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  Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
   
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | What are things that you won't skimp on?
For instance, do you think there's that big of a difference between lower priced splint boots and more expensive ones? |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I don't skimp on anything when it comes to the safety of my horse. I don't know for sure if less expensive leg boots make that much of a difference but I am not going to chance it. I have always thought if my horses got hurt during a run it is not going to be because I didn't do everything I could to prevent it, from proper conditioning to protective gear, to prepping their legs. Accidents are going to happen and if and when they do I don't want to think that I contributed. |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | I have found, in almost every aspect in life, that buying anything cheap will cost you a fortune in the end. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Joint Care
Saddles
Farriers
Quality of the stable I choose to board at (I don't have property)
Things I can skimp: My tack set was not one of the fancier brands, but the leather is safe and decent quality.
I save my fancier tack for shows, so it lasts longer.
For the time being, I have an older trailer that is still in great condition.
I don't buy electric at shows, as I don't have a kitchenette. I would probably save money cooking if I hauled with a family, but since it is just me, I pack a cooler and buy any hot food I want.
So basically, I will live in a cardboard box so my horse will have the best possible life. |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | I don't skimp on leg protection (iconoclast) or saddle pads (5 star). My cheapest items are my Oxbow headstall and Billy Cook breast collar, but there is nothing wrong with them. |
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Meanest Teacher!!!
Posts: 8555
Location: sunny california | my problem is I hate to skimp. it is getting hard to find a place to go out to eat. I like quality ingredients and that costs a bundle these days. I have noticed a decline on the quality of the food eating out so we have to stay home all the time. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | Longneck - 2015-01-30 7:38 AM I don't skimp on leg protection (iconoclast) or saddle pads (5 star). My cheapest items are my Oxbow headstall and Billy Cook breast collar, but there is nothing wrong with them.
All of my pads are 5 star, ed wright (which IME are equal to the 5 stars), and saddleright. I forgot to include that.
A good fitting saddle and pad makes a HUGE difference. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 617
Location: London Ontario | I am horseless as of yet but when I did have them I for sure didn't skimp out on where they lived(I don't own property) and what they ate. I also made sure I had a GOOD vet and farrier. I also made sure I had well fitting tack so that my horses were comfortable. I also make sure they are taken care of health wise. |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| I don't skimp on saddle pads (my new CSI came yesterday yay!), saddles, bell boots, boots in general, bits, etc. All my headstalls and breastcollars are English bridle or Hermann oak leather. I don't ride much bling, I prefer nice silver buckle sets and conchos. I have a beaded set that lives in my house because it's too pretty to use, kind of sad, but it is what it is.
I also don't skimp on insurance. Everyone has major medical. It's really saved me some big dollars along the way.
I don't skimp on truck and trailer maintenance and keeping good tires on.
If it needs done, it gets it, no matter how inconvenient or expensive. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 550
| Hay & vet. I don't have a problem using a cheaper vet for routine shots, coggins, etc, but for any lameness/soreness issue, I'll spend the $. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1028
| Never ever skimp on the quality of hay they have in front of them, as well as a good fitting saddle and pad for each of them and vet care/farrier work. My horses all see a certified equine podiatrist for their feet, and he happens to be a wonderful lameness vet, but definitely not the cheapest, but I like to know they're in the best hands that they can be in.
Like another poster said, I'd probably live in a cardboard box if it meant the horses were happy. I don't have the fanciest, most expensive tack set, but it is functional and I think it's pretty. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 232
Location: Winging It in KY | barrelracr131 - 2015-01-30 8:38 AM Joint Care
Saddles
Farriers
Quality of the stable I choose to board at (I don't have property)
Things I can skimp: My tack set was not one of the fancier brands, but the leather is safe and decent quality.
I save my fancier tack for shows, so it lasts longer.
For the time being, I have an older trailer that is still in great condition.
I don't buy electric at shows, as I don't have a kitchenette. I would probably save money cooking if I hauled with a family, but since it is just me, I pack a cooler and buy any hot food I want.
So basically, I will live in a cardboard box so my horse will have the best possible life.
THIS^^^^^^
Also the reason that I eat Ramen Noodles and yogurt everyday for lunch. Less than $1.50 so I can buy stuff for the horses and horse show!!! LOL! My father thinks I'm pathetic. Go figure. He's not a horse person either! |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I don't skimp on things for my horses,
But I do shop around for the best deal
I have found a used csi for 90.00
Where I ordered my crown c was 500 cheaper then any other place
Suppliments, I wait till the place has a sale ie exceed/Lubrysin, dewormer at horseloverz when they have their 20% off day.
Back on track the place I buy has a sale 4 times/yr where they are 15-20% off. The same place I will buy my first aid supplies, vet wrap, cotton batting, syringes, needles, magic cushin, some suppliments on this sale day ( everything min 15% off)
I am finding that certain things are substantially cheaper on amazon.
For leg protection, I found the best deals at the NFR, (ie iconoclast 75/pr) but when shopping there you must know the regular prices back home as some things are more money.
Point, if you are willing to shop around you don't have to skimp |
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I Need a Xanax!
Posts: 2774
| Murphy - 2015-01-30 6:46 AM
I have found, in almost every aspect in life, that buying anything cheap will cost you a fortune in the end.
