Yes it is Humans that make owning Horses so EXPENSIVE. But Why? Are horses themselves expensive. No, not
really. They eat as much as a large dog. And if they are pastured then you do not need to feed them at all. The
Vet bills are definitely less then cats and dogs. So whats the scoop?

There are many reasons:

1. I once had a friend who rode her horse all over bareback. She never spent a dime on it for accessories.
However most average people will want to ride in a saddle. There are all types of tack out there, but on the
average, most people will not buy the lowest priced stuff. Nor will they buy used even though there are a million
saddles out there that have not seen more than 20 rides.

2. So true is the "trailer story". Most people will not buy a used trailer. Rather they will go out and spend $20,000
on a trailer for a horse that only cost them $2,000. Even funnier is the new - so called breeder - that buys himself
a $1,500 broodmare and thinks she will produce $50,000 foals! But yet he will pick her up in a $20,000 trailer!!

Best advise we ever heard was to "put your money into your horses, not your trailer".

3. Or the owner who will only spend enough board money to keep his horse in a mud pit. Yet he wants to go
right out and buy a big fancy trailer.

3. The "trail rider" story is when the owner takes his horse for an over night trail ride. Then the next day Joe
goes out and buys a 60,000 living quarters. Joe only ends up using it 1 time a year. But what the heck! Later
someone asks Joe what he thinks about owning horses. Joe says, "dam horses are just way to expensive a
sport". Excuse me, who is smarter the old horse or Joe???

4. Here is a good one...They think they need a chiropractor, or massage therapist,
for their horse, all the time. The story behind many of these is that Suzy buys herself a
- smart horse. This smart horse gets mad when Suzy mounts, because he does not
want to work, and so he pitches a fit. Suzy gets off to try and figure out what is wrong
with her horse rather than acknowledging that it was a temper tantrum.

What just happened here? Suzy gave her horse a reward. The horse got exactly the
reaction it wanted. So the next time Suzy gets on guess what happens?

Someone at the barn suggests the horse has a back problem, or is "out of whack", or sore.

Before you fall into that trap take your horse to someone who is not scared to ride it.
Someone who can really test out the horse and see if it is just spoiled or if it really has
a problem. Someone who is very familiar with training babies. Those type of trainers tend
to know a lot more than other ones because they have been exposed to the very worst
behavior of a terrible 2 or 3 year old.

5. The "call the Vet" panic. If you have ever boarded a horse before then you know what I am talking about. The
minute your horse gets sick you have a bunch of scared people around you that suddenly turn a cough into the
end of the world. The next thing you know your horse has throat cancer.

You call your horse to a Vet or pay someone else too only to find out that it was a simple cold and there is
nothing to do but give it time. You end up spending a pretty penny. There are a million stories like this. All due
to panic.

6. This Vet is better than that Vet. Oh everyone is an expert out there. So be careful how many Chefs you let stir
your soup. Everyone wants you to use "their Vet". And even though you have taken your horse in for his leg
issue you are talked into going to see another Vet. In the long run, your horse just needed time to recover from
the sprain he got while playing in the field. He did not need a million shots and x-rays. Next time think about your
child - did you run him to the Doctor every time he fell and got a booboo?

7. The case of the "money pit". Well you decided to save money and adopt a poor horse.... because he looked so
sad standing in the field alone.... or you were talked into it.... or your neighbor wanted to give you a horse ... we
all know the story. Or perhaps you bought Lighting over Bullet because he was a little cheaper?

Well you were so happy to get that new horse home you could not sleep all night! And guess what? You have
not slept since have you?!! Everyday you turned around there was another "issue". The problems just seem to
snow ball out of control. Help!

And all the while your daughter Meghan is crying that she has not had a chance to ride the horse yet even.
"Save the horse mommy, I love him!"

8. You bring in the "companion horse" and end up spending more money
than the 20 thousand it cost to buy your old jumper. Why? He kicked your old jumper,
kicked your fences down (but would not run away), kicked in the stall wall, kicked
a hole in the water trough and flooded your barn/tack room, and kicked your husband
in a not so nice area! Now your husband can not work and they are foreclosing on
your home!  Horse poor - is that the word?!

You hated that loving companion horse so much you tried to kill him....

... Busted and going to jail!!


9. Spare lot thinking.....You buy a little acreage in which to build a house and put your horse. Unfortunately, once
you have a place you become and "outlet" for people in which to offload their spare, or un-rideable, horses on.
Your backyard becomes another SPCA lot.... At first most back-yarders see this as a plus. They think that they are
getting free horses or companions for their own horse. But before you know it your bills rise significantly and
you realize you have went from 1 horse to 5!

Further, the horse that was supposed to be "no trouble" keeps knocking down your fences and fighting with
everyone. In addition, you inherited a horse whose name should have been "money pit".

And yes you feel sorry for these horses. But then after a while it hits you! You realize that your friend has gone
out and bought another "use-able" horse and stuck you with their "old bill". So be wise! You need to resist the
temptation or soon you will be "horse poor". That is the horse industries word for the big fat trap that you have
fallen into. Did you realize that?

10. Now that I own my horse Bullet I have to buy acreage! Oh how it is so exciting to go buy a ranch. I should not
have spent over my limit but I just could not resist. The excitement.....

But hey wait, I forgot I need to spend about 10,000 to clear it. And the trees have something called stumps!
Another 2,000. Now I need to put in a road. But i cant decide where - should I seek an architect for help? Permits,
crushed concrete, cement or asphalt? But wait, I have no grass for my horse. 3,000 for fertilizer and seeds....
Hey I need a barn for my horse to live in. Oh gosh, what type!!! 20,000 to 60,000 for a 4 stall barn!!! What!!!!

But Bullet will be happy. Oh, now I need fencing for Bullet. Gee whiz how can a fence cost so much. Its just 2
acres so why is it 10,000! ..... And who is going to feed Bullet while I am at work? Labor costs, even the teens
want the green stuff now a days....

Are YOU getting the picture? Bullet was fine and content living in the old barn at the end of the road. But he is
very happy that you decided to give yourself a heart attack in order to make sure he had a nice place to live.







more funnies...but true-isms to come....
Why do people make horses so expensive?
Houston - Cypress, Texas
Poor Horses
Why the Bad Rap?
Counter
Is this horse being bad or
does he just know tricks?
Halloween 08