Ashley's Equestrian Pin Fever

All About Riding

$$ COSTS $$

Page 1 of Unlimited

Q. HOW MUCH DOES A GOOD HORSE COST?
A. About the same as a bad one.

Q. WHY? I SEE NEWSPAPER ADS FOR INEXPENSIVE HORSES ALL THE TIME.
A. And I bet you think those purses sold on the street are real Guccis, too.

You can get a backyard pony w/o losing your credit rating. However, if your kid dreams of Olympic gold, better start watching those IPO offerings more closely. This is NOT a sport for people prone to sticker shock.

Q. CAN'T I BUY A YOUNG HORSE, TRAIN IT MYSELF & SAVE MONEY?
A. Sure...and you probably buy books on Do-It-Yourself Open Heart Surgery, too.

Q. DOES IT COST A LOT TO KEEP A HORSE?
A. First, you don't keep a horse, it keeps you. Secondly, even that backyard pony has some basic expenses.

Q. BUT THEY EAT GRASS, HOW EXPENSIVE IS THAT?
Sorry, there is no free lunch, even for horses. Not every grass is right. And while man does not live by bread alone, horses do not exist on grass alone.

Q. HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST?
A. More than your wildest dreams. Many horses, especially show animals, require special diets & supplements. They may advertise they only cost pennies a day but when your horse is on 10 of them, it adds up to real money fast.

Then there's hay. Yup, it is just dried grass but when your horse is feasting on it like peanuts & can't stop w/just one flake, it begins to look like spun gold. Then there are those dreaded droughts. THAT'S when the local golf course begins to look like a waste of good pasture.

Q. DO I HAVE TO SHOE A HORSE?
A. If you are lucky, not always. But if you do, forget those Cole Haans for you. Regardless, horses need to be seen by a farrier about every 6 weeks to have their hooves properly trimmed. DON'T try to ignore this. "No Hoof, No Horse".

If you have to shoe, put your farrier on the Christmas bonus list. A good farrier is worth whatever he charges you. A bad farrier is worth thatever it takes to get rid of him.