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Things to consider before buying a horse Are you willing and able to make a regular time commitment to your horse – all year round, whatever the weather? (On average this would be a couple of hours each day). Do you have a basic knowledge of how to care for a horse or pony? Even if you would be paying for someone else to look after your horse, you would still need a basic knowledge of stable management. Where would you keep your horse? Do you want it to be able to live out all year round (‘at grass’) or be stabled? Who would look after your horse if you were away or ill? What riding facilities are available to you in your area? Would they meet your needs? Can you afford the monthly upkeep of your horse or pony? (see below for a breakdown of the costs involved). Buying the right horse or pony • It is essential that you buy a horse that is suitable for your personal needs at the time – not where you hope to be. Too many riders buy horses that are beyond their current level of experience and this can be damaging to both them and the horses; in some cases it can be dangerous. • It is a good idea to seek advice from someone experienced when deciding on the type of horse or pony to buy; your riding instructor would be one option. • The purchase price of your horse or pony will depend on a number of factors: its age, level of training and, if you’re looking to compete, ability/breeding or proven success at competitions. • Where you are planning to keep your horse will also influence your buying criteria. If you want your horse to live out happily all year round you should consider a hardy breed that can cope with the UK weather conditions. The initial costs of buying a horse Purchase price: Prices range from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds. (Professional competition horses can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds – obviously the majority of us won’t be worrying about having that large a budget!) Viewing: These costs will vary depending upon how far you travel and how many horses or ponies you see during your search. Vetting: It is advisable to have your chosen horse or pony ‘vetted’ before you finalised the purchase. This will establish whether there are any existing health problems and may also indicate whether or not there are any physical weaknesses that would affect the suitability of the horse for the type of activities you hope to do. Additionally, a five-stage examination is often a requirement of insurance companies. Transportation: The previous owner may be prepared to deliver your new horse or pony to its new home for free, otherwise you will need to make your own arrangements. This could be as simple as getting help from a friend with their own trailer or horse box, or could involve paying a professional transport company. Equipment: Sometimes previous owners will include the horse’s or pony’s tack in the purchase price. If this option is not available you should expect to pay in excess of £500 for a good quality leather saddle and bridle. You will also need to purchase basic items such as a head collar and lead rope, grooming kit and possibly a selection of indoor and outdoor rugs. All of this will cost at least another £250. Sales Contract: Many buyers use a solicitor to draw up a formal sales agreement when buying a horse or pony, which can be a useful safeguard. This would usually cost around £100. The day-to-day costs of keeping a horse The costs of keeping your horse or pony will vary depending on where you live, the facilities available and the level of care paid for. Below is a list of the main day-to-day expenses; if you want more than the bare minimum for your horse it will probably cost you at least £200 per month to provide proper care, with access to reasonable facilities. • Stabling or field rent: Unless you have your own land, the cheapest location option would be a farmer’s field; however there are likely to be few facilities available. Livery yards usually offer grass (field) or stabled options and there are usually more facilities for owners: tack rooms, ménage or indoor school, jumps, etc. Prices will vary depending on the level of care paid for: ‘DIY’ (do-it-yourself) is the cheapest; you will pay more if you want staff to feed and muck out your horse for you. • Bedding: Stabled horses will require bedding, to provide a clean, dry and warm environment. • Feed: Horses kept at grass will require hay in the winter; stabled horses require it all year round. Whether additional ‘hard’ feed is needed will depend on the type and level of riding activities you will be doing. • Farrier services: Horses’ feet grow continually and require regular trimming by a farrier. Many horses are shod - which is essential if you are planning to do any road work - and this will incur additional costs. The farrier should visit every 5-6 weeks. Vet's fees and insurance: Horses and ponies should be dosed with wormers regularly and vaccinated against influenza and tetanus annually. If your horse is ill or injured in an accident the vet’s fees could run into hundreds or even thousands of pounds for treatment; insurance is the only way many owners can afford to provide this care. Alternatives to buying your own horse Having considered the points above, you may have concluded that you don’t have either the financial resources or the time to commit to a horse of your own at the moment. There are a number of other options you could consider, depending on your circumstances: Loaning a horse If your major concern is a lack of a lump sum to meet the initial costs of buying a horse, you could consider loaning one. Before making a commitment you must be confident you have the time and money to meet the day-to-day needs of the horse. Additionally you should ensure you have a written agreement with the owner, which clearly sets out what your agreed responsibilities are for the horse’s welfare; what activities you can do and the length of the loan period. Shared horse ownership As the title suggests, you would share all of the responsibilities – financial and practical – with at least one other person. The benefits of this are obvious, however there is also a lot of scope for things to go wrong if you haven’t thought it out carefully in advance. Things to consider include: • Do you and the person you are planning to share with have similar riding skills? • Do you enjoy the same types of equine activities? • Will you both want to compete? • Are you able to split the costs and other commitments fairly? It would be wise to draw up a written agreement, to ensure all parties understand and commit to their responsibilities in advance. This option can work well – I know of seven girls who shared a pony between them. They each rode once a week and shared the other responsibilities between them – it was a very pampered pony! |
