Читать книгу Horse Economics - Catherine E O'Brien - Страница 10

♦ Equine Infectious Anemia—also known as “swamp fever”—is a highly contagious and potentially fatal, blood-borne viral disease.

Worming

Horses need to be wormed (or “dewormed”) at least every eight weeks. Alternating types of wormers (different “classes”) helps to prevent parasites from developing resistance to the medications. There are numerous brands of paste wormer on the market; however, it is important to compare the ingredients and note which parasites will be affected. A paste wormer costs between $6 and $13 in most tack and feed stores or livestock supply catalogs.

3. Feeding and Supplementation

Commercial pelleted grains and sweet feed usually cost between $7 and $15 per 50-pound bag. Hay ranges from $3 to $9 per 55-pound bale, and one horse can consume 100 or more bales a year, depending on climate and the quality of your pasture. When you board out all feed and hay is usually included in your board fee. Supplements are an additional cost and depend on the individual horse. Typically, a pleasure horse that gets a quality commercial grain mixture, plenty of hay, and a mineral salt block will not need extra vitamins and minerals, though he may need one or more hoof or joint supplements. (Your veterinarian will help you determine your horse’s extra needs.) For example, I have an older horse that needs joint supplementation; a six-month supply of Cosequin® costs $150 to $220 depending on where purchased.

4. Supplies, Tack, and Accessories

Having a horse means lots of “stuff”! The very basic beginner’s kit may include, but is not limited to, the following:

Rubber curry comb

Hoof pick with brush

Hard brush, medium brush, and soft brush

Regular human hair brush (for manes and tails)

Large-toothed comb

Sweat scraper and shedding blade

Cheap towels

Plastic tote

Hoof conditioner

Shampoo, conditioner, and hair polish

Fly spray

Liniment

Wound dressing

Wonder Dust®

Epsom® salt

Gauze and wrap

Clippers

Halter and cotton leads

Turnout blanket

Splint boots and bell boots

Shipping boots

This kit will cost $300 to $400, depending on brands and vendors chosen. Equine supply catalogs are good places to start (see Resources, p. 218).

Saddles and other pieces of tack are riding discipline-specific and require “shopping around” for the best prices. The saddle has to fit both the horse and the rider, so enlist the help of your instructor, your veterinarian, and your local tack shop owner to find a saddle that suits for a reasonable price. For example, an average good quality hunt seat saddle will cost $600 to $1200. Add stirrups and stirrup leathers, an English bridle, snaffle bit, girth, and saddle pad to complete your basic turnout for another $200 to $400, depending on brands. A Western trail or pleasure saddle will cost $300 to $450 for synthetic and $800 to $1500 for traditional leather (silver-detailed, roping, and barrel racing saddles are more expensive.) Add a bridle, tom-thumb or regular snaffle, breastplate, girth, and saddle pad to complete your ensemble for another $250 to $500.

5. Riding Instruction

For a child and a novice, adult horse owner, I recommend regular riding instruction. Bet Poarch, a trainer^♦ and instructor^♦ who specializes in hunters and jumpers with over 40 years of teaching experience, says she often receives a phone call from a man who wants to buy a horse for his wife, or a parent a pony for a child. Frequently, they ask about riding lessons beforehand. Ms. Poarch tells them, “I would not buy a horse without taking riding lessons first, anymore than I would go to the airport and rent a plane without taking flying lessons first!” Horses can be dangerous animals and inexperience is almost a sure way to get hurt.

An instructor can help you become a better rider and horse person, and can also assist in the purchase of a new horse. Further, an instructor can give you some idea of the costs involved in tack and apparel designed specifically for the discipline you are interested in pursuing, as well as what it will cost to compete at horse shows in your area.

Lesson prices vary by instructor, and most have different fees for private lessons and group lessons. These range from $25 to $75 per hour for a private and $15 to $60 for a group lesson. Finding the best, affordable instructor available will take some effort and you may have to try several before you find one that fits your personality, skill level, and budget.

6. Insurance

While most horse owners who ride for pleasure or low-level competition do not need specialty equine insurance, there are several types of insurance coverage available for particular situations. For example, when the purchase price of a horse is sizeable and the money to replace him hard to come by, equine mortality and medical/surgical coverage can be obtained (see p. 45).

Premiums for these policies vary according to breed, age, and use of horse, and are not usually cost-prohibitive. The mortality/theft coverage premium for most pleasure horses is approximately 3 to 3.5 percent of the purchase price, and the estimated average for medical/surgical coverage (less than $10,000 annual limit) is around $250. So, a four-year-old, registered Thoroughbred mare purchased for $15,000 and used for novice-level eventing would cost $775 per year to fully insure ($15,000 x 3.5 percent = $525. Adding on a medical/surgical premium of $250 = $775).

Another thing to consider is that most property and casualty insurer’s homeowner policies do not cover equine-related exposures (i.e., liability and defense costs for property damage and bodily injury caused by your animal). Therefore, it is prudent to purchase a personal horse owner’s liability policy. These can cost from $225 to $500 per year (most will cover one to three horses without additional premium), with an aggregate coverage limit ranging from $1.5 to $3 million. (See chapter 2 for an in-depth discussion of your different insurance options.)