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During the current economic climate the number of horses finding their way to horse sanctuaries and suffering neglect due to owners not being able to afford to look after them properly is on the increase.

 

The National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) has produced a couple of leaflets that may help during these difficult financial times: ‘Cutting Cost without Compromising on Welfare’ and ‘Responsible Re-Homing’. Both of these leaflets are definitely worth a read and can be found at www.newc.co.uk. Many of the ideas put forward in this article have come from the first of these sources. ‘Responsible Re-Homing’ will be discussed and reviewed in a subsequent article.

 

Below are some ideas to ease the financial and time pressures on horse owners by cutting the costs of keeping a horse while maintaining their quality of life.

 

The quickest way to save some money is to talk to the people you may share the livery yard with and arrange for deliveries and visits from farriers, vets etc to be done for several if not all of you at once.

Many general suppliers of food, bedding etc will offer reduced rates for bulk buys.

Most veterinary practices will charge a call out fee – if at all possible for the general visits such as yearly vaccinations why not arrange for one vet to come out and vaccinate a few of the horses on the yard. This will mean only one call out fee is payable and the practice may also reduce the cost of the vaccinations if you ask them! As we like to say in the north, shy bairns get nowt!

Can you car share with another horse owner when visiting the livery yard to see to your horse? With the price of fuel at the moment you may well find that car sharing can save you quite a bit of money over the month, especially if you are hands on and spend time every day with your horse.

Working as a team with other horse owners can also save time and fuel. Can you rotate who lets the horses out on a morning and brings them in on an evening? Do you have to muck out every day as your horse is in stables overnight and if so can you team up with someone to arrange for a rota for this to be done? Naturally, everyone has their own ways of doing things and some people are not as inclined to help out others so this suggestion may not be suitable for you.

 

The majority of horses manage very well on a forage-based diet and if necessary one vitamin and mineral supplement. A veterinary surgeon or nutritionist can advise whether your horse really needs additional feed or supplements. Fortnightly weigh taping and body condition scoring will help you monitor your horse’s health and could save you money. Horse weigh tapes do not work for donkeys; use a heart-girth measurement instead (please contact the Donkey Sanctuary for advice on taking these measurements).

BEVA horse health programmes may be helpful: go to www.beva.org.uk

 

There are many bedding products on the market. Look into alternatives and decide what will work best for you and your horse. For example, although there is a high initial expense in fitting rubber matting, it can soon pay for itself in reduced bedding costs.

Watch out for our article on alternative bedding for your horse!

 

One of the biggest costs for many owners is a livery yard fee. Review the facilities you are paying for and be scrupulous about it. If you are paying for someone else to provide all or part of your horse’s day-to-day care, it may reduce costs if you were able to do more yourself, even on a temporary basis.

Many horses can do very well on permanent turnout. It could be worth looking around for a suitable grass livery or renting a field, which can be even cheaper if it is shared with friends.

 

To reduce costs in all areas, look into sharing your horse with someone else or keeping the horse on working livery. This will also reduce your workload but it can take a while to become comfortable with. Remember that everyone has different ways of doing things but as long as the horse gets a consistent message regarding discipline, the feed is correct and the horse is getting plenty of exercise it is not necessarily a bad thing. Some people find the transition of sharing their horse with someone else quite difficult but as long as you communicate with each other it should work out fine.

 

Discuss the shoeing options for your horse with your farrier; you may find your horse doesn’t need to have a full set of shoes. If there is not much wear on the horse’s shoes your farrier may be able to refit them.

 

Horses have simple needs. Make sure you are not buying unnecessary supplements, rugs or equipment. Looking after existing equipment helps it last longer, even if it starts to show its age.

 

Also, it must be noted that although there are many areas as shown above, that can be reviewed and implemented to reduce the cost of keeping a horse there are also areas where a compromise is never a good idea! The NEWC leaflet outlines exactly what these are describing them as the fundamentals of responsible horse ownership; short-term savings can put the horse’s welfare at risk and can cost the owner a lot more in the long run. The essentials include:

• Proper veterinary care. Do not be tempted to diagnose and treat a condition yourself.

• Vaccinations. Lapsed vaccinations leave your horse vulnerable to disease.

• Regular hoof care. Taking shoes off to save money without consulting your veterinary surgeon or

farrier could lead to lameness and expense as some horses are not able to go barefoot.

• Worming and dental checks. These essentials can be reviewed, but not avoided.

• Professional services. Do not employ a cheaper, unqualified person to do a professional’s job.

• Insurance. If you are not insured against veterinary fees you must be confident that you could pay an unexpected veterinary bill. Third party liability cover is highly advisable for all horse owners.