More $$$: The Stable Budget

Two posts ago corrected for training costs.  In Opelousas/La stall rent costs $180/mo./horse instead of $360.00.  This reduces costs per horse to $1580.00 per month per horse or $53/day.

So--in Opelousas, LA we can train a horse--still, in this day and time--at $53.00 per day.  If we happen to be at a race track and getting free stalls instead of spending $180/mo. for stalls, the total cost comes down to $1400/mo.per horse or $47/day.  Guarantee we'll spend more than that with everybody and their brother's hands in our back pocket the minute we walk through the guard shack.  But $47/day per horse is within the realm of possibility.

In the RR Stable we are the trainer and can subtract the $500.00 trainer cost from the cost per horse (and, again, good luck finding a trainer going through all this trouble per horse for $500/mo.)

This reduces RR stable costs per horse cost down to $1080/mo. We do our own riding and hope to spend as much $$$ on jocks as possible (i.e. when we find them), and so, reduce the $200.00 riding cost to $100/mo. for us.

Bottom line for RR stable in Opelousas is $980/mo./horse x = $1960.00/mo.  Let's say our horses will cost $2000/mo. in Opelousas or $1640/mo. at the race track.

I currently have $8000.00 in the bank to be shortly reduced to $5000 for vehicle repair costs, enough to keep us in Opelousas or racetrack for two or 3 months.  My Social security of $1650/mo. will kick in in April, and so it looks as if we might be able to be at a track January 1 and make it through somehow.

One more interesting thing:  When I do get to we're were going I have thought, good grief, how to make some $$$ at that point to keep us going before horses presumably win a purse.  Epiphany!  What's the one way every experienced horse person has to make some $$$ at a race track?  Of course it's the windows.
 At Ak Sar Ben over two summers handicapping every weekend I broke even though I was going for broke most of the time.  Surmise--with extremely careful handicapping one might supplement the on the road income by $100-$200/week.

Training:
Wed. Oct 31--Off
Thur. Nov. 1 One horse does everything right #148; the other #7 everything wrong.  Both horses were lunged.  #148 did his usual enthusiastic effort and when released promptly went into a full speed run abbreviated when he ran straight into the herd. 1/4 F maybe.  #7 had a decent slow gallop on the lunge line that had nothing to do with him, and everything to do with me chasing the horse every step.

Unknown exactly what the problem is with #7. Hoping its as simple as that he fails to understand what's expected and is fighting it a little.  That could be overcome.

This was followed by tack work, and thankfully the Mexicans were there to help or I'd likely have been laying on the ground after getting on #7.  #148 did his walk under tack professionally.  Keep knocking on wood with this tall and therefore potentially dangerous horse.  #148 a trooper to date.