Innie or an Outie?

This question came from one of our very own boarders at Meadowview Farms! Debbie from Yonkers approached me last week to ask a question I'm sure many any thorough horse owner would wonder:

"Does my horse have a belly button? Where can I find it?"

Horses do in fact have belly buttons as do all placental mammals.

The foal develops for 11 months inside the mare and is supported by an umbilical cord attached to a placenta during this time. Once the foal is born, the umbilical cord is broken naturally through the foals first few steps. A few weeks later there is a tiny stub on the belly much like an infants. This stub must be kept clean with an iodine solution to prevent over scarring or a hernia. Once the stub heals, it forms a navel and then hair grows over it, which is why it is not very noticeable. If you want to look for your horses navel, start at the sheath or udder area and work your way up the belly about four inches or so. Also like people, a horse navel can be any number of shapes or sizes. What does your horse have?

Cost of Boarding in a Recession...

Our first post comes from Kristen in Poughkeepsie and she writes:

My new years resolution is to cut back financially given the economy. My barn friends tell me that I should try to find a way to keep my horse at home rather then board. I currently work and have a young son, will this really save me the money I need?

This is a great question to start off the year with! As the new year forces us to consider all aspects or our lives , the issue of finances comes up for many people, and horse people are no exception. For those people who do board their horses, do you have a clear idea of what your board provides you? Not every stable offers a breakdown of where your check goes, and while most day to day costs are typically priced the same regionally, board prices can range anywhere from $250 to $2500 depending on your area. Do how do you decided where your stable weighs in?

To better understand what your money goes to, first consider the most obvious costs: grain, hay, bedding, and labor. The average price of a 50-pound bag of quality grain is $15, and an average size horse, around 1200 pounds, eats between 12 to 24lbs per day, depending on activity level. Horses in training and pregnant, lactating mares consume the most grain. The typical price of a bale of hay is $5, a horse will eat between 1/2 to 3/4 of a bale in 24 hours. Shavings average approximately $6 per bag, and a horse will require 5 bags per week for maintaining a clean stall. An increased bedding cost will be incurred for mares and foals, who need to bedded on both straw and shavings. While they need the comfort and cushion of a shavings-base, the direct inhalation of shaving dust is a serious, potentially fatal risk for babies while lying down. Given that consideration, straw needs to cover the area of the stall over the shavings, protecting foals from dust. A mare and foal will go through 4 bags of shavings and 2 bales of straw per week; straw is generally priced at $5 per bale. The cost of labor, which can be estimated at $10 per hour for an experienced, knowledgeable farmhand, will vary according to how much time is spent care-taking for the horses, the barn, and the land, but for proper supervision of all elements, at least 8 hours per day can be expected.

Other, more hidden costs are often related to the facility itself, and to as-needed aspects of equine care. For the barn, items such as camera systems ($500+), stall guards ($50 each), feed tubs ($30 each), water buckets ($10) each, and other necessities such as fans, heat lamps, tools and hardware, etc, can go unnoticed by the boarder, but certainly not to the stable owner! The same goes for the miscellaneous use of medications, topical treatments, tack items, halters and blankets, etc. Tractors to seed, mow and maintain the pastures, repairs to the facility and fencing, snow plowing, as well as manure management and removal all require supplies and labor, and all of these can be also considered safety costs for your horse. The cost of electricity and heating, even used conservatively, has a significant impact, in addition. Yet, even beyond those sometimes forgotten expenses, one of the largest unseen costs is for insurance--a liability policy for care, custody, and control of horses can be quoted over $6-7,000 per year.

With those figures in mind, you will generally find that for a single horse, you are vastly underpaying the expense of boarding! This is only more true when you factor in the priceless expertise of a good caretaker, whose value is considerable. The cost of experience is ultimately the cost of prevention from illness, injury, or other trauma. So while the daily expenses stay the same, analyze what are you truly paying for with labor--a famous name, an attitude, or a facility that truly cares for your horse? If you are not already confident in and happy with your situation, reviewing these costs and factors can empower you to make a better choice.

Welcome Everyone!

This blog was created to help the horse community come together in a place where they could share questions, stories, or insight that help us all become better horsemen or women :).

Horse sense is the basis of horsemanship. This is the abilty of a person to understand horses and even to think like a horse. The better you understand horses, the more you will enjoy them and the better rider you will be! Whether you're a seasoned professional or a new owner or just someone who wants to educate themselves this is a great place to start! I encourage everyone to participate by submitting any questions or things they would like to share, let's get the ball rolling! Submissions can be sent via e-mail to meadowviewfarms@gmail.com or through our facebook or You Tube page.