I totally agree. You can pay $100 for some nice boots and have them to last several years or you can pay $50 for some cheap ones and have them last 6 months. You can pay $8 for some cheap grain, feed 10 lbs per day and still have your horses look terrible or you can pay $18 per bag for some good grain, only have to feed 4 lbs per day and have your horses looking fabulous. Same goes for cheap hay versus good hay. I feel like you will almost always spend MUCH more on the cheaper lower quality items than if you had just forked over the $$'s to buy the good stuff in the first place so it works out to be more cost efficient in the long run to buy the more expensive things. |
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 I Chore in Chucks
Posts: 2882
Location: MD | I skimp on things like brushes, soaps(unless they have a medical need for special shampoos), buckets, hay bags, blankets and know i have to replace them quickly. Things that are going to take some wear and tear anyways and they wont have a negative impact on my horses if they break or something.
I do also semi "skimp" on round bales... They get extremely good quality hay in their stalls so when they are outside on that round bale I will buy the meadow grass hay vs alfalfa/orchard grass(fancy pants round bales for double or triple the price.) The quality is still great, but I'm not spending an arm and a leg for a bale that will be exposed to the elements.
Things i wouldn't dream of skimping on..
Stall hay & feed
tack
Truck/trailer combo
ETA: anything I have to hire a professional to do.
All of these things are subject to price point. I could have afforded an older weekender trailer that was bigger with better features but less mechanically safe (bed, rear tack, etc) , or an older truck but bigger and cooler maybe with some mechanical issues. I decided to buy a new trailer that's a 2 horse BP with a small tack. but I KNEW my horses would be safe and cozy in this trailer. My truck? bought basically next to new. but it's basic on the inside, crank windows, manual locks, just a radio, no cd player/ipod hookup but it hauls my trailer perfectly with the right amount of power. I will spend less on something and look a little less "cool" but everything I buy my horses are subject to is always functioning and for their benefit. I would suffer so I can give them the best...
Edited by Crowned Image 2015-01-30 9:45 AM
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | Things I skimp on - Winter blankets
- Tack (must be functional and safe but I don't have any $500 tack sets)
- Grooming stuff
- Treat jar (currently using an old Maxum HA jar that has a broken lid - my brother rebuilt it by duck taping the pieces back together)
- My comfort on the road (drive a 1995 half ton gas pickup and pull a 1995 stock combo trailer)
- My food (hello DOLLAR MENU!!!! I also pack an ice chest all summer and redeem my credit card rewards for gift cards to nicer restaurants like Applebees & Olive Garden)
- I make my own polo wraps & buy bell boots only when they're on sale.
Things I don't skimp on: - Vet care
- Farrier work
- Supplements
- Feed (though I do buy it in bulk from the local co-op at a price of about $10-11 per bag for my low starch mix)
- Hay (I help Dad put our horse hay up every summer and then I pick through the barn every time I load any for the weekend, making sure I take the best bales I can find and leave the stemmier stuff for the sheep & goats)
- Feel good stuff for the horses - PHT Magnetics, Back on Track, Soft Rides
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| rodeowithjoker - 2015-01-30 9:29 AM
Things I skimp on - Winter blankets
- Tack (must be functional and safe but I don't have any $500 tack sets)
- Grooming stuff
- Treat jar (currently using an old Maxum HA jar that has a broken lid - my brother rebuilt it by duck taping the pieces back together)
- My comfort on the road (drive a 1995 half ton gas pickup and pull a 1995 stock combo trailer)
- My food (hello DOLLAR MENU!!!! I also pack an ice chest all summer and redeem my credit card rewards for gift cards to nicer restaurants like Applebees & Olive Garden)
- I make my own polo wraps & buy bell boots only when they're on sale.
Things I don't skimp on: - Vet care
- Farrier work
- Supplements
- Feed (though I do buy it in bulk from the local co-op at a price of about $10-11 per bag for my low starch mix)
- Hay (I help Dad put our horse hay up every summer and then I pick through the barn every time I load any for the weekend, making sure I take the best bales I can find and leave the stemmier stuff for the sheep & goats)
- Feel good stuff for the horses - PHT Magnetics, Back on Track, Soft Rides
^^This^^ |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | lol, this was a hard one. I think the only thing I skimp on when it comes to my horse (prly the reason I only have 1!) is giving my own vaccines. Oh, and I once ordered L&W knock off's instead of EW originals....
All my stuff lasts forever though! That's the nice thing about buying quality. |
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 Expert
Posts: 5293
| For me, HAY.....
I'm paying 28.00 a Square bale for quality alf/Orchard trucked in from Oregon. I figure a vet bill is way more expensive than quality hay. Bell boots are Bell boots. LOL Im not into Bling so I could care less about plain tack etc. Oh, the biggest thing. HORSES. If I buy horses I will pay more for quality. Dinks eat just as much as a good horse. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| I do not have to have the super flashy tack or the latest greatest saddle. Sure, I would LOVE to own a fully decked out double J but I just dont "need" something like that. I have two saddles, both of which were gifts from family (one for my 12th birthday, 1 for my highschool graduation). I do think saddle fit is important and would purchase a used nicer brand saddle if I needed one to fit a certain horse. I dont pull a large LQ trailer. We have a 2 horse aluminim with front tack. It gets me where I need to go safely. I do however like to ensure my horse has good leg protection, a good supportive pad, good feet (farrier), and good nutrition (feed, hay, any suppliments needed) |
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