Bokt.nl

**Geplaatst door de TopicStarter** : 02-07-15 00:44

Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst door de TopicStarter : 02-07-15 00:44

I'm a Canadian girl moving to the Netherlands next year! I don't own my own horse but I ride and care for a friends 3 horses and she also has a cute mini which i don't ride

I absolutely love everything to do with horses. I mainly ride western style but I know most Dutch people prefer English and dressage so I will gladly learn to ride those styles. I have some questions about owning a horse in the Netherlands. I'm not rich so I can't afford to board at an expensive riding facility. I will be located near Amsterdam area. Ok so here are my questions: 1. What's the average boarding price for a simple stable (pasture turnout,feeding,roof over head). 2. Recommended places to check for horses for sale 3. Best tack store (affordability). 4. Is it cheaper to have the horse on your own property or board it at a stable?
I only speak English sorry:( I'll be learning Dutch soon hopefully! Any advice welcome

if you can answer even a few of my questions that would be fantastic! Thanks for your time

Erica

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 01:25

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 01:25

Around Amsterdam overall its not a cheap area to have a horse.
Around a forest at Amsterdam there are stables from 300 till 450 euros a month.
Thats most of the times all in, or how we call it here volpension.
Halfpension means most that you have to clean your stable by yourself and put your horse inside by yourself.
If you go a bit further out of Amsterdam it can be cheaper, I live 30 minutes from Amsterdam and here you can find places for 250-300 euros.
At a own property.. I say impossible, too expensive and I should not know where.
For horses you have several sites, sporthorses and marktplaats.
Both are big websites, but always be aware for people who want to sell you crap, so ALWAYS let do a veternairy check before you buy a horse.
You can do it with or whitout x-rays, mostly it depents of the price or people also make x-rays.
If you do that check, you get rights if the horse is not ok in short time if its something wich where already when you bought the horse.
If you don't let do that check you don't have any rights here. :-)

About tack stores, stores like Divoza, Epplejeck are good ones for stuff.
But not for fitting saddles overall seen, I hear good stories about Country mill at Nijkerk. They also sell western saddles.

So this where my great english. :Y)

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 01:43

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 01:43

Hello Erica White,

it's not an easy question your asking.
To begin: I can't help with tack stores or horses. Especially the last thing also really depends on what kind of horse you want. You may want to look on http://www.marktplaats.nl though, here people offer their horses for sale. (I think google translate can help you there).

Having a horse here in the Netherlands, ESPECIALLY around Amsterdam is a real privilege. It's expensive to have a horse as land is really expensive. As "expensive" is relative, its abit hard to tell what you can or cannot afford.

Usually, stables like you discribe (without indoor riding pen) goes anywhere between 150 and 300 euros each month. But around Amsterdam i'd say more towards 300 then 150. Also, pasture usually isn't year round. In wintertime the ground is too wet (cause its so close to sealevel) to have horses in the pasture. So they are kept in paddocks. (Exceptions are rare).

People that live in Amsterdam are lucky if they have anything they can call a garden. And if it can be called a garden, you are talking about 2x3m, if not just an alley and most of the time, no sun. I'm not sure where you will be located? On a farm maybe? Then you're lucky. But if you plan to buy/rent something yourself and you are low on budget, there is no way on earth you will be able to affort a place where you can have a horse on your own property. Farm usually go into the million euro's. A basic 3-floor rowhouse, 200.000 euros and up, for rent you are close to 1000 a month.
Renting a room in a house of aprox. 35m2 with shared facilitys (bathroom, kitchen) goes from 350,- and up. Especially the prices in Amsterdam are ridiculously high as there are alot of students fighting over the same room.
The reason it's so expensive to buy is the high landprices (high density in the Netherlands).
The reason it's so expensive to rent is cause you will end up in the private rental section. That's people who own a house, or several houses and rent the houses (or rooms) out to people. They are bound by rules but price-wise they can go crazy (and often don't follow the rules, but if that happens you can do something about it, so don't worry). There is also a governmental system where you can rent houses but for that you need to be a Dutch citizen (or a refugee) and, i been in that system for 8 years but never managed to get a house through there. So if you don't plan to stay for long, don't bother.

