Surviving a recession or credit crunch is difficult enough, but when you have horses and ponies which rely on you for food, shelter and medical attention, every little bit helps.
It's a sad fact that many horses and ponies are given up or abandoned every week, as owners struggle to cope with the current economic climate, and there are currently many horses for sale.
Sara Tuppen from the Horse Refuge in Wittersham Kent, knows all about looking after horses when money is scarce, having to rely solely on donations to keep over 40 rescued horses in good health.
She believes there are a few points which could help make owning a horse on a budget a little easier:
1. Many horses can live quite happily outside for most of the year, as long as there's food, water and shelter available. If this is a suitable option for your horse, it could reduce the cost of stabling considerably.2. Removing shoes is an easy way to keep costs down. If not ridden regularly, or on rocky ground, many horses will not need shoes.3. Sharing your horse is a great way to cut (even halve!) costs, and provides a cheaper introduction to horse ownership for someone else.4. In many cases you can get free stabling and occasionally hay and bedding in return for chores. Mucking out, grooming, maintenance etc. are all jobs which could save you money for a little hard work!5. Vets bills are an unknown factor but still have to be considered. If money's a little tight, you may find a lot of Vets will allow you to spread the cost, and pay in instalments.6. Many people can make lifestyle changes! It's not all about finding ways to keep your horse more cheaply, see if you can do it for yourself!7. Wherever possible, horse owners can often club together to buy feed and bedding in bulk, reducing the overall price and passing on savings to all.8. As a last resort, you can look into getting your horse a foster home, even as a companion.
There are many ways in which The Horse Refuge can help. If you would like any more information, or would like to donate, please call Sara on 01797 270555 or visit http://www.horserefuge.org
If you're in a position to loan, or even buy a horse or pony, there are many horses for sale at http://www.horseandponydirectory.com