The All Arounder: Issue #006

**Horse Budget Special Edition**
Can You Help With Your Best Budgeting Advice?

July 2009

Welcome!

The All Arounder is the official monthly newsletter of the Stock Horse Show Source website. Author Lynn Espinoza is the main editor for both the website and this newsletter. With this issue stay up to date with news from the site and horse industry, hot tips for showing and caring for your horse, and "members only" specials!

If you have found this issue of The All Arounder to be helpful, please "pass it on" to someone you know who also enjoys horse showing or who just loves horses. If a friend sent this issue to you and you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the following link to sign up:http://www.stock-horse-show-source/horse-show-tips.html.

Any questions, comments, corrections, suggestions, or topic ideas are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact us as we would love to hear your input!

If you have difficulty reading this as an email, we offer all our back-issues online in the All Arounder Archives.

The All-Arounder Table Of Contents

Inspiration For The Month

News & Updates

FREE GIFT FOR OUR READERS!
We are giving out free downloads to all of our dedicated readers! Now when new readers sign up for an All-Arounder subscription they get a free Horse Show Checklist Download. Since you all have been loyal readers to this ezine we would like to also include you on this free offer.

Right click on this Horse Show Checklist link to download and save the PDF document on your hard drive.

*SPECIAL EDITION*
Horse Budget
Top Tips to Organizing Your Finances

Have you just made your first horse purchase or are you thinking about it? Having a horse budget on hand can help you no matter how much equine experience you have.

"How much?" is a question we hear all the time, yet it is the hardest one to answer. The truth is, each individual horse budget is different from the next. There are so many factors to consider when trying to figure your expenses.

Board, vet, farrier, purchase price, feed, hay, supplements are only a few examples. In this special edition of our monthly newsletter we will be reviewing a few of your more basic horse budget expenses.

We will also be giving you the chance to contribute your advice and ideas to our website! That's right, we want YOUR best tips and horse budget advice to help newer and even some experienced horse owners during these tough times.

Click below to add to our website
http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com/horse-budget.html

Purchase Price
If you are just beginning to look for a horse, your number one budget item may be how much you plan to spend. Long term, this is your cheapest expense because you only have to pay the sticker price once. If you own the horse for 10 years you will spend more in just the basic care of the horse.

Since this expense is in a lump sum, spent at all at once, you may be more limited. You need to decide what a fair amount to spend on a horse is and take into account what you plan to do with your new horse.

If you're looking for a horse to show at a world or national level you will likely have a higher purchase price budgeted than if you were looking for a horse to ride around at home.

Your purchase price budget is unique to you, just make sure you account for the initial care expenses you may need up front such as vet, farrier, and board.

Initial Vet Care
I highly recommend getting a vet check done on a horse before you sign that check. Even if the amount for the vet check is more than how much you are spending on the horse it can save you money.

A vet check is a routine examination of the horse's health and soundness status. It can inform you of any potential problems you can expect in the future. When shopping for horses it is a "buyer beware" world and there are some shady sellers out there who drug sale horses to hide certain soundness and behavior issues.

Of course you will have to plan on routine vet expenses once you purchase your horse, and don't forget the unexpected vet costs.

Farrier Care
You may need to get your new horse trimmed sooner rather than later, depending on how well they were cared for by the previous owner. Many sellers have provided quality care and may sometimes have the horse trimmed/shod before they send it home with you.

Others don't and the horse may be due for a trim right when you get it. If you don't have a farrier, you might want to look into getting one to work with. The best way to find one is through word of mouth based on someone else's experience.

You will need your horse trimmed every 6-8 weeks. If you ride or show regularly your cost will be higher than a basic trim because you might need shoes.

Board
If you plan to board your horse you will likely need a month of expenses paid up front. Most boarding facilities collect board at the beginning of the month in advance for that month's expenses.

Horse board varies quite a bit depending on the area you live in and the services you want included in your board. Some horses are kept in a stall while others are in a pasture.

Some barns have indoor/outdoor riding facilities, exercising and training services. All of which has an impact on the overall amount you spend on board.

Get Published On Our Website
These are just a few of the expenses you can expect to spend up front and in the furture. Here is where you can contribute to our website! Simply go to http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com/horse-budget.html and fill out the form. Once we get your submission we will review it for approval to be added to our site and we can notify you once you have been published.

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