Proof That Horses Are Too Expensive

Posted by Laura Thompson Nov 7, 2008

I'm an organized person. My desk at home is clutter-free, with all kinds of funky desk accessories to organize pens, paper clips, highlighters, Post-It notes and various other utensils I use on a daily basis. In my refrigerator, drinks are stored on the top shelf and all produce goes in the bottom drawer. Heck, even my closet is organized according to articles of clothing and the seasons in which I wear them.

If possible, I'm even more neurotic about organizing my finances. I keep manila folders for each month of expenses and income, and I meticulously detail every check I write and every card I swipe. This is how I discovered that horses are indeed too expensive.

It's official: I now spend more money each month to care for my horse than I do on items for myself.

Let's start with board. I currently pay $625 per month in rent, plus another $300 in utilities. For my horse, I spend $650 in board, plus an average of $500 in supplements, medical supplies, farrier visits, veterinary check-ups and other odds and ends.

Then lets go to clothing. Last month, I purchased a new sheet and blanket for my horse, the total of which came to $225. In the last three months, I've spent only $80 in new clothes for myself, including a jacket that I really liked at J.C. Penny's.

Gasoline? Since I work from home, the only time I use my car on a human errand is to visit the grocery store (.4 miles away) and occasionally a friend's or family member's house. To get to the barn, however, I have to drive 22 miles round trip every morning or afternoon.

If this isn't proof that horses are too expensive, I don't know what is. Granted, I don't have kids, and my tastes in clothes and food are perhaps simple compared to the average American woman. Nevertheless, my only money-consuming hobby other than horses is reading, and I buy most of my books from the half-price bookstore.

If you're thinking about buying a horse, please realize that these beautiful animals don't come cheap. Even if you can manage to find a worthy horse for just a few hundred dollars, the monthly upkeep is exorbitant. Now I'm going to go work on a few articles for a magazine in the hopes that I'll be able to afford my horse for at least another month or two.