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Topic: Horse Cost of Living - was "Stud Fees" (Read 5331 times)
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Tannenwald Trakehner
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TANZBRISE by Windfall out of Tariana
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It is more expensive in this country, simply because space is a limiting factor and boarding horses (or supplying the land yourself) is very expensive.
This is a kind of interesting segue into another topic--how DO the costs of horse-keeping/-raising compare between Europe and North America? My aunt and uncle are always aghast at the cost of horse tack and equipment here when they visit from Germany.
The costs in North America range vastly, as there is a lot of territory to cover with varying resources (land, water, feedstuffs, etc).
In our locality (Northern Michigan), boarding a horse will cost between $200 and $450 a month (without training), depending on the facility and amenities (indoor arena, etc all add to the price). Stallion/colt board may be twice that, depending on the facility. Training board is between $600 and $800 with not-famous trainers, for dressage or jumping/hunting. Riding lessons cost between $20 group to $50 private with not-famous, not upper level instructors. Farriers charge between $18 and $30 for a trim, on average. Vets charge $35 to get them to your farm. Hay is at about $120 a ton. A big plus, water is readily available and typically is well water in rural northern Michigan.
Chime in with typical expenses in your areas, everyone!
And another question, how do the registry charges with the Verband compare to the ATA? What does registering a foal cost, or taking a horse to an inspection cost (mares and stallions) in Europe vs. North America?
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« Last Edit: February 12, 2003, 03:12:08 PM by Boss Mare »
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Maren
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The Bouncer
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Board can be anything from 200 Euros up to open end. A good, well-known trainer will cost you around 1,500 Euro a month, incl. board. I usually pay around 80 Euro for the ferrier (4 shoes on one horse). Vet costs are pretty high and totally dpeend on how well you know your vet 
To raise colt at a professional barn is something around 1,000-1,500 Euro a month, you can start to count from the age they start (probably aroun djUly) all the way to NMS (if you make it to there).
I'll go and check out the fees the Verband has, but I would estimate they are cheaper. Especially the registration of imported stock is VERY expensive with the ATA, something that doesn't exist here.
I agree with Ingrid on the teck issue, it is cheaper here (because we have more suppliers with excellent wuality articles that do not cost a firtune). Especially saddles seem to be cheaper. In fact, it helps to buy one in Europe and ship it to the US and you still save $$.
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fuzzy
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When I moved from Ingrid's area (Northern Mich) to the farmlands of Indiana, I expected to find cheaper hay of equal or better quality to what I bought up there. Surprisingly, not so. Even though much more of the land is worth putting crops on (some of it is among the best acres of production land in the US) most farmers choose to only have crops that don't require hiring any help. That means no hay - or round bales if that farmer happens to have cows. I find myself getting more and more reliant on talking the round balers into tarping the hay and making regular trips with the truck to bring two home at a time. The up side is it makes the daily chores quicker and easier, and the horses are less crabby at mealtimes.
Board here starts at $150 and goes up to maybe $250 and that can be at a barn with heat and an indoor of you don't mind being WAYYYY out in the sticks. Less if it's just a shed and a small pasture with no arena. Good trainers are few and far between and are generally only for starting horses for $20 a session - if you do dressage or jumping figure on having to haul almost to Chicago and paying $50 and often more for lessons. I don't know what you'd pay for training in that area - maybe Glory or Suzette can chime in on that.
But then, it's not a well-off county. I'd guess 90+% of the horses in my county aren't worth much over $1,500 - if that - so of course folks aren't willing or able to support barns that have or charge anything more than the bare minimum.
All things considered though, I figure it costs a little over $1,200 per year per horse to keep them in my own backyard - that includes everything including a cuople small shows a year. The 'real' shows cost a minimum of $200 each and are, of course, one of the expenses of breeding and selling horses.
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StarryNight
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Trakehners rule
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Denver Colorado and surrounding area.
My farrier is a bit more expensive them some but you get what you pay for.
