For example, I do ALL shots (including strangles, potomac fever and such), which of course adds up. I use good farrier, who is more expensive then the one my neighbor use (who does rather poor job), I use vet with tons of experience with young horses (who is not super cheap), and so on. Don't even mention nice saddle, hoof boots for rocky parks, etc. etc. etc. :lol:


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

A big thank you to Darylann for fixing a couple of points on the original post!!


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## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

I agree it is important to educate. Sadly some folks who know better don't always do the right thing. At our barn most folks are really good adn the BO and staff take care of the boarders like their own. However times are tight and I see some of the horses go w/o fly spray this summer (its pretty darn awful where we are in florida) and others with minor issues but they either haven't addressed it or don't call the vet. Its not much but still makes me mad to see a horse in discomfort that could be resolved, so we usually step in and help. 

My point is these are long time horse owners.... so trying to educate people who think just taking a free horse will be wonderful is a very good thing even if was a bit over the top here and there, provoking interest and debate is a good thing.

Everyone should take lessons. then lease then buy in my humble opinion unless you have an endless supply of money and time.


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## jody111 (May 14, 2008)

Completely agree with JDI - but I think you missed one other thing....

You also need time and dedication to own a horse - its not like a bike you can put away - I get so frustrated with people who just never seem to spend anytime with there horses and then expect them to perform on queue when they are ready

Also so agree - work with horse first if you can.... opens your eyes up so much....


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## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

amen I hate to see horses who never get a visit from their owner, they really do get depressed if they are attached to their person


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## mystikal222 (May 26, 2009)

jody111 said:


> Completely agree with JDI - but I think you missed one other thing....
> 
> You also need time and dedication to own a horse - its not like a bike you can put away - I get so frustrated with people who just never seem to spend anytime with there horses and then expect them to perform on queue when they are ready
> 
> Also so agree - work with horse first if you can.... opens your eyes up so much....


 Exactly.At my old barn there was a 3yo QH named Stanley that NO ONE wanted to handle bc he was sooo ill-mannered.But mostly he was just misunderstood....His little girl would show up once a month and expect him to be ready to rock.Everyone else was just harsh with him thinking he was bad,when all he needed was some1 2 take the time to earn his trust and show him right from wrong.It was really sad and I "adopted" him,but you can only do so much with some1 elses horse...


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

I did not read all the replies but I wanted to add this 


*EVEN IF YOU BOARD THE HORSE IS STILL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!!!! *


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

I totally agree that we, as horse owners, have the duty to insure our horses are well cared for, healthy, and have the human interaction necessary.
I do disagree, however, that it _has_ to be tremendously expensive. Our stocky Paint mares are can be ridden every day barefoot and live on grass/hay and a _cup_ of grain a day. We give them their shots, wormers, and trim their hooves ourselves, they have their yearly rabies/Coggins from the vet, and except for the occaisional expected cut or sprain, they have never missed a day of work. They are indeed reliable, hard working, and 'low maintenance'.
We don't have boarding expenses, but the total cost of all their feeding and care amounts to only $6/day/horse....not bad for a 1000+ lbs animal, and much less expensive than raising children ;-)


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## kellyp (Jan 4, 2009)

i would just like to start that i am new to this board-- and i want to applaud JDI for posting this

i was one of those kids that wouldve have killed for a horse-- when my mother asked where i would keep it, i told her we could tie it to the vaccum cleaner outside (i was 2 don't judge me )

when i was 8 my mother enrolled me in a local 4-H club where i learned how much $$ & work is actually involved in taking care of a horses

that being said i was 22 before i finally purchased a horse of my own-- when i was finacially stable enough to handle the reg maitainance that is required in owning a horse

people def need to take a moment and think before they think about owning any animal-- let alone a horse


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

PaintHorseMares said:


> I totally agree that we, as horse owners, have the duty to insure our horses are well cared for, healthy, and have the human interaction necessary.
> I do disagree, however, that it _has_ to be tremendously expensive. Our stocky Paint mares are can be ridden every day barefoot and live on grass/hay and a _cup_ of grain a day. We give them their shots, wormers, and trim their hooves ourselves, they have their yearly rabies/Coggins from the vet, and except for the occaisional expected cut or sprain, they have never missed a day of work. They are indeed reliable, hard working, and 'low maintenance'.
> We don't have boarding expenses, but the total cost of all their feeding and care amounts to only $6/day/horse....not bad for a 1000+ lbs animal, and much less expensive than raising children ;-)


 
have you ever sat down and figured what you spend a year on the horses?? It doesn't seem like much at the time but it adds up


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## Joshie (Aug 26, 2008)

PaintHorseMares said:


> They are indeed reliable, hard working, and 'low maintenance'.
> We don't have boarding expenses, but the total cost of all their feeding and care amounts to only $6/day/horse....not bad for a 1000+ lbs animal, and much less expensive than raising children ;-)


I think that most people don't figure about these expenses. Think about this: healthy, unboarded horses cost $180/month. This is more than $2100 a year per horse. This is without farrier costs and with only minimal shots. 

