Stablekeeping costs 2017

We all know it's expensive..

Basic must haves 10228€ which is little under 900€ a month (2016/2015):
  • Hay and other feeds 6993€     (5060€/5000€)
  • Bedding 1903€     (1150€/1500€)
  • Electricity 1332€     (2500€/2300€)
Usually the last hay bill is due in January, this year it was paid already in December. The summer was quite cold and rainy, so horses stayed in more than usual. Causing both hay and bedding consumption to rise. We had shavings as bedding most of the year, switching to straw pellets in the fall.

Electricity bill use to be extreme. Giving it a serious thought benefitted us with much lower costs. In the end, the solutions were quite simple.

It would be nice to get the stable working so that basic must haves would be the only costs to consider.




Other expenses climbed up to 13000€ which is about 1000€ a month (2016 - 1540/month and in 2015 - 2333/month):

  • Financing 6000€
  • Bits and pieces 4793€
  • Machinery 935€
  • Waste management 502€
  • Telecommunications 272€
  • Tractor/atv 411€
  • Insurance 100€

In total a bit over 23000 € which is just under 2000 a month. That's the cost.

This cost doesn't include my wage since I don't get one. It doesn't include vet bills, farrier visits, equipment or any other private costs of my own horses.

We have 6 stalls, which makes the cost of one stall little under 4000€ a year. That's about 323 euros per month per stall. That's the lowest it's ever been!

Same thing with the income. It dropped. I use to have just one horse of my own. Back then I had room for 5 customers. Most of the 2017 we had 4 customers, now there's room only for three. Income was only 12500€. Before it use to be over 20000€ a year.

This year stable cost me about 10500€ (12500-23000).

You could say I almost broke even with my customers. They're share of the costs was quite close to what they paid me. Our basic monthly rent is 380€ and 2 cleaning shifts a week. In euros the cost doesn't come close, but when you put a price to the work they do, you get closer.

Should be too easy..Accounting is never that simple. You have to figure out allowances and other specifics. After all the math involved the actual loss was 4226 euros. This doesn't include any part of the costs I have from my own horses.

What can you do. It gets me anxious to even think about it. At least the direction we're heading is right. Costs are going down.

- J



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Thanks for your toughts!