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Discussion on Cost of keeping a horse at home
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cp
Member
Username: Cpacer
Post Number: 144
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 1:30 pm: |   |
My husband and I have recently started looking at property where I could keep my horse at home. I board right now and only have one horse, but understand I would also need to get him some friends if we are to live with him.
This is a huge step for us ex-Los Angelenos, and we both work full-time about 30-miles from where we’re looking for property. Not only is it a big step to own some acreage, but also taking on more horses. I think for companions I’d look at finding some rescue horses that don’t necessarily need to be rideable, and possibly a mini-donkey (just cause they’re cute). I’d also consider a boarder or two to help offset cost of owning all my own, but worry about the ties that can come with that too.
Anyway, of course my husband wants to know REALLY, how much does it cost to keep a horse at home. I know about the usual costs outside of boarding fees like training, vet visits, farrier, dentist, etc., but I don’t really know about buying my own feed, how much to buy/when, and what kind of money goes into maintaining a pasture, etc.. We’re looking in the 5-10 acre range for the sake estimates (probably closer to 5 acres seeing as we have to go to regular jobs everyday).
Anyone have advice on what to expect cost-wise? I’m sure there’s a ton of stuff to think about that only someone who’s been there before could know. The cost of having just one horse turned out to be double what I expected, will this be the same? Is there a dollar amount that can be applied monthly per horse? |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 666
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 2:26 pm: | |
THE peace of mind is worth all the costs in the world.
I have done both. Stabled for 10 years. and now have my own property. first thing is you DONT need to take on more animals if you don't want to. A barn cat can keep your horse happy. even chickens, or a goat will prove good friends for your horse. I do keep all mine in separate paddocks though.
A barn is imperative. So keep that in mind. While you are away in the beginning you will probably want to keep the horse put up. As you get more comfy in the new surroundings that might not be a factor any longer. but a pen of some sort for vet visits, illness monitoring, dentist, farrier, is important.
Feeding is only an issue based on how much you can buy at one time. The barn comes in handy for this too. where you might have paid for full board, feed included, you will now pay a premium because you can only buy 20- or so bales at a time. where the barn you were at might have bought for a whole season.I rather buy in smaller amounts, this to keep everything fresher. Feed too isn't an issue, everything comes in manageable bags. and you can buy 1 or two at a time. I started out going and getting a few bales and a few bags of feed every week. Now i order all animal feeds, well supplies, home supplies, farm supplies from the local feed store. they deliver and its economical.
Fencing and paddocks were my biggest expense. And adding a shed for all the feed stuff. Learn to do it yourself and the cost is minimal. Hire someone to put up fencing or fix it, and its triple the cost.
I'm losing my acre to weeds. i had two horses on it. and its just not enough. plus goats and pigs...One horse per acre is what they recommend. if you have five acres and one horse than you can rotate without any problems. let one sit while horse is on another.
life becomes more lax with a horse with you. you don't have to listen to others. You can make it up as you go along. And you will only spend more money than before because now you want to... not because you have to.
One expense was the tractor i bought. make sure you get an extended warranty. came in handy. Figure out the well system, and how to fix it yourself. and keep your car in good shape. I would hate to get stuck on a desolate road in the middle of nowhere. Not like a city. and i found i drive longer distances. And do outings in batches... can't just run to the store for milk when its 10 miles...
Now that i think about it. The horse part of the transistion was so easy. It was the house and well, and septic and all that goes with living in a rural area that i wasn't prepared for. Try to buy a newer house, this way your life isn't spent on fixing up the property. and you can enjoy your horse more. I do say though i ride less having her here, than when i stabled... but i don't care. i just love every minute of it. Nothing better than waking up to a horse in your window... going hey whats for breakfast...
For the horse the only thing that i found i bought more of... was carrots...grin. |
Liliana Velasco Ariza
Member
Username: Liliana5
Post Number: 66
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 2:47 pm: | |
Exelent advice Joj,
Only I really feel that a horse by itself is never truly happy they are gregarious, so at least an old chap or something or even DIY livery?! That way he has company and you don't have the extra work plus the other person could lend a hand may be some times...
Especially if you have the acres...
It may work |
Chris Stevens
Member
Username: Stevens
Post Number: 14
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 2:57 pm: | |
Good points, but let me put a more pragmatic spin on it. If you have unlimited funds and time, then yes, having your horses at home is always the best choice.
