So maybe you’ve been dreaming of owning a horse, but the initial cost of acquiring one has always been an issue. Although they’re definitely not cheap, budget-friendly horse breeds do exist. Touting a relatively low price tag versus other horses, the cheapest horse breeds shouldn’t send you into years of debt.
But if you’re planning on buying a horse, then purchase price isn’t the only thing you should consider. Other expenses can increase the amount you pay by tens of thousands every year. So aside from finding the cheapest horse breeds, you might want to consider the cost of keeping on in good health.
5 of the Cheapest Horses
A lot of the most popular breeds of horses don’t actually cost so much. That’s because when a breed is widely available and easy to acquire, it naturally brings down the cost. That said, even the cheapest horses can compete with the most expensive horses in terms of skill and strength.
Keep in mind though that although most of these choices come at a cheap price, the overall horse cost will vary depending on a range of factors.
Tennessee Walking Horse
- Location of origin: United States
- Average weight: 1,000 lbs
- Average height: 15 to 16 hands
- Life expectancy: 30 years
- Average cost: $2,000 USD
Willing, calm, and docile, the Tennessee Walking Horse often joins the ranks of the best cheap horse breeds for beginners. Because it’s a gaited horse breed, you can expect to enjoy a relatively smooth ride as you mount its back. That’s why the Tennessee Walker is a popular breed for pleasure riding.
Sure footed and friendly, Tennessee Walkers are great horses for both newbies and experienced riders who want hardworking horses that can go long trail riding and perform flat work on your homestead.
In terms of care, the Tennessee Walker doesn’t require much. A low protein diet, routine bathing, and a clean, spacious stall and open field are just about the basic needs that this cheap horse requires in order to thrive.
Want to learn more about this breed? Read our top facts about the Tennessee Walking horse.
Quarter Horses
- Location of origin: United States
- Average weight: 950 lbs
- Average height: 14.3 to 16 hands
- Life expectancy: 25 to 30 years
- Average cost: $2,500 USD
Interesting fact: the American Quarter Horse Association or AQHA is the largest equine registry across the entire globe with over 6 million Quarter horses under its belt. The widespread availability of the Quarter horse has made it a fairly accessible breed for buyers on a budget.
But despite its low price, Quarter horses remain a good horse for a variety of purposes including farm work, racing, and even show. Light on its feet and easy to train, the intelligent Quarter horse’s temperament makes it relatively effortless to handle.
It’s worth mentioning though that the Quarter horse does have something of an intuition. Sensing uncertainty, anxiety, and even stress in its handler, Quarter horses may respond to interaction with stubbornness or defiance if it feels that its owner isn’t up to the challenge.
Arabian Horse
- Location of origin: Middle East
- Average weight: 800 lbs
- Average height: 14.1 to 15.1 hands
- Life expectancy: 25-30 years
- Average purchase price: $5,000 USD
The spunky Arabian horse, also simply called the Arab, is a light, intelligent horse that’s a smaller breed than the usual. Regardless of your desired discipline for owning and training a horse, the Arabian delivers excellent performance.
Aptly capable of competing in show, endurance riding, racing, and jumping, many Arabians well to training in almost every area of horse competition. And because they’re quite jolly and easy going, you can expect to form a playful bond with it over time.
It’s worth mentioning however that Arabs aren’t without a few quirks. These horses have been known to advocate for themselves in the face of abuse. So if and when its owner causes harm or discomfort to the animal (whether or not intentional), it may demonstrate aggressive behavior – even if completely trained.
Learn more interesting Arabian horse facts in our fun fact guide on this breed.
American Paint Horses
- Country of origin: United States
- Average weight: 1,100 lbs
- Average height: 14.2 to 15.2 hands
- Life expectancy: 30 years
- Average cost: $1,000 USD
As the second most common horse on US soil (just under Quarter horses), the American Paint Horse population stands at 100,000 strong. Bold and brave, this very popular spotted breed touts beautiful coat patterns that make each individual horse unique (especially gorgeous in black and white coats).
Agile and strong, the American Paint Horse is a grade horse that has won countless competitions in the disciplines of dressage, barrel racing (top barrel racing horse breeds), trail riding, and cross country events, just to name a few. But if you didn’t have any plans of joining competition, these animals make good horses for homesteads and heavy labor.
Easy going, calm, and friendly, you won’t encounter much trouble as you train and care for American Paint horses. Because they’re relaxed and exceptionally outgoing and sociable, they’re typically happiest on farms and ranches with other horses or animals within their circle.
Wild Mustang
- Country of origin: North America
- Average weight: 800 lbs
- Average height: 14 to 15 hands
- Life expectancy: 15-20 years
- Average cost: $200 USD
Yes, you read that right. Wild Mustangs are the cheapest horse breed and are feral horses, which means they live freely in the American West. However because they hardly have any natural predators, wild Mustang populations can easily proliferate and become unmanageable.
Did you know that Mustangs are one of the fastest horse breeds ever?
Becoming a danger to the balance of their ecosystem, these excess horses are rounded up and put up for adoption by the Bureau of Land Management for fairly low prices. In fact, a worthy horse owner can acquire a wild Mustang for as little as $25, but don’t expect to get a top quality horse.