If you don't need to live in Amsterdam, don't do it, pricewise its not a good choice. Everything from Amsterdam to the southeast (up will Utrecht) and from amsterdam to the south (all the way to Rotterdam) is really expensive to live (we call it the Randstad). If you want to live in a more affordable area, avoid these places. But then again, the most jobs are found in these area's.

Anyways, let us know why you are moving to the Netherlands and what your plans are, how you live now and what you expect, we can likely enlighten you and help you out here and there.
I probably busted some of your dreams already, but better too early then too late. And remember, nothing is impossible

.

Ps: Here a topic about average pricing of stables (and everything you can imagine which may cost money) put it in google translate (or learn dutch this way) and you're alot further.
[VSW] Wat kost een paard nu daadwerkelijk?

Greetz!

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 01:55

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 01:55

With 300 its cheap, with 250 you are very lucky but I say you won't find it.
Most of them are 300 euros plus, 450 euros are not strange.
Another ploblem, close to amsterdam there is not much land to put the horses on.
If you go 30 minutes till an hour away from Amsterdam its MUCH easier.
The bus to Amsterdam central station goes 300 meters from my house, and that takes 50 minutes or some.
So there are good connections to Amsterdam if you find something well located, by car its if you have bad luck really busy.
Parking there is around 8 euros an hour sometimes, crazy prices sometimes.

Into my area you have to think into the direction of 250 euros and higher.
300 is also usual and there are also really luxury stables from 400+.
But here 250-300 is more usual.

If you look at other places like in the south of the Netherlands its even possible to find stables for 150 euros a month.
There are big differences here.

Laatst bijgewerkt door moonfish13 op 02-07-15 02:01, in het totaal 1 keer bewerkt

**Geplaatst door de TopicStarter** : 02-07-15 01:56

Geplaatst door de TopicStarter : 02-07-15 01:56

I am moving to the Netherlands to live with my boyfriend and we will live in an apartment in Amsterdam. so I would like to board my horse outside the city maybe a 30-45 min bike ride away. I will likely take lessons for a while before buying a horse but I just wanted to gain some prospective on how much things cost compared to Canada.

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 02:04

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 02:04

With that distance it must be possible to find something I think.

Electric bikes are great by the way with the crappy wet and windy weather sometimes, but I think you are used at crappy cold weather. :')

**Geplaatst door de TopicStarter** : 02-07-15 02:09

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst door de TopicStarter : 02-07-15 02:09

Yes I will be investing in one for sure! And yes I'm used to snow banks as high as two story houses where you can't even get out the door and -20 degrees Celsius! Haha one more question to ask What are your thoughts on Frisian horses they're my favorite but are they a healthy breed? Meaning not super likely to be sick? By the way I appreciate everyone being kind and knowledgeable in responding to me

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 02:35

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 02:35

My expirience is that they are strong.
I don't know any with tendon problems or some and I know 8 frisian horses at least.
Their back is mostly quiet long but I have never seen problems with it.
The character must be something you like, if you tell a dutch sporthorse 5 times to not do something, you can ask it 15 times to a frisian horse.

**Geplaatst door de TopicStarter** : 02-07-15 02:41

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst door de TopicStarter : 02-07-15 02:41

Yes I've only ever ridden one Frisian he was very strong! I like them they seem relatively calm and sweet (the few I've been around). Are they stubborn? I want something that is obiedent and calm and likes being with people. A horse that likes learning new things. Each horse is different and breed isn't everything, but I'm curious about them because they seem to be popular here.