My husband has repeatedly tried to get me to agree to horse property, in Los Angeles county, since it has to be cheaper than boarding 3 horses. Like you, we both work full time.
Here's the rub: Feeding and cleaning would clearly be my responsibility. With a full-time job already, this would leave little time for actually riding/exercise. Note also that I mostly ride in the evenings due to my work schedule, so I would want/need both an arena and adequate lighting. Oh yeah, and I'm real picky about footing.
Social interaction and safety are other concerns. It's really nice to have other "horse people" around to bounce ideas off of and get to "take a look" at things. I like to have someone at least on the property when I'm riding to call the ambulance if necessary.
Now, let's talk about ever going on a vacation or out of town for a family emergency. If you can find someone competent that you can trust with your horses, you'll be one of the lucky ones.
In my dream world, yes,I'd definitely want my horses at home with all the amenities of a first class boarding stable. While the financial cost to keep a horse may not be substantially different from boarding, I find that the additional investment in time is more than I can provide given my current work status.
Good Luck! |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 1065
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 2:59 pm: | |
Good questions, cp. I'm sure someone in the NC area can give you more cost specifics.
One thing I have found is that no matter how much money I have, I can always spend it . . . There are less expensive ways and more expensive ways of caring for horses . . . When you are keeping them for yourself, you have to figure on the quality of materials you want to use for fencing and housing, and realize that the cost of hay and grain is variable from year to year. I have been told that boarding doesn't really MAKE money . . . just helps cover the cost of the boarded horse . . . but by the time you buy feed, repair damage to pastures and fences and buildings, take time off for sick horses and vet calls . . . buy liability insurance and care/custody/control insurance . . . there really isn't much profit in boarding, and there is an increased responsibility . . . unless, of course, your boarder offers to help with the care, cleaning, repair, etc.
I wouldn't trade having my horses on my own property for anything, but in order to keep your costs down, consider moving to an area where there are other people with horses. Then, maybe your horse can have next-door neighbors that aren't your responsibility . . . or maybe you can share pasture space and rotate pastures with a neighbor. Mini's, goats, needy horses, all may make good companions for your horse, but you have to figure in the different size equipment, gates, fences, different types of feed, vaccinations, hoof trimming, etc. that you will need for the smaller animals. Needy animals from rescues sometimes come with health issues that need special care and/or feeding. Also, if the National Animal ID system becomes mandatory across the nation, you will be paying for microchips and registration for each animal and have to give account of the movement off the property of each animal . . . At least, that is how it stands at present. In order to make LESS stress for you, especially with your work schedules and the fact that you won't be on the premises to watch the animals, you may want to consider buying into an area where you have some horsey neighbors.
After saying all that, I have to say that I have had up to 9 horses at a time . . . on two different properties, in one of the hardest places there is to do chores in the winters, with no tractor, no help, and no money . . . LOL . . . and some of those horses were needy ones . . . and it was all worthwhile. The way my horses paid for themselves was by giving lessons, being leased to 4-H members, and being used as summer horsemanship camp mounts. I rarely had to take out of my meager salary to pay for the horses . . . but it was a lot of work, and sometimes, a lot of worry . . . and I'd do it all again.
I know you'll get different responses from different members. What it boils down to is "what do you want for yourselves, your life together, and for your horse?" |
Erika L
Member
Username: Erika
Post Number: 124
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 3:01 pm: | |
Good idea Liliana, I find that it is good to have another person 'rough board' because you can cover for each other. You know they will be there if their horse gets hungry, too. And it is company for your horse that you won't have trouble getting rid of if things don't work out.
As for expenses, it is so variable that I doubt anyone can tell you what you will spend. Pasture acreage is a big factor. I didn't even have to feed my horses at all for several months a year--until got one more! For some reason, going from three, to four horses put my pastures over the top. I spend way more now in pasture maintenance (fertilizer, lime, seeding, everything!). Not to mention fence wear and tear. some horses are definitely harder on them than others.
My best advice would be to take the cost of board in your area as your estimate. Certainly no one gets rich on boarding horses, and the actual costs usually have a very slim profit margin.
One last thing, considering all the other horse work you will put in, you may find, like I do, that you actually ride less. You'll get your "horsey fix" mucking and feeding, and just hanging around the barn! It is great to look out your window and see them right there, though.
