I have the opportunity to purchase a rescued horse ( 8 yrs old) trained in cutting/barrel racing for $500. She is from Texas bloodlines and quite a looker. My fear is not the initial price, it's a steal...however, realistically, how much am I looking at???

Pasture board is $200, full board is $300, including grain. The farrier is $85/month or every other, depending upon how much they lose a shoe. Deworming is included--what else am I missing to help me make my decision??

I want to help rescue these animals but I want to know exactly what I am looking at to see if it is at all reasonable. My dh thinks we are out of our league on this one...help...can we do it or are we crazy?

Honestly, vet bills are, or can be, HUGE on horses. We've owned several, however are now out of it since our daughter is grown. My friend's horse just had a bought of colic, which is not that uncommon. The vet bill was in the thousands.

How do you know there is not an underlying medical issue, lameness, etc? Call your local equine vets and ask how much it costs for a pre-purchase vet exam. That will give you an idea what it costs in your area to get the vet to drop by.

Good luck with your decision.





:)

I know that Sandpat and Kaykay have horses, so you might pm them for more info. And good luck, I believe that people who rescue animals earn a special place in heaven!

And don't forget your TIME! You need to exercise a horse regularly, or pay to have it done! Your boarding stable may "turn them out" once in a while, even everyday, but that's not exercise. Owning a horse is a pretty big commitment, in both money and time. Plus, you're going to need tack, etc. etc. If you have the resources, more power to you!!

We rescued a donkey and a mule (both since had to be put down), and now we have the neighbor's horse in our pasture.

The costs for us have been feed (which fluctuates), regular pedicures, fly spray, worming, and shots (including West Nile in our area).

As the animals got older they started to have more serious health problems and the vet bills got higher. We don't need to board since we had land and considered them our grass-mowing large pets.

Old Merle has started to become real social since he came to us and I am greeted with a whinney every day when I come home from work. Rescuing an animal is a labor of love, but it can get expensive.

Does the board price include hay?
They are expensive animals, for sure.