Ready to saddle up and buy your first horse for a ride out in the green pastures? A small objection that you might have would be the cost of owning and maintaining a horse.
So, what is the cost of an American Quarter Horse? The average cost of buying an American Quarter Horse is around $3500. The annual cost of owning an American Quarter Horse is estimated to be around $2,500, excluding housing and other costs. Stalls, riding equipment, nutritional items, veterinary care, and other maintenance factors can impact the yearly cost of owning a Quarter Horse by over $1,000 annually.
Here’s the deal:
Quarter Horses are incredibly intelligent; however, their wit and versatility have to be complemented with a suitable environment and proper care to keep their energetic nature alive.
Factors that affect the cost of an American Quarter Horse
Selling or purchasing a horse simply because of its looks and masculine physique is not the right path to choose.
You might find a good-natured, well-trained horse for less than $3,000 and even for $100,000!
You might be wondering:
How do you justify the cost of a Quarter Horse? Is it age? Is it its health?
Well, yes, the horse’s age and health conditions do factor into its price, but a few more factors glue together to help us determine whether or not the horse is worth the price it is being offered at.
Here’s a summarized table of the factors that impact the cost of owning a horse:
| Factors | Impact on Cost |
| Age | Older horses cost higher because of experience; this also depends on the breed and the intent behind buying the horse |
| Training | Already trained horses can cost higher |
| Health conditions | Healthy, insured horses will be charged normal rates. However, ill or sick horses might cost way lesser. |
| Experience in competitions | A win, or experience in competitions will increase the cost of the horse |
| Breeding | A major part of a horse’s cost is the bloodline. Horses of a renowned breed will cost a little more. |
A detailed discussion of the factors is down below:
Age
Quarter Horses, of the age 7 to 14, are in their prime. They are capable of much more work and possess more energy.
In comparison to young horses, older horses might be sold at slightly higher prices because of experience and training. The training for young horses can be a little difficult for new equine enthusiasts.
Training
As discussed, horses in their youth can be trained by professionals to perform a wide variety of tasks like rodeo, ranch activities, or racing.
If a horse is already trained, and still in its prime age, the cost of the horse would be a bit higher. Trained Quarter Horses are also capable of swift learning.
Health Conditions
Minor health difficulties can be dealt with extreme care and proper maintenance.
However, Quarter Horses possessing health issues cost way lesser on the market.
However, serious life-threatening injuries or horses with untreatable diseases shouldn’t be purchased even at a very low cost.
It is advised to visit the veterinarian to get a final verdict before the sale is finalized.
Experience in Competitions
If your Quarter Horse has experience with professional competitions, wins or losses, the price might generally be higher.
This is due to the experience of the track, the training, and the ability to perform at the big stage. A proven winner will cost much higher.
Breeding
An important factor into the costing of a Quarter Horse is the breeding of the horse.
Bloodlines can matter a lot, as it shows in both the training and the performance, allowing the horse to be priced significantly higher.
Costs of Maintaining an American Quarter Horse
Great, you’ve managed to purchase a horse (or are still trying to). The sale is final, and your beautifully exotic Quarter Horse is about to show up.
Now:
After the purchase, a Quarter Horse demands an active environment to keep up with its nature.
Well, for an equine lover, this is nothing but a small fee to keep the horse happy and content.
Although Quarter Horses require lesser food to stay healthy and maintain their build, they still tend to feed on quality hay, vitamins, and supplements to stay healthy. The minimum cost of the feed lies somewhere below $100 every month.
Another additional cost of owning a Quarter Horse could be the maintenance of its hooves.
Farriers, specialists of equine hoof care, are generally called to check and trim the hooves as need be. Although the expense occurs once every few months, it is not that costly.
Like every other living creature, your Quarter Horse is also susceptible to health disorders and might need veterinary care.
From plain vaccinations to dental hygiene, the cost of each of these activities can add over $300 to your annual cost.
In the unlikely case of adverse problems, the veterinary costs might be slightly higher. A simple solution to this is the acquirement of health insurance for your Quarter Horse, hence, avoiding extra charges.
Saddles, bridles, brushes, and bits, are a few additional supplies, which are required to ride a horse. An estimated amount of over $2,000 might be added to your annual cost if you do decide to go with it.
But bear in mind, you’ll need these supplies if you wish to ride your horse. If you’re just starting out, here’s some economical horse riding gear that might help:
With these products, you can get started in under $250. They aren’t the best products in the market, but they’re good for the money and are great starting options.
The Cost of Housing the American Quarter Horse
American Quarter Horses, due to their spirited and lively nature, require more space as compared to other horses.
Although being confined to barns, stables, or shelters is not in the traits of an American Quarter Horse, but it should always have access to one for protection and shelter.
But, here’s the kicker:
Most people, with the will to buy a Quarter Horse, might not have access to private land where the horse could roam freely. In this case, land can be borrowed or rented for your horse.
So, If you’re unable to buy suitable land or don’t reside in an urban area, you could opt for boarding your horse on someone else’s barn or stable.
The estimated monthly cost for boarding lies between $200 for the bare minimum and over $600 for the inclusion of additional services.
Horses show better signs of mental behaviors when close to a herd or equine company. This is optional, but, often discouraged as male horses can have a tussle for dominance.
Apart from housing, a Quarter Horse also requires access to fresh water and an adequate amount of grass or hay.
Greener pastures should definitely be preferred over other types.
Related Questions
Why are Quarter Horses so popular? American Quarter Horses are extremely intelligent and are a versatile breed of horses.
They are capable of much more than a usual horse. With the ability to clock higher speeds than the average horse, they are usually used for short-distance racing.
Owing to their incredible physique, they can also be used as ranch horses and are incredibly popular in the English and American communities.
How much does shoeing a Quarter Horse cost? Although the cost varies from breed to breed, horse to horse and the farrier you’ve chosen, a general rate for the process of completely changing the shoe of a Quarter Horse is around $100.
What horse breed is the most expensive? Arabian horses, Thoroughbred, and American Quarter Horses are considered to be the most expensive horse breeds in the US.
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