Best of luck! |
Erika L
Member
Username: Erika
Post Number: 125
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 3:06 pm: | |
Wow, we all jumped in there at the same time with pretty much the same answer, huh? Holly, I completely forgot about winter! Frozen barn pipes mean hauling water buckets from the house occasionally, yuck, brrr.
Hey CP, why don't you just shop for a house NEXT DOOR to a boarding stable? |
Sue G
Member
Username: Warwick
Post Number: 311
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 3:39 pm: | |
CP - be warned! Once you get your own place, you will inexplicably acquire more horses! Some sort of other-worldly force will take over you and any form of resistance is futile.
'Nuff said. |
Liliana Velasco Ariza
Member
Username: Liliana5
Post Number: 67
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 3:53 pm: | |
Too true Sue, I started with a mare and a stallion that were abandoned tied to a tree. Four years down the line I now have 10, how? resistance is indeed futile. I guess is a bit like having a big tool shed, before you know it you have more stuff that you'll ever need! |
Angie
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 399
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 3:55 pm: | |
I think with owning horses you just keep spending more and more every year. You can start with a shelter and basic hot wire fencing. Grass hay, and oats, if needed. But pretty soon you have more horses and you start wanting things better! I see no end in sight for barn expenses, fence (still want more of the Horse Guard fencing) more posts, and now I am thinking bedding for the first time in my life cuz we have stalls! Horses are "high maintenance hobbies". But I for one hope to have at least one til I die, so that's the trade off.
In dollar amounts I figure my 4 horses average $200.00 a month/$2400.00 a year. That's hay, grain, hoof care, vaccinations, wormers. And a little extra for pasture seedings every other year, and fertilizer. I don't include fencing, barn, or other similar expenses because I figure that is adding value to our property. That is kinda cheating to make it sound better, but my husband gets upset enough over my "hobby expenses".
My advice is buy the best "horse friendly" place you can afford, and the cheapest horse!! A cheap horse eats as much as an expensive one. And make sure the horse is a known "easy keeper", lol!! And no young horse, they eat so much more.
I don't know what hay costs in your area, or how big the bales are, but here I pay around $2 a bale, for 45-50 pound bales. I feed figure 2 a day for 9 months outa the year. A little extra some days in winter. I am buying 4 bags of Safe Choice feed at $34 every 3 weeks. I don't really need to grain 2 of the horses, but the 2 coming 4 yr olds look better with it. I buy 700 bales every summer, off the field when it's cheaper.
Find out what costs are in the area you are moving to. Ask around as prices will vary, and what you need will vary from what I need. (or think I need)
Hope the dollar amounts help. I really just try not to think about what my horses cost or I don't enjoy them!!
And yup, I don't ride as much as I'd like either. Always something to do that is horse related. Anyone want to help with putting more fence posts in??????? |
Leilani Clark
Member
Username: Leilani
Post Number: 116
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 4:16 pm: | |
Angie,
$2 a bale? Wow!!!! I spent $30 for a full size bale of Timothy last week. Leilani |
Dawson
Member
Username: Dawson
Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 5:10 pm: | |
yes, after years of boarding and caring for others horses, I got married and started searching for a home with barn, as it is truly VERY expensive to have to build your own barn and fencing, It's difficult enough to repair one or keep up with repairs.
The real estate person got a chuckle when she took us to look at one property. She said, I assume you want to see the house first? My husband answered, No, my wife doesn't care if the house is a hovel, it's the barn she wants to see first.
The barn was excellent! The fencing needed repairs, and the house was a tiny ranch in need with 5+ acres, YOU BET WE BOUGHT IT!!
What type of fencing should we go to?
What do we do when the barn pipes freeze?
Who's gonna paint the stalls with "No bite"
What do we do about the fly's? Mosquetos? Green heads? Ticks?
Are we ever going to be able to go on vacation again?
Yes, you will always be fixing something. Get a big tractor! When you get any money back from your taxes or a bonus from a raise-put it into a separate checking account for "the animals."
