I'm thinking of buying a horse?

Question

i'm thinking about buying a horse but i'm not sure how much money i will need so could someone give me an idea of the cost of buying a horse, Freight (might need it), tack etc etc

also what would be the best breed of horse for me (i'm a experienced beginner have been riding for nearly a year)

Answer 1

you havnt been riding very long. just make sure you know exactly what your getting yourself into. i got my first horse after riding for 11 years and after that i still learned so much more about owning a horse. it was hard work but also so much fun.

prices can be very different with different breeds and the level of training the horse has.

for you i suggest something quiet but not to lazy, frendly and willing.

as to breed

its really up to you

sum breeds have different personalitys

so do lots of research

ask around with other riding frends who may know of horses for sale

and take some frends with y ou who know about horses and owning them

good luck

i know you will love owning your first horse  

Answer 2

I have an article at http://www.temporaldoorway.com/stable/ar... on what you need to know in order to be sure you are ready to buy a horse and what you need to do to find and acquire a horse.

Ideally, you are riding 3 or more days a week and you want to ride more. You are really looking to work hard to be a good horseman / horsewoman rather than just a rider. You understand the commitment and risks of horse ownership - remember, this is more like adopting a child than like buying a car.

You should take an extended period to save the money that you will need to spend to board, feed, train, have vet care and have farrier care. This serves two purposes. You end up sure you can afford this and you have a good sized savings account for your purchase. I recommend doing this for six months.

Purchase prices for horses range from zero to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Check http://www.equine.com and other sources to get a sense of the prices of horses. Transportation costs can be zero to a few hundred dollars depending on distance. Vet prepurchase checks are a MUST, and should include a full workup (blood work, lameness tests, etc.) (at least a few hundred dollars for the basic check).

I strongly recommend a full set of prepurchase x-rays for at least all four feet and hocks (this can be about $1,200). This is especially critical for a performance horse purchase, but really makes a huge difference in all cases. Imagine buying a horse who goes lame. That will set you up for months or years of being unable to ride and likely paying board at the same time, because it will be very hard to sell a lame horse.

A prepurchase check from your equine dentist can also protect you against buying unknown problems with his teeth and gums. This is typically under $100.

You will need to drive places and stay overnight to look at horses. This is at least a couple hundred each time, plus travel costs.

Your ongoing costs per year for a horse will range from $3,600 to $12,000 for boarding (at least in the northeastern US), between $800 and $1,000 for your farrier to come every four to six weeks, at least a few hundred a year for vet visits (higher in the first year as you gain experience on what needs vet help and what doesn't), and a few hundred a year for equine dentist visits.

Saddle costs can be determined by looking at sites like http://www.horsesaddleshop.com that show many brands and types of saddle. Typically, you'll spend at least a few hundred, more commonly around a thousand. You need a pad (a hundred or more for a good one) at least one bit ($25-$100), a bridle and reins (typically under $100).

You will also need grooming brushes, hoof picks, curry combs, etc. and a box for them. $50+. If you are in an area with a cold winter, you may need to spend from $100-$300 for a coat to protect your horse from wind and cold, especially if your horse is a performance horse and you want to keep his coat short.

You will spend at least several hundred dollars a year on fly spray.

If you want to go places with your horse, you will either need to rent transport (see prices above - tens to hundreds of dollars depending on distance) or get a truck and trailer - probably starting at $10,000 assuming $8000+ for a used truck and a couple thousand for a decent used horse trailer.

As for your question about a good breed - Breed doesn't matter. What matters is training. Find a well-trained, finished horse in your discipline. Leverage your instructor to come evaluate horses on your short list so you can be sure this horse fits your needs and you can grow into the horse's capabilities (their help can cost from tens of dollars to hundreds of dollars each time, depending on how far you have to go). Horses with good training are typically $3,500 and up. I find that you probably need to spend at least $7,500 for a well-trained horse who has no medical / joint issues.

And you will need to be a good enough rider to avoid wrecking the horse's training, so make sure you have a good seat, mastery of the basics, and that you know how to reinforce basic training elements for your discipline and / or have access to a trainer who knows your discipline.

Your horse may need additional training. These prices vary wildly, so check with the trainer(s) at your stable, but you should figure on having at least a few hundred dollars a month for training and be able to afford at least three months of training.

I hope this helps!

