A Free Horse is NOT Free! The True Costs of Horse Ownership

With the economy in the toilet and people cutting corners wherever they can, many horses are being given away. This is a wonderful opportunity for many would-be horse owners to finally realize their horse ownership dreams, but too often those dreams turn into nightmares.

Too often people getting free horses have no idea of the costs involved with horse ownership. Some of these costs carry over to nearly every equine while others come from obtaining a free horse from a source where you have no idea of the horses history.

The first cost that may be incurred is transport. Depending on the company you can pay up to $125.00 just to load your horse. Once your horse is home he needs bedding for his stall at about $5.00 a bag, hay at a minimum of $4.00 a bale, grain at $11.00 a bag. Your costs are already up to $145.00 for your first day of horse ownership and that does not count tack, buckets, muck rakes and a wheelbarrow (for hauling poop and soiled bedding).

If you have little to no history on your horse, then you need to have the vet out for an exam and shots at about another $150.00 (and this is being conservative). Should there be no problems count yourself lucky! But too often free horses are free for a reason. Often these horses have chronic health or behavioral issues that will drain your wallet while you figure out what they are and treat them.

If you are not lucky and your new free horse comes with health or behavioral issues then you can tack on additional veterinary and trainer costs (no pun intended). Many people who have gotten free horses have found themselves with an unhealthy, non-ridable horse that they have to either treat, euthanize or attempt to re-home.

If you know that your new horse's teeth were recently floated, great! If not, then you must have your horses teeth checked. The price will vary from region to region but usually ranges between $60.00 and $125.00 for a basic float. If there are extractions that need to be done then the costs can rise very quickly!

Another expense will be regular hoof trimmings and/or shoeing every three to six weeks. This expense will also vary a great deal from area to area and depending on what type of trimmer/farrier you use. A basic trim can be as little as $30.00 and a full complex shoeing can be $250.00 (and I have heard of more!).

All of these expenses are assuming you will be keeping your new horse at home. A conservative yearly cost for general upkeep is between $1500.00 and $2000.00 or $125.00 a month (based on minimum figures in the Northeast!). Keep in mind this figure is broken up as a 12 month average. You may have one month with only bedding, hay and grain expenses and the next month be hit with a $300.00 vet bill on top of the bedding, hay and grain! If you choose to board, your monthly costs will increase a great deal.

The nightmare comes into play when the new horse owner suddenly realizes that they cannot afford their free horse and is unable to properly care for that horse. There is heartbreak on the part of the horse owner and often unintended neglect due to financial issues.

Now that you know a free horse is never free I hope you will carefully evaluate your decision to get a horse and research the actual costs in your area.