The Boarded Horse – Horse Chat

Whether you’re a college student or just “horse poor” (or both), there comes a time when your horse budget isn’t always what you’d like it to be. There are many things that he would like to buy for his horse or that he needs for his horse, but right now he can barely afford to feed them both. Do not worry because there are many options that you can explore.

First, you may need to consider your current shipping situation. Depending on where in the country you live, the cost of shipping will vary. Can you really afford full-care hosting right now, or will you have to start doing some of the work? Find out if your current boarding school is willing to work with you. Will they allow you to get partial care pension at a reduced rate or pasture pension? Will they let you help them with some of their daily chores and reduce your rent for your hard work? Is it time to move your horse? Look for smaller facilities that meet your needs, they will often have lower rates than other stables. Would you be willing to feed someone else’s horses as pension? These options need to be investigated and explored. I have had success running ads in the Thrifty Nickel newspaper saying, “Will feed or ride to board.” I’m currently staying for free because I look after a couple’s farm while they go out of town.

It works well for both of us and I have been at this facility for two years now and have become very good friends with the couple. Also, do you have friends or family who have land or other horses? Would they let you keep your horse there if you help them? The most important thing is to always get a written agreement. This helps in the fact that both parties know the terms of the agreement and if something happens, you have your agreement in writing.

Second, let’s take a look at your horse’s diet. You need to consider what type of work your horse is doing and what his energy requirements are. An adult horse only requires a diet of 8% crude protein and this can be provided from a 100% hay diet for the maintenance of a horse that is lightly worked. A younger horse will require a 10-12% crude protein diet depending on whether or not he is training and growing rapidly or not. If you feed a sweet feed balanced with good grass or alfalfa hay, you will be able to meet their energy needs. If you seem to lose weight, gradually increase your eating a little more until you stop losing weight. It certainly does not require a diet high in added protein or fat, unless you are doing heavy work such as roping, cutting, or jumping. Most health food stores have a sweet food staple that is 10-14% crude protein for $5-$6 per bag.

If you live in the West Texas or New Mexico area, you know we are in a drought and hay prices have skyrocketed. Not to mention, the cost of gas isn’t helping much either. You can hardly find a round bale of coastal grass hay for less than $75 here. I suggest finding a hay wholesaler where you can load the hay yourself out of the field or from a barn for less than you would pay at the feed store. If you have the space, store as much as you can for a few months. This will be expensive at first, but is better than buying it in a few bales at a time.

Look up farriers and see how much they charge for a hoof trim. If you are on a very tight budget then you should probably have your horseshoes. You will like being barefoot and you can still ride. Unless your horse has lameness issues and requires special shoes, it will be more economical for you to pull on your shoes and have them clipped regularly.