Is this enough money/ a good plan to buying my first horse?

Question

in 8 weeks time i plan to buy my first horse (pleasure).

I don't plan on spending more then $1000 for it.

right now i have $1650...but in 8 weeks time i will have around $3000.

so that covers:

- $1000 or UNDER for the horse

- $1000 for the one off items..

EG:

- $300 saddle set

- (I have a bridle, halter, grooming tools, helmet and clothing for me, crop,boots,haybag)

- $30 saddle pad

- $80 summer rug (it will be mid spring when i buy the horse so i wont need a winter rug straight away)

so basically i'll be using well under $300 for the one-off items first off...and can later buy more like splint boots etc when needed.

so after all that i will have like $1000 and possible more left after buying everything and will get $150 a week with $50 going toward agistment with hay 2X a day.

so really my question is...will $100 be enough a week to put aside for the horse (pleasure).

that EXcludes board and his hay.

????

is this a good plan.

also i can ride like i took lessons for like 2 years and just had another last week..so i haven't forgot that stuff.

but when i buy it i'm hoping to get help from the stable manager for the little things for the first few weeks and then possibly lessons on it..or i could teach myself.

its what my mum did.

really all i want the horse is to have fun, make a new friend and not to worry about comps etc.

just for fun.

i could also visit it 5-6 times a week :)

so i'm not sure if i'd have to pay more money for extra food..?

also if it has shoes i'd prob. get them removed because none of the horses need them at that place...and also i could take out the money from my account for worming and checkups etc.

Answer 1

The only bad thing I see out of this is how  much you are willing to spend on the horse.

Of course this is only from personal experience but all the horses I had bought for under $1000 may of had the nice nature but didn't have the training to even be a nice pleasure horse.they were good to take on a trail ride but to learn on ...big no no.maybe an older horse would have the training and nature for that price but most likely to be is it's education that will be the problem.

I'm not sure on where you are or what experience you have.But I was conserned for what you could be getting yourself into.

Like I said before, this is only something from a personal experience but otherwise ring around placed who stock horse feed to find how much you will need for the feed.

Best of luck.

Answer 2

While a horse is a hole in your wallet if you can't ride it, I would make sure you have enough money for basic care before you get into buying alot of extras. You need to consider: Price of horse ( I would increase your spending goal to $1500 or less. I've seen horses that were $15,000 going for that because of the poor horse market), Shots and tests (coggins, strangles, etc), farrier, 2 flakes of hay a day with there being between 8-10 in a bale and two scoops of grain a day ( not sure how many in a bag, but one 50lb bag will last a week or two, and you can cut out a half scoop or all of it if there is enough pasture. About an acre a horse), lodging ( If you don't have a place you can keep him for free then you'll have to figure how much a month that will be. Contact where you plan to keep it and ask their prices. They can tell you about board and how much they charge to feed it their grain and hay or yours). The vet'll need to check it when you get it and once a year after that unless it gets hurt. The farrier needs to come every 6-8 weeks with 8 being fine. That's around 20 to 25 for a trim and 60 to 65 for an all round shoe. This varies depending on the farrier. You should call your farrier and vet and ask for prices. Keep records of everything from the vet. You should add up all of these cost and see if you can afford them and if you can maintain them. I would say your plan is a good one and that you have enough money, but the question is, can you maintain that money. Do you have a job that your going to have for a while, will you be able to find work after this job. If you have to spend all your money on bills your horse still has to eat. If you can replenish the money you spend then I would say your ready. I would try to take a little out of each pay check after you get it and put aside about $300 for emergencies or odds and ends and enough for about 3 months feed and lodging. Just like you do for you. Then if you lose your job, you've got three months to play with in finding another job and are not in a bind to pay for it. That's when people sale their horses.

PS - if your going to put all this money into a horse. Make sure it's a good one who is smart, has a good personality, and has good conformation. As a good horse person to help you look for one and make sure you take it home for a trial period of at least a week. This is not an unreasonable request and you should walk away if they won't let you. Some horses are drugged to appear nice. Also, check out some of my other answers. I've answered alot of horse questions along with several like yours. Good luck.