$ 50.00 for a trim
$120.00 for standard shoes on up for prescription shoeing (ie pads, wedges etc)
$ 45.00 for a farm call + vet charges. Just did gelding and wolf teeth on two young horses $340.00
$170-180 ton for grass brome hay, shipped in from Kansas last year, not sure what this year will hold as the drought is still going strong. Pre drought was more like 120-150 per ton. Anyone who did not stock up on hay is paying 8-10.00 a bale 
$4.50 a bale for alfalfa but it's right down the road, straw is going for the same price (ouch).
Since I keep my guys at home I'm not positive on board. It is subjective to facilities, no indoor full care about $225.00, indoor arena can add 100 + to the price up to the 600-700 range for some of the top notch farms.
lessons for me $30.00 with my dressage trainer she is a 4th level rider and an excellent teacher. Jumping trainer 40 + 10.00 trailer in as the trainer does not have his own place right now.
Think that covers most of it, I'm from NJ where I use to curse the humidity but what I would not do for the green pastures we had out there. Colorado is dry, dry, dry! The positive side, we've had only a handful of days that did not go up over 40 so you can ride outside all year.
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StarryNight
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Trakehners rule
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almostforgot training board 500-600 per month
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fuzzy
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$50 for a hoof trim???!!!!! That's highway robbery. I charge $15 unless I have to make a trip for one horse - then it's more and - there's a definite limit on how far I'll drive for only one unless there are shoes involved - then I'm more flexible. And would you believe I still have a hard time convincing some of these back-woods folks that a horse really does need hoof care more than once or twice a year and really shouldn't live on straight whole corn . . . . yikes . . . .
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Amanya
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Life is Choices
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San Francisco East Bay (the cheaper side of the bay) is very close to what Katamount reported for the Baltimore area. Our average board for a decent training barn is about $500 to $550/mo. Shoes, standard, is $135. Trims from $30 to $50. Training is anywhere from $500 to $1200/mo. A vet call is seldom less than $125 (ranch call and exam and a shot type-of-thing.) Equine chiropractor is $85, equine massage therapist $65. Equine dentist averages $200. Good grass hay is expensive - up to $15/bale, which is why barns feed so much straight alfalfa. Local warmblood stallion fees from $2000 to $2500.
Average house for human is $465,000.
And my horses live better than I do 
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DK
FEI
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Kammerland Trakehners
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In Dallas (Texas) we pay:
Board:
Outdoor board in a community pasture situation (round bales of coastal hay, no grain): $200-$250/month
Indoor Board (w/ daily pasture turnout, hay 2x daily, grain 2x daily, mucking once daily): $375-$1,000/month. Average: $450-$550/month.
Training:
Private Lesson with 4th Level instructor: $50
Full Training (5x weekly) w/ 4th Level Instructor: $400/month
Private Lesson with GP Trainer: $75-$100
Full Training (5x weekly) w/ GP Trainer: $800-$1,000/month
Farrier:
Trim: $25
Front Shoes: $60
Shoes All Around: $120+
Feed:
Grass Hay: $5-$6 Bale
Alfalfa Hay: $8-$10 Bale
Big, Round Bales of Grass Hay: $35-$40 (delivered)
Vet:
Call Out Fee: $35
Gelding: $95
Vaccinations: $80-$100
Hock Injections: $150-$300
Cost of Living For Humans:
1 Bedroom/1 Bathroom Apt. - $820
2 Bedroom/2 Bathroom Townhouse - $1,100
Unleaded Gas: $1.56/Gallon
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« Last Edit: February 13, 2003, 12:06:24 AM by DK »
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Karim
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You guys should all move to California!!!
You will save some $$$ on your horsey expenses & we get to centralize our Trakehner Fraternity & Acitivities :-)
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Elkene
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I love Trakehners!
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I'm in South Carolina, horses are boarded in NC (a 60 minute drive one way) -- it's really hard here to find good dressage trainers in upstate SC, so I commute to the barn.
Average board (full: includes grain, hay, and turn-out): $350 - $650 / month. Some places you have to add on $40/month for blanketing in the winter.
Pasture board (includes hay, some grain): around $220- $275. Also add more is you need blanketing or extra graining. I'm fortunate that my trainer includes blanketing, but I'm paying $20 extra a month during the winter for hay since the pastures are in bad shape.
