What this Chesapeake horseman can teach you - Virginia Horse ...

ON THE MONEY
www.horsenation.us
10
LESSONS FROM LuRAY
Horsewoman shares
money-saving tips
By Joan Hughes
Aude Bauserman was well-prepared for today’s economic
crisis.
“My parents are divorced now but before that we were
very affluent. I was basically living every dressage girl’s
dream,” said Bauserman who, at the time of the divorce,
was a freshman at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton.
“After the divorce I had to make ends meet.”
And she had to figure out how to maintain what was
now her only horse — she had four before her parents
divorced — and her lifestyle. “What did I need to do to
make things work and still provide the same care [for her
horse] I did before?” she wondered.
Bauserman said she taught French classes in an afterschool
program for elementary school students, served as
a teaching assistant and worked as a cashier at Wal-Mart.
In addition, she said she became a professional clipper
and braider to earn money for entry fees for horse shows.
It was while providing these services at the barns of clients
that she first started collecting ways to save money.
Then in 2003 she married a “recycle junkie.”
“Everything has another purpose so I kind of piggybacked
off his ideas as well,” the 29-year-old Luray
resident said.
Bauserman said that in January, when the poor state
of the economy became even more apparent, she put
together a list of ways horse people could save money.
The list was posted on virginiaequestrian.com and sent to
the Shenandoah Valley Dressage Association, of which
Bauserman is a member.
“Many people find themselves unable to continue
feeding their horse and in some cases themselves. I have
been blessed with the ability to keep my horses and
continue to care for them as I always have but I have
revaluated what I can do to make it through the long haul
if needed,” she said in her news release.
“I have found a few small alternatives that I thought I
would pass along that may help some of you save a few
dollars. I know for many people cutting even just a few
dollars can make all the difference between being able
to keep your horse and having to sell it. Over the years
I have done many of the things on this list, and shared
them with my students,” she continued.
▪The Post welcomes feedback and story ideas. To contact us, e-mail Joan
Hughes at jchruby@msn.com or call (804) 512-4373.
Aude Bauserman with Gage, her Hanoverian gelding.
Aude Bauserman’s tips:
▪ Switch from shavings to pellet bedding.
▪ Weed out your unused tack and sell it.
▪ Find someone to do a partial lease if you own a horse
and want to share expenses.
▪ Switch from stall board to field board.
▪ Buy shower caps from the dollar store and use them
to cover pre-set-up feed buckets so mice/birds can’t eat
the feed.
▪ Switch from individual lessons to group lessons.
▪ Take biweekly lessons. Think of it as more time to
practice what you’ve learned.
▪ Videotape yourself during lessons so you can go over
key points. Videotape yourself at other times to see things
you might need to work on.
▪ Find a volunteer at your barn to host even a small
clinic to help out financially. Be creative in finding ways
to get people involved.
▪ Have your horses teeth floated. Regular equine dental
care helps your horse chew food efficiently. A horse with
sore teeth will drop and waste a lot of food. The cost of a
visit from an equine dentist is offset in feed savings.
▪ Repair instead of replace. Learn to do your own
Fall 2009
Photo courtesy of Aude Bauserman
repairs. A great deal of equipment can be hand-sewn.
▪ Talk with you farrier and vet to see if your horse can
go barefoot or only have shoes in the front. And check to
see if you can stretch out your farrier visits.
▪ Clean your horse blankets with a water hose, car
brush, a little livestock shampoo and some elbow grease.
▪ Organize a tack swap.
▪ Make your own polish with salt and baking soda and
vinegar to shine brass on harnesses, bridles and halters.
▪ A hay net will save hay and keep your horse busy if
he is in the stall a lot.
▪ Clean your tack. Well-cared for tack lasts much longer
and you will look sharp.
▪ If you own a farm, grab a hammer and wire cutter
and take a stroll around your fences. Nails and stray bits
of wire are just waiting to tear a hole in your expensive
blankets or cut your horse.
▪ Do a little branding to increase the chances of your
tack and accessories eventually becoming family heirlooms.
▪ Create a compost pile for manure and used bedding.
Gardeners love manure compost and will remove it for
free. Advertise on free Web sites or contact your local
garden club.