Let's assume you keep your horse barefoot. Considering trims 8 times/year at $45 each you'd spend $360/year. What happens if you your horse gets ill? Even "cheap" horses are a luxury.


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## close2prfct (Mar 9, 2009)

Joshie said:


> I think that most people don't figure about these expenses. Think about this: healthy, unboarded horses cost $180/month. This is more than $2100 a year per horse. This is without farrier costs and with only minimal shots.
> 
> Let's assume you keep your horse barefoot. Considering trims 8 times/year at $45 each you'd spend $360/year. What happens if you your horse gets ill? Even "cheap" horses are a luxury.



2100$ per horse? I spend an average of 200$ per month on all 4 of mine. They never go a day without hay/feed or treats, they have reg deworming and vacs. The farrier visits every 6-8 weeks and if they do need a vet I will call one out but that has only happened about 4 times in the last 3 years. 
Consider the cost of what people spend going out to eat even at a fast food place for a family of 4 can easily be 25$ for 1 meal and some do that at least once or twice a week if not more add to that going out to movies or renting movies etc.
Horses are no more expensive on a routine basis than any other form of entertainment and they are much more enjoyable.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Peggysue said:


> have you ever sat down and figured what you spend a year on the horses?? It doesn't seem like much at the time but it adds up


The $6/day/horse amount comes directly from our ledger. I imagine you are refering to the total (about $6600/year total for our 3 mares) cost. I fully appreciate that this may appear to be a lot of money, but this amount is not even close to what many of our non-horse friends spend every year on dining, clothes, cars, and vacations. Is it a luxury? Yes, of course, but it is a luxury we have chosen to fund ahead of others, and that it possible to own and enjoy a horse without $10+ bottles of shampoo, fly spray, sun block, etc. sold as horse products at inflated prices when there are plenty of generic/human/farm/make yourself products that work equally well.
Perhaps my perspective is different than most, but considering that going to a movie is $7-$8 (without snacks), a new car will still set you back $300+/month, renting a horse for a ride around here is now up to $25-$35/hour, and you can't even get out of McDonald's for less that $5 these days, $6/day for a horse still seems like a good deal to me.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

close2prfct said:


> 2100$ per horse? I spend an average of 200$ per month on all 4 of mine. They never go a day without hay/feed or treats, they have reg deworming and vacs. The farrier visits every 6-8 weeks and if they do need a vet I will call one out but that has only happened about 4 times in the last 3 years.
> Consider the cost of what people spend going out to eat even at a fast food place for a family of 4 can easily be 25$ for 1 meal and some do that at least once or twice a week if not more add to that going out to movies or renting movies etc.
> Horses are no more expensive on a routine basis than any other form of entertainment and they are much more enjoyable.


LOL. I posted before reading this. As you can see, my response is EXACTLY!


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Joshie said:


> What happens if you your horse gets ill? Even "cheap" horses are a luxury.


Yes indeed, and you need to plan for that. Our wise, old, farm vet once told me that you can go 20 years without an emergency and then have 2 in the same week.
As we compare costs, though, consider this. You've fallen and think you may have broken your arm and go to the ER for x-rays. That will now set you back (assuming no insurance) about $350 for the ER/x-rays/facility and about $200 for the doctor and radiologist around here. When one of our mares needed 30 stiches, our vet was out here all evening, came out to check on her 4 more times, and only charged $365 total.


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

but alot of people making $20,000 a year can't afford that ... I see too many people get horses not realizing what they really cost ...


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I added all of Denny's costs together since I bought him in September - so far he's cost me about $9,000.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Peggysue said:


> but alot of people making $20,000 a year can't afford that ... I see too many people get horses not realizing what they really cost ...


If folks making $20,000 are buying horses, then I agree. If I made that much (which is below what is considered a 'living wage' here), I would be concerned about buying food for myself, and I'm not sure I would even think of having a cat or dog (which aren't cheap to take care of either).


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## close2prfct (Mar 9, 2009)

PaintHorseMares said:


> LOL. I posted before reading this. As you can see, my response is EXACTLY!


:lol: I'm glad I'm not the only one who can see that they are no more expensive than other things many people do to entertain themselves. For example my x husband complains about being broke all the time when they make about 60k a year vs my 18k-20k I told him considering you spend 25$ every time you and your family eat out( there are 5 of them) so I know i'ts more than that but anyway I told him 25$ x 2 per day on average x 30 days =1500$ a month!!!!:shock::shock: 
Seriously do the math compared to the average family & what they spend horses are cheap!