Buy in bulk-but make sure not so much that it spoils or the dating expires. The nice thing when a bad thunderstorm or snowstorm hits, you can walk to the barn and see all is well or pass out a round of treats. The bad news there will be no one but you to get up at dawn to feed-clean stalls-fill water buckets, and groom and that's before you go to work. At the other end when you return home from work and have the energy you can groom again, ride, cool-out, then feed the horses before you eat dinner or before bed. Now you may think you will find someone to take over so you can have a holiday alone with the hubby, take this thought out of your mind, because it's rare you will find someone capable of taking care or "the kids/horses" to your standards. And if you do you will worry the whole time of what might possibly occur while your away. We are fortunate to have a large hayloft above our barn and we can store a few tons of hay over the winter, of course to get the best price we rent an 18 wheeler and drive two states away. When we reached home it's up to us to unload the hay into the loft. (highly recommend having a BBQ invite friends or relatives over to participate) Yes, there are the farrier bills every six weeks, teeth need floating,spring shots, fall shots, every six weeks worming, and the need for you to repair various bumps and dings, because they will happen. Do you have ice packs in your freezer that you can wrap around a leg? You will!
Yes, there is a lot to think about. We have had our little farm with eight horses for almost nine years now..... and it's heaven I wouldn't give up mucking out my own stalls for anything.  |
Liliana Velasco Ariza
Member
Username: Liliana5
Post Number: 68
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 5:31 pm: | |
ha ha it reminds me when I lived in England and my ex husband got the number plate NO35UKY people said it was the perfect plate for horsy couples no nooky, don't know if you have that expression in US but I'm sure you can guess what it means btw no it wasn't the horses that broke us up it was a different species a b..ch |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 15252
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 6:32 pm: | |
I am often asked what does it cost to keep a horse and I live in piedmont NC. I find that 90 to 150 dollars a month per horse is a pretty fair range for the the things the individual requires. The reason for the large range is the variation in professional fees and amounts/type of concentrate required by a typical horse. Property, buildings, fences, equipment, and pastures are on top of that.
Those above who say they have a lot less time to ride than before they cared for their horses ain't kidding.
DrO |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 667
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, Apr 4, 2006 - 8:29 pm: | |
I remember when i used to ride....grin.
and it ultimately is cheaper i believe to have your horse at home. But whoever said it above, it is soooo true, if i kept it to my one horse, i would be in the clear. But now 2 parrots, 4 turtles, 3 goats, one pig, 3 dogs, 1 cat and 10 finches later, i'm in the red again. and the cutest little mini filly was born last month i was thinking about.... hmmmm....shoot me now!
And oooh so true, an easy keeper, and a laid back horse make all the difference in the world. My TB tore the fencing, ate everything, tore up the grass and manured everywhere. At least my bran is very light footed. Doesn't wreak havoc on the property. Respects the fencing, etc.
My feed bill is around 300/month and includes shavings for two stalls/salt for well, and then dog food/ and all animal feeds (its the dog food thats a killer 26$/bag). But overall, this amount is way cheaper than any board rent (full or partial) i have ever found. I was paying $265 for pasture board per horse.
It was also cheaper to find a bigger house, and more property than where i was in Miami. Less vet bills too living at home. not sure if that is a fluke. The only thing that i factored in costing more was gas. But luckily, i started working from home.
And you find the time. Because you are at home. I hated driving to the stables after work. I would have rather been able to come home, relax for a bit. Then go out and do chores. Even if that is at 10pm. And ride. Cause no one is going to tell you otherwise.
Also, there will be two of you. The barn chores really are only a small portion of living rural. I'd say that its 20% of my time. You get it down to a science. I can feed and water 9 large animals in under a half hour. I don't need to muck a paddock every day. They stay out of the stalls unless its nasty out. BUT, where the house stuff is more like 40% of my time. I never had a "house" before. Mowing the lawn, cleaning gutters, fixing fencing, calling this repair guy to fix this that or the other thing. Cleaning the house. ick. All that stuff is new. But its still all that stuff you would have to do if your horses were being stabled somewhere else.... right? so why not do it from a place you can have it all? |
Angie
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 401
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 8:13 am: | |
I can so relate to looking for a place to buy and wanting the barn to be the best feature, along with lots of pasture. I didn't get either when we bought this place, in fact the house wasn't much either hence we're still remodeling and built a barn a few years ago.
It never ends, but geez, whatever would we do if we had spare time?? Ride more maybe?? Dream on!!
$30 a bale????????????? You have got to be kidding!!!!!! I can buy a round bale for that and that is probably the equivelant of 20 square bales. At least that's what I've been told, I have no experience with round bales.
Glad I live where I do if there is that much difference in hay prices.
I am still shaking my head in amazement........ |
cp
Member
Username: Cpacer
Post Number: 145
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 2:17 pm: | |
All great advice everyone! I promised to share all the responses with my husband, even the negative (I’ll find a way to justify).
