# business ideas or how to make money with horses ...haha



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Being a horsewoman who's been around a long time, I'm with your hubby; get cattle! :wink:

Boarders are a pain in the keister, and if the cattle turn out that way you can sell them.

Stick with the cattle. Less drama and heartache, and more payout.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

^^^^^^ exactly
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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

You know what? I actually am leaning towards cattle too. I ran a boarding business and it was a pain in the wazoo......;-)

What would you suggest cattle-wise....get steers, or breed? And how do you market them.....
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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

Don't breed, fatten to start with, and then just ship them when ready.

OR

Go organic and market through that network.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Depends on what your ultimate plans are for them. Are they just going to be for your personal consumption, or do you want to raise for meat to sell?

If you're raising to sell, you'll probably want cows. You may or may not want a bull, since you won't want to breed any heifers back to their father. I know that AI is available, but a lot of folks buy a bull every couple of years to outcross the bloodlines.

Keep some heifers for breeding, and castrate the males and fatten them up for market. 

Of course, that's all dependent on how much you want to get into beef farming. If you just want to fatten up and sell, then buy bull calves, have them castrated, and feed them until they're ready for market.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

The only way you can make money on horses without forking even more into them is either by boarding or training. You don't buy the horses, you get paid for their feed and you can give them back when you are done lol Owner pays the vet bills as well.
You either have to know how to train well or you have to be willing to put up with boarders, though. You would need detailed contracts to make sure they pay on time and follow any rules you lay down. 
You would need to make sure all of your facilities and fencing is up to standard and preferably not barbed wire as many people (the ones who are going to pay decent money) will not want their horses getting all scarred up.
You would also need to arrange feedings, watering, cleaning up after the horses, ferrier services as well as the picking up and storage of hay and grain.
There would be ALOT that went into it if you wanted to do it properly.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Watching craigslist, grass-fed seems to be the more lucrative.
Don't know if I want to get into breeding, tho.....small calves are soooo cute.....and once they have names, it's over....

Which breed would you suggest? We're in dairy country here, so lots of Holsteins around, but they seem to be rather scrawny. I do see Angus, but in the foothills on the big ranches. Any docile breed that you know of for the rather faint at heart? Just in case they get out and I have to get them back in while hubby is at work;-)
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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

@lilruffian: I'm well aware of that, I had 9 boarders and 5 horses of my own. Although I had decent people there was still too much drama. 
I was more thinking about raising other people's youngsters or take in retirees.
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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Herefords are pretty docile, although I bet you could pick up Holstein bull calves for next to nothing. 

Since bull calves aren't desirable in the dairy industry, they sell them off. Once you castrate them they should be fairly docile, although Holsteins aren't the calmest breed.

Angus calves are going to be more expensive, since they're a meat breed.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I like herefords.....but rarely see them here.

Since you all know so much about cattle, what is the best age to buy them for fattening? I figure too small, I.e. still needing milk seems very labor-intensive. And I'll be the one having to feed them ....nononono;-)

And where would we find them, directly at the dairies? Any "best time of the year"? I figure dairies have calves constantly, and since we really don't have winter here it's even more likely?
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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Dairy calves are usually weaned at 8 weeks. Actually, in bigger operations they're taken from their mothers very soon after birth, and given colustrum and milk replacer until they're weaned. Momma is for milk, not nursing a calf. 

So if you want Holstein bull calves that are already on solid food, 8 weeks seems to be the general time period.

Your best bet is to find the local cattle auction, unless you can find a dairy operation willing to sell right from the property. 

The beef and dairy cattle around here give birth all year round, but less in the colder months. Just makes sense not to breed for a winter birth, unless the babies will be born indoors and kept warm.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks, guys, you helped a lot!
Guess we will be hitting the auctions now, to see what's going on and stop by our dairy neighbors for a chat;-)

But I'm pretty sure I'll have more questions later, so if I may pick your grains again.......
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## stephshark (Jun 19, 2012)

You mentioned that the barn was in need of repair; are there any construction or architectural schools/college programs in your area? You could contact an instructor and see about having them use it as a class project. They'd be getting experience and you'd be getting free labor!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

stephshark said:


> You mentioned that the barn was in need of repair; are there any construction or architectural schools/college programs in your area? You could contact an instructor and see about having them use it as a class project. They'd be getting experience and you'd be getting free labor!


That is a WONDERFUL idea.....Thank You 
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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Here's how to make money on horses. Sell all your horses, tack, trailer and pickup then stick the money in a savings accounts. Don't touch that money until you retire and you'll be 10's of thousands of dollars ahead of where you would be if you kept those horses.

Cows are a very good idea. I would suggest angus or jersey, both are calm breeds and produce pretty darn tasty meat. I'm a huge grass fed fan, tastes much better than corn fed to me. Here's a tip, get one cow that's young enough to bottle feed. Raise her, halter break her and teach her to be handled and led. Keep working with her all the time so she doesn't lose that trust of humans. Now when you want to move the cows you go slap a halter and lead on her and take off. Generally the rest of the herd will follow.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Darrin, as of now you couldn't even give away horses around here....unless it's highly trained show horses. I keep saying: we used to have money...now we have horses;-)

Good idea with the leader cow, tho. But seeing neighbor's Holsteins im not so sure it would work...there are some really independent thinkers in that herd

Jerseys? I was under the impression its a high speed milk breed...very good milk at that.....do they actually gain enough????
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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

They do gain but probably not as much as angus. What they do have is a naturally lean, low in cholestrol meat that is **** good. We raised them for ourselves and family/friends who loved to buy from us.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

We have a small farm, currently we raise pigs, cows, turkeys and chickens for eggs. We have Angus cows, went to the local auction and picked up 2 healthy but quite thin cows (steer and heifer) so they were dirt cheap.


