Owning a horse is no small commitment. Before taking the plunge and signing that bill of sale, you might be looking at your schedule and wondering, when will I fit in my weekly lesson? How often do I need to go out to the barn? How much time will it take me to feed, groom, and ride my horse after work every day?
While bringing an equine companion into your life is undoubtedly a big change, we have some good news: Horse time commitments can be very flexible with the right care situation.
You Have Options
Some horse owners keep their animals in their backyards and provide 100% of their daily care, making grain, tossing hay, mucking stalls daily, and sometimes even hauling heavy water buckets from the house in the winter. They also fix fences and stay up late when their animals are sick. As you can imagine, this kind of setup requires you to be very available and commit much of your time to the barn. Your horse needs you there several times a day, in all kinds of weather, regardless of your other activities and obligations.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, some equestrians’ lifestyle requires their horses to be boarded at full-care facilities, where the horses receive the same level of attention regardless of whether their owners come out on any given day. Hay, grain, water, blanketing, turnout, grooming, stall cleaning—the boarding arrangement includes everything.
Full-care board allows you to be away for days or even weeks without compromising your horses’ care or welfare. Of course, the more a boarding barn takes off your plate, the higher the monthly cost, so that’s something to factor in when determining whether you have the time—and budget—for a horse of your own.
With what’s called “training board” or “full-service board,” horses can even be tacked up and exercised by the trainer(s) on staff. On the other hand, if your goal is to ride and the responsibility of keeping your horse in shape rests entirely on your shoulders, you’ll need to come out to ride or exercise your horse at least a few days a week to maintain his level of fitness.
Understand Horse Time Commitments
If you choose to have your horses at home, you’ll likely reduce your costs—and, of course, your travel time. But keep in mind that the time you save driving to a boarding facility will be spent doing all the barn work yourself.
Similarly, a self-care boarding situation offers a budget-friendly horse-keeping option while housing your animal on someone else’s property. With self-care, also known as “rough board,” the facility owner provides a field—and sometimes a stall—but you are responsible for providing supplies and assume all the responsibilities related to your horse’s care. That often means ordering your own hay, grain, and shavings.
Self-care requires a time commitment similar to keeping your horse(s) at home, and many horse owners will team up with each other and share “shifts.” This means taking care of everyone’s animals once daily instead of coming out twice a day to just care for your own, for example. In a perfect world, this arrangement gives you some freedom and flexibility while providing a community of fellow equestrians who can help you in a pinch.
If you ultimately decide that owning (or full-leasing) a horse is a bigger time commitment than your current situation allows, consider a half-lease. My month-to-month partial lease of a wonderful paint mare named Toasted Marshmallow only requires me to commit to two days a week, a much more manageable schedule. Half-leases come with many benefits of horse ownership at a fraction of the investment—of both time and money.
Final Thoughts
Despite being a major commitment, horse care arrangements can be very flexible and customizable, depending on your preferences, goals, budget, and schedule. This makes it possible for busy college students, working adults, parents, and those with extensive travel schedules to juggle life and horses successfully.
Related Reading:
- Timesavers: Ways to Make Barn Chores More Efficient
- How Much Does a Horse Cost Per Month?
- Boarding or Keeping Your Horse at Home: What’s Best for You?
Lucile Vigouroux, MSc, holds a master’s degree in Equine Performance, Health, and Welfare from Nottingham Trent University (UK) and an equine veterinary assistant certification from AAEVT. She is a New-York-based freelance author with a passion for equine health and veterinary care. A Magnawave-certified practitioner, Lucile also runs a small equine PEMF therapy business.
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