Buying your own horse or pony is a dream for many riders. But on top of the purchase price come monthly and yearly costs. Think of livery, feed, supplements, the farrier, the dentist, the vet, insurance, lessons and of course equipment.
So what does a horse cost per month? And how much should you set aside if you want to buy a horse or pony of your own?
The short answer: costs vary enormously. A horse that lives out at home around the clock costs considerably less than a competition horse at a livery yard with regular training.
In this article we set out the main costs of a horse per month and per year.
What does a horse cost on average per month?
For a horse kept at a livery yard, you should count on several hundred euros a month. Depending on the yard, the region and the way you keep your horse, that figure can rise quickly.
The monthly costs usually consist of:
- livery;
- feed and/or supplements;
- farrier;
- vet;
- worming and faecal egg counts;
- dentist;
- insurance;
- riding lessons and training;
- competitions;
- transport;
- equipment;
- and unexpected medical costs.
Anyone wondering whether a horse is financially feasible should therefore look beyond the price of the stable alone.
Summary: what does a horse cost per month?
Below are the indicative prices from this article converted into an amount per month. Costs that only come round a few times a year, such as the farrier and the dentist, have been spread over twelve months.
| Cost | Indicative price | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Livery | €450 to €800 per month | €450 – €800 |
| Additional feed and supplements | €20 to €75 per month | €20 – €75 |
| Farrier | €40 to €180 per visit, every 6 to 8 weeks | €25 – €105 |
| Vet, yearly vaccination | around €30 per year | around €3 |
| Dentist, including sedation | €135 to €200 per year | €11 – €17 |
| Faecal egg count and worming | €40 to €120 per year | €3 – €10 |
| Insurance | €10 to €150 per month | €10 – €150 |
| Fixed costs combined | — | €520 – €1,160 |
| Riding lessons, one lesson a week | €25 to €200 per lesson | €110 – €860 |
| Competitions, membership and start pass | around €235 per year, plus €12.50 to €17.50 per start | around €20, plus starts |
| Transport, hiring a trailer | around €50 per day | varies |
| Equipment, one-off starting budget | saddle €1,000 to €6,000, other kit from around €345 | one-off from around €1,350 |
These figures are indications, not a quotation. They assume a horse at a livery yard in the Randstad. If your horse is kept elsewhere, or at home, the total will be different. Also count on a financial buffer for unexpected vet bills — by definition those cannot be budgeted.
The costs one by one, from livery to equipment
Below you will find each cost explained separately, with indicative prices. Open a topic to read on.
What does livery cost per month?
For most horse owners, livery is the largest monthly cost. What does livery cost per month? That depends very much on what is included in the price.
At a simple DIY yard you pay for a stable, hay and bedding, and the feeding and turning out is shared between owners. At more luxurious yards, things like hard feed, daily turnout or paddock service, feeding and mucking out, bringing in and turning out, and the use of various training facilities may all be included.
The facilities also affect the price. A yard with an indoor school, an outdoor arena, a lunging ring, a horse walker, paddocks and generous fields is usually more expensive than a simple yard with limited facilities. There are also big regional differences in livery costs: in the Randstad, prices are higher than elsewhere.
When comparing yards, always ask exactly what is included in the price. A cheap yard can work out more expensive if you have to pay separately for feed, bedding, turnout service or other services.
Indicative price: for a yard in the Randstad with good facilities, including hard feed, hay, straw and full service, you generally pay between €450 and €800 per month. Outside the Randstad, prices are somewhat lower.
What does feed cost per month?
When your horse is at a full-livery yard, hay or haylage and basic feed are often included in the price. That is not always the case, though. Some horses also need extra feed: hard feed, balancers, mashes or supplements.
The monthly feed costs therefore depend on the type of horse, the amount of work, the quality of the forage and any additional needs.
A leisure horse that does well on good forage and a simple ration can be fed relatively cheaply. For a competition horse with specific nutritional needs, the monthly costs can be considerably higher.
Supplements may not look expensive per tub, but if you feed several products daily the yearly total adds up.
Indicative price: count on €20 to €75 per month for additional feed and supplements.
What does the farrier cost?
The farrier is another fixed cost of horse ownership. Most horses are trimmed or reshod roughly every six to eight weeks. What the farrier costs depends mainly on the treatment.
A horse that is only trimmed is cheaper than a horse shod on all four feet. Special or orthopaedic shoeing raises the cost further.
To build a realistic monthly budget, convert the cost of each farrier visit into an average amount per month. Do not forget these costs when you work out in advance what a horse costs per month. They may not come round every month, but over a full year they are a structural expense.
Indicative prices per visit:
- trimming only: €40 to €70
- shod in front, trimmed behind: €100 to €140
- shod all round: €140 to €180
- special shoeing: €180 and up
What are the vet costs?
A healthy horse fortunately does not need the vet every month. Even so, vet costs absolutely belong in the budget for your own horse.
There are recurring costs, such as vaccinations and health checks. On top of that, unexpected costs can arise from a wound, colic, lameness or another health problem. It is precisely that unexpected vet bill that makes it wise to set an amount aside every month.
A horse should be vaccinated against influenza every year; for FEI competitions that is every six months. It is also sensible to vaccinate against tetanus, and there are optional vaccinations such as rhinopneumonitis, strangles and West Nile virus.
Indicative price: excluding any call-out charge, an influenza and tetanus vaccination costs around €30.
What does an equine dentist cost?
A horse’s teeth need checking regularly. It is usual to have the teeth treated once a year. Horses with an irregular bite, for example, may need checking more often.
Dental treatment is usually carried out by a vet. Alongside the treatment itself they charge call-out or consultation fees, and in many cases the horse has to be sedated.
