General Discussion

Autumn

(45,055 posts)

70. Horses are an expensive obligation and time consuming

Tue Apr 10, 2012, 07:17 PM

Apr 2012

You have vet care for shots and worming, farrier expenses hay, grain, supplements and treats. Horses are great companion animals, they like human company and you need to set aside the time to spend grooming them and working them out. In the winter you have the added expense of a heated water trough unless you are into breaking ice and there have been many days we spend a couple of hours clearing snow drifts and going out to the barn twice a day in nasty weather to feed and spend time with them because it soothes them too. Not to mention mucking out the stalls and the paddock area. I love mine and can't imagine living life without them. Goats, to me they are a pain in the ass. We have 40 acres.

Oh and be prepared to keep up with a lot of maintenance on your fences. Nothing worse than seeing a horse get out of the fence and being hit by a truck. We had to stop on the road going into town last week for just that. It was horrible.

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I want to buy a horse [View all] Aerows Apr 2012 OP

might want to check out this group maddezmom Apr 2012 #1

Thanks, maddez :) Aerows Apr 2012 #3

Depending on the type of acreage (pasture, woods, etc.) about 5 acres is good for a horse. antigone382 Apr 2012 #2

Thank you for your input Aerows Apr 2012 #4

3 Board horse fencing is traditional. NEVER use barbed wire +100000! riderinthestorm Apr 2012 #12

I'm thinking of Aerows Apr 2012 #18

I once knew a horse that could open the stall door ThomThom Apr 2012 #67

I hope you'll "rescue" rather than "buy". hamsterjill Apr 2012 #5

I'd love to rescue Aerows Apr 2012 #11

unwise to get a rescue horse larkrake Apr 2012 #23

no, it's not unwise to get a rescue animal Scout Apr 2012 #27

Expenisve, I would think twice about the horse. sarcasmo Apr 2012 #6

Sometimes Aerows Apr 2012 #13

you might think about volunteering with horse rescue KurtNYC Apr 2012 #7

That's a good idea Aerows Apr 2012 #14

Don't you have a neighbor you can talk to about this? snooper2 Apr 2012 #19

Uh, my neighbors and I live in the sticks Aerows Apr 2012 #22

What is a golf course enclave in the sticks? nt Snake Alchemist Apr 2012 #29

Thanks for making fun of me. Aerows Apr 2012 #73

Those two things don't go together snooper2 Apr 2012 #51

Don't pick Aerows Apr 2012 #55

If they let you have goats where you are go for it snooper2 Apr 2012 #63

I'm going to do it Aerows Apr 2012 #72

I think it's really wonderful that you've always wanted to have a horse and now you're doing it. Voice for Peace Apr 2012 #32

I'm trying Aerows Apr 2012 #54

doesn't sound stupid at all! Voice for Peace Apr 2012 #65

A few questions will help with this decision and your planning... riderinthestorm Apr 2012 #8

I'm going to sound stupid Aerows Apr 2012 #17

No question is stupid!! An all-weather "dry" or "Limestone" lot riderinthestorm Apr 2012 #39

More info please. I'm fairly certain that buying the horse is not the dream. Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #9

Well Aerows Apr 2012 #16

No. I just wanted to fund out if you've thought it through. Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #20

To be honest? Aerows Apr 2012 #24

goats are awesome Marrah_G Apr 2012 #33

I think they are awesome Aerows Apr 2012 #34

I live in an apartment right now, so I don't Marrah_G Apr 2012 #77

There are many opportunities to ride and interact with horses without owning them. I didn't mean to Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #36

"don't let them out when you bring your new car home" Aerows Apr 2012 #37

ppfftt Kali Apr 2012 #41

So I'm not weird for Aerows Apr 2012 #46

no, they are often kept together Kali Apr 2012 #49

Ah, you live in Cali. You have to keep goats fenced in any case and my place in AZ in right on the Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #52

nope, I'm in AZ too Kali Apr 2012 #57

The AZ prop is Maricopa adjacent to Tonto, New River if you know the area. No cats there. Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #59

I'm in Mississippi n/t Aerows Apr 2012 #61

I understand that llamas make good protection animals. GoCubsGo Apr 2012 #56

burros are pretty good Kali Apr 2012 #58

I've heard that more than once as well. n/t Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #60

This has to be the silliest thing I've ever heard Aerows Apr 2012 #75

You are kidding me Aerows Apr 2012 #74

Nope. Why would I kid? GoCubsGo Apr 2012 #76

goats...kid.... Marrah_G Apr 2012 #79

Nope- LLama's will protect your sheep/goats Marrah_G Apr 2012 #78

They're also bigger and heavier than dogs. GoCubsGo Apr 2012 #82

Baby goats are some of the cutest little creatures!!! hamsterjill Apr 2012 #30

I want dairy goats Aerows Apr 2012 #31

If horses are smart, goats are all little Albert Einsteins. kaiden Apr 2012 #10

See - fencing Aerows Apr 2012 #15

Except sheep. They disdain sheep and rightly assert their superiority at every opportunity. Egalitarian Thug Apr 2012 #53

planning to pasture or feed? Kali Apr 2012 #21

Are goats that terrible? Aerows Apr 2012 #35

I'm biased Kali Apr 2012 #38

We all Aerows Apr 2012 #40

Thank you for the extended reply Aerows Apr 2012 #47

we've seen a few abandoned horses/ponies here Kali Apr 2012 #48

I'd suggest you find safeinOhio Apr 2012 #25

I would like the goats Aerows Apr 2012 #28

In the 80's my family had 40 acres or land. slampoet Apr 2012 #26

I know an elderly couple in Inverness FL that just got 2 goats and 2 horses, both rescues. Ganja Ninja Apr 2012 #42

If you're near Tallahassee Florida, let me know csziggy Apr 2012 #43

I live in ranch country. Horses, if you take care of them like you are supposed to, are Cleita Apr 2012 #44

I do not have a horse, but I know people who do. They all have horse trailers, a vehicle large Opportunityknocks Apr 2012 #45

I have owned 3 horses, and believe me, they are expensive. RebelOne Apr 2012 #50

I'd like to own some other animals, to Aerows Apr 2012 #69

Funny, I have a horse for sale. Rex Apr 2012 #62

Would she get along well with goats? Aerows Apr 2012 #71

It is less stressful to simply burn piles of cash - the end result is about the same. nt hack89 Apr 2012 #64

You can haul goats around in cars. This is Ruby. kaiden Apr 2012 #66

Goats are hilarious Aerows Apr 2012 #68

Horses are an expensive obligation and time consuming Autumn Apr 2012 #70

Excellent resource thread Horse with no Name Apr 2012 #80

But let me say this...first Horse with no Name Apr 2012 #81