PART 1
As the cost of living rises so the price of feed hay and equipment is also on the up Charlotte Cooper looks at how much our readers who hack spend on their horses each year—and the results may surprise you
HORSE OWNERSHIP HAS never been a cheap hobby. We’ve all laughed ruefully at the memes and probably bought the T-shirts, likening keeping a horse to burning a monthly pay cheque. But how many of us have sat down and worked out just how much our equestrian addiction costs us each month?
There are 3 million riders in the UK, 1.8 million of who mride regularly, according to the most recent BETA National Equestrian Survey (2019). Between them and their 847,000 horses they plough £4.7bn into the UK economy each year.
The BETA figures showed full livery costs from£400-£800 a month, DIY livery at £120-£300 and grass livery at £80-£200.
However, anecdotally prices have necessarily risen in the past five years and livery charges are only where the costs start. Throw in feed, tack, farriery, lessons, vet fees, insurance and all the rest and you’re lucky to see change from £500 a month, even with a pony at grass.
Unexpected costs
Equine science student Ella Scott, who lives in Wiltshire, says that the price of hay for her 12.2hh pony Tanner has rocketed in the past year.
“Having a cob definitely helps to keep costs, such as for feeding, lower. This is helpful as I’m a university student. However, I still get through one-and-a half big bales a month. It used to be £25 a round bale, but now it’s £35.”
Another major cost Ella faces with Tanner is “therapeutic saddle fitting”.
“She seems to change shape all the time, so I have her saddle refitted every six to eight weeks.”
Uninsured, Tanner also cost Ella around £700 in vet’s bills when she developed a corpus luteum cyst last year. This caused her teats to leak milk and blood even though she wasn’t in foal.
Ella was also surprised when she factored in the cost of driving the six miles to and from the livery yard twice a day.