Answer 3

I think you need more experience before you get a horse and you should see your horse everyday. You are going to need more money than that and you might want to talk to the ranch owner for first time owner advice.

Good luck and best wishes!

Happy Trails =)

Answer 4

Buying a horse is a lot like buying a used car you want to have it checked out by a vet before you buy it (that's expensive) just like a car it might look good on the outside but if theirs problem with the engine than your going to have a lot of expenses down the line & probably heart ache too. Unless you've known the horse & owner a long time & you know the history you might be all right. You might be able to get away with buying the saddle & tack that cheap but you have to make sure it fits the horse properly & comfortably all horses are different sizes & shapes. I own 3 horses & I keep them on my property & Hay has almost doubled since last year, 3 years ago I was paying 80.00 a ton know it's up to 200.00 a ton. So as fuel prices increase so does hay, grain, worming, salt blocks, shoeing, fly spray & also boarding. Horses also need a lot of attention are you going to be all gun hoe the first month or two & ride all the time & then get bored & start going once or twice a week & then once or twice a month I've seen that happen all the time & then the horse is stuck in a tiny little corral with no attention & it just breaks their spirit. Maybe you should put an ad in the paper "will exercise your horse for free" a lot of people don't have time but they don't want to get rid of their horse either & then maybe you will start working with somebody's horse & fall in Love with it & then you can talk to them about buying it but try it first before you buy & you might even find it's to much work & then you wont be stuck paying every month for the horse & losing money. You also have to be careful where you board your horse a lot of these stables I've seen have wood corrals that are all beat up nails sticking out & you sign a waiver that their not responsible if your horse gets hurt, & are they feeding your horse good quality food & enough of it. I was wondering how old you were because priorities change as you get older when I was a teenager I use to work at a stable & all the girls who owned horses as they got in High School all of a sudden they were more interested in boys & getting their drivers license & buying a car & rarely came to the ranch & rode their horses. Lots to consider & think about but Good Luck in whatever you decide to do horses are also a lot of fun I would miss mine if I ever got rid of them.

Answer 5

it sounds as though you will have enough money for the horse and you will need to pay extra for food but i'm not sure if you honestly are ready. if you need to keep asking the yard manager, i would suggest that you get a loan or lease or share horse for a couple of months before purchasing your own.  But after that i would definitely get one because you seem to have the right attitude but you do really have to be on hand every day if it is living in a stable and have you bought food and drink buckets? and fly spray because if not this will be a good idea

hope this helps but for just the one horse this sounds fine and you learn by making mistakes and your mom must know a bit about horses too so im sure she can help

x*x

Answer 6

well done that is great the way you did that i never did that when i got my first horse i don't even do it with my breeding so good luck you are all set and if you take your time finding the perfect horse you will get a Bergen my first horse cost $550 and terned out to be a pure arab and lived until 26 i only put him down in june.

Answer 7

I don't know what it costs to keep a horse where you are but it seems to me that you're going to need a bit more to spend on equipment. $300 won't get you much of a saddle and even if you have a bridle you will need to get a decent bit that fits your horse properly. Make sure you get help (unless you are sure you know what you are doing) with fitting your saddle, bridle and bit. I've gotten some amazing horses for under $1000 but I had the benefit of quite a bit more experience than 2 years so I could deal with them being green. Don't rush into buying a horse, it may take months to find the right one. Good luck.

Answer 8

MMk then..people are sayin "learn from your mistakes" which isn't a bad thing, but on the other hand you have these other idiots saying "well I don't think you are ready for one yet".  

The main thing a person needs to grasp before ever purchasing a horse is how much responsibility it really is, and I believe you are fully prepared, and even if not 100% prepared for EVERYTHING, I'm sure you'll do fine.  You've got help, sounds like you are familiar with horses and some "horse people", and have connections for help if you need it.  Your mother will probably be able to help you out a bit.  And it's not beyond you to read and learn everything that you can in the meantime.  I say go for it.  It's just for fun right? You enjoy spending time with horses, and while owning one, you don't have to be afraid of making mistakes because it is YOUR horse; and like I said, I believe you understand the depth of involvment in owning a horse.  