I appreciate the numbers provided and for everyone sharing their experiences! It seems the cost may be about what I’ve been guessing, but I know it will vary. My current board is around $500 a month, so if we average a cost of $125 per horse I can have at least 4 horses for the cost of boarding one, yes?  (of course the higher mortgage is somehow a different kind of expense).
We've thought about the lifestyle changes that go with this and while significant it's what we love (well my husband just wants the land to play with his toys on). I've been trying to build my network of horse people in the area, which is one reason I'm set on an area already becoming hard to buy in. True, I probably won’t be able to relax as much on vacations, it will be hard enough wondering what they're doing all day while I'm at work—-I know they find trouble easily, but at some point I guess you just have to do all you can and hope for the best--?
The other feeling of no return is that I plan to keep all the animals I have until I'm dead, and even then I'll do what I can to make sure they're taken care of. It was frightening enough to think I'd have my first horse 30 years from now when I'm in my sixties--I imagine 2 scrawny figures hobbling along the horizon--a stinky old horse and a grumpy old lady (not that 60's old of course, just hard to imagine now).
I think one of the scarier parts for me is thinking about the well and septic system that comes with country living. I'm a water freak so I guess I'll need to research how to keep a well healthy.
The not being able to ride as often doesn't bother me so much, I just love the company of my horse. I figure I’ll be saving around 10-hours a week of driving time by having him at home too (we won’t count the longer work commute). And I don't think I'll miss the local expertise since the more I learn the more I realize everyone out there is full of bull-oney. All I need is a digi-cam and my HA membership!
I'll be sure to let you all know how things progress--hopefully they will! |
Shelley
Member
Username: Sswiley
Post Number: 140
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 2:34 pm: | |
I have to ask CP, where are you looking to settle down. Will you have year around pasture or is is seasonal. If the hay prices fluctuate you might be able to justify a larger hay storage so you can stock up when the prices are down.
I have had my horses at home since 87. They are very low maintenance, out in all but the nastiest weather, mostly barefoot, several shelters in the various pastures and two stalls for injuries, foaling, etc. The horses love this arrangement by the way. Not sure why people feel obligated to stick thier horses in little 12x12 stalls.
Hot wire greatly increases the life of your fencing and flashing on the stall corners will prevent the chewing.
I would say the big difference between boarding is the maintenance costs and vacation freedom. But like I said there are ways to mitigate this. I like the idea of buying in a horsey neighborhood. The odds of finding horse care and even trading responsibilities is much better. I lucked out with that one, found a great person to care for my horses, we are even fast friends now. The only problem with that is we have started vacationing together!
The upside for me is freedom to go out there any old time and ride or just mess with the animals. Also if you have kids you dont have to drag them along every time you go to the barn. |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 1068
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 2:37 pm: | |
Where are you planning to be in NC? From past experience, I would MUCH rather have well water than city water, and septic rather than city sewage. Never had any problems and never had to do anything to the well. If you are in the mountains of NC, I would think that any aquifers into which you drill will be clean and cold . . . and so much better than turning on "cold" tap water in the summer and getting "lukewarm" water. Our VT well was 232' deep and was so cold all year, that it would make my hands cramp up . . . and it has a good supply of calcium in it, so that VT kids on well water are not supposed to need any kind of calcium supplements. I'm having a very hard time getting used to the chlorine smell of city water and not having cold water from the tap. |
Erika L
Member
Username: Erika
Post Number: 126
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 2:49 pm: | |
So, CP, you've got the next thirty years taken care of...hate to tell you this but I recently read that we are only beginning to find out the true life expectancy of horses. The oldest known horse lived to be in his sixties (gasp!), and from what I read, fifty years will not be uncommon if parasites and disease are well managed.
I have a guy already well into his thirties who, now that I've figured out how to properly feed a toothless horse, will probably outlive me!
I've already gotten my teenage son to promise that his future grandchildren will take my two fillies !
Sorry, I got off topic but I couldn't resist. I wonder if Dr. O has any comments on the numbers I've thrown out about horse life expectancy? I can't remember where I read it, maybe Equus Magazine? |
cp
Member
Username: Cpacer
Post Number: 146
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 3:36 pm: | |
Well Shelley you bring up the next scary part of the move...everyone wants to know when we're having kids and we've been saying "after the ranch"...gulp.
