Horse Riding

Post by **maaka** » April 27, 2013, 5:06 am

good to hear things worked out Mosquito..
yes safety always first matey.
if you can use the same horse everytime, it will get to know your daugther. its all about trust..
sounds like good xheap fund anyway..

Post by **Mosquito** » May 30, 2013, 10:52 am

Took the daughter riding again yesterday, they raised the prices. Only did a half hour for 500 baht, use to be 300!!

Typical Thai thinking, milk the few customers they have and lose them. Why can't they lower the prices or have specials (past 3 times we've visited we were the only customers).........better advertisements would also help!!

Was doing it twice a week, now will most likely stick to once a week (100 baht loss for them).

Post by **maaka** » May 30, 2013, 11:54 am

got to learn to barter Mossie..tell them exactly what you wrote here, that you would go two times a week, but now price is up, will only go once and they loose out the 100bt..tell them regular member should get discount...it is possible prices have gone up due to horse feed going up..overheads na kap, but its worth putting the case forward that regular patrons should get a discount, and that it makes no sense to loose your money....

Post by **maaka** » May 30, 2013, 11:56 am

forgot to ask ' hows your daughters riding coming along, and her like of horses??

Post by **papaguido** » May 30, 2013, 11:57 am

Mosquito wrote:Took the daughter riding again yesterday, they raised the prices. Only did a half hour for 500 baht, use to be 300!!

Typical Thai thinking, milk the few customers they have and lose them. Why can't they lower the prices or have specials (past 3 times we've visited we were the only customers).........better advertisements would also help!!

Was doing it twice a week, now will most likely stick to once a week (100 baht loss for them).

I took my kids last month and the prices quoted to us depended on the size of the horse. Small horse 300bt, next size 500bt and large horse was, I think 800bt.

Has that changed??

Post by **rct** » July 7, 2013, 5:33 am

My 6 year old son enjoys horse riding here, having begun with the small ponys and now moved up to bigger horses.

Given his busy schedule at Don Bosco school including extra hour after school, school on Saturday, some evening tutors, I really feel for the little guy. So splurging on the horse riding is a nice bonus.

I will check if they have a "package" meaning buy ten times for a reduced total price.

The owner of Prajaktra is a very nice guy, sometimes he is out back riding one of the more beautiful horses on the site.

Post by **FrazeeDK** » July 7, 2013, 8:44 am

perhaps they have water buffalo riding for 150 baht per hour!

Post by **rct** » July 7, 2013, 8:54 am

Package, 10 hours for 8000 baht, can equate to 20 times each 30 minutes too.

Post by **BigRick808** » July 15, 2013, 1:23 am

300 seems a little steep to me, being most other things are fairly cheap. 500 and 800 is outrageous. I usually try not to compare a lot of things to back home, but we went riding last year in Tennessee and it was $14 and hour on the weekends and $11 during the week. All horses the same price--they match you. If you weren't too heavy, a small child could even ride the same horse for free
I know labor is cheap in Thailand, but horse food must be really high.

Post by **rct** » July 15, 2013, 5:57 am

I do not believe the Prajaktra Horse Riding Club (in the city, not in the sticks) is a money maker for the Prajaktra, rather, horses are a hobby of the owner which he is sharing, and the fees just help to support it, though probably a drop in the bucket relative to the overall costs. To cover costs, they would need a much higher volume of "sales" and I do not think that will happen nor is it really their objective.

Before and after the riding session, 30 minutes or 60 minutes, they need to saddle up a horse, and then clean the horse after. Why? Because they are being used so little, it is not like there are paying riders lined up to take a next turn to keep the horse busy and make lots of money. And they provide a private instructor to watch over the session.

The experience comes at a premium, that is true, though excellent value in my mind, not outrageous. Particularly after a few times and to see my 6 year old boy then able to trot around confidently on a horse.

Post by **monkeyman** » July 15, 2013, 9:37 am

Being a good friend of The Prajacktra (through our love of rearing horses) I can confirm that the horse riding is just a hobby for the owner, his family & friends...and any income from it just helps go towards the upkeep of the horses...

Horses themselves are considerably more expensive to buy in Thailand than in the USA or Europe, for large horses we would pay anything from 150,000 - 650,000 baht per horse, working horses seem to always need veterinary attention so they have to hire a full time vet to take care of them.... medicines, vaccines mostly imported are expensive...

Then they have the wages of the trainers (not cheap)..... the lads that keep the stables clean (it is very hard to find Thais that will shovel ---- all day

so they do not come cheap either

) ..admin staff etc.... then horse feed,... a bale of hay in this season costs around 150 baht / $4.83) delivered, combined with horse pellets feed at 800B a bag which only last a couple of days (per horse) feed vitamins & supplements you get a whopping monthly food bill

Working horses need shoes which means you need a full time farrier, this does not come cheap... there are lots of other hidden expenses , the list is endless I could go on and on ....

IMO the prices actually are too cheap, normal prices in Bangkok and most other riding establishments are double, check this place:

http://www.ridingschoolasia.com//index. ... Itemid=53

Horse riding ' back at home ' on a large ranch where the horses can graze all day for free will be a lot cheaper... but horses kept in the middle of the city are very expensive to keep.. so no the prices are not outrageous

BigRick808 wrote:300 seems a little steep to me, being most other things are fairly cheap. 500 and 800 is outrageous. I usually try not to compare a lot of things to back home, but we went riding last year in Tennessee and it was $14 and hour on the weekends and $11 during the week. All horses the same price--they match you. If you weren't too heavy, a small child could even ride the same horse for free
I know labor is cheap in Thailand, but horse food must be really high.

Post by **maaka** » July 15, 2013, 11:28 am

As a Barrier cowboy, and horse owner, I would have to agree with monkeyman..
horses arent cheap, especially when you are dry feeding them..
saddles, and tack, wear out just from the horses sweat, let alone from sun, and rain.

My little filly is worth $4000, without the gear, and I lease 25 acres at $200 per month, then its winter so need to buy feed, pony pellats, and the farrier every six weeks, at $70 a pop...but its a passion...motorbikes, horses and faster women..hahahaha

Post by **Aardvark** » July 15, 2013, 11:45 am

Nice looking Paint maaka =D>

Post by **monkeyman** » July 15, 2013, 11:46 am

Just as matter of interest maaka, your filly (appaloosa) if it was born in Thailand would be worth at least $9000 or if an import $16 - $18,000 .....

Lovely looking horse too

Post by **maaka** » July 15, 2013, 3:18 pm

thanks guys...shes alittle ripper..
smart as horse I have ever come across
I have her family tree back to 1950's America
she has turned more white this season, but still has the ' blanket ' of course
poetry in motion