How to get a horse for free and board it at no cost to you.
Many people dream about horses, thinking that they'll never own one. They've heard that unless you have a lot of money or a lot of land it's impossible. But I know of several people who have gotten horses free, and one person who sold that horse two years later for three thousand dollars. Many of us also board them for free. This is how we've done it.
Begin by looking in the paper. Sometimes you can find ads that say something like, "free horse to good home." Call and look at these horses. If they are no good or there aren't any of these ads look at the ads selling horses for under five hundred dollars. Many of these are from owners who just don't want their horses anymore, their kids may have grown up, they are moving or they just don't want them. Call these owners and ask them why they are selling. Try to determine if they are fairly motivated to get rid of their horse. Sometimes you will find a diamond of a horse and the owner just has no idea how much it's worth. Go out and see these horses. Tell them that you don't have any money but would give the horse a good home. You'd be surprised how many people will say okay. Some will probably take your number and say if they have nobody else interested they'll give you a call. I know one woman who went out and looked at two horses for sale. She opened her wallet, which had forty-seven dollars in it. She said, "I'll give you forty-seven dollars right now for both of them." The guy said okay and threw in the tack, too.
If you can't find a horse this way, start asking around. Go to shows and feed stores and let people know you are looking for a horse.
When you get the horse you'll have to keep it somewhere. If you are in the country you can just build a fence, but if not then our creativity must come in to play again. There are a couple ways to board a horse for free. If the horse needs in a stable for showing purposes then ask around to all the stables. Almost every boarding facility has at least one person who keeps their horse in exchange for work.
If you don't need to stable your horse there are many opportunities available. Most areas have a fire law that says a field within so many feet from a building must be mowed or have livestock to keep it short. Many people dread mowing large fields and that is where you come in. I have found two such people and switch my horses between these fields about every six months, so the grass can grow and diseases will die. This saves on feed and vet bills, too.
Just think creatively on how to get and keep a horse and you'll have one in no time.
