How Much Does It Cost To Feed a Horse

How Much Does It Cost To Feed a Horse 

This question is something all of us quietly calculate in our minds but are often too scared to really think about, after all, who can put a price on our best friends? But in these tough times we are all having to tighten our belts a little, so maybe now is a good time to consider how much it does cost to feed a horse- you never know there might be a more economical way to feed your horse without compromising on quality or nutrition.  

The cost of feeding a horse does vary greatly, depending on whether your horse is in work or just spelling in the paddock, their age, availability of feed, what time of year it is, and of course where you live or keep your horse.  

Below is a list of some of the most commonly used feeds and their average cost and weight (costs do vary and these prices are a guide only) 

 

Feed	Weight	Average Cost
Wheaten/Oaten Chaff	20kg	$25 – $30
Lucerne Chaff	25kg	$40 – $45
Extruded Barley	20kg	$30 – $35
Oats	20kg	$20 – $25
Pre-Mix Feed	20kg	$25 – $45
Pre-Mix High Performance	20kg	$50 – $60
Lucerne Hay	10 biscuits	$25 – $35
Barley Hay	10 Biscuits	$20 – $25
Meadow/Grass Hay	10 Biscuits	$15 – $20
Salt	25kg	$10 – $15

 

 

To make things a little easier let’s have a look at the breakdown of the above-average costs on a per-day basis. The diet we have used to calculate this is for a 500kg horse in moderate work, such as a low-level show jumper or eventer, that has access to pasture and is stabled at night. I have included two versions, one for those that use a premix feed and one for those that don’t.  

 

Diet 1 Cost per day (using a high-performance premix and median of average prices) 

Feed	Amount Feed per day	Cost per day
Wheaten Chaff	500grams (2 dippers)	$0.69
Lucerne Chaff	500grams (2 dippers)	$1.06
Premix Feed	2kg	$5.50
Lucerne Hay	2 Biscuits	$6.00
Salt	20g	$0.01
	Total Per day cost	$13.26

 

 

 

Diet 2 Cost per day (using grain and median of average prices) 

Feed	Amount Feed per day	Cost per day
Wheaten Chaff	500grams (2 dippers)	$0.69
Lucene Chaff	500grams (2 dippers)	$1.06
Extruded Barley	1.6kg	$2.60
Lucerne Hay	2 Biscuits	$6.00
Salt	30grams	$0.02
Ration Balancer	45grams	$1.21
	Total per day cost	$11.58

 

Both of these diets have been balanced to the work specs of a 500kg moderate work level horse, and achieve the same nutritional output. We can see though there is $1.68 difference between the variations. Although it sounds small, add this up over a week and there is a saving of $11.76! Over the span of a year, it is over $600!  

You may also want to consider the prices of your additional supplements, such as joint and hoof care, to make sure you are getting good value for your money! It is not a matter of just comparing the prices of buckets in store, but considering the pack size and dose rate, as this can make a very big difference to the daily cost!  

For example, based on RRP (which may vary depending on your stockist), here are some of the daily feeding dose prices on your Ranvet favourites 

Product	Dose per Day	Cost per Day
Flexi Joint Plus (3kg)	30g	$2.70
Ration Balancer (3kg)	30g	$0.81
Hoof Food (5kg)	30g	$1.21
Topline FX (14kg)	300g	$2.81
Salkavite (5kg)	30g	$0.77

 

There are many different and varied rations available, and it can become confusing very quickly! We have mentioned the most commonly used feeds, you may be using something not included in this example. If your diet does feature something different, you are wanting to reassess your diet or aren’t quite sure how to go about it, there are many ways we can help. If you have any questions, please feel free to call, book a support call, or even submit your diet for evaluation.  

 

Written by Selena P.