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Don't feel forced to sell that horse:Money-saving ideas to help you keep your horse without going broke.
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Some tips to help you save money:
General suggestions --
- Watch Freecycle and Craigslist regularly for free or cheap items.
- Take the time to drop by garage sales. I know someone who got a saddle, bucket, bucket heater, and other goodies for only $5!
- If you're not sure you can afford a horse right now, consider leasing instead.
- Stop breeding. Very few horse breeders are turning a profit right now.
- If you're thinking you'd like a new foal, generally it's cheaper to buy one than to create a quality foal. Plus you don't have the risk -- you know what you're getting.
- Do without other things in your life. For example, a bagged lunch can save you $4-5 a day (over $100 a month) over a fast-food meal. Or for example, choose water over soda and you may save $20 a week.
- If your horse is rideable, consider sharing him via a part-lease to lower expenses.
- Buy bulk treats or make your own instead of paying $3-5 for a tiny bag. For example, many horses find hay nuggets (eg. Blue Seal) to be good treats (50lbs for about $10), compared to $4 for less than a pound of specialty treats. Just be sure to only give one or two at a time so nobody chokes. Apples and carrots also work out to be less expensive treats, especially when you buy them in bulk and on sale.
- Instead of expensive "horse" brushes, try "people" brushes and combs. Visit your local dollar store and get them for $1 each.
- If you need to put some of your horse expenses on a credit card, seek out one with a lower interest rate. There's a huge difference between 7.9% and 17.9% interest.
- Sell any tack you don't need. If you haven't used it in the last year, you probably don't need it. Same goes for slow clothing and other items.
- Shop around for boarding prices. Boarding barns can charge up to double or more within the same local area. If you don't ride often, you can save hundreds per month by moving the horse to a barn without an indoor and other bells-and-whistles.
- Consider field board instead of stall board. Your horse gets the same care and enjoys staying out with his buddies.
- If you're really tight on money, ask your barn owner/manager if you can do a few feedings a month towards part of your board or lessons.
- Buy hay "out of the field" instead of out of the farmer's barn and save sometimes 25% or more.
- Offer to load your own truck and/or stack your own hay at a barn. This has saved me $0.50 - $1.00 a square bale!
- Minimize waste by putting hay in feeders. Some people make their own feeders out of (free) tractor tires.
- Don't buy more hay or grain than you can use in a reasonable amount of time. Losing part of it to mold ruins any savings.
- Round bales are cheaper per pound than the little square bales. If you only have one or two horses, you can store a round bale under cover and just peel it off as needed.
- Round bale storage costs
- When pricing hay it's essential you know how much each bale weighs. Is it really a better deal to get a 40 pound squarebale a few cents cheaper than the 55 pound one?
- Shop for best hay prices. The internet makes it easier, for example with sites like HayBarn
- Reevaluate what kind of grain your horse is getting: a large quantity of the cheapest sweet feed may be costing more than a smaller quantity of high quality grain.
- Look at smaller / local grain manufacturers. They may not run lots of ads or have ads with bright photos on them, but that savings is passed on to you.
- Each time you pick up feed, ask your store if they have any broken bags of that brand. You may get a full bag of feed for only a few dollars.
- Examine what supplements you're giving. Does he really need this product? Try him without it and see.
- Instead of spending $20 on a fat supplement, consider adding oil ($5-7) instead.
- Buy bulk loose bedding instead of bags and save big!
- Ride share to shows. Put up a flyer at your barn to see if anyone else from the barn is going to such-and-such event.
- For long distance hauling, see if you can hitch a ride with a hauler already heading your way [ Yahoo Groups: Hitch Hiking Horses ]
- Drive with gas mileage in mind. For example, quick acceleration burns far more gas that pulling out slowly.
- Seriously consider selling a horse trailer if you only use it rarely. Maintenance and registration tags alone may be costing you hundreds per year, for something that's just sitting in your driveway depreciating.