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

With the price of horses DOWN like it is I am seeing alot of poverty level people THINKING they can afford a horse ...


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## close2prfct (Mar 9, 2009)

Peggysue said:


> With the price of horses DOWN like it is I am seeing alot of poverty level people THINKING they can afford a horse ...


There is no thinking to it I do afford my horses, but I also at the age of 34 had my home paid for, my pick up is paid for and I do not have huge credit card debt like a lot of people do. My kids have everything a kid could want from tv's computers, play stations and horses, we eat well so do the horses, so yes it is possible for us POOR folks to afford horses if you know how to manage money and aren't wasteful in other areas.


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## Cat (Jul 26, 2008)

Another thing to consider is costs are going to vary from area to area. There are a lot of people here in Kentucky who are making about $20,000 and still have a horse or two and taking good care of them. Then again, there are some people who are making four or more times that amount who take absolute crappy care of their horses because they also spend money on their house boat, golf, etc.

I've never seen a trim cost $45 around here. $35 for the journeyman, $15 for the Amish and some priced in between. Plus a lot of people around here own a good size chunk of land and can feed their horses all summer on it and even get hay off of it for the winter so their actual feed costs are quite low (I wish I had enough land for that). Teeth? Couple hundred per year? Seriously? We just had teeth floated and it cost us $50 for the float and $18 for the sedative. 

I do think a lot of valid points are being made overall. People shouldn't own horses if they can't afford them. However - try not to get ticked at every cheap horse on craigslist you see. Many people who were financially OK previously are loosing their jobs and being faced with hard realities and you don't know how long they may have been trying to find a home for that horse. At least they are trying to find a home for it instead of letting it starve in the back pasture.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

PaintHorseMares said:


> I do disagree, however, that it _has_ to be tremendously expensive. Our stocky Paint mares are can be ridden every day barefoot and live on grass/hay and a _cup_ of grain a day. We give them their shots, wormers, and trim their hooves ourselves ;-)


Painty, I agree with you up to the certain point.  Not everyone can trim, and it's a big expense. I did it for year myself, but then gave up, because my back just can't handle it. Also vet call, coggins, rabbies, and teeth are pretty expensive here. As well as GOOD hay (I do give little grain too). Sometime I read the prices here on forum on trim and vet and I'm just so jealous! :lol:


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## Peggysue (Mar 29, 2008)

my averages here for 3 horses kept at home 

teeth yearly $300
Hay Yearly $2100 
Grain yearly $480
Hooves yearly $1680
Shots yearly $120 
Coggins $75


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

kitten_Val said:


> Painty, I agree with you up to the certain point.  Not everyone can trim, and it's a big expense. I did it for year myself, but then gave up, because my back just can't handle it. Also vet call, coggins, rabbies, and teeth are pretty expensive here. As well as GOOD hay (I do give little grain too). Sometime I read the prices here on forum on trim and vet and I'm just so jealous! :lol:


I agree that trimming is hard on the back. I'm 54 and have gone from trimming all 3 mares at the same time to doing one at a time, but I always think of our old English farrier who convinced/taught me...he was still trimming horses in his 70's. It's not difficult work, just hard work (and I have a lot of respect for farriers). BTW, a trim around here is going for $35 these days, and that would be a big expense.

Hay is indeed our biggest cost since we don't have a big place, and the price of that has doubled in the last 4 years.

And vet costs for routine services...don't get me started ;-) Our vet will freely admit that what pays the bills are the routine services...e.g. $18/horse for rabies (which you can't do yourself in NC)...yikes! A vial of rabies vaccine costs $2. He'll also freely tell you that the Coggins testing is really just a tax on horses, makes $$s for the state lab and $$s for the vet ($25/horse), and he has never seen a Coggins+ horse in 30+ years.

As far as floating teeth, you can tell when a horse needs their teeth floated. I know some people feel that they have to be floated every year, and they will disagree with me, but many horses (our mares included) that live on grass/hay and spend all day chewing wear their teeth enough that floating is rarely required.

The bottom line, IMHO, is that owning a horse is often very expensive because people just spend much more than they need to. You can follow "KISS"...Keep It Simple, Stupid...and still have a strong, healthy horse willing to work everyday that lives to a ripe old age.


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## ohmyitschelle (Aug 23, 2008)

Great post JDI, I agree with mls on the fact that anyone can write something and claim it to be fact. Educating ourselves by using our common sense is a better way to do it. I've fallen trap to believing stuff a PROFESSIONAL said to me before, and then thought it over and asked my trainer when I realised it sounded off. It's hard to understand where to find right from wrong, but I suggest if you're learning, to make sure your common sense is tagging along. Anyone can claim to be a professional in the horse industry, it's just up to us to use our support networks to weed out the correct professionals over the pretenders.