Indicative price: a standard treatment usually costs between €100 and €150, with sedation adding €35 to €50.
What do worming and faecal egg counts cost?
Depending on how the yard is run, there may be costs for faecal egg counts and worming. Some yards arrange this centrally; at others every owner organises and pays for it themselves.
Until a few years ago it was common to worm horses regularly. Unfortunately that encouraged resistance, and the policy has changed. In most cases a faecal egg count is done first: the number of worm eggs is counted, and on that basis it is decided whether worming is needed and with which product.
It is recommended to do a faecal egg count at least twice a year: before and after the grazing season, roughly around April and in October. More often never hurts, certainly not if you are in doubt.
Indicative prices: a faecal egg count averages €20 per test. A wormer costs between €15 and €40 per syringe, depending on the product. One syringe often covers 600 to 700 kilos of horse.
What does horse insurance cost per month?
Many owners choose to insure their horse. Which insurance is sensible or desirable depends on your personal situation and on the value and use of the horse.
There are various types of horse insurance. Think of policies covering certain medical costs, or policies covering death. The premium can depend on the age, the value, the use of the horse and the cover you choose.
When comparing policies, do not look at the premium alone. Pay close attention to the conditions, maximum payouts, exclusions and any excess.
Indicative price: on average between €10 and €150 per month.
What do riding lessons and training cost?
Do you want to train seriously with your horse? Then riding lessons are probably a recurring cost.
If you have a lesson once a week, that adds up to dozens of lessons a year. If you also do clinics, or have your horse trained regularly by a professional rider, the costs rise further. For a competition horse, training and coaching can therefore make up a substantial part of the total monthly costs. These are not costs you must make in order to keep a horse, but for many riders they are part of the normal budget.
An instructor’s rate depends largely on their knowledge. To teach at a yard with a safety certificate — required in order to run competitions under the KNHS — the instructor must hold an ORUN qualification. Anyone with that qualification therefore has the necessary grounding. To progress in the sport and get the right guidance with it, it is worth looking at the level the instructor has ridden themselves.
Indicative price: roughly between €25 (basic) and €200 (Olympic rider) per lesson.
What does competing cost?
Competitions are of course not compulsory, but once you have been training nicely it is good fun to see what a judge makes of it.
There are costs attached: entry fees, transport, fuel and membership. If you compete further from home, you may also face extra costs for overnight stays or stabling.
Indicative prices:
- KNHS membership per year: €33.25
- KNHS start pass per year: €152
- membership of your own riding club per year: around €50
- per dressage test or jumping round at grassroots level: between €12.50 and €17.50
What does a horse trailer or transport cost?
Do you have your own trailer or horsebox? Then there is not only the purchase price, but also maintenance, insurance and possible repairs. For a trailer you also need a suitable car, and you will face fuel costs.
If you do not have your own trailer, you can hire one or use a professional horse transport company.
Indicative price: hiring a trailer costs around €50 per day.
What budget do you need for equipment?
Buying a horse usually means buying equipment too. A saddle and bridle are obvious, but that is not where it ends. Think of various rugs, a headcollar and rope, leg protection, saddle pads and grooming products.
Some items last for years, while others need replacing regularly. A well-fitting saddle in particular can be a serious investment. A saddle may also need adjusting or replacing over time as the horse’s shape changes.
Anyone buying their first horse should therefore budget for a substantial starting kit on top of the purchase price:
- saddle: €1,000 to €6,000
- bridle with bit: €100 to €300
- rugs: from €100
- saddle pad: from €30
- headcollar and rope: from €25
- boots: from €40
- grooming products: from €50
These are indications: you can keep it as modest or go as far as you like. Much of it is available second-hand as well. For a saddle, though, it is advisable to buy it — new or second-hand — through a saddle fitter. A poorly fitting saddle can do a great deal of damage to the horse.
What does a horse cost at home?
Keeping a horse at home may sound cheaper than livery. It can be, but keeping a horse at home is not free.
You have forage, hard feed, bedding, muck removal, maintenance of fields and fencing, water and electricity to deal with. You also need suitable land, stabling and facilities. Once you count the investment in the accommodation and its upkeep, the difference with livery may be smaller than you first expect.
What does a pony cost per month?
A common question is whether a pony is cheaper than a horse. That is not necessarily the case.
A smaller pony generally eats less than a big horse, so feed costs can be lower. Many other costs stay much the same, though. A farrier, dentist, vet, insurance and riding lessons are not automatically much cheaper because it is a pony.
Livery yards often make no distinction between a pony and a horse either. You usually pay for the box you occupy, and it makes no difference whether there is a horse or a pony in it. The monthly cost of a pony can therefore be surprisingly close to that of a horse.
Not sure which size of pony suits you or your child? Then read pony sizes explained: from A pony to E pony.
Unexpected costs: how much should you keep in reserve?
This is perhaps the most important part of the financial picture. Livery, the farrier and lessons can be budgeted fairly precisely. Unexpected costs cannot.
A torn rug is annoying, but manageable. An unexpected veterinary treatment can mean a very different amount. It is therefore wise to keep a financial buffer for your horse alongside your normal monthly budget. How big that buffer should be is personal and depends partly on your insurance and on how much financial room you have yourself.
So do not look only at the purchase budget. Work out for yourself how much room you have each month to spend comfortably. Sometimes it is wiser to keep the purchase budget a little lower, so that you can hold a buffer in reserve.
At RSP Equi Select we guide buyers through the search for a suitable pony or horse. With our purchase guidance we are also happy to think along about everything else that comes with buying a pony or horse.