**Geplaatst door de TopicStarter** : 02-07-15 02:42

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst door de TopicStarter : 02-07-15 02:42

Here as in the Netherlands I'm currently in the Netherlands on vacation

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 02:51

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 02:51

Stubborn, not all maybe but they know what they want.
Calm, and obient, the horse I took care off knew what she wanted but should never want to hurt you.
She should never throw you off her back.
They are not made for jumping, about dressage they are getting more and more dressage proof sporthorses.
You have classic build frisians, and sports build frisians, anyway several types.
It depents what you like, do you like to ride whitout pressure of competitions any frisian can be fine.
Would you like to get on a higher level with dressage it could be easier to buy a frisian wich suits to that.

Like with the Haflingers, you have this type, the old type:
http://www.theequinest.com/breeds/haflinger/
And this, totally different:
http://funmozar.com/haflinger-horse/

I know haflingers you will never get like the second link, even if you stop feeding them.

Thats the same with frisians, there are more types.

Laatst bijgewerkt door moonfish13 op 02-07-15 03:01, in het totaal 1 keer bewerkt

**Geplaatst door de TopicStarter** : 02-07-15 02:57

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst door de TopicStarter : 02-07-15 02:57

Ok great! Thanks for your help, I appreciate it and you've given me useful knowledge thanks again

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 03:07

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 03:07

Before I get mad people: it doesnt say that its not possible with a classic build horse. Can be really fine.
But a heavy build horse will possibly lose from the elegant sporthorse in the way they move.

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 06:27

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 06:27

My horse is stabled at www.stalwennekers.nl , depending from where you are in Amsterdam that will be a bike ride of about half an hour. I do ride my horse western style and so do several people at this stables.

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 06:32

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 06:32

There is a fair western riding community here as well. But buying a quarter/paint horse here is relatively expensive, starts at 4000 for a well ridden one. If you like friesians the netherlands is definitely the best place to buy one! I wouldn't go western riding with them though, wrong build for that :-)

Just because I'm curious, what are average all-in boarding prices for horses in Canada?

Have lots of fun here! It's a nice little country I think .

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 07:37

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 07:37

I would advise against buying a Friesian I think. Not because of the breed, but if you're used to the smooth gaits of Quarters/Paints, the upward gaits of Friesians are a real contrast. If you combine that with also switching to dressage, you might make it harder for yourself than neccesary.
But you don't need to switch to dressage, there are lots of Western riders in the Netherlands. And you don't have to buy an (expensive) Quarter or Paint either, there are lots of other breeds suited for Western riding.
In Canada and the US Quarters are used for English riding because warmbloods are expensive, here we use smaller warmbloods or crossbreeds for Western riding, because Quarters are relatively rare and thus expensive. If you don't have European level sports' aspirations, that's no problem.

Stal Wennekers is south of Amsterdam and very big, there are also several smaller (and affordable) stables north/northwest of Amsterdam. Depending on where your boyfriend's appartment is located, that might also be doable in distance.

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 08:23

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 08:23

Hi Erica,

I read you like Frisian horses, I understand why. I don't now what breeds you are use to ride. Frisian horses are mostly calm, but the ones I know, aren't really calm. Maybe because they are mares :')

?
You could consider other breeds, such as Dutch Warmbloods, Belgian Warmbloods, Groninger horses and maybe Gelderse horses. Although these horses may be very different to frisian horses, they can be just want you would like. But the best thing to do, is to visit horses you like, let a vet check the horses, and after that if you found the one, you can buy the horse ofcourse.

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 08:45

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 08:45

I wouldn't recomment to go western riding on a 'Gelders paard' if your not used to the gaits. Although they are brave, they can be quite sensitive as well and they do have the same upward gaits as Friesian horses.

I think your better off with a crossbreed between a quarter horse and a warmblood or something like that. Ibbel gave some great advice on that aspect.

Realise yourself that if you want to buy a Friesian horse, you'll want a saddle fitter. They tent to have round back with not much wither. Well, on Bokt everybody does advise to go to a saddle fitter for any horse anyway.

I do think that's a good development. For other tack you can look at webstores as http://www.divoza.com or http://www.ej.com (Epplejeck). They both have stores as well around the country.