Another thing to consider is that wild horses tend to be more stubborn and difficult to train and break. Unless you’re an experienced rider, training a wild horse might seem next to impossible. With a wild Mustang, you might also have to factor in the cost of maintaining a healthy horse.
These horses usually have shorter lifespans because of illnesses and injuries they sustain in the wild. Initial veterinary bills for a newly acquired wild Mustang might shape up to be a substantial extra cost.
Considerations When Buying a Cheap Horse
The prospect of being able to afford a horse upfront might have you wanting to secure your new steed right this instant. But before you shell out for a horse, you need to know you’re buying the right horse.
There are people out there who take advantage of buyers in a rush. And without proper due diligence, you might end up with a horse that turns out to be more of a problem.
Health Status
Before anything else – inspect the horse’s health. Some sellers will crank down the cost of their animals because of a hidden illness, condition, or injury. Sometimes, these problems won’t even be readily apparent. So you may have to ask for vet records to make sure you’re getting a healthy horse.
You may also want to check the health of its lineage, if the records are available. Just like humans, horses can also acquire conditions from its parents. No matter how cheap the horse, it always pays to foreshadow any potential veterinary care it might require.
Temperament and Skill
What discipline are you interested in training your horse for? If you’re looking to join the ranks of champions, then you’ll have to make sure you’ve got the right breed for the job. For instance, if you were hoping to join dressage competitions, you might have a particularly hard time breaking and training a wild Mustang. You would need breeds suited for dressage specifically.
On the other hand, if you were only looking to find a reliable workhorse for ranch work, then a sturdy, strong, docile horse would be your best bet.
Age
By rule of thumb, an older horse and a foal will generally cost much less than an adult horse. Depending on what you intend to use your horse for, you may have to factor in its age. Expensive horses of adult age often come with more training, so you won’t have to struggle too much to get it to do certain things.
Find out here: When Do Horses Stop Growing?
Although a young foal may give you the chance to establish a stronger bond with your horse, not everyone has the knack for raising a horse from such a young age.
Then of course, older horses probably won’t have the same strength and agility as younger individuals. But if you were just hoping to have a gentle companion on your ranch, these retired horses should do just fine.
Sex
Generally speaking, there’s no definitive answer as to whether male horses are more expensive than females, or vice versa. But it’s widely accepted that male horses perform better at labor intensive tasks. Thus a male horse might make a better choice if you want an animal to help around your property.
Nevertheless, female horses can also be remarkably strong, capable of performing the usual tasks around a ranch with similar apt as a male counterpart. If anything, the animal’s sex has more to do with the possibility of making income off of it down the line.
With a mare, you have the opportunity to proliferate the breed and put up the foals for adoption to worthy homes. With a sire, you can offer stud services which can earn you a handsome price, especially if you’ve got a male horse with desirable features.
Extra Cost of Maintenance
Buying a horse means you’re ready to cover the expenses associated with its care. A single adult horse weighing 1,000lbs should have a stall that’s at least 12 x 12 feet in size. If you have more horses, you’ll need many barns if you want to keep them happy and healthy.
According to experts, each individual horse should also have at least 400 square feet of open space to graze. Dietary and nutritional needs might not look like they cost a lot (since horses mainly feed on forage, roughage, and grains.) But if there are several horses under your care, food expenses can easily mount.
Then of course, there’s grooming. Farrier cost may set you back over $1,000 per horse per year. Vet bills, vitamins, vaccinations, and treatments for injuries, illness, and infections will rake up a significantly large extra cost.
All together, you might find yourself spending over a million dollars just to care for one horse, especially if you’re starting from scratch.
Where to Buy a Cheap Horse
If you’re dead set on your decision to buy a horse but you’ve got a limited budget, it’s important that you shop around before shelling out on the first cheap horse that crosses your path. Here are some places to buy cheap horses at a reasonable price:
Rescue Horses
Horse rescue organizations exist all over the world, and these groups take in abandoned, abused horses in the hope of rehoming them with a worthy, willing family. A rescue horse doesn’t typically cost much, but the organization may perform a check first to see if your family and your facilities are ready to accommodate rescue horses.
Retired Racehorse
While there are lots of opportunities for off track Thoroughbred or OTTB horses after their careers are through, many Thoroughbreds get sent to be euthanized or to slaughter auctions. Finding an unwanted retired grade horse can be done by checking in with your local jockey club, under which the OTTB should be registered.
Fellow Equestrians
If you have friends who are equally invested in the wonderful horse world, then they might be able to sell you one of their own horses for cheap. Working with fellow equestrians also gives you the chance to closely inspect the horse before purchase. And if you know they’re a good owner, you can bet their horses are in top condition.
Ready to Welcome a New Horse?
Despite being the cheapest horse breeds, these horses compete closely with expensive horses available on the scene. And althought they might not run quite as fast as elite Thoroughbreds, these reliable, regal, friendly, and willing horses make wonderful companions for years to come.
If you’re planning to buy a horse, don’t think you’ll have to shell out big bucks on an expensive horse breed. Just make sure you’re ready to face the expenses of keeping a horse happy and healthy, and even the cheapest wild Mustangs can become lifelong companions and reliable homestead workers.
