How to Afford to Ride Horses
Nearly everything to do with horses seems to be continually rising in cost. Yet cutting corners in any way that might compromise your horses health and welfare is never the solution to saving money. So how can we add higher costs to what is already a tight budget and how much further will our finances stretch? Fortunately were here to help with some horsekeeping tips and tricks that will help you stay in the saddle without breaking the bank.
Basic accounting tells us if we have money worries we need to spend less and make more which can be hard when horses are involved. There is no onesizefitsall solution and some of the suggestions in this article may not work for you and your individual situation. But sometimes just being creative and thinking outside the box will help you find a way to maintain your horse habit and lower your stress.
If full board is proving to be too expensive consider part or coop board. Some barns offer this affordable option which takes the some of the workload off the barn ownermanager and puts some responsibility on the horse owner. There are many different setups for boarding from simply renting the stall and paddock to full board with all the bells and whistles and everything in between. Finding the right situation that works for you your horse and your bank account without sacrificing the care and safety of your horse can be challenging but getting creative and working with the barn owner and other boarders can help you figure it out.
If you own your own horse and find the bills are piling up quicker than you can pay them consider a partlease. While this might not be an option for everyone with the right match this can be a good solution that also frees up some of your time. Make sure your leasee has valid insurance and signs the necessary waivers. Make sure your own insurance policy will still be valid with someone else riding your horse.
3. Be the Barn Help
Good barn staff can be scarce in our industry. Most barns are looking for reliable help so if you arent opposed to picking up a manure fork and wheelbarrow you can work off some of your board bill or lesson fees. Depending on your schedule and physical abilities feeding cleaning or general barn duties are
