Which is more expensive as a hobby? Competitive Ballroom Dancing or Horse Riding?

Question

Am considering taking up one of my old hobbies again but am torn between which one. Which one is more expensive in the long run. I have a good idea of costs but would like opinions

I should mention that when I mean competitive ballroom dancing I mean pro/am which costs about 2-3k per comp plus the dresses are anywhere from 1k-3k. Ballroom is more expensive than you think.

Answer 1

You know what ballroom dancing used to cost you, and maybe also what horse riding used to cost you. You can compare those two prices, as both will have gone up, but with like amounts.

It does depend on what level of horse riding.
If you want to take lessons at a local riding school, or rent a horse for an hour or so each week, you will only pay what you use.
But if you want to compete with horses, you will also pay for transport, entering fees, and gear/clothes for your horse and yourself.
How much you would need to spend on those will depend on the level of competition, the kind, the distances involved (how many competitions will be near you and for how many do you need to travel long distance,) and so on.
As horses are bigger than people, and need a dedicated trailer, that might get more expensive than just yourself traveling a much longer distance.
And on top of everything else, if you own a horse, you need to pay for feeding, stabeling and medical care whether you compete or not.
For Dancing the costs will only be there when you actually dance, and parts will be shared between your partner and yourself.
So it also depend on how often you would do it.

I think that riding a few hours in the week, not owning the horse will be cheaper, but that owning the horse you might break even.
If you also want to compete with the horse, it is very likely that horse riding will be much more expensive in the long run.

Answer 2

probobly horse riding because to buy and keep a horse has to be very expensive, and even if you ride one twice a week for two hours all the time, it can still get expensive. competitive ballroom dancing would be more fun but more expensive, if you hire a teacher and a personal trainer. i would go with the horses. they are truly beautiful and serene animals and sometimes at ranches, the camp out with the horses for like a week at a time, on a trail! i would do horseback riding. definetly. and i think its great that your thinking of taking up one of your old hobbies again! good luck!

Answer 3

Since you claim to have had these as hobbies,
I would think you'd be the best person to know! ;)

Seriously, though, whether you are doing this, locally, statewide, countrywide, or globally, then horse riding gets the stomp-your-hoof-three-times of approval for most expensive hobby! ;)

Fashion and lessons are pretty much all you need for ballroom dancing (not to mention a decent partner, who, hopefully, you don't have to put on the dole!).

But, horses cost a LOT of money from the get-go.

Of course, if you get sponsorship for either,
then you need to consider that, as well.

Maybe you can combine the two,
and then we can call you, "Dances with Horses"! ;)

Answer 4

I would say horse riding. You have to feed, house, transport, and care for a very large animal. To raise a medium-sized dog to adulthood, it's something like $12,000 - and dogs are considerably smaller than horses.

Ballroom dancing: you'll have lessons, costumes, entry fees, and traveling/lodging expenses, but you'll be with someone, so the cost will be half of that. You may be able to do your own choreography.

Answer 5

I would say if you have to buy, feed, and house a horse, that one would be much more costly than some dancing shoes and CDs.

Answer 6

horse riding for sure.