Things to Consider Before Buying a Horse

Are you considering purchasing a horse? That’s great! Horses are amazing animals to raise and bond with. However, compared to most other animals, they are relatively expensive to care for and own. Therefore, before buying a horse, make sure you have taken the following into consideration:

The Cost of Vet Bills

As much as you have a budget in place, one unexpected vet bill can throw that to the wind. This is especially true if your horse gets sick or injured during off-hours (late at night or on the weekend). The best plan of action is to have a set amount of money in savings for this very scenario. Something like colic surgery can cost thousands or tens of thousands, depending on what procedures you choose to do.

The Cost of Boarding

In the case that you do not have your own property for your horse, you will have to board him or her. Boarding a horse ranges in cost anywhere from $100 a month for simple pasture board to over $1,000 a month for a barn with stalls, arenas and other amenities. There are self-care facilities as well where you pay for your own feed, bedding and travel but it is less expensive to board your horse.

The Time Requirements

Most importantly, before buying a horse, you must ask yourself if you have the time to commit to that horse. They need daily care that takes a minimum of thirty minutes. Especially if you are keeping a horse on your own property, it a year round job with no days off. What does that time consist of? You need to feed, water and check on your horse daily. You will want to exercise your horse for a very minimum of fifteen minutes a day. Lastly, horses require daily hoof cleaning.

The Horse’s Temperament, Age and Gender

IF this is the first time you are buying a horse, you likely want a beginner horse. These are already well trained and not easily spooked horses. It is never recommended purchasing a stallion as your first horse. It’s recommended that the years of experience of an adult rider or the age of a child plus the horse’s age should equal 20.

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