Best of luck.

P.S.: Ever get tired of hearing the words "more experience" come outta someone's mouth who owns a horse? "Yeah that's a great idea! Lets to go college and get more "experience" so once we get out we can shovel poo for 2 more years at minimum wage!"

Answer 9

If your planning on visiting it 5-6 times a week then whats the pint in getting it? If you do that it will get a better bond with the person looking after it. If your planning on getting a horse you should visit it at least 2 times a day. I'd hate for someone else to be looking after my horse...

Answer 10

It sounds like you have thought this out pretty well, and are responsible enough to know that it costs quite a bit to have a boarded horse. The biggest thing is the horse itself, make sure you get one that is good for you and your riding experience, so you don't wind up having to spend extra on special training. I think you will be fine, and will enjoy having your own horse to have fun with! God Bless you, your horse, and the trails you ride!

Answer 11

you will need about $100-$300 for a dentist to come out once or twice yearly and about $150-$200 for yearly vaccinations. $30-$65 for trimmings which are once every two months in winter [make sure that is good with your horse though..] and once every 3-4 weeks in the summer.

also.. finding a GOOD horse for less than $1000 will be tough, so you may want to start looking ahead of time.. i would suggest you wait a little longer or have a back-up plan in case you come up short.

Answer 12

I think you will need a bit more money than that.

Your horse might get sick really unexpectedly and then you need to take it to the vet and that could cost lots.

If you are keeping it at an agistment place you could maybe ask the owner if you could do some jobs around the yard to pay for half the price of the boarding fee.

Teaching your self would be a good idea till you make some more money.

Good Luck with your new horse.

Remember to do some research about the cheapest boarding places so that you can save some money!!!!!

Answer 13

i dont think your ready for a horse...

Answer 14

It's good that you are doing this planning *before* you get the horse, a lot of people don't and then run into problems after they get the horse, and the horse too often pays for it in one way or another.

A few things to consider...

Shoes - just because the other horses at the farm can go barefoot doesn't mean your future horse will be able to. Most horses can go barefoot on soft footing, but may require time for their feet to toughen up, and some horses will not be able to go barefoot. Plan for this in your budget, always better to plan for too much then not enough.

Hay/Grain - Some horses (and especially ponies) do just fine on (good quality) hay and grass alone. Many will need supplemental grain though, so figure that into your expenses.

Vet - Minimum of twice a year, find out the approximate cost in your area. But then what if your horse becomes sick or injured? My mare colicked badly, she had to be euthanized...the cost was somewhere around $500-600. Emergency vet bills are not cheap. Before you get a horse, I would suggest having a dedicated "emergency fund" of at least $500 for your horse before you buy.

Tack - If you don't have a saddle, wait until you get the horse. The way the saddle fits both you and the horse is sooo important, your horse won't have much fun on your pleasure rides if he's in pain from a poorly fitting saddle. You may need to budget a little more for your saddle, as some horses are hard to fit. I would avoid saddle packages that come with fittings, they tend to be very poor quality, and very uncomfortable for the rider. Look at Wintec saddles, they are comfortable, durable and low maintenance and well worth the extra money you would put into it.

And the horse - The most important part of all this! Get the right horse and it could be your best friend for years, get the wrong horse and you could end up with training issues or health and soundness issues. If you increase your budget you can increase your options, and be able to look at more horses. It may be worth saving up just a bit longer. Once you find a horse, ride it several times before buying. You may want to get a prepurchase exam (check with your vet to budget that in too) done to be sure the horse is sound, some would say don't bother at such a low price, but it costs as much (or more) to maintain a lame horse as it does to keep a sound horse, and I think it would be worth it to know that you are starting with a sound horse.

Overall I think you are on the right track, but I would suggest saving up a bit longer so you will be more prepared when you eventually do get your new horse.

Good Luck!