All the Pretty Horses

Before I delve into the "topic of the day" I've got to say that I have found a way to "have my cake and eat it too"... I've been expecting to pay over $1,200 each for automatic feeders, and that is why I've been so distraught over it. I found automatic feeders on www.quickfeed.com for $275 each - I'll pay less for all three than I would have for just one!!! So, it shouldn't be too much of a stretch for us to pour the concrete for the Padre waiting for his 2 a.m. feeding
barn and stock the barn with feeders! Well, on to the cost of owning a horse...


Of course the cost can't be wholly measured in dollars and cents, but after tallying my figures I have come to see exactly how far we are digging into our pockets for simple "maintainance" of our four legged friends.

We go through just over 13 bags of feed every 30 days feeding Pepsi 3 lbs/day, Scooter 8 lbs/day and Snickers & Padre 5.5 lbs/day each. In addition to that we feed 1 bale of hay/day at a current cost of $5.50/bale (though that can fluctuate from $3.50 - $7). So, right now, on four horses, we're spending $3.85/day in feed and $5.50/day in hay for a total of $9.35/day ... adding up to $280/month (30 days). Once our feed coupons run out, this will rise $.55/day to $9.90/day or $297/month. Wow! That boils down to an average of $2.50/day for each horse, for feed and hay alone.

Now, if we reduce ourselves to just 3 horses, start using automatic feeders, and replaced feed & hay with One N Only (great extruded complete feed that we've used in the past with excellent results) the figures would look like this:

I'd start out feeding each horse (Pepsi, Padre & Snickers) 1 lb 12x/day at 2 hour intervals. At that rate we'd be feeding 21.6 bags of One N Only every 30 days for a sum of $7.20/day, $216/month or $2.40/day per horse. Even if we kept Scooter we'd still see a slight savings, but the benefits are further reaching than just the checkbook... the horses would finally have a consistent feeding schedule (the schedule currently gets erratic when we're shifting from the week to the weekend or any other time off of work); many many more feedings per day, allowing them to simulate grazing; healthier horses since they will have food in their systems at all times reducing the likelihood of ulcers; happier horses since they have food round the clock.

There are other costs as well, though. We spend an extra $2.25/day ($821.25/yr) in mineral and joint supplements for Padre. He also occassionally gets shoes ($70), Chiropractor adjustments($50) and joint injections ($200). All of the horses get a yearly "required by law" blood test($20), necessary vaccinations ($40), yearly dental work ($40), bimonthly dewormings ($6-10 ea.), And 6-8 hoof trimmings/yr ($35 ea.). So, the total average cost of caring for and feeding Padre is about $2,300/yr or $6.30/day and the rest of the ponies average just over $1,300/yr or about $3.60/day.

Of course there are other expenses, such as vet bills when they become sick or injured and tack, equipment, supplies, etc. Anyhow, that's it in a nutshell... I'm always having people ask me how much it costs to keep a horse and I always figured it was about $15oo/yr and now I know that that is about right... until you start throwing in "extras" for a high maintainance horse. But, sometimes you just gotta do what you just gotta do to take good care of your buddy.

"A little neglect may breed mischief;
for want of a nail the shoe was lost,
for want of a shoe the horse was lost,
for want of a horse the rider was lost,
for want of a rider the battle was lost,
for want of a battle the kingdom was lost -
and all for want of a horseshoe nail."
-Benjamin Franklin