Buying a horse sounds like a dream, right? You imagine riding your own horse through open fields, showing off at competitions, or maybe even participating in a high-end horse racing event.
However, it is something that feels both exciting and scary at the same time. Horses, depending on their use and breed, can cost a lot of money. On top of that, most beginners overlook the recurring costs of owning a horse, which is why, in most cases, owners lose money. Understanding this full scope is crucial to making a sound horse ownership investment.
Owning a horse, purely as an investment, isn’t a good strategy. Why? Well, horses don’t pay off much, and to see big profits, you need to invest a lot of money. However, if you love being around horses and owning one is your passion, then you should consider getting one, but only after you’ve learned how to properly take care of a horse.
So, let’s dive deeper and see whether owning a horse makes financial sense, and what it’s really like to invest in a horse.
What Kind of Horse Ownership Investment Are We Talking About? (Emotional, Financial)
For most people, horses are an emotional investment first and foremost. Being around horses, living relaxed on a farm, it’s all an emotional investment. After all, horses are living, breathing creatures that require time, care, and attention. People buy horses because they love them, not necessarily because they expect to turn a profit. So, if you are looking for an emotional return, you’ll probably find plenty of it, especially if you are a big horse lover.
However, this doesn’t mean that horses can’t be financially rewarding.
If you consider your horse as a monetary “investment” and expect to make a profit out of this journey, things get trickier. Horses can be unpredictable and expensive, and the costs of maintaining them often outweigh any potential earnings, unless you’re highly experienced and skilled in the business.
The True Cost of Horse Ownership
Let’s talk about costs first, and then we’ll see the potential of making a profit. Depending on the breed, age, and level of training, a horse ownership investment might cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands, especially when it comes to Thoroughbred racehorses.
The reason why Thoroughbred horses cost so much is that they may be coming from a champion bloodline, and they are the best breed to choose if you want to make a profit from owning a horse. Racehorses win big prize purses, but if you see today’s horse racing picks from the horse racing betting market, you’ll notice that all of these horses have big teams, costing millions of dollars.
So, the cost of entering the highly competitive horse racing industry is sky high.
Then you should consider ongoing costs like boarding, feeding, and caring for your horse, which can easily run into thousands per month. On top of that, there are veterinary bills that need to be paid, vaccines, and occasional emergencies.
Now, let’s talk about hoof care, which needs to be done regularly by a farrier, and that alone can add up fast. Training, riding gear, and maintenance are also significant expenses.
When you add everything together, owning a horse starts to look more like maintaining a luxury vehicle than an investment.
When Horses Can Become a Real Investment
Of course, some people manage to turn horse ownership investment into a profitable venture, but it usually takes years of experience in the business, patience, a lot of losses, and a bit of luck. Racehorses, as we mentioned before, can bring in serious prize money if they perform well, but that world is incredibly competitive, and the cost of entry is high (trainers, stabling, travel, registration).
Some horse owners manage to make a profit from breeding, especially if they have access to high-quality bloodlines. Others make money through competitive events (usually small amounts that barely cover horse care costs), but winning such events can attract sponsorships.
People can also buy horses, train them, and then resell them for a higher price, but this requires deep knowledge and years of experience in the field.
So, technically, it is possible to make money with horses, but if we are talking about “investments,” there are many other, less complicated and risky ways to do so.
The Non-Financial Rewards
While horses might not make you rich, you can live a richer (happier) life, and that’s a good payoff. Taking care of horses is very rewarding, and many people find peace and pleasure in this process. The daily horse routines build discipline and responsibility. It also takes your mind off things and relaxes you.
On top of that, something is grounding about the connection between a horse and a rider, something that cannot be measured in numbers.
So, Is It Really Worth It?
If you are asking about horse ownership investment as a “financial investment,” that’s probably not a good idea. There are too many risky elements that are usually outside of your control, and things can spiral very quickly, resulting in losing money.
But if you are asking whether it is a good life investment, then absolutely, especially if you are a big horse lover or someone who appreciates these beautiful creatures.
