WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SPEND?

In the chapter on buying an older horse, I used a formula of figuring the cost of purchasing one horse-power, four hoof drive transportation, on a monthly breakdown basis. The end result was very reasonable. What isn't a bargain are the operating costs that chug along even when the critter is parked.

Hay ain't hay, anymore.

There is no point in my dwelling on the requirements of fencing, shelter, etc., in detail, as many publications cover what you need to know very well. Instead, I am going to try something not seen in print very often — figuring the actual cost of keeping a saddle horse.

There are many ways a person can spend $100 a month, plus, boarding out a mount. And, there are ways the total can be whittled down to — well, for an extremely low figure — the $100 per year, per horse, that it costs me at this writing.

It all depends on where you live, what pasture, if any, is available, and how hard you are willing to work at keeping a horse. Taking a course on hoof care and shoeing your own mount is one way to do away with a mandatory expense. You can't get stinking rich selling the end product of what a horse eats, but it sure helps to recycle feed costs.

To be more precise — and before you look at any horse — ask about the availabilty and cost of local pasture (if you do not already have access to something suitable), what the grazing months are and the ratio of acreage it takes to support a horse the cost of a ton of hay, including transportation, the price of grain, vet, and farrier's fees.

Grab a pencil. Put down here how much you can afford to spend for a horse, $_______ . And, how much you think it will cost per year in upkeep, $________.

Now go to the next page.