Surviving the credit crunch is difficult enough, but when you have horses and ponies who completely rely on you for food, shelter and medical attention, every small amount saved helps.
It’s tremendously sad that too many horses and ponies are abandoned every single, as owners struggle financially with the current economic climate, because of this there are presently many horses for sale.
Sara Tuppen founder of the Horse Refuge in Wittersham Kent, knows all about looking after horses on a tight budget, having to rely purely on donations to help keep over 40 rescued horses in good condition. She believes there are a few points which could help make owning a horse on a tight budget a little easier:
1. A lot of horses can live comfortably outside for the majority of the year, providing there’s nurishment, water and a place to shelter available. Providing this is a suitable option for your horse, it could reduce the cost of stabling by a large amount.
2. Taking off shoes is an easy way to keep costs down. If only ridden occasionally, and not ridden on rough surfaces, a great deal of horses will be happy without shoes.
3. Sharing your horse is a great way to cut (even halve!) costs, and provides a cheaper introduction to horse riding for someone else.
4. Quite often you can get free stabling and occasionally hay and bedding in return for helping out around the yard. Helping to muck out, grooming the horses, maintenance etc. are all ways which could reduce your outlay for a little work!
5. Vets bills are an unknown factor but still have to be allowed for. If you’re budget is low, you may discover a lot of Vets will allow you to spread the cost.
6. Most of us can make lifestyle adaptations! It’s not all about finding ways to keep your horse for less, see if you can do it for yourself!
7. Wherever possible, horse owners can often join forces to purchase feed and straw in bulk, reducing the overall price and helping everyone save a little.
8. Finally, you can look into getting your horse a foster home, even as a family friend.
If you’re fortunate enough to be in a position to share, or even purchase a horse or pony, there are still many horses for sale and ponies for sale available.
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