The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Are YOU raising Your rates?

7K views 53 replies 27 participants last post by  cath80 
#1 ·
With the recent drought.. our regular hay prices of about 2.50-3.50 a bale are now between 10-14 a bale. These bales advertised at 50-60lbs are in reality (we weigh them every time we buy) 30-40 lbs.

So lets be optimistic here and say they are 40 lbs .. for 10 a bale..

means we are paying .25 cents a lb. We offer 15 lbs a day to our boarders.. for a total of 112 a month for hay now vs previous .10 lb for 45.00 a month...


We are still currently operating on hay we personally made.. which did cost us more this year as we didnt get as much off our land, but are going to have to find hay very soon here...

we charge 250 a month for board which is the going rate in our area. But 40 minutes away it is 500-600 a month (bigger city)

We really need to be at about 300 a month to cover costs with increased hay... but hate to have to raise it so much...


What are you doing with the hay crisis.
 
See less See more
#2 · (Edited)
Ghost, I don't board anymore (thank God), but I think raising your rates is something you're going to have to do if you want to be able to continue to give the quality care you do now.

$300 a month isn't outrageous, especially since your hay prices are at the very least 3 times what they were a year ago. If your boarders think you should eat that cost, they're not being realistic and I challenge them to find anywhere else cheaper.
 
#3 ·
Our board went up $20 per month due to rising feed costs. Our BO sent us all a very nice email explaining how prices had changed and giving us a 30 day notice of the increase.

I thought it was a reasonable increase (based on the numbers) and was just happy it wasn't more.

If you have reasonable boarders, they will understand.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#5 ·
There seems to be a lot of mis understanding between those who buy/provide the individual items horses need (BO's & those that keep horses at home) vs. those that pay a lump sum (boarders).

$300 a month isn't unreasonable! Maybe to prevent any backlash, you could provide them with a breakdown of what exactly it takes to take care of their horses properly (kind of like what you did here). I'm sure most boarders aren't aware of ALL the costs involved, and if you gave them something tells it like it actually is, they'd be less inclined to start complaining.

Just a thought.
 
#6 ·
There seems to be a lot of mis understanding between those who buy/provide the individual items horses need (BO's & those that keep horses at home) vs. those that pay a lump sum (boarders).

$300 a month isn't unreasonable! Maybe to prevent any backlash, you could provide them with a breakdown of what exactly it takes to take care of their horses properly (kind of like what you did here). I'm sure most boarders aren't aware of ALL the costs involved, and if you gave them something tells it like it actually is, they'd be less inclined to start complaining.

Just a thought.
I think if they saw how little we make off of boarding they'd think I was lying to them on what costs are involved! ****! because no one in their right mind would work for that little.

I think we are going to raise current boarders 25 a month and new incoming will be 300 to give a "loyalty" discount.. and hopefully prices come down by the time we ahve to buy. If they dont i'll just have to do another breakdown for boarders. I cant lose money.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Busy, if a BO broke down every single cost that went into board, I think it might overwhelm some people. :wink:

The people who complain the loudest about board prices going up are the ones who have no real clue what that cost represents. Even if you show it to them in black and white, some are still going to whinge and think the BO is getting rich. :?

Didn't we just have a thread by some disgruntled boarder thinking the drought was made up, and that hay couldn't POSSIBLY cost that much?

My horses are at home, and I know all too well how much feed has gone up in the last 6 months. My hay prices have remained stable, but for how much longer? My hay provider only got 2 cuttings this years, versus 4 cuttings last year. Now I'm no Mensa candidate, but it stands to reason that if there will be less hay to buy it's also going to cost more, because the diesel to run the tractor and baler went up, as did all the other haying supply costs.
 
#8 ·
There is no way for you to NOT raise rates without putting yourself out!! Your loyalty discount is a good idea and I'm sure your current boarders will appreciate it. Unfortunately it's the reality of the situation... They would feel the same effects of price change if they were keeping horses at home, how would it be fair for YOU to eat the cost?
Maybe, if hay rates go down again, you can lower rates again, but do not make that guarantee.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#9 ·
I would go else where to find your hay. Thats a crazy price. your better off to take a trailer out of your area to get hay. Im paying $50.oo for 1300 lbs most hay around is going cheaper, but this is right across the road from us. I also use slow feeders so they can't pig out. the hay lasts much longer and they still get the required amount. paying 10 for a square is mental. Also maybe cubes is a better option. I get 700kg for $180.00 but you know exactly how much they are getting and its excellent quality. Maybe a road trip would be a benifit. I don't think it costs any where near $300.00 to feed a horse for a month.
 
