How much as vet and farrier fees when owning a horse?

Question

have always ridden other peoples horses and in lessons, but I have never OWNED my own horse. Now I have the chance. Boarding is $190.00 a month for everything, i keep hearing about vet and farrier fees. How often does the horse need to be seen by a vet, and what does a farrier do? I'd also like to know, how often do these people have to visit the horse and how much do they usually cost? Are these monthly visits that have to happen? Thanks.

Answer 1

As with much involving horse ownership, fees vary (in my area full board for under $700 is considered a steal). A horse needs to see a farrier every six weeks or so, if the horse wears shoes and does not have any special problems. The farrier will remove the shoes, trim the hoof and reshoe the horse. If you have a high performance horse you'll need to see the farrier more often. If your horse isn't shod it will wear down its hooves naturally and not need to be trimmed as often (you can also learn to trim on your own, it is pretty easy to do).

Generally you need to have a vet available in case of emergency. Find a vet and establish a relationship with him/her. Your vet may recommend annual or semi-annual checkups for your horse (it will vary depending on the age and condition of your horse). But it is essential to have a vet you can call and trust if your horse needs it.

You also need to find an equine dentist (some vets double as dentists, others specialize in it). A horse needs its teeth floated regularly throughout it's life (again how often varies by age and health). Bad teeth can cause an otherwise healthy horse to stop eating and starve to death, as well as other problems (imagine having a bit in your mouth if your tooth hurts!).

Talk to people who own horses in your area to find out more about prices and to get references. It's always best to talk to people with actual experience and find the best care for your horse that is available.

Answer 2

The farrier should be doing the horse about every 6-8 weeks and for a barefoot trim it should be $25 up to about $50 per time. So every other month you would be paying that.
If you need shoes the farrier needs to see the horse every six weeks and it is going to cost more like $50-100 maybe more depending on where you are and what type shoes your horse needs.
The vet once maybe twice per year at the cost of about $100-200 per time.
Do not forget you are going to need to have some money saved up in case of an emergency. And they do happen with horses.

Answer 3

Your horse will need to be trimmed and re-shod by the farrier (horseshoer) every six to eight weeks, depending on how much attention his/her feet need. The cost of this varies from area to area; if there are a lot of horses in your area and a lot of farriers to choose from, the cost will be lower. Generally a straightforward trim with re-setting of the shoes will run from $40-85; you can re-set the shoes a couple of times and then you have to spring for a new set, which will add about $40-60 to the cost. The cost will be more if your horse has any special shoeing needs, such as for navicular feet, or if he has to have a bar shoe or pads.

You will have to have the vet out two to three times a year for normal maintenance-- shots, worming, and equine dentistry. If your horse is healthy and doesn't require anything more than normal maintenance, it will probably cost you about $200-500/year, depending on where you live and whether the cost of the vet visits is split between other owners. (If you board your horse at a stable where a lot of other boarders have horses, the owner of the stable will usually arrange a clinic where the vet comes out to do shots and worming for everyone. This reduces the cost, because the vet's cost of coming out is split between everyone, and you usually get a break on the cost of the shots and wormer.)

If your horse has problems that require that he get medication like Butazolidin or Banamine for aches and pains, the cost of vet care will increase because you will have to pay for these meds, which run $20-40 for a month's supply.

You will need to have an emergency reserve for vet services. Horses are absolutely notorious for developing problems that need a vet. I would recommend that you have a reserve fund of at least $500, and $1500-2000 is even better, especially if your horse is older and more prone to problems.

You can get a better feel for what actual costs in your area are by talking to the people at your stable who own horses. I would highly recommend this. Horses are wonderful animals but are very expensive to own.

Answer 4

Farrier Prices

Answer 5

I don't know where you live, but I sure can't see where your horse could get good quality feed, care, & daily stall cleaning for $190 a month. What your horse eats will be the key deciding factor in how many times a vet must be called out to tend to it's needs. When horses are around other horses, they tend to have more health problems from the spread of germs & diseases that are in the ground (dirt) & from the people that handle them on a daily basis. I'd say that $500 a month is a more realistic price in today's market. I'm used to California prices & 500 is a steal in this business & most people have to do their own feeding!