What is the Cost of Horse Ownership?

and how far the hay must be transported. As a result the cost of hay is higher in California than it is in the Midwest for example.
Hay is a large and regionallyproduced crop that is shipped long distances so problems in some areas wont necessarily impact price says Daniel H. Putnam Ph D. extension agronomist and forage specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis.
In Florida YakinPalmer pays 13 50 to 15 50 per bale for hay. Meanwhile trainer Clarissa Cupolo recalls buying hay annually by the ton.
In New Jersey we had to buy hay by the ton says Cupolo. We would pay 2000 for hay to feed six horses for a whole year.
Horses diets can also include feed either commercially manufactured or locally milled. Those costs can vary too depending on where the feed is milled and where ingredients are grown.
A 50pound bag of commercially formulated equine feed runs anywhere from 15 to 35 the average stabled horse eats 5 to 15 pounds per day. Dont forget to add onto this the cost of any supplements you feed which can vary widely.
Horse Ownership Cost Hoof Care and Veterinary Expenses
Aside from meeting their horses dietary needs owners must also provide routine veterinary and other professional care to keep their animals healthy. In general those costs do not fluctuate much from month to month or year to year. Nevertheless having a plan to finance these costs is critical.
For example veterinarians generally charge 25 to 75 for a basic farm call which covers the cost of the veterinarian traveling to the horses location. Frequently the owners of horses kept at boarding barns split farm call costs when all the horses residing at the barn receive vaccinations at the same time.
Once the veterinarian has arrived routine vaccinations including rabies tetanus West

Nile EEE and WEE range from 75 to 150 according to Jennifer Williams Ph D. executive director and founder of the Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society and author of How To Start and Run A Rescue. While some vaccinations are administered annually booster inoculations represent an additional cost and an additional farm visit.
General health care costs should also include 50 to 150 for annual teeth floating. Additional dental work generally adds a cost of 100 or more depending upon what the horse needs.
But veterinarians are not the only professionals that help keep a horse healthy. All horses require routine farrier care every four to eight weeks whether they are shod or not. Cost for trimming a barefoot horse may range between 25 and 40 150 to 240 annually Williams says. Routine farrier care for shod horses ranges between 50 and 150 per visit or 300 to 1200 annually she says.
If your horse is lame or develops problems with his feet he may need more frequent farrier work or the assistance of a specialist which will cost much more she points out.