I realize location affects prices, but I would like to know what boarding cost per month. Pasture, partial, full board. If you provide overnight boarding for equine transport services I would like to know that cost too.
Thank you.

Are you planning on buying a horse? If so, don't forget to include vet service and farrier fees in the cost of ownership. I can't really answer about boarding costs; when we had horses, we had pastureland and stalls for them. Figure on at least 1-1/2 to 2 acres per horse for adequate forage, and then upkeep to keep the pasture grass healthy and growing.

We have horses in arid NM and must feed them daily. If you're feeding a couple of pounds of good supplemental feed daily (we use Lakin Lite pellets or Timothy pellets, or Timothy/alfalfa pellets) figure they'll need 5-10 pounds of hay daily. They also need vaccinations annually, shoes or hoof trimming at least 4x annually.

Beyond that, they need your time and care. They need to be brushed, pens cleaned daily, 'wiped' daily for flies in fly season; a sharp change in barometric pressure can give them colic, which can kill them in agony. You really need to see them a couple of times daily and be alert for health problems or even non-visible injuries.

My daughter in California has a horse in a pen and spends at least 2 hours daily (meaning every day, with a friend taking duties if she travels) on her horse.

Horses outside pens can 'founder' (laminitis) on new grass in the spring or when changing grasses from one area to another and need to be euthanized.

Horses are a major commitment, not just expense.

You are going to spend $20-$30 a day, $600–$900 a month for full care. Transport boarding is usually the same.

Boarding A Horse: How Much It Costs Boarding A Horse: How Much It Costs

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Possum—The other white meat!

No I am not buying a horse, but have friends who are considering boarding on their acreage.

St. Louis area-$200-$350 a month depending on what level of care and feed is provided. We were really into horses so bought acreage and grew and harvested our own hay. We built buildings and bought tractors and equipment. It is a large and expensive commitment and can take over a large part of your life. As pointed out above farrier and veterinary care are additional and expensive. One horse in a boarding stable- figure $3000 per year as the minimum.

This is why most rancher’s remuda these days consists of side-by-sides and dirt bikes!!

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Possum—The other white meat!

We've raised Missouri Foxtrotters since 1998 and had various horses around since the 70s; I would NEVER consider boarding other folks' horses for extra cash.

Plant fruit trees or nut trees if you want money from acreage.

Precisely, 100% right!

Your friend might want to seriously re-consider about boarding other people's horses. Too much can go wrong.

As I always told my students, a horse is a 1,000-pound animal with a brain the size of a walnut...and the carrying capacity of a thimble.

If the horse gets tangled in wire and cuts itself up, your friend will be held responsible and will very likely be paying the vet bill. If it gets kicked by another horse and breaks a leg, your friend will likely be held responsible. If the horse chews up a wooden fence, plows through a wire fence, or destroys any of your friend's property, the horse's owner will not bear the cost. Nope...your friend will because he obviously knew that horses will be horses and horses do stupid things like that. If anything goes wrong at all, you can almost bet the ranch that your friend will be held responsible.

I'm sure your friend sees this as an easy way to make some money. Don't let him kid himself. He'll be looking at pasture management, pasture reseeding, weed eradication, manure management...and the list goes on.

If he's anywhere conscientious, he's going to have to re-seed his pasture every two years. On the average, that usually costs around $200 per acre. Is he willing to do that?...or does he just plan on turning horses loose and forget about it?

Manure management? Don't you just let it stay there and it will eventually decompose? Yeah, sure...if you want to have an ongoing parasite problem that most people can't even comprehend. Just take a Parasitology 101 course and you'll think differently.

And I haven't even mentioned the seemingly constant fence repairs because a couple of knuckled heads get into a bickering contest and kick the fence down. (Please don't tell me that he's using wire fence. That's a terrible accident just looking for a place to happen.)

I've been around horses and mules the better part of my life and when it comes to the dumb things these animals can do, I have ceased to be surprised.

Anyway, that's just my view from the saddle.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

Thank you all for the replies. I know a young couple who have two horses but have to move them due to the boarding fees doubling on April 1. I showed them a property yesterday with just under four acres, a barn, a home. It is a nice place and should work for them until they decide to raise a family.

Reminds me of when I had horses years ago. A wise friend told me, "Never own, only rent horses, boats, or women."

This thread is lacking pictures.
I don’t own any Horses either.
So I’ll post some Wild Ponies that I recently photographed.
They are a problem herd who roam around on Public, Indian and Private Land in Placitas, NM.

Attached Images

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Consider raising a child; probably a good comparison... My daughter had a horse for about eight years when we lived in the country, but that was more than ten years ago. Our mare was a very healthy animal; few vet expenses other than annual inoculations. I don't recall the cost of hay and feed, probably averaged around a hundred dollars a month. I've never been a hard core animal lover, but it's beneficial to the animal if you are.

ColbyBruce,

Running a boarding facility is a high risk business venture. Back in 2008 I took early retirement with plans to board horses. My business plan was too start small with 2 or 3 horses and roll the profit back into the business on a cash basis to build a larger Pole barn, more stalls, exercise area, etc.

I was doing to charge $300 a month for basic care which was grain and hay feeding twice a day and turned outside daily. Everything else would cost extra such as better grain, grooming, training, more exercise. A farrier lives close to me and the owner would be responsible for having their horse(s) hooves trimmed and shoed. The owner would be responsible for vet care.

Then Obama came into office and sank the economy. Horses owners that were out of work could no longer afford their horses. Horses became worthless. Some just walked away leaving their horse(s) and unpaid boarding bill behind. Some ranchers and farmers would be checking their cattle and would discover they had a new horse appear overnight in their pasture.

The good news for me is I had not started up my business but it did end my retirement dream.

