Inflationary Prices of Horsekeeping Staples
First it was last summer's hay crop that ended up in short supply, and at higher prices. Next, we got handed higher prices for grain (see one of my previous posts about that). Now it's a shortage and price jump (if you can even locate a supply) in wood-related bedding--shavings, sawdust, chips, and stall pellets. That pretty much spells inflation in prices of every one of our staples.
When I add it all up, the numbers clearly tell me that my costs have risen enough--just from the factors above--to be the equivalent of having one extra horse to support per month. I don't have much choice but to pass this bad news on to my friends who board their horses at my ranch, and to tell them that their boarding fee HAS to go up. Nor can I avoid taking the required hard look at my own little herd and decide who needs to be first to go. (Which begs the next question: Go where? If a horse-owning lifer such as I is starting to feel priced out out of her passion, how must the cost of horse ownership look to someone just now thinking of joining us? And if I'm feeling pressured to reduce my horse numbers, why wouldn't other established horse owners be feeling the same thing--and be wanting to sell instead of buy?)
This isn't going to be a long post. Instead, I just want to put the rising-costs subject out there and ask how it's affecting you. Your input isn't going to change the bad news on my monthly bill from the farm-and-ranch store, but it might at least make me feel like I'm not the Lone Ranger.
posted by Juli Thorson @ 11:26 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Prices of horsekeeping are rising. Not only are the prices of hay, grain, and shavings rising, so are the costs of gasoline, electricity, and in my community, water and sewer. It is costing more to maintain the horses we currently own and difficult to increase the herd without wondering if we'll soon have to start selling some of our other stock.
Where potential new owners are concerned, one of my regular correspondents points out that newcomers have no point of reference for earlier costs of horsekeeping--so perhaps it won't deter them as much as I feared.
Still, with boarding fees forced to go up in many barns, it does seem as though the increased tab will have to have some effect.
This morning, I compared 2005, 2006 and 2007 consignment numbers of registered horses for an established equine auction company in my area, and the increase was significant--especially between this year and last. "Must cut our numbers" may be a growingly popular thought.
This is just speculation on my part, but it definitely bears watching.
With another hay shortage forecast for 2007, I'm starting now to reserve and make down payments on tonnage from local growers. Bulk-buying of the staples seems like a very wise idea to me right now.
--Juli
I haven't had a problem with grain rising. I did; however, have to really fork out serious money for hay!
Being a first time horse owner, I agree with what Juli said regarding the "no point of reference". My husband and I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into with regads to costs. The monthly fee at the barn we board at jumped between the time we decided to purchase and signing the actual contract. At this point all I care about is that my horse is well taken care of and the ranch doesn't have to scrimp on his bedding or heaven forbid, his daily ration of hay and grain. The rising cost of gasoline is a killer too becasue where I come from, wide open spaces are a commodity and our barn is 40 miles from my home. We do it because we love our horse and wouldn't want to spend our free time any other way. So, I'm willing to scrimp and forego that morning muffin and cup of coffee so I can own my horse.
L. Berard
It depends on geographic location as well. I don't balk at paying $10 a bale for TNA hay because I live in South Florida, where delivery costs are huge. I hear all-too-often of the $3 bales in the Carolinas, and it kills me. Boarding is expensive down here because of the lack of land and the taxes and morgages the land owners are forced to pay. The costs are rising on everything but the horses themselves, and too many farms are stuck between a rock and a hard place. I wish there was something that we can do.
As a horse owner for sevral years the cost hasn't bothered me until now. I currently live on 37 acres and do not have to board my horse. However, I am moving to a city and finding a boarding stable is not just hard but very costly. Most stables are not willing to rent just a stall, which is what I would like to do. I don't mind paying for my own feed, and actually perfer to do that,but stables in my area don't seem to fond of this. So, I find myself stuck in between a rock and a hard place myself.
Here's an idea for you: why not form a co-op for the purpose of obtaining better prices for the commodities you need?
If you're not familiar with the idea, a co-op is basically getting together with some of your neighbors who are just as tired as you are of paying high prices for grain, bedding, and the like.
Form an informal "organization" of rural horse owners and approach vendors in your area (or as close to it as you can get).
Tell them your organization - or "co-op" - is willing to buy all it's horse supplies from that vendor…for a significant discount in price, free delivery, easy payment terms, or whatever other benefit you might want.
If they balk at it, approach another vendor. And another. And yet another until you find one that will give you what you need, in the quantities you need it, at the price you want to pay. I
f you're persistent, you'll find a vendor that is hungry enough for your business that they'll meet your price and terms.
It may be uncomfortable for you, but it's a lot more comfortable than deciding which of your beloved horses should be the next to go.
BTW, Juli, I love your blog, and am happy to link to it from mine.
Sierra Lynch
Horse IQ
Boarding fees are relative to the area that you are in. If you were in the So Cal area, your one bale of hay might cost $20+ and the cost of land has caused most folks to board their horse, if they are into horses at all. Costs of fuel for any motorized toy has gone up. Entry fees for most shows are going up too, just like movie tickets and concerts. So, personally, I see it all as relative. If this is the sport your are into, then these are the costs you must endure.
As for downsizing, that seems to be a big trend across the board. Horses for sale everywhere. It is a buyers market right now, that is for certain.
Carrie Giannandrea
Dances with Horses
It certainly is effecting me in a negative way. Hay is again short here in Missouri, and I'm feeding hay that should be thrown away, for lack of ANY hay around. I dry lot, which is unusual for this area. People with pasture are supplementing with hay, and had I been able to AFFORD to stock up more than I did last summer I would have. Hay that is decsent is around $400 per ton. Grain has literally doubled. I have 7 horses, and work for minimum wage. It once was really inexpensive to keep a horse here, gee I think it was just 2 years ago!
In Nov. 06 you commented on "The Day of the $50 Colt. Reading that some solid paint bred colts selling for $50 at one auction. The reaction was anger at APHA for not having solids show with the colored horses and that's why SPB are so cheap. For the first ever I answered that blog. Feel free to read my reply dated April 28th. Now I read that people are just now realizing that no matter what breed, how many, at home or board, what color your horse is that the market prices flucuate with regional areas, gas prices affect everything, drought, hay, shavings and housing costs. These and bad breeding decisions are what controls the cost of horses, not the breed associations. So let's all make hard personal decisions on how many horses we can afford to care for and then make reasonalbe breeding decisions. Don't bring more horses into this world if you can't afford to take care of all of them yourself. You are not going to make money breeding and selling horses. So please don't try to blame others for your business or personal decisions. BE A RESPONSIBLE HORSE OWNER!
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