Average trim: $15 (all four)
Average shoes (all four): $50-$65
Average special shoes in front, regular behind: $110- $160
Vet costs: varies with clinic. Gelding costs about $90.
Trainer fees: varies with trainer -- I've heard of folks paying up to $650 a month for training with a 4th level-GP trainer in the area, have no idea how many lessons that was.
My trainer does eventing, and competed at Young Riders level. She charges $40/hour for a private lesson, less for a semi-private.
I lived in Los Angeles for 10 years, and though I paid less board, there was no turn-out, so I guess you make trades : )
Adrian
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sew
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I live about 35 minutes east of St. Louis, MO. The board at our barn is $225, which includes daily turnout, stall cleaning, grain and hay (no alfalfa) twice a day. $25 farrier fee (no shoes, certified farrier); shoes I think are $45. Lessons with a very qualified dressage instructor is $15-$25 depending on whether you board and length of lesson. Vet fees are about $350 per year (including shots). We have an 80' x 200' indoor arena w/ rubber footing and an outdoor dressage arena as well. Sounds as if I'm pretty fortunate; plus I only live 5 minutes from the barn.
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sew
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I forgot to add that Dr. Thomas Ritter comes to our barn on a monthly basis for clinics. The prices range from around $60 (group) to $120 (private). He rides regularly with Karl Mikolka. Not too bad seeing that he flies in from Oregon.
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Mt Lehman Trakehners
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Here in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia, expenses are generally,
Board - No Indoor $350 - $450
- With Indoor $485 - $650
Full Training $750 - $1100
Lessons $50 - $70
Vet Farm Call $45
Farrier - Trim $35
- shod $110 +
Hay - good quality Orchard Mix $13 + / bale
$310 + / ton
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Shawnda
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If I had to pay those prices, I would not have horses.
In the Montreal area where I live, indoor board is $300.00 to 400.00, outdoor is around 150.00 and lessons with a good hunter/jumper coach are in the 20.00 to 25.00 range. I pay an average of $2.00 to 2.25 for a good sized bale of timothy/alfalfa mix hay, delivered and unloaded, and my grain is $15.00 per 40 kilos which is 88 lbs. It is a bit more expensive than your average bag of grain because I use a mix that has 8% fat content. What is expensive here are`shavings. They are around 3.00 to 4.00 a bale. And of course all these prices are in Canadian Dollarettes ! 
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Eileen
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I LOVE Trakehners!
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Here in economically depressed Arkansas, horses are relatively expensive.
Board $350 month (w/ indoor arena)
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Eileen
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I LOVE Trakehners!
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Arkansas continued:
Farrier trim $ 20 - 25
shoes $40-60
Hay $45 large round bale (1100 lbs) of good quality Bermuda in the field
$4-5 square bale
Feed $11.00 50lb. bag
Shavings $ 3.75 bag/ 4.75 Bale
Vet farm call- weekday $35; weekend $65
AI for 1 mare by the book breeding $350 -400
Lessons with certified instructor $30
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Lara, Gryphon Farm
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Trakehner Cowgirl
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Wow, Shawnda - wish we had those prices here in the CA Bay Area.. Board is $400-700, depending on facilities. Shavings $6 per bale. Oat or Alfalfa hay, $7-11/bale depending on weight and availability. Dressage lessons are @ $50/hour - mostly haul in to your trainer's facility (for L level+). I am lucky to have a good trainer who comes to our place, but she lives very close so not an issue. I am charged $30 per hour ride for training. Shoes are 85 (130+ for special), trim 30. Vet call out to our place is $75, but approx 20-mile drive. Gas is currently $2 per gallon. Of course, everything is expensive in this area, especially land. Small, 40+ year-old homes on 1/4 acre start at $500,000. Somebody get me out of here!!!