Then.... we made friends with a guy who owns 5 Angus cows and a Hereford bull. We arranged to pasture his cows in exchange for use of his bull (yup, I'm a backyard breeder whose expecting a "mutt" come April!). One of his cows died leaving an orphan steer. In exchange for me feeding and caring for it, he's giving me half at butcher time. Angus and Hereford are really calm quiet. I go out every morning to feed the orphan and they all come to visit. The bull likes his ears rubbed. The couple times we've had cows get out, I shook a grain bucket and they came right on back. 

Now pigs are the easiest to raise for a bit of extra $$$. Buy a bunch of cheap piglets at auction, use a creep feeder and a 55gal water barrel with a nipple and you only have to actually DO something every few days. They are extremely neat and clean. They never poop in their house, only in one corner of the pen, so I can clean up in less than 5mins, throw a 50lb bag of feed into the creep feeder, top off the water barrel and done!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Just realized I sound like I don't want to work..;-)....not so. My problem is my big heart. If I feed calves or piglets daily I will become too attached to them and could never bring them to the butcher.....BIIIIIG problem.....this is why Jerseys would be a problem, they're so pretty......
Neighbor had a Holstein heifer who escaped on a regular bases and came for a visit. She headed straight for our house, called, and when none if us came out she went for a walk. When hubby went out she started bucking and kicking up heels and followed him, licking his hand.........neighbor took her away and we actually missed her;-)
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## kccjer (Jul 20, 2012)

If you truly want to get into raising cattle for meat...do NOT get a dairy breed. The reason they give the bull calves away or sell for a paltry sum is that they aren't worth anything. And they don't increase in value the more feed you put into them either. Get angus or hereford. A little more expensive in the long run, but you'll make more money on them than any dairy.


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

deserthorsewoman said:


> Just realized I sound like I don't want to work..;-)....not so. My problem is my big heart. If I feed calves or piglets daily I will become too attached to them and could never bring them to the butcher.....BIIIIIG problem.....this is why Jerseys would be a problem, they're so pretty......


Umm... I don't know of any animal you can raise then. All animals have to be fed and cared for daily. The pig that's currently in my freezer would flop over on her back and demand I rub her belly. My baby calf squeals and runs to see me (well me AND his breakfast) and the older cows come too, so I can rub their ears. The turkeys made weird squealy noises and come sit in my lap. 

I name them all, love them all and don't look back when I drop them off at the butcher. I know that my *dinner* had a happy, healthy life.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

On only 10 acres, you won't be able to have too many cattle. Truthfully, for long term grazing, I would want about 1 head per 3 acres (but I'm used to my area that doesn't have much grass and what we do have spends all summer burned to a crisp). If the irrigated portion is _really_ good grass, I might go 1 head per 2 acres...so 5 head total. I am absolutely phobic about over-grazing grassland when you're trying to feed cattle so I tend to go on the conservative side.

I agree with the poster that said if you're wanting to raise for meat, do _not_ get a dairy breed. Their meat is poorer quality and they don't get as big as beef cattle. Angus or Hereford would be my choice. Some folks around here have "Brangus" cattle, which are Brahman/Angus crosses. They make good meat but they tend to be sort of wild.

Personally, I would start by getting a couple of weanlings (6-10 months old). They are old enough that they don't really require any special care or housing, they can withstand the elements better than a younger one and you aren't as likely to get attached to one that you don't have to hand feed. Just turn them out and let them graze/grow until it's time to butcher.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

This was my idea...the age where they can more or less take care of themselves good grass provided. I wouldn't mind throwing some hay out if need be and they would have shelter.
Pasture is pretty good when watered in a timely manner. The guy who had it before either didn't do it or did too much. He had three bull calves and a horse on and during the winter the bulls looked horrible but caught up quickly when spring came around. The horse was fat year round. Judging by what's still there on grass, even after neighbor's 25 head been grazing for two weeks, it should produce quite well if managed right. I'd favor rotational grazing anyway and maybe let our two horses on after the cattle.
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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Forgot...the three bulls, yearlings then, and two horses couldn't even eat a dent in it during summer.
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## kelleym01 (Feb 23, 2015)

what about llamas? Anyone have those? Can you make money?


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## Regula (Jan 23, 2012)

Don't know where you are, but Scottish Highland are a very hardy breed that pretty much take care of themselves. They are marketed here quite heavily in organic / ethically raised circles. And they're pretty looking 
Or (again, depending on where you are), consider ostrich. They're relatively easy to keep in the right climate, fun to look at, versatile (eggs, meat, feathers and leather), and don't have as big of a "cute" factor as mammals...
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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Thanks guys, but I have moved away, no more pasture and the only thing I'll raise will be veggies for our own consumption. No cure factor there


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## Regula (Jan 23, 2012)

Oh sorry! Saw the date only just now... 
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