Take this from someone that narrowly dodged the bullet. My advice to your friends is don’t do it this year. Obama policies sank the economy that took years to come back and Biden and his Administration choices indicate that they are going to repeat Obama’s economic plan. There is going to be a heck of a bill coming due later this year and in 2022 if the Democrats pass their socialist programs.

Horse prices and their accompanying costs are always on a pendulum. About 10 years ago they couldn't go on a ride in California or Western Nevada unless they locked the horse trailer when it was empty. The odd were too long when they got back there would be horses in it people could no longer afford to care for.

Friends board and train horses and will only board what they are training. IIRC owners must visit the horse at least weekly unless they are out of State temporarily.

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Front sight and squeeze

I read one time that years ago poor people had horses and rich people had cars. Now everybody has a car and rich people have horses.
I have had horses in the past but at this stage of my life they are too expensive and too much trouble and work. I bought my Ggrandson an ATV too use when he wants to ride the range.
Several years ago I had a steer get loose and couldn't find it. About a week later I was on my tractor and I saw it in a drainage ditch and went too the house and got a catch rope. I drove up beside the steer and it started running and I roped him. Maybe someday my Ggrandson can rope something with his ATV. Larry

You have friends that want to board horses on their place? And they have NO IDEA what they are doing?

Tell them - RUN AWAY, RUN FAST, Don't look back.

I have been involved with horses on a professional level for more years than I care to count. Most folks that open boarding facilities end up closing up and moving on after a short while. It is almost as bad as a RV park. Lots of opinions, the stable owner is always at fault, and they are always playing referee to the boarders.

I have been on both sides of that fence, and will not likely engage in boarding for the public ever again. The best situation was where we boarded ONLY horses that were in training with OUR trainer, and taking weekly lessons are our facility. It gave us a better clientele and more certain control.

If they decide to do it, have them talk to some folks that have been doing it a while and find out the major pitfalls for your locale.

And get good insurance both professional services and personal umbrella, people will sue for stupid things and win-lose-draw, it will cost you $$$ to fight.

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On the Oak Savannah

A while back I was at a social in Albuquerque Acres, mostly 1 Acre lots, just North of here in the County.
I look out behind the house and see some horses.
Hey Ed - da Host - I didn’t know you had horses.
I don’t. But I like horses. So I let my neighbor pasture his down here and I can enjoy looking at them.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

The couple put a contract on the place I took them to. The wife has owned horses for years and is familiar with costs associated with the critters. She mentioned boarding for other people, but turns out it was for a cousin who also is having her fees raised.

Today the fence construction began and the gravel drive was replenished. The septic system and HVAC were inspected Tuesday. The couple currently pay $800.00 per month for partial board for two horses; and that soon becomes $1,600.00. I saved them a bunch of money.

I live in an area that has 10 acre lots. Almost without fail, when a new family moves in, the first thing they do is buy a horse. Unless a previous owner left their shed behind, the horse is without weather protection, and the basic needs. Just how enjoyable is it to ride around a 10 acre lot ??Within a couple of years, they are out of the horse business, especially when the kids lose interest within the first week of ownership. I've had several horses over the years, and have never bought one. Some just showed up, one came in badly cut up from jumping out of a trailer and one I rescued from a place where the family left it to starve.

Dad boarded horses when I was a kid, but we're talking 50 years ago more or less. Back then he charged $40/month per horse. That included feed, water, a covered stall, and the use of a common area to ride in. Of course he had free labor to muck out, feed, and water - me. One client was a show jumper, so he let her set up a few practice jumps in the common area at her own expense and at her own risk.

I haven't owned a horse since I was 20, and I have no desire to buy another one. Too much trouble and too much work. Horses are surprisingly delicate creatures for their size.

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Or something like that . . .

Yup. Buying the horse is the CHEAP part.

I had horses most of my life on my ranch in East Texas . I had a working horse that worked cattle and my wife had a riding horse that was useless for anything else. We also had a couple that were rescues.

Don't introduce a new horse in with the established group until it is quarantined and checked by a vet. One sick or infected animal can sicken the lot.

If he don't know anything about horses your friend should find another way to make a few extra bucks. Horses are high maintenance and costly.

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A gun has no brain.. use yours

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SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS

I had an uneasy feeling when I saw "horses" and "step in" in the same title.

Horses, Boats, Golf and S&Ws are the most expensive ventures a person can get into. S&Ws are less troublesome and seem to reproduce faster.

If it poops, floats or flies it's gonna cost you money

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Forum consigliere

Except for a period of 7 years I have had horses or mules since my dad
bought me a mare when I was 8. Shod my own horses and never shoe
my mules, occasionally trim their feet, and have been out less than $250.00 on vet bills for my 3 mules. Treat them myself and I find mules
to have a lot less problems than horses.
As to feed cost, a large cup of rolled oats twice/day and in the winter
grass hay. Oats att cost $10.90/40lb bag, grass hay cost $25-30.00/
1,000lb round bale. 3 mules will eat a bale every 10 days and 40lbs of
oats every 6-8 days, I feed a little more in very cold weather. Don't
forget mineral salt, equine mineral salt cost much more than plain salt.
I also add 1 ounce of Mazola corn oil to their oats once/day, so that's
another $18.00 every few weeks. Mules eat less than horses, lb. for lb.
Barns or sheds, I have mixed timber on the place and I have gone out
and found the mules with snow on their backs when they had free accIess
to the barn so I'm not sure how much shelter they require.
The above cost relate to animals that are not worked hard, my wife calls
them glorified pets. I can't disagree with that statement.
As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.

Don't own any horses.

But by the look of it if you want to make 10k with that business plan... you better start with 25k.

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Expect the unexpected

It's like folks who think a gun store would be great in their home town without considering real estate costs, inventory acquisition, insurance costs, labor costs, and on and on.