The ups & downs of being a racehorse owner

Hi Craig . I was waiting to see your response . You should maybe post a trainers average costs for a horse and include all the essentials required and then compare it to the average monthly rate charged by an average yard. Note I use average to describe the scenario of a smaller yard between 25 and 35 horses. If the trainer nets R1k per horse he only earns a basic of between R25k and R35k a month before deductions. Many smaller trainers don't net the R1k per horse.I am not sure if all trainers want this disclosure but it might help the public realise what it takes to be a trainer.I spend alot of time at different yards and I don't believe that the general public actually know what it takes to be a trainer and appreciate what it takes to get a horse to the races. Regards Neil.

25k-35k pm before deductions! If any trainer makes that he must really love training cos thats less than a junior manager in any other field

Trainers don't make Much money off the keep ,they make their money off stakes.....fact.
Very few people race to make money as very few horses pay their own way ,it's for the pleasure of the sport.....if you can cover your monthly expenses via stake money you have done well...write the capital outlay off the day you pay for the animal....

Interesting posts throughout...

One of the previous discussions was why people don't go to the races anymore and I believe that discussion can go hand in hand with this one.

I, like quite a few Joe Browns out there, would one day like to cheer my horse home but I have no idea of the costs involved. I see very little marketing by most trainers and so far only Gavin Van Zyl's website has caught my attention. The others have quite a lot less info than Van Zyl's website, if any websites at all for that matter.

Having said that, even that site doesn't give a cost per month and I would feel like a real chump walking up to trainers at Greyville asking how much I'd have to pay to be part of a syndicate.

Maybe trainers, who often want more owners anyway, should sort out their marketing and make it easy for the man in the street to get more involved.

Does it cost a hundred, a thousand or ten thousand ? No idea...

Soodum believe me when I say that some trainers don't even show a profit each month. They have been training for years and their passion keeps them going and they keep hoping for that one special horse or new owner that can turn it around for them. Some trainers don't even have twenty horses in their yard but they are there on the track every day , no assistant , no annual holiday etc.However, if you ask them why they continue they will tell you that they have been in it the entire life and with all the ups and downs and bad debts they still feel privileged to work with horses.It is similar to us , the punter,do we show a profit each month? Guess not but we still play and have a bet and look forward to each days challenges, because we love the horse.

Would say that u can never win money from buying a horse, however the "high" u get when your horse wins, is what keeps us in the game

My bad habits has rubbed onto my wife.

"I rather punt a horse than own one"
Her words not mine.

Interesting that robmartza,s post has been ignored and yet is probably the most relevant of all..............an important aspect of any desire or interest is "can I afford it"
I have yet to see an advert where any trainer sets out "an aproximate average cost,per month,of say 10% share of a horse.
Add to that 10% of the various shares available,and potential 1st time owners will know exactly where they stand.
With respect,I hear a lot of trainers moaning but I see little effort in building their string...........underestimating the cost of buying into a racehorse may also be why trainers seem to suffer a fair amount of bad debt?
I personally have told 3 trainers to contact me if they have shares available...........I have heard 2 of them complain of trying to get ownership of a horse filled........nether contacted me........................and just to answer what you thinking.........I offer no opinions on horses I have shares in,unless I am asked,and I have never been even 7 days late with a bill,so I don't think I qualify as a problem owner?
I should probably be grateful,cos now,I am merely waiting to take a share in 1 or 2 horses in the Clinton Binda stable.(I have to boast that "I told you so" about the stable way over a year ago,and now look!)

With so many potential owners, be it outright, partnership or syndication, i agree there is no website transparent enough relating to the monthly costs involved for anybody who is interested in becoming an owner in any way.. How much will it cost to own a nostril hair monthly?

The cost to train varies between small and large trainers R5000 to R8000 ? With a few even higher or lower, but if u join a syndicate of 10, you are looking at approx R650 per month to have 10% interest, the VET bills can be shocking and you normally get hit with them before you know your horse has a problem!

With so many potential owners on this site,you would think trainers would fall over themselves to try and advertise on here

scotia Wrote:

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> The cost to train varies between small and large
> trainers R5000 to R8000 ? With a few even higher
> or lower, but if u join a syndicate of 10, you are
> looking at approx R650 per month to have 10%
> interest, the VET bills can be shocking and you
> normally get hit with them before you know your
> horse has a problem!

I didn't know the horse even had to have a problem...< Seriously, some trainers are much quicker to call in the vet than others, so it would be advisable to get a rough estimate of the monthly vet bills from your prospective trainer before you get involved.