We are looking in the Waxhaw area, about 30 miles south of Uptown Charlotte. It does get in the teens sometimes and snows only once in a while. I probably would only want stall type of shelter for injuries and really bad weather (I say this now) and would hope any horses I acquire will be good barefoot candidates too. My horse is living quite the pampered life compared to where he came from, so I know he can "rough it" a little.
Holly, you don't have to do anything to your well? I'm sure there are many benefits to the well water, especially if there's ever a terrorist attack on the public water supply. I guess it's all about the location and depth if there will be livestock waste sinking into the ground-?? Anyway not having city water will be one less bill!
Erika, so now not only do I have to save enough for my retirement, but I have to save more for their longevity? I hope I have some really smart and successful kids! |
Leilani Clark
Member
Username: Leilani
Post Number: 119
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 4:09 pm: | |
Angie,
I don't buy hay that much but this bale looked and smelled so sweet... I live in Hawai'i and our prices are higher because of shipping costs. Leilani |
Liliana Velasco Ariza
Member
Username: Liliana5
Post Number: 71
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 4:30 pm: | |
Yep Erika I also read in the Guinness Book of Records I believe he was a Shire who lived 64 years! |
Sara Wolff
Member
Username: Mrose
Post Number: 1260
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 9:23 pm: | |
The "down" side of your own well is that if the electric goes off you have no water. I always keep the water tanks full "just in case." I think it would take a fairly large generator to run our pump.
It is work to keep horses at home, but imo the positives out weigh the negatives by far. I love going out at night doing my "horse check." Then barn is quiet and the horses are dozing, it all smells so good; it's very calming and almost "holy" in a sense. In the summer I drink my coffee on the back porch watching the horses waking up in the early morning sun. And, if one of the horses is injured or sick, I know for a fact that they are getting their meds and any treatment they need.
We live near a university, and have been lucky finding horse loving students who are willing to help with the horses in exchange for board of their horse, lessons, or a small wage. This have given us a lot more freedom than we would have other wise. Also, our farrier lives across the road from us (how lucky can you get!?) and we often swap horse sitting with him. |
joj
Member
Username: Jojo15
Post Number: 668
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006 - 9:43 pm: | |
well systems are a "you get what you put into them" kind of thing. treat them crappy (no pun intended) and you get the same right back. I had a werid fungus/pathogen/bacteria growing in my aerator (something florida wells need for the sulpher smell). and when i figured it out, all of a sudden my water was "sharper" hair cleaner, laundry whiter, animals healthier... very hard to understand unless you realize if you dont keep it up. you can cause alot of stress and damage because of it.
Same thing with septic. Keep it up and you won't have problems.
Us city folk didn't/don't care where it comes from or where it goes. Until we live rural. Well i do at least. And growing up in the city never taught me these things... Its a learning curve...woohoo...
wanna talk manure management? thats fun too! |
Angie
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 404
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 7:59 am: | |
Be sure and have your well water tested before you buy your place, and test it annually. We had an awful experience a few years ago.
I was doing laundry and kept smelling "horse"...I thought it was because it was damp out, and there were damp barn clothes in the mudroom. Went in to fill a pot of water for spaghetti, and the water was coffee colored!! We had manure coming out of the faucets!!! Turned out the well was pumping water from a surface fed water source. Our horses were spending most of their time in a small area up hill from the well. It is not FUN having to find someone willing to dig a new well the while the ground is frozen yet! This was like March or April. Even less fun hauling all your water from neighbors and buying bottled water for a week the while the well is being drilled. Of course new wells are not cheap either.
And I hate to think about the possible health hazards we subjected ourselves to while drinking that water. We all did some herbal "deworming" for people twice after that.
So for the few bucks it takes to check your water......
And pumping your septic yearly isn't very expensive either. Better than having your basement flooded with sewage if it backs up during the winter months.
These things sound scary, but they are all preventable and most people don't suffer through these hardships.
