Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Coral Gables Times
Thursday, November 15, 1962, page 39 (of 64)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
The suburban ranch house is living up to its name...as families discover it's not hard to keep a horse in the back yard
BY PETER VANDERWICKEN PHOTOGRAPH BY ERNEST GAY istered, since most events are designed for specific breeds. By far, the most popular riding horse is the American quarter horse. Its breed association in Amarillo, Texas, has some 251,770 quarter horses registered—about a quarter of all pleasure horses in the United States. Their popularity is probably partly due to the fact that the quarter horse is the real western cow horse that cowboys still use to rope steers because it can run very fast for a quarter-mile. But quarter horses are also noted for their gentle disposition, obedience, and good health. Because of their popularity they're also among the most expensive of the major breeds; last year the average auction price for quarter horses was $1,604, up from $1,500 in 1960. Some quarter horses, to be used for breeding, sold for as much as $40,000. Another horse that's rapidly growing in popularity is the Appaloosa, a spotted horse that has a calm disposition and an easy ride. Appaloosas were originated by the Nez Perce Indians in the Palouse area of Idaho, from which they got their name. The breed's registrations are doubling every year. Recent Appaloosa prices have averaged around $500. Other popular breeds are the Tennessee Walking Horse, the American Saddlebred, and the Morgan horse, but these are more often used for showing than for pleasure riding. Shetland ponies, long one of the most popular animals for children, are found less often in back yards these days, both because they're less gentle than such horses as the Appaloosa and because they're too small for teen-agers and parents to ride. You can buy a Tennessee Walking Horse or a Morgan for between $1,000 and $1,500 at auction. "You don't need a lot of land to keep a horse," says F. P. Ryder, who keeps two horses in his back yard at Cuyahoga Falls, an Akron, Ohio, suburb. "A half-acre to an acre is enough if you feed the horse hay and oats." Mr. Ryder's five children take turns riding the two "rangy old western ponies," which are kept in an old barn. "An owner should be within striking distance of a place where the horse can get some exercise—riding trails, woods, or an open road," Mr. Ryder says. "It's not good for a horse to stand unridden," agrees Babs Benson. "We ride almost every day, depending on how much homework we have to do. If you're going to have a horse, you should ride him every day." The Bensons figure they spend about $350 a year to feed each horse. Hay, oats, and the back-yard's grass are the principal diet, but the horses also need a salt lick, mounted on a short pole in the yard. They must be shod every two or three months; a blacksmith's visit costs $7 per horse. And Mr. Ryder figures that two visits a year from a veterinarian are necessary. The vet will charge $8 to $10 a visit. There are other costs of horse-owning, too. A secondhand saddle will cost at least $35 or $40, a new one $65 or more. Real enthusiasts can, if they wish, spend up to $50,000 for a silver-studded saddle. A used bridle will cost you about $5, a new one $15. In addition, you'll need grooming equipment: a currycomb and brush, oil for saddles and bridles, liniments for both horse and rider, and a hoof pick—all of which will cost you at least $10. Mrs. Benson points out that some costs will vary, depending on just what you need. For example, you'll probably want to convert your garage to a stable, adding feed boxes and racks for storing hay. Or you may find it necessary to build a barn from scratch. Mr. Benson began building his eight-stall barn, with a separate tack and feed room, on weekends five years ago. He's just now installing electric lines so the family can work in the barn after riding at night. A NEW HORSE OWNER will need to build a fence around his yard. The material for a four-rail wooden corral-style fence costs about $1 a foot; you'll need about 800 feet to enclose an acre lot. The family may also need some riding lessons; $3 an hour for 10 hours is a standard group rate. And riding clothes will be essential. You'll need at least a pair of riding boots and jodhpurs, the traditional riding pants, to protect your legs. Depending on quality, you can pay anywhere from $25 to $75 for these. All told, buying and keeping a horse for a year is likely to cost at least $1,900, although in later years the cost will go down to only around $400—the cost of feed, shoes, and veterinarian. Some owners lower their own costs by stabling horses for neighbors for perhaps $1.50 or $2 a day. Also, per-horse costs go down if you own several horses since you can buy hay and oats more cheaply in larger, truckload lots than in smaller quantities. Continued on page 16 Suburbia Today, November 1962 15
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