Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2009 | Page 89
EQUESTRIAN - Sponsored by Brickfields and Froghill Tack
getting value for your money or simply
pouring it down the drain. It’s well worth
spending a little time researching how
useful the supplement really is and asking
your vet for their opinion before handing
over your cash.
MAKE YOUR HORSE SING
FOR HIS SUPPER
If you feed forage in a haynet, try using
one with small holes, or put one haynet
inside another. This makes it harder for
your horse to get the hay out, which has
two benefits. Firstly, it will keep him busy
– great for his psychological well-being.
Secondly, it means your horse will be
less likely to spend most of the night
spreading his forage throughout his bed
– so you can save money on both hay and
bedding.
Of course, it is essential not to make
it too hard for him to eat his fill and, as
ever, you should monitor his weight and
condition.
WATCH YOUR WORMING
Adequate worm control is essential and
part of any horse owner’s duty of care to
ensure the animal’s welfare. However, we
are often guilty of overusing wormers –
bad news for our pockets and, in fact, it
contributes to resistance against worming
products.
You can save money by giving your
horse the correct amount of wormer
according to his weight. Over-estimating
the dose won’t benefit your horse and just
wastes cash. Make sure that you worm
strategically – use the right product at the
right time of year. Your vet can advise you
on which products to use, and when to use
them – as can BHS Welfare.
Rather than routinely administering a
dose of wormer, consider getting your
horse’s faecal egg counts done regularly.
This is cheaper than buying a wormer
and means you can dose your horse only
when he actually needs it. Ask your vet
about arranging faecal egg counts for your
horse.
LET YOUR HORSE BE A HORSE
A horse in a stable is more expensive than
one in a field when you factor in the cost
of bedding and feed. So, to save money,
turn your horse out as much as possible.
Most horses can thrive outdoors in almost
all weather – providing they have access to
good quality forage, hard standing, a good
shelter and are rugged appropriately.
Of course, this isn’t suitable for all
horses, particularly if they are elderly or
poor-doers, but it does have the added
benefit of allowing the horse to meet his
behavioural needs for exercise, foraging
and socialising. Turnout can be easy on
your pocket and great for your horse!
GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP
FROM YOUR FRIENDS
Clubbing together with friends means
you can buy in bulk and obtain discounts
on items such as feed, hay, bedding and
wormers. It might also be a good idea to
try and car-share on the way to the yard
or tack shop to save on fuel costs.
If you don’t know many other horsy
people in your area, why not get involved
with your BHS county committee where
you are bound to meet like-minded
people?
MAKE DO AND MEND
Remember that your horse doesn’t care
what he looks like – there is no need
to spend a fortune on fancy rugs and
equipment just because it’s stylish! What
matters is that your horse is warm and
well looked after.
So, save money
by getting your
rugs repaired and
re-proofed, and
keep your tack in
good condition
with regular
cleaning, it’s a
lot cheaper than
buying new and
your horse won’t
thank you for
spending a fortune
on the latest
fashions!
life
The right sharer will contribute towards
costs and can save time with stable duties
and exercising your horse. It’s important
to ensure you get the right sharer – one
that will get on with you and your horse
and that you can rely on. This might take
a while, so don’t leave your search until
you’re desperate for the extra income.
It’s also vital to make it clear where
everyone stands – put everything in
writing and have a signed agreement that
covers who is responsible for which costs,
stable duties – and when the sharer has
access to the horse.
Also, make sure you include any
restrictions on the use of the horse – for
example, perhaps he is not sound to jump
or can’t be hacked out alone.
BHS Welfare is happy to discuss sharer
agreements with anyone who might be
considering this course of action.
If you have any top tips for surviving the
credit crunch, email: [email protected].
uk and we will add the best tips onto our
website
SHARE AND
SHARE ALIKE
Getting a sharer
for your horse may
seem like many
owner’s worst
nightmare, but it
can work well and
save you an awful
lot of money as
long as you go into
it with your eyes
open.
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