- Buy a slightly used trailer instead of new. The largest amount of depreciation on a truck or trailer happens when you first buy it.
- Have a mechanic examine any trailer you're thinking of buying. His hour's labor at $70/hour is well worth it. Use his findings as a bargaining tool.
- Buy used show clothing instead of new and save 50%
- Look for clothes that might be ok in the washing machine. Dry cleaning is expensive.
- Look for your show tack, boots, and other items at a equestrian resale shop.
- Ask around at the barn or local club to see if anyone has a slightly used __ for sale.
- Pick shows your barn mates are going to and see if you can ride-share, saving you $$$ on gas or hauling fees.
- Do your own de-worming. Buy your dewormer on sale and/or online. Generic ivermectin can be found for about $2.80 online [ example: Country Supply] while the same product in a local feed store may be priced at double that.
- If you are able to, do at least some of the horse's vaccinations yourself. You can order them online from places such as KV Vet or Valley Vet.
- Do your own sheath cleaning. Basic instructions are online.
- Buy fly control products in bulk and save big. For example, some of the commercial horse fly sprays are just permethrin diluted in water (for $8-10 a bottle). You can buy a concentrated form of the chemical and a spray bottle and be able to make it for a 1/10th the cost. Or order your favorite product in gallon jugs and re-use the spray bottle, saving you 20-30%.
- Try feeding garlic to keep insects away.
- If your horse is able to, go barefoot you may save $50 a visit. At least consider doing it for winter months when you're rarely riding.
- For vet medications or medical supplies, ask if there is a generic. For example, if you use generic vet wrap ($0.89) you save about 30-50% over 3M.
Tack, blankets, and other horse items --
- The moment a blanket gets a small tear in it, repair it. Delaying it will mean the tear only gets bigger.
- Wash your own blankets instead of using a service. Do follow manufacturer's instructions so you don't lose waterproofing or damage the blanket. An oversized washer is recommended.
- Buy a used saddle instead of new and save $500 or more. Check your local tack shops, major used tack resellers, or careful eBay shopping. A recommended retailer of 1000s of saddles, many of them used, is Ricks Heritage.
- Instead of spending hundreds on a new tack box, consider buying one used. Some people like the large Stanley tool chests as affordable mobile tack boxes.
- Regular cleaning of tack can make it last far longer. Store tack in a climate controlled environment; too much or too little humidity is hard on it.
- Invest in a saddle that fits. The money you "save" will be wasted later on vet expenses for back pain, chiro, time off, etc
- Make your own pads, blankets, clothes, and other items. Great patterns are available at Suitability.
- Turn off unneeded lights. Your horses do not need lights at night. Stalls don't need fans running when horses are out. A few cents here and there adds up to a dollar or two a day, which in turn adds up to quite a bit over the course of a year.
- Replace incandescent with fluorescent where applicable for a 50% or more saving in watts. (Do be aware in cold or damp locations a special fluorescent bulb may be needed)
- Instead of buying a feed bin, look on Freecycle for a broken chest freezer -- for free!
- Selling: Utilize the free online ad sites to increase exposure at no cost.
- Buying: A vet pre-purchase exam for $200 or $300 may save you a several thousand dollar mistake.
- Buying: Look at horses who are up to date on care, vet exam, and training. Adding just basic vet care/vaccinations/coggins/dental to a "bargain" horse can set you back hundreds of dollars.
Some things NOT to skip out on --
- Don't skip out entirely on vaccinations. A $15 shot can save your horse's life.. or at least save you hundreds in vet bill expenses.
- Don't avoid calling a vet if the horse needs one. A quick stitch up of a wound today is far cheaper than an infected wound, emergency vet costs, antibiotics, etc.
- There is no such thing as a "free" horse. If he is unsuitable, ill, or unsound, it'll cost you more in the long run. At the very least, get a vet exam before accepting the responsibility of a "freebie".