Is It Really Cheaper to Ride a Horse Than Pay High Gas Prices?

With the ever-rising price for a regular gallon of gasoline approaching $5 dollars, a joke that some drivers have been seriously considering is trading in their car for a horse to soften the financial blow.

But is it really less costly to own a horse than a car? According to a breakdown compiled by Heels Down, the answer is a resounding “no.”

On average, U.S. drivers will spend roughly $5,000 a year just on gas, as well as $1,000 on insurance.

So how is owning a horse more expensive? If you’ve never owned a horse, expect to pay about $3,000 for the animal, $4,000 a year to stable it, up to $2,000 on gear and equipment, $1,800 a year on food, and $700 on riding lessons.

Overall, the annual cost for a car is $7,000 and around $10,000 for a horse.

Not to mention all of the amenities cars have that horses don’t, like air conditioning, radio, GPS, windows, a roof, being able to go faster than 55mph, travel for hours all day, etc.

Meanwhile, the average trail horse in good shape maxes out at 50 miles in a single day.