Not-So-Speedy Dressage
From Endurance to Dressage
2016 is definitely going to end up being the cheapest year for equine spending that I have ever had. I am so far behind my "typical" spending that it's making me feel as though I have oodles to spend. I don't. Instead of spending my money on new tack, clinics, and shows, "we" spent it elsewhere. Remember that trip to Italy in June? I saved tons of money that month. In October, we bought a new house. I saved a pile of cash that month, too. Have I mentioned that in November, I hardly spent any money on my horses because I also had to furnish the new house? So yeah. I am basically the queen of saving money. I am sure that by now you know that I watch all of my pennies very closely. We had the money for all of this because we raided next summer's vacation fund. Bye bye, Africa. I would have loved to have seen you in person. Yeah. That's not happening now. Instead, we have a pretty cool new home with lovely new furniture (and more on the way). Not that this is a home decorating blog, but I promise to share more photos when we get the last few furniture deliveries done. Things won't be really done for a long, long time as there is always more to do. When we sell our cabin (Hey! Anyone interested in a GREAT cabin near Bakersfield? Let me know!), we'll use some of that furniture to finish the second spare bedroom and fill in a few gaps here and there. That might take years though. Anyway ... back to the idea that horses are expensive. I laugh because they're really not if you don't spend your money on them. This was yet another month of barebones horse keeping. I spent just over $900 to keep two horses for the month of November. There have been months where I have easily spent three times that amount. For me, the lesson in all of this is that if I didn't have horses, I'd have a LOT more money. I wouldn't be any happier though.
As they say, What's in your wallet? This series makes me VERY glad I keep my horses at home and live in a cheap area. My version of this would be: one bag of grain, $22, average monthly farrier cost: $65. I buy all my hay at one point in the year and pay a grand in property taxes, but no where near $900 a month! I can't wait to see the house! I nerd out about house stuff and horse stuff. ;) 12/1/2016 06:47:08 am
California is definitely not the cheapest place in the nation to live, but I do live in one of the cheaper parts of the state. I have friends who pay way, way more than I do both for their horses and their own houses.
jenj
12/1/2016 06:18:24 am
Once again, I'm sticking my head in the sand. I just wrote a check for $972 this morning for a load of 105 bales of hay. That should last me roughly 3 months with two horses... and that's JUST the hay!!! I don't even want to know the rest of my costs. 12/1/2016 06:49:24 am
I hear you. Right now, I am squeezing out every last penny from every last source. I think my board bill is actually quite reasonable especially since I don't have to do any barn work anymore. It's really nice to just show up and ride without cleaning stalls, watering the arena, or buying hay. Comments are closed.
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About the Writer and RiderI am a lifelong rider.
I began endurance riding in 1996 where I ultimately completed five, one-day 100 mile races, the 200-mile Death Valley Encounter, and numerous other 50, 65, and 75 mile races. I began showing dressage in 2010. Welcome to my dressage journey. About Speedy GSpeedy went from endurance horse to dressage horse. After helping me earn a USDF Bronze medal in the summer of 2020, he is now semi-retired. Speedy is a 2004, 15'1 hand, purebred Arabian gelding. His Arabian Horse Registry name is G Ima Starr FA.
About IzzyIzzy was started as a four-year old and then spent the next 18 months in pasture growing up. I bought him as a six-year old, and together, we are showing at the lower levels. He is a 2008, 16'3 hand warmblood gelding. His Rheinland Pfalz-saar International (RPSI) name is Imperioso.
National Rider AwardsState Rider Awards
State Horse Awards
Working Towards:
CDS Sapphire Rider Award Third Level: 63.514% Third Level: 62.105% Fourth Level: Fourth Level: 2023 Show Season
Show Rating (***) CDS/USDF/USEF (*) CDS (s) Schooling (c) Clinic (r) Ride-a-Test Clinic 2023 Show Schedule
TBD 2023 Completed … Pending 2023 Qualifying Scores
Regional Adult Amateur Competition (RAAC) Qualifying Training Level 3 Scores/2 Judges/60%: Score 1: Score 2: Score 3: Archives
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