Answer 3

Your best all-around horse might be a 5-gaited American Saddlebred. My wife has over 50 years experience with horses, and she feels that her Saddlebreds have been better for her than other breeds. From our experience, Saddlebreads seem actually to like people, not merely tolerate them.

What you need, though, is an experienced horseowner who can go with you to look at horses.

Have you read books on horse training? Get yourself a couple of dozen or more, on various disciplines, and read all of them. You really cannot have too many books on horses. Make sure to read Xenophon's "On Horsemanship" which was written nearly 2500 years ago.

Here are some well-known pieces of advice:

- Don't buy the first one you see.

- Ask the owner to ride the horse himself. If he will not, do not buy it.

- It costs at least as much to own a bad horse as a good one.

- Good horses and bad ones come in all colors.

- Good judgment comes from experience, which comes from bad judgment.

- The upkeep is invariably more than the purchase price.

- The age of the horse, added to the age of the rider, should be 20 or more.

- Be wary of used tack. Rotten leather will give out and kill you.

- Buy a schoolmaster if you can find one. Your horse will teach you.

- Training is ongoing. Learn how to train.

- Quit while you're ahead.

The other answers already posted generally contain sound advice.

Answer 4

If you've been riding under a year, I would really wait a couple of years longer until you get a horse. I've been riding for six years and only now are my parents thinking of letting me buy a horse.

Just ask yourself these questions: if your horse got hurt, would you know what to do? Would you be able to stay on if your horse ran off with you? Do you know how to properly take care of a horse? If the answer to any of these questions is no, don't even consider buying a horse until you're a bit more experienced.

The price of your actual horse is going to be quite small compared to what you have to pay to keep them every year. My friend says that her horse costs £2000 a year with feed/DIY livery/etc. ; and he hasn't had any vet checkups or dentals.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Try looking at this question: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...  

I answered on that with links and such, and I can't type it all up again as I'm in a bit of a rush. Hope this helps! Good luck!  

Answer 6

i think u need about 1k to 2k for a horse and .5k to 1.5k for a pony

the best breed would be the one in racing stripes :D

Answer 7

you can find a great horse or pony at a auction and chances are ull be saving its life, also look up horse rescue shelters, they will adopt horses out to great homes and they have reasonable prices.youll need wormers from 4-15$ and wormed a few times a year, hoof trimmings, treats, halter, lead, fly spray, ect. go to www.kvvet.com i get all my supplys there.  judge a horse by its own character, not by its breed. Good luck ;)

Answer 8

like roxy said, if you havent even been riding for a year, wait a couple more years. try leasing first.

ive been riding for 9 years, and am just now getting a horse.

and im an advance/intermediate rider

breed doesnt matter, its the discipline

well you ahve to tell us a lil more b4 we can tell you prices. like start off with the discipline you ride, if you board or have it at home, etc

also like roxy said. you need to ask yourself

am i prepared to pay all the expenses

can you properly groom/tack up/bathe/etc

if your horse took off with you on. say. a trail, would you stay on and know how to stop?

what happens when your horse gets spooked in the pasture, and hurts themself, do you know what to do, are you prepared with a vet, farrier?

if you answer no to ANY of these, you need to wait. i suffered with waiting for 9 years to get one, and now im sure as h**l glad i waited.. because if i would've gotten one when i was seven (started riding at 5, im 14) then i wouldn't have known what to do

Answer 9

First thing you should ask yourself is where you're going to keep it and what you're going to do with your horse. A regular income is essential to own a horse.

Don't think about breeds too much. You'll know the right horse when you ride it.

Answer 10

Hey there,

I don`t know from wich country you are from so I can`t tell you how much a horse would cost. But not the horse itself is the most expensive part. Every month you should have money to pay the barn (don`t know if this is the right word), food, insurance, training (cause you really do need training, even really experienced riders need it), maybe vet, horse shoe guy, monthly savings for emergency  and the list goes on and on.

Maybe you should try and find a horse wich you can ride and take care of twice or more times a week before you buy your own. You still have a long way ahead of learning and in my opinion somebody who is horseback riding for only a year should not buy a horse (only if you would have somebody who really helps you)

Breed depends  what you want, are you an english rider? Do you want to go on shows (jumping, dressage?) or do you write western (pleassure, trail, cutting?).

Every horse is an individual you can`t say this breed is the calmest or this one is the best breed for a beginner.

Would love to hear more from you.

Greetings