# Help me decide: Self care vs. Full care vs. Pasture



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I don't know about costs, except to say that board in your area is ridiculously cheap by our standards (ours is at least twice , maybe thrice that amount!),
But I can say that pasture kept horses are usually a lot happier, healthier and dont' need pre-ride lunging. I think your area gets very cold, so that could be an issue in the winter, if you plan to ride and you have to do a trace clip or something. Our horses are non blanketted all year, but our weather is pretty wussy compared to yours.


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## Dream (Jan 23, 2011)

Haha yeah, this pasture board is $20 cheaper a month than the stable I boarded at during college. And I'm south of where I was for college, and it's much warmer here...my horse has dealt with -50F windchills...she's tough, and I do blanket her. I just feel that horses should be able to get out of the wind at least.

Also, the stalled horses are put out in a paddock with grass during the day, so she would only be stalled at night and get plenty of exercise. She doesn't need to be lunged anyways usually, unless she's had extra jalepenos for breakfast that day! 

Thanks for your input!


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## Dream (Jan 23, 2011)

So I'm roughly calculating $25-$35/month for hay (she's around 800-850 lbs), and I am thinking I'd use wood pellets for bedding (we have sawmills here that I think we could get them fairly cheap), so after the initial setup that fills the stall up, I'd probably only replace 1-2 a week, so I'm estimating around $35/month for bedding...is that reasonable? It would save me around $25 a month from what full-care is. Good deal or no?


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## AQHA13 (Apr 19, 2017)

All those prices sound really good! One thing you should consider though, is how much is your time worth? If you are going to have to travel to get loose shavings or pellets from a mill every week or two, when you could spend that time riding, would it be worth it? You should add gas money into the mix too.


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## Dream (Jan 23, 2011)

Thanks AQHA13! I didn't even think of that. If the mill is cheaper than Menards (they have wood stove pellets--$4 for a 40 lb bag I believe), then I will factor in that. However, I just realized there is a Menards across the street from the stable, so that wouldn't cost me any gas to go there, since it's right by the stable. The hay will still cost money though, but we can get fairly big loads and put it up in the hay loft at the stable, so you don't have to buy bale by bale. 

And my fiance' isn't too keen on riding, so he said that when I come out to ride, he'd muck out my horse's stall for me and get her food and water all set up, so that's not going to be too much time wasted. I'll still do it when I go out to the barn without him of course.


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## Reiterin (Mar 28, 2010)

personally I think full care is totally worth the cost. (we don't even have an option of pasture or self care, anyway) But I live 20 minutes away from my barn, and I do not have the time, nor can I afford the gas money it would take to go out Twice a day. - heck, I don't even go out Every day.

Since you are so close and if the cost savings is worth it to you...


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