cost to have a horse/mule per month

[houndcrazy93]

alright so i am wanting to get a horse or mule with in the next year or so, because i think it would be a lot funner hunting off oh them rather than a truck of quad. so what is about the average price to take care of one for a month. i know the initial cost to get everything will cost a bit. but im not worried about that. thanks for the help

[Big Mike]

New Mexico prices your looking at about $100-$125 a month in feed. About $70 every 2-3 months to get shoed

[broncobilly]

Man Mike, thats a lot of money, no wonder I never have any money with 27 horses. Actually, it does not cost that much if you have pasture to run them on, and you can save the 70 every couple months by doing your own shoeing. However, if you are buying hay to feed them those prices you listed are sure not to high and might be a little low. I have heard of a few places in NM where hay in selling in the $20.00 +/bale range.

Houndcrazy93, I don't know where you live, but if NM is not to far for you to go to buy a horse, then let me know when you are ready to buy, I generally have some good ones for sale.

Bill A. Brockman

[Cor]

From the pic it looks like your in the northwest, so feed is probably cheaper than in the south. Right now its up around $20 a bale, so it runs $100-$150 roughly a month. Take you a hunting trip to Montana and bring back a load of hay with you and that will cut your bill probably in half. Learn how to trim and shoe because it adds up real quick to.
Like anything its alot of time and money, but worth it imo. Good Luck, Sean

[catdogs]

This poem comes to mind:

FREE HORSES

This is the sad saga, of being gifted a hoss,
And how much an asset, quickly converts to a loss.

My downfall began with a flea bitten mare,
Overweight, sway-backed and passin bad air.

She appeared one day, dropped off at our house,
By a past “friend”, I now consider a louse.

My daughter exclaimed, “How pretty, how sweet”
As the nag dropped road apples on top of my feet.

Now a horse didn’t fit in real well, in town at our place,
So we rented green pasture, built fence and quickened our pace

Of buying more land and acquiring more hay,
With ever big mortgages and taxes to pay.

All was fine for a year, with this horse riding fad,
Until my wife reasonably reasoned, the ol Arab was sad.

The mare needed company, any buckaroo could see,
And BLM’s adopting out mustangs at the low price of FREE.

I shoulda had a foreboding, cause the government I fear,
Wants to unload horses that act like a deer.

It busted out the window and bent the rear door,
On a borrowed trailer, we can’t borrow no more.

We wrestled him home, corralled in his pricey new pen,
My credit line of $5000 quickly expanded to 10.

Now the first horse caused a financial recession,
But the damn gelding put us in a full fledge depression.

Then we needed a new trailer for traveling the road,
And Horse Whispered lessons to get him to load.

Our half ton pick-up dropped clutches and brakes.
The wife ordered a new 1-ton, if that’s what it takes.

Cost more than our house, nice paint and 4 door,
The car dealer just grinned, “that’s what financing is for”.

I built a haybarn for hay, and a fence of wood rails,
Bought saddles with silver, and britchen for trails.

We shelled out for grain and bought the best trough,
And trips to the vet whenever they cough.

Our farrier is flush, heading south on a trip,
Financed by his shodding at $50 a clip.

The retirement funds are gone, our stocks are all sold,
The horses are eaten certified, while I’m eating mold.

Just as I’m burning mad, and all I see is blood,
My only satisfaction is, he’ll never be a stud!

So when you see me all broke down, without a pot to pee,
It’s cuz I got 2 horses, both of em FREE!

-author unknown

[houndcrazy93]

yeah im up in WA. but i am moving to AZ for a year then i want to move to utah or wyoming. thanks for the info everyone and i will deffinatly give you a call when i am ready to get one if i am down that way

[Machias]

[montananative]

$100 bucks a month in billings, that covers pasture in the summer, feed in the winter, all shots and hoof work is on me, thats about as cheap as i have found here, there are places that will charge $200 a month just for a stall, no thanks, i like my horse out on grass

[montananative]

[Grzyadms4x4]

Not trying to hijack this post, but I too do not have a horse or mule, but have also considered getting one. What is your average monthly or yearly vet bill for common ailments that might affect us newbies without the knowledge to treat them ourselves? Thanks.