After living on our horse farm for one year now, there will not be any going back to city living for me. When I was much younger, 7...8, I really liked horses. I collected the Breyer horses, horse sculptures, and had a rug with horses hanging on the wall. I wish I had kept all that; I was young and thought it would be cool to put it all in a garage sale my parents were having. Now I get to be around the real thing; 10 of them, as of right now, and twice a day/seven days a week. It does several things for me each day; I get to enjoy fresh air and the outdoors, I get great exercise (lost 45 pounds in about the first six months), I get alone time to contemplate life, and I get to be around an animal I find to be truly amazing.
Owning a horse is a big responsibility. It requires commitment, time and money. You need to dedicate time to grooming, exercising, daily basic care, and travel if the horse is not on your property. Horses cost money; they need shelter, feed, medical care, shoeing, riding equipment, riding lessons, and training. If you are getting a horse for a child, you need to reinforce the commitment required. Before purchasing a horse spend a month to two participating in the care of someone else's horse to see if you can stick with it.
As far as keeping a horse, you have a few options. You could pay $100-$500 per month to have the horse cared for and board; with this option you do not have to do anything, but pay the bill. The boarding price will range depending if you have your horse stalled, placed in a paddock, or pastured. Another option is boarding your horse at a lower fee, and you go out and take care of your horse yourself daily. Boarding facilities usually will not go either way; they are either a facility that cares for your horse or a facility where you have to care for your own horse. And thirdly, which is where I come in; you keep your horse where you live. You will need to make sure horses are permitted and that the property can physically handle one. The property will need shelter for the horse, space for exercise, fresh water, and space for grazing (typically 1-2 acres per horse). If you are thinking about getting a home with land you can keep a horse, I can help. There are a lot of great properties in the Springfield, MO surrounding area that can accommodate horses. If you want more information about owning a horse I can help you there too. Or, have a horse property you would like to sell? I would be glad to help. - WilliamsClassicHomes.com
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