I wouldn't trade my good tasting well water for anything. But we do run our water through a water filtration system just in case!! |
Terri
Member
Username: Terrilyn
Post Number: 339
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 9:03 am: | |
I've been on well water in the last two places I've lived. The main difference was that the home I recently sold was in a marshy, low-lying area close to the river and I had a shallow well. I could definitely taste and see a difference in the water quality when the weather was very dry, or very wet...it affected the clarity, smell, etc...the water was also very hard and would turn your clothes (and hair!) orange if you didn't use a water softener, which is an appliance that interfaces between the well and your faucets in the house, running it through rock salt and producing better-tasting, feeling water...and this is something you'll definitely want to check into. There are some areas in our county where you just wouldn't think of NOT using a water softener. A good one will run several thousand dollars. In the house we now own, we have a deep well. Our water is sweet, clear, always cold, and we do not need a softener. I cannot tell you what a difference this made...it is something I appreciate every day. But do check on the water softener question...if it is an area that will require one, check around on price and installers. Some maintenance is required...you will have to add salt on a regular basis. (Not a big deal). On the whole, well water is great and I would NOT trade it for city water. But Sara makes an excellent point....if you have weather coming, be sure to fill a few large tanks or garbage cans full of water you can dip into for your horses. AND to ensure that you aren't carting water from house to barn when it's freezing, just be sure your hydrant is installed so that the cutoff for water underground is below the freeze line...you should never have to worry about not having running water outside if that's done properly. (Of course, I'm used to VA winters which are relatively mild in the southeast part of the state...)
One thing that you will never regret is building a shelter that accommodates plentiful hay storage with ease of access...I'm sure everyone will agree that it's great to be able to store enough hay for the winter! |
Julie
Member
Username: Julieh
Post Number: 66
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 10:08 am: | |
I have been unable to escape to my daily reading of HA for the past several days and I missed this thread totally until this morning. I live in NC and I went from boarding one horse about 2 years ago, to now, leasing a riding facility fully equipped with everything I need. I agree it is expensive and all my friends do not understand why I put so much money and time into this hobby. My days of clothes shopping have now gone to vet bills and tack shops, but I couldn't be happier! When we were paying $1500 for boarding three horses, we decided something had to give. We have had our own barn, even though it is leased, it is pretty much our responsibility, for the past year and a half. We went from one horse to three horses boarded, to now 8 horses in our barn. We have two others that are not ours but we keep there. We have the luxury of help from one of the boarders, which in my book is much more valuable than the board fee! A helping hand goes a long way at a barn. The only thing I would say I miss is the companionship of other riders and someone to ride with me. My husband doesn't ride, so I am pretty much on my own. He loves barn work and he mucks stalls, feeds and normal barn work and I have the fun part of riding. Our feed bill is about $250 per month for 8 horses, $120 shavings, and I am not really sure about hay. We buy about 400 bales at a time at about $3.00 to $4.00 a bale, depending upon what we find and I am really not sure how long that much hay will last. Right now, since the grass is coming in, they are eating a lot less hay. Our farrier bill is about $200 every 8 weeks or so. CP, I am about an hour from you I would guess. I live in the Piedmont Triad of NC. There are a lot of costs that go with your own barn and quite honestly, we haven't saved any money because our herd has gradually grown, and grown, and grown. I would do it again in a minute and don't regret it a bit. My horses are a huge part of my life and I wouldn't trade having them under our care for boarding again for anything! |
cp
Member
Username: Cpacer
Post Number: 147
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 11:21 am: | |
Who knew I'd get well and septic advice here too? (Guess I should have known). I'm making a list of questions to carry with me--I'm going to check-out 2 places this weekend.
Angie, you are lucky you didn't get seriously sick!
joj, I'm sure I'll be asking all about manure management if/when this thing goes through! |
Angie
Member
Username: Ajudson1
Post Number: 405
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 12:50 pm: | |
cp,
I don't know if this applies where you are house shopping, but if I ever buy another place here in Upper MI, 2 questions I will ask are 1) Do you have cluster flies and 2) are there bats living in the attic? Both about drove me to the nut house!!!
O yea, I'd get it in writing with some kind of warrenty too about water in the basement!!
Now you have more questions!!!
Maybe snakes in the house too? Hope not. |
sandmstables
Member
Username: Sschoen
Post Number: 11
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 1:27 pm: | |
Can't help but add my two cents here. We have 3 horses of our own and we boarded for 3 1/2 years. When the couple who owned the boarding stable decided to divorce, my husband and I knew it was time for us to realize our life-long dream of having our horses on our own property (we both had horses as teenagers that we boarded, we leased horses off and on over the years, then got back heavily into horses again when our children were older).
