How to Spend Smart on Horse Care in Tough Times | Horse Care on a Budget

Feed, farrier, and vet bills have climbed steeply since 2020, leaving many horse owners asking the same question: where can I cut costs without cutting corners?

The answer isn’t to skip vaccines or stretch deworming schedules. It’s to spend smarter — focusing on feed efficiency, preventive care, and management habits that save money in the long run. Here are some tips that may help you save.

Owning horses doesn't have to be a drain on your wallet!

🌾 Hay Efficiency: Buy Smarter, Not More

Hay prices have jumped sharply, but the solution isn’t to feed more grain or splurge on premium alfalfa. Most horses — especially those not in heavy work — do perfectly well on quality grass or timothy hay.

If you’re not sure what you’re buying, a basic hay analysis (around $25/sample) from a lab like Equi-Analytical can help you balance nutrients and avoid wasting money on unnecessary feed or supplements.

When you find a good supplier, buy in bulk. It locks in the current price before it climbs again and guarantees consistent quality through the season. If a full semi is more than you can handle, team up with neighbors or barn mates to share a large order — you’ll save on freight and secure inventory together.

Whatever you buy, store it right: keep bales off the ground, covered, and out of the rain. Wet hay isn’t just wasted money — it’s a colic risk waiting to happen.

🌾 Cut Grain, Not Nutrients

Grain is one of the biggest unnecessary expenses in the average feed room. Most horses that aren’t in steady work or struggling to maintain weight don’t need it at all. Quality hay or grass provides everything they need for maintenance. In my experience, about 70% of horses being fed grain could do just as well — or better — without it.

Many owners often feed grain out of habit, not necessity. They think horses need it but in reality, they don't. Switching to forage-only diets can save hundreds of dollars per year — and reduce problems like obesity, laminitis, colic, and gastric ulcers.

If your horse is in moderate to heavy work, choose a balanced concentrate instead of mixing grain and supplements together. Formulated feeds are designed to complement forage and prevent nutrient imbalances. Most supplements are completely unnecessary.

And when it comes to supplements, less is more. Pick one product that serves a clear purpose — don’t pile on powders that duplicate ingredients and do nothing but lighten your wallet. Ask your veterinarian for guidance before making changes, and if you’re unsure where to start, send me a message. I’m always happy to answer questions!

🩺 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀

Skipping routine care to save money rarely works out. It only postpones a larger, more expensive problems.

• Annual dental checkups and floating directly improve feed efficiency and nutrient absorption. Horses with sharp points or uneven wear can’t chew properly and subsequently will not be able to absorb nutrients properly.

• Fecal egg counts twice a year (about $25–$35) let you deworm only when needed, reducing cost and slowing parasite resistance.

• Keeping up with preventative care (like vaccinations and wellness exams) is far less costly than dealing with the consequences of a preventable disease.

• Share farm calls with neighboring owners to split vet travel fees. Small coordination efforts can mean significant savings over time.

Preventive medicine isn’t optional when budgets are tight — it’s exactly how you keep horses healthy and avoid the kind of emergencies that wreck a budget overnight.

Veterinarians treating a horse for colic.

🦶 Farrier Care: Pay for What Your Horse Actually Needs

Not every horse needs shoes. In fact, most don’t. For horses that aren’t in heavy work or traveling regularly on hard surfaces, routine trimming is often all that’s required to keep hooves balanced and healthy.

A simple trim costs a fraction of a full shoeing and, for many horses, it’s the healthier long-term choice. Barefoot management allows the hoof to function more naturally, improves circulation, and reduces the risk of lost or twisted shoes — another hidden expense.

That said, some horses genuinely need shoes. If your horse has thin soles, chronic hoof cracks, or does consistent road or performance work, proper shoeing is worth every penny. The goal isn’t to cut costs at your horse’s expense — it’s to stop paying for services that don’t actually benefit them.

If you’re not sure which approach is right for your horse, ask your farrier and veterinarian to evaluate hoof condition together. A quick, informed conversation can save you hundreds of dollars a year while keeping your horse sound and comfortable.

A farrier skillfully nailing a horseshoe onto a horse's hoof,

🐴 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻

Horses were built to move, not stand in stalls. Yet many owners spend more on boarding, bedding, labor, and stall cleaning than on actual feed. Turning horses out as much as possible is better for them — and for your wallet.

Pasture turnout reduces costs in almost every direction: less bedding, less mucking, fewer respiratory issues, fewer vices from boredom, and lower risk of colic from stalled inactivity. Even part-day turnout makes a difference. After more than two decades in practice, I can count exactly one colic case from a horse kept on pasture. Every other one came from a stalled environment.

Good management doesn’t mean fancy facilities. It means clean water, safe fencing, proper shelter, and horses that can move, graze, and be horses. Everything else is optional — and often expensive.

Horses grazing peacefully in a picturesque mountain meadow.

💬 Final Thoughts | Horse Care on a Budget

Rising costs are squeezing every corner of horse ownership — feed, farrier, vet care, and supplies. But good horsemanship has never been about spending more money. It’s about spending it wisely. Horse care on a budget doesn’t have to be cheap — just smart.

Focus on what actually benefits the horse: sound nutrition, proper dental and hoof care, turnout, and preventive veterinary work. Skip what doesn’t — excess grain, redundant supplements, unnecessary shoes, and the endless cycle of stall-bound “care.”

Every dollar should work toward keeping your horse healthier, more comfortable, and less likely to end up in crisis. That’s true stewardship — and the most affordable kind of horse ownership there is.

Have thoughts or suggestions? Did we miss something that’s worked for you? We’d love to hear from you. Share your experiences or questions — we’re all in this together, doing the best we can for the animals who depend on us.

There is nothing like the love between a girl and her pony.