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Blaufelden
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All things are relative to your own local when it comes to horse upkeep & really, everything else for that matter. We're in Kentucky, close to Lexington and we pay about $3.50 for a very nice square bale of orchard grass/timothy hay. Bedding (shavings) delivered in bulk runs around $200.00 for two months - 8 box stalls nicely bedded. Straw is in short supply & goes for about $4.00 a bale right now. Boarding varies greatly, but for young horses that I've sold & board, I only charge $200.00/mo. ..... yes, I'm loosing, but these are my children in a way. That includes a stall & daily turn out with all the frills. They are pampered! By the way Lara, I can find you a VERY nice farm here in Kentucky for a lot less than you expect; that is, if you're willing to put up with 8 inches of snow & 10 degree weather right now!!
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shadytrake
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I LOVE Trakehners!
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Here in Memphis, TN the fees I pay are:
$400/mo full care board. This includes day turnout (in winter  ) and night turnout (in summer) in nice big fields. We can choose our own type of feed (included with board), they will feed supplements (non-liquid) up to 2x/day, and strongid is included also. The stalls are big with nice deep shavings cleaned twice/day. They will blanket as needed, but if you have special blanketing requirements that runs $25/month. Local hay is included (and is very good), alfalfa is extra. They wash all of your pads, towels, and wraps at no extra charge, but we rotate on soap purchase. We have a heated tack room and bathroom. Separate laundry with fridge. 2 indoor washstalls with hot water. We only have the one outdoor arena, but the horse care is top notch and that is what I care most about.
$75 for 2 shoes
I don't know what a trim runs since my newbie hasn't seen the farrier here yet. Probably $50
$35 vet call, no charge if he is coming for multiple horses.
$45/hour lessons dressage
$45-55/hour hunter/jumper lessons
We don't have a trainer on staff, so we either trailer out or have people come in.
The cost of living in Memphis is relatively low, but the cost of land is increasing as more people move east towards the county. Gas is holding steady at $1.77/gallon premium.
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Sue
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Here in North Central Wisconsin prices have a big range depending on how close you get to major cities (about an hour drive). I have my own place in the boonies but I have to share it with dairy cows. For good trainers/lessons I have to travel aways and spend 30 to 60 an hour for dressage. Board with indoor run anywhere from 185 to 250 including stall cleaning, turn out, and feed 2x's a day. Farrier 20-30 a trim 35-55 front shoes. Vet farm calls depend on the clinic. Horse only clinic 54 and large animal clinic 30. Hay is very reasonable for a grass/alfalfa mix 1.25-1.50. Bedding in bales 3.50. It would be nice to live closer to good trainers but, I enjoy the peace and quiet.
Sue
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AMcGrady
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Johnny come lately here, I know this is an old thread!
In the Davidsonville area of Maryland:
Board: $250 -$1000/month (I pay $250/month for my horse and nothing for my colt...YET! I have lots of turnout, blanketing in the winter, stalls, but no ring!)
Farrier: $22/horse for trim-up to $150 for 4 shoes
Vet: I have the best Vet ever and he is reasonable as far as cost. $35 farm call but he doesn't rob me blind for the work he does.
Instruction: $25-50/lesson depending on instructor's experience credentials. I have a trainer in Mt Airy, she is $35 per lesson and the lesson is as long as it needs to be.
Training: $400 and up.
We are in a very convenient area. We are 45 minutes from Baltimore, 15 minutes from Annapolis and 30 minutes from DC. I love Davidsonville but I am worried that were are building up so much!
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« Last Edit: June 14, 2003, 07:47:41 AM by AMcGrady »
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Amy McGrady
*Cute as a Bugsear (Bugs), 1986 TB mare ~ Isella x Annie Somebody
*Pippen (Frodo), 2003 Anglo Trakehner gelding ~ Paramoure x Cute as a Bugsear
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Deb
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I'm not boarding now but board around here tends to run $250 - $350 depending on location and facilities. That is full care with an indoor ring. When I was boarding and taking lessons, they were $40/hr. There are some good instructors in Lexington (KY) but I'm a little too far away from there for them to travel so I'm lesson less at the moment. My farrier charges $15 for an all around trim and I'm paying $40 for trim plus front shoes.
Deb (anyone know a dressage trainer in central KY willing to travel? Tho, I guess I'd have to figure out what to lesson on in that case.)
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What are the basic costs of where you live?