#10 ·
Spotted, where do you suggest she GO? She'd have to go pretty far out if she's in one of the drought stricken areas, and how would that be cost effective? The drought areas are trucking hay in from other places.

You're in Alberta, so I don't think you have a clue how devastating this drought has been to the southwestern US.

Plus, if you don't think the price of all foodstuffs, including cubes, is going to go up, you don't have a very good grasp of the situation.
 
#12 ·
JDI, I just got 50 square bales of mixed grass hay for $3.00 a bale. These bales weigh anywhere from 40-65 pounds, and I'm going to need another 100-150 bales to get me through the winter and into spring.

My hay has been running me $3.00-$3.50 a square bale, but I can't find round bales for love nor money, as the beef cattle farmers have snagged all of those.

I fully expect to pay more for hay once the weather gets really cold, which is why I'm trying like heck to get as much hay as I can right now.

I also just bought 6 slow feeder hay nets, because I simply can't afford for the horses to waste any hay.
 
#13 ·
Speed Racer, I don't know where she is from. normaly we only get 2 cuts off the field. and yes cubes went up $10 a tote. there are other ways to get horses thier nutrition than paying $10 a bale. you would go broke. No wonder people have all these starving horses. Because people don't do the research.
Im not saying don't raise the prices, if people with pay it then thats great. But you can save costs if you want to, to help yourself out.
 
#15 ·
And you honestly think that she hasn't tried these other routes?? I'll tell you a secret - cubes are made from hay too, so when there's a hay shortage, guess what else there's less of?
I don't know if you were around to remember the drought over 10 years ago but I was in Provost at the time for work (gahhh what a h-hole) and hay was so damn scarce places were feeding their horses crested wheat (at like $12 a bale too). My horses thought it was bedding the stuff was so awful. Alberta's been in a bad drought too so lets not get all high and mighty about who should be doing what to reduce costs. At least she hasn't opened her gates up to let the horses find grass elsewhere. $25-50 per month is relatively little per person, IMO.

I would have no qualms with a board increase, and in fact was expecting one this year, but then the weather fairy ended up being way kinder to us then she had been earlier in the year. So we do have hay, just way stemmier than I like it, and our second cut is basically straight alfalfa (but I think the BOs are trying to pawn that stuff off onto someone else haha).
I pay $350/mo for outdoor board and I think we ended up at $6/bale this year - horses get 4 feedings per day. $400/mo covers once a day supplements too. I know places on pasture board for $450/mo so I'm not complaining about board prices at my barn!!!
 
#18 ·
Just as a simple example, we own farm land ~ 200 miles away, and a family member cuts hay on it. In theory, we own 40% of the hay cut on our portion of the land.

Every single year when I get ready to buy hay for the winter, we sit down and cost it out. Every year, it's been cheaper to buy hay locally than it would be to take a truck and flat bed ~200 miles and pick up FREE hay. That was true when diesel was $3./gallon, even more true now when it's $4./gallon. We've also never factored our time into the equation, as we'd make a family visit out of the trip.

A barn owner would have to factor in the cost of their time to travel to pick up the hay, it's time they're not feeding, mucking, mowing, dragging the arena, etc.

So I am really intrigued by this magical idea you can somehow avoid high hay prices by driving out of the area. Even if square bales were $10 locally and $4 4 hours a way, time and fuel costs make it a wash.

I'd also like to point out that a lot of options for alternate forage that work for a 1 - 3 horse home operation (slow feed nets, soaking hay cubes, etc.) may not feasible for a large commercial barn.
 
#20 ·
Whoa, whoa, whoa!

I would go else where to find your hay. That's a crazy price. Your better off to take a trailer out of your area to get hay. Im paying $50.oo for 1300 lbs most hay around is going cheaper, but this is right across the road from us. I also use slow feeders so they can't pig out. The hay lasts much longer and they still get the required amount. Paying 10 for a square is mental. Also maybe cubes is a better option. I get 700kg for $180.00 but you know exactly how much they are getting and its excellent quality. Maybe a road trip would be a benifit. I don't think it costs any where near $300.00 to feed a horse for a month.
You post this, calling the OP "mental" and then you call *anabel* cranky??????

Go back and read what YOU posted before criticizing others.

It can very easily cost more than $300/month to feed a horse, I can't imagine what your experience is if you don't think that's possible?
 
