How much does it cost to take care of a horse?
Costs vary greatly around the country. A bale of good hay or alfalfa runs about $15 in California. An average horse will go thru a bale every 4 days. So your monthly hay bill will be $112.00. Grains or pellet supplements average around $12.00 per 50# bag. A horse will eat about 100 lbs per month making the grain cost $22.00 per month. It takes about 30 minutes per day to muck out and rebed a stall. Shavings by the bale run $8 per bale and after the initial 4 bale bed, about 3 bales a week will be needed to replace the removed bedding. So bedding can run around $128 per month for a 12 x 12 stall. If the horse lives only in the stall and is not turned out during the day, the cost for bedding will be much higher. The wages for grooms vary greatly from about $10 to $15 per hour. So, depending on how much help you will be needing with the care of your horse, and whether you are keeping the horse on your own property or boarding out, the basic “room & board” costs can run from $300 to $500 p