We found a property with 5 acres on a cul-de-sac (all the neighboring houses had 5-7 acre lots and 1 had horses as well). So, while it was zoned agricultural, it is fairly residential so we have neighbors that are fascinated with the horses but also keep an eye out for each other. We were fortunate that the house was only 14 years old (no major repairs there)and the barn was only 3 years old. We did add on to the barn to accommodate 5 stalls (remember we only had 3 horses of our own) but when leaving the boarding situation, a good friend of ours had asked if we would have room to take her 2 horses. Even though the addition on the barn could fit 6 stalls, we only built 5 and left the 6th space as a wash stall. That has helped alot when we've been approached by people asking if we have room to take their horses too. We didn't want to be in a true boarding situation (only our 1 close friend) so we purposely set it up to be difficult to accommodate anyone else...that way, no one's feelings got hurt.
We had to install fencing for a dry lot and then pasture. Our pasture is limited due to the small acreage of our lot, but we rotate the horses between 3 small pastures and figure that grass is a treat, not a mainstay of their diet. That does mean then that we purchase hay on a regular basis.
Initial costs were for the expansion of the barn (we doubled it in size by adding a 30 x 36 addition) and then fencing the dry lot and pastures. We had a contractor build the shell, then we finished the inside ourselves, using stall components from Ramm fencing (looks great!). It was a large expense but well worth it, as our horses have nice stalls, complete with mats, windows, overhead fans for those hot nights etc. Even though the barn had a loft, we chose to build a 10 x 16 storage shed separate from the barn to store hay (insurance is cheaper that way and I have less concern about a barn fire).
Our monthly cost for our horses is a couple hundred dollars LESS per horse than when we were boarding! Our expenses include hay, grain, shavings for bedding, water and electricity. Haven't had pasture expenses except for overseeding late last summer. They've held up extremely well due to the careful rotation we do. (there are of course, the additional farrier, vet bills etc that you would incur no matter what).
One expense that you might not have thought of is manure management. If you have plenty of acreage, then of course, you can spread it or create a pile somewhere. For us, being so residential, it was a priority of ours to be good horsey neighbors, so have a 6 cubic yard dumpster with a lid that gets picked up every other week. We have found that it will accommodate all the manure the horses produce, keeps that flies down considerably (and the smell). We are meticulous about keeping manure picked up and have not had a problem with flies or odor (which I'm sure our neighbors appreciate as much as we do!) It is an added expense, though, but if we didn't have that, we would have had to have a tractor and manure spreader and that would have been expensive.
I can't say enough how much I enjoy having the horses on our own property. We have total control over feeding and caring for them and it is wonderful! They are well fed, happy and healthy. They are out most days for 12-15 hours a day (weather depending). Yes, those 5 am morning feedings are tougher in the dead of winter, but well worth it. We have had less vet bills here than when we boarded. We can spend time with our horses anytime we want; that late evening check before bedtime lets us sleep easier (once you get used to tuning out the "routine" noises that come through the barn intercom!) It's convenient to hop on and ride when you feel like it without commuting to the barn. Do I have less time to ride now? Sometimes, especially since we gave up having an indoor arena (that was hard, although we have access to one if we want to trailer over).
The barn owner where we boarded before has remained best friends with us (we're geographically within 5 miles of each other)and we often cover for each other in horse care. Plus my friend who brought her 2 horses helps out and will cover if I want to get away. However, since our horses are our passion, most of our "getaways" involve taking our horses with us, so the other owner just steps in and stays at our house and takes care of her two while we're gone.
There are so many things to think of before taking the big step of having your horses on your own property. A non-horsey friend of ours said "I have co-workers who have done it and almost every one of them told me it's NOT worth it".
Yes, it's hard work, so be sure you like to work hard. But the rewards are great.
When my husband was diagnosed with cancer a year ago, we knew we had a rough road ahead. With all his treatments etc., he would have hardly been able to make it to the boarding barn to see the horses. But having them in our backyard gave him constant exposure. Even if he didn't feel up to riding, he could walk down and say hello and feed treats. He could putter around in the barn and feel that he'd spent some time near his horse. Or if he didn't even feel up to that, he could sit on the deck and watch them graze. You can't trade that kind of peace!
I'll have to see if I can post a picture of our cozy setup for you to see. |
cp
Member
Username: Cpacer
Post Number: 149
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 1:59 pm: | |
Thank you for your 2 cents! I hope your husband is recovering well--horses are probably the best prescription to be found.
You did make me think of another question - does hay really spontaneously self combust, or is there a trigger that can be avoided? |
sandmstables
Member
Username: Sschoen
Post Number: 12
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, Apr 6, 2006 - 2:16 pm: | |
Hay can spontaneo | |