#24 ·
jeeze people you all need some mydol.
What a totally moronic, sexist thing to say. Especially since you claim to be female. :-x

You make idiotic comments about things you know absolutely nothing about, state the reason horses are starving in the US is because we're all just too stupid to budget, and we're the ones who need to chill out?

I think you need to cut your losses and stop showing everyone just how uneducated and ignorant you really are.
 
#23 ·
Excellent post Maura.

I'm in an agricultural area, 80% of land in my county is farmland. Hay in a good year is usually about $3 per square. Bumper crop years, even less. This year with the drought it's going for 10 and up. I bought backup hay and at the friend price still paid $9 a bale. It's a case of basic supply and demand.

Would I have loved to find it cheaper, darn right I would. The cost of fuel to go pick up somewhere cheaper would have made it a wash or likely cost more because I would need a semi load to get through winter. If I only had one or two horses it would be a different story.

I think that most of us affected by the drought are simply thankful we could get enough hay period.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#25 ·
I'll make you a deal - tell me how old you are and what your actual horse *business* experience is - not keeping horses for pleasure, but actually running a business with a P & L statement. Then I'd just love for you to educate me about other options for feeding hay. There might be a few I'm not aware of after 35+ years with horses, 20+ running a for profit horse business.
 
#27 ·
Spotted,

Do you know what the first thing you should do when you find yourself in a hole?

Stop digging.

You made some incorrect assumptions. You were rude and condescending. And you offered some epically bad, ill-informed advice.

By changing your story and continuing to be insulting, you're just digging yourself in deeper.

Good luck with that.
 
#29 ·
I didn't call anyone stupid I was trying give some suggestions. This has gotten way out of hand. I didn't know they were from the states I thought they were one province over from me. I wasn't trying to offend anyone, just didn't see why I was getting jumped on so fast. It doesn't matter how old Iam or if I own a buisness I just wanted to give some ideas,
My grandfather said they had a drought way back when and said they fed straw for roughage.
I also know of some other breeders who feed bread from the bakeries that were taken off the shelf. makes skinny horse fill out and makes thier coat shiny. Also alfalfa pellets. beet pulp is cheap and filling and has lots of fiber.
I also know where to get great dewormer for for under 3 dollors and hay bags for 7.99 if anyone cares to know.
 
#31 ·
We had a semi-dry summer this year, but are by no means in a drought area, and our prices have gone up as well. We are now paying 5-6 per bale of hay (used to be 3) and feed has gone up 3$ per bag. I currently pay 350 for board, and expected an increase this year, but it hasn't come yet. I know the BO is planning to which to haylage, and has informed us that when that happens, there will be a 50 board increase. It doesn't bother me at all though. I'd rather pay 400 for good quality haylage, than 350 for poor quality hay. The BO had to make a 3 hour drive this week, just to scout out some possible hay sources as her usually providers were all out. I don't even think she's breaking even right now.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#32 ·
I raised my rates 3X last year. I've been used to paying about $40 for a 1500 lb round bale and aobut $3 for a 50 lb square of bermuda grass. By the end of last year, this spring, I was paying $200 per 800 lb round bale IF I could find one, and $16/50 lb squares.

This spring after first cutting, I put up 3 semi loads of small squares, so approximately 48 tons of prairie grass at $4/bale, and I bought 80 1500 lb round bales at $80/bale. Most of my boarders have sold off their horses or those who had multiple horses have sold down to 1 or 2. I am not taking in new boarders to replace the old, have sold off most of my herd and we're going to be ok til next spring.

I gave up trying to do anything but break even last year when those round bales when up over $100, I NEVER thought I'd see the day when I'd pay $200 for a crappy one and be ecstatic to have found it.

Not only did hay go up but this drought has devastated the corn crop along with other grains and concentrated feed has gone up too. I feed Omolene 400 and it has gone from $7.50/40 lb bag to $16/40 lb bag. I go through 5 pallets at 40 bags/pallet during the winter. But! It keeps the horses healthy, fat and sassy and looking good all through the winter, so it's worth every dime I pay.

Another side to the drought that most aren't thinking about is, after 2 years of it, my pastures are destroyed. When we start getting normal rain again, I'll have to completely turn under, re-seed and re-fertilize all of my pastures so the horses can have turn out and grazing again.

Oh yeah, and my water bill went from about $100 month to keep everyone well watered to $250/month now because of the drought.

So, it's not just as easy as driving to another state or province to get hay. And because it's sooooo wide spread, I'd have to go to Ky or TN or ???? because the usual states we haul in from, CO, NE, MI, WI, they're all having a hay shortage too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top