MIEventer said:


> - - - - So it isn't just having their feet done, it is having the right farrier, who is educated and up to date on all techniques, so that your horse has blood flow, correct angles according to their pasturns and hips/shoulders - - - - -




I too completely believe in this. I didn't know a great deal about farriers, I knew my horses needed their feet trimmed, and just used one that everyone on the property used. I then moved grazing and learnt the hard way with my old mare that she didn't have the correct angles, and spent the next year and a half correcting a mess that I had allowed to happen by my ignorance. Now I don't use anyone without checking them out beforehand, and turning to several people who have used the person for their opinion. I currently use a farrier who does an impressively good job, but is occasionally unreliable. It's hard to find someone here that is both, which is a shame because it's their livelihood they're ruining! I respect farriers though, and enjoy my current one as he is always updating his knowledge on his career.


Thank you JDI again, for posting such a great thread.
x


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Bumpidy bump!


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Only just caught this thread!

First, big clap for JDI :]

I see so many kids come through our PC who don'tknow the minimum needs of their horses... It makes me sick, makes me angry... But that's not my point, that was yours, and I agree :]

There are a lot of variables, in regards to feet, teeth, amount of feed, etc. That's a given, so I won't adress that.

MIEventer, i'm one of those kids whose parents paid for everything :] They paid for about 5 years of lessons, then I became a junior staff at my riding school, then they leased me a pony and then bought me a pony and so-on. BUT, now that I am earning my own wage, I pay for everything. I am still dedicated, still loving it as much as I did when I was 10. Not all the kids whose parents paid are bad horsepeople/don't stick it out. I know there are lots, I know many of them, but not all of us :]

Joshie - 


> I think that most people don't figure about these expenses. Think about this: healthy, unboarded horses cost $180/month. This is more than $2100 a year per horse. This is without farrier costs and with only minimal shots.


 
That isn't a cheap horse! I haven't added up totals on my two horses, but they get a trim @ $35 ever 8-12 weeks, or longer if they don't need it. A biscuit of hay @ $10 per bale daily and one scoop of feed @ $25? per bag. They are the only regular costs. They get teeth floated when needed @ $180 per horse, vet if needed, (ours charges reasonable amounts). Shots aren't as big a deal here, ours get strangles and tetanus once every couple of years. Oops, forgot worming, thats $12 p/h every couple of months (they are regularly rotated, etc.).




> Although a horse can miss a few trims and be ok, it doesn't take too long for a badly fitting saddle to do damage to a horses back, the sverity depending upon the fit of saddle and how often the horse is ridden.


 
^^^Brilliant point. My current horse is nearly crippled due to a bad fitting saddle over 2 years. See my other threads if you want more details, but saddle fit is a HUGE deal.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> When you decide to buy a horse, you are taking on a monumental responsibility. They are large animals that eat a lot and require a lot of care.
> 
> When you buy a horse, you are in charge of getting proper care for your horse, this means:
> 
> ...


Amen. Just happened that someone who works at a barn(not a facility I have boarded at)told me the other day, they have 2 horses owned by this one rider who hasn't been at that barn for months. Not only that but board hasn't been paid either. The horses have just been left there. They can't a hold of her or have a correct address.

The owner of the place has finally started to get a farrier out, out of her own pocket because these horses were in such rough shape and were not cared for.

I think that's my biggest frustration with horse owners. Those who buy an animal and leave it to fend for itself out to pasture.


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## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

I have to disagree horses cost the same as any other hobby/luxury. Horses have a variable cost associated with them lots of other things don't. For example if you fall on hard times you can just forgo the movies or dining out. You cannot stop paying board, vet, feed, etc. So I don't see that as a relevant argument whatsoever. 

If you have your own place and have good grass and don't have to feed a lot of hay or feed to supplement then your feed cost may be low. But you still have to factor in worming, shots, (you can do yourself), you can do your own trims, etc. So yes in the long run you can keep it pretty reasonable given the perfect situation. However you never know when something catastrophic could happen. And it really depends on the horse. My horse is high maintenance. She needs a fly sheet and the most expensive fly spray and she is always getting boo boos and needs proper first aid treatment on a regular basis, etc. And yes going to shows etc add cost. 

But bottom line is its not like other luxuries, its a constant cost, and its also a variable uncontrollable cost.


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

PaintHorseMares said:


> You can follow "KISS"...Keep It Simple, Stupid...and still have a strong, healthy horse willing to work everyday that lives to a ripe old age.


Agree with that! :wink: Actually, in my state rabbies is also only by the vet. In PA (as far as I know) anyone can give it.


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