For western tack I think you're better off to ask some advise at our western community at Bokt. The sub is called: "Tack Room".

**Geplaatst door de TopicStarter** : 02-07-15 09:04

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst door de TopicStarter : 02-07-15 09:04

The prices for full boarding a horse in Canada average anywhere between 250-600 but 600 you'd be in the most elite fancy stable and at 250 it's not uncommon to find a nice place with even an indoor. What I'll miss the most about riding in Canada is the forest trails which are everywhere and when I say forest trails I mean cool mountains, waterfalls, rivers, etc. As much as I love Friesland I think you guys are right I don't think it's the right horse for me seeing as I like western riding. Glad to hear there are fellow western riders here too

I will still take lessons in English and dressage to see if I like it.

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 09:24

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 09:24

Hi Erica,

I can share my experiences of owning a horse and living in downtown Amsterdam and I will be honest: it is not convenient. Good and reliable stables are hard to find and most of the times more than a 30 to 40 minutes bike ride away (depends on where your apartment is located in the city off-course).

I have lived in downtown Amsterdam for 4 years and I already owned my horse before I moved to Amsterdam but it gave me a lot of trouble, finding a way to work and have enough time and money for my horse. Eventually we moved to Amstelveen (sort of Amsterdam suburb) and that was a relieve!

Shortlist of problems to own a horse in this area:

- Good stables are expensive (300,- p/m and up). And I mean good for your horse and no luxury for the rider.
- Good stables are further away than a simple bike-ride. I needed a car to get to my horse but parking in my part of town costed me more than 250,- a month and there was a waiting list (4 years or longer) for a parking authorization for residents.
- Getting there by car takes a lot of time since Amsterdam traffic is very busy all day. When traffic jam hits it sometimes took me more than an hour to get there.

It all depends on where your apartment is located and your work/school schedule. I advise you to find yourself a horse-owner who doesn't have time to take care of the horse 7 days a week. A lot of people will let you ride their horse 2 to 3 times a week for a small compensation.

I don't want to demotivate you but I want to you to have a clear view that in this area of the Netherlands it's not really convenient to own a horse. It's not impossible (I did it for 4 years) but it takes a lot of creativity.

Good luck, when are you planning to move?

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 09:35

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 09:35

Ericawhite schreef:
The prices for full boarding a horse in Canada average anywhere between 250-600 but 600 you'd be in the most elite fancy stable and at 250 it's not uncommon to find a nice place with even an indoor.

If you are used to these prices, the Dutch prices are not that bad! Your plan of first taking lessons and orienting yourself is really good. I would also advise joining local horse related facebook groups. It will be in Dutch but you will get a good picture of local stables that have room for more horses and horses offered for sale in your region.

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 18:30

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 18:30

Hi there, a friend of mine used to board at stal Wennekers. She really liked it there, and at that time there were also several people that were riding western.

Around Amsterdam you will have to expect to pay at least 400CAD/month for horse boarding.

Prices related to owning a horse, are not necessarily much higher than Canada. However, owning your own land (or even knowing someone who has enough land to put your horses on) is way more money than in Canada, especially in Amsterdam area. If you do have your own land, you often don't have enough grass to feed your horse year-round/make your own hay and you are always supplementing the horse with something.

There are lots of options to take lessons, it's certainly a good idea to start with that.
You could also look into leasing or half-leasing a horse, especially if money is tight.

If you want to keep riding western, I would recommend bringing your tack with you from Canada (if it doesn't work for the horse, you should be able to easily sell it, assuming it's decent quality).

**Geplaatst**: 02-07-15 21:53

Re: Estimated cost of owning a horse in NL?

Geplaatst: 02-07-15 21:53

[VSW] Wat kost een paard nu daadwerkelijk?
I'm not sure how well your Dutch is, but maybe your boyfriend can translate for you. The topic i posted here has people posting the cost of their horses each month, specified where they spend their money on exactly. You should be able to find some users living around Amsterdam too.