One of the first questions prospective owners ask is, “What will this actually cost?”
Fractional ownership divides the horse’s purchase price and ongoing expenses among several owners. Your cost depends primarily on the horse’s value, the percentage you purchase and whether the horse is turned out, training or actively racing.
The initial purchase
Your first cost is purchasing your share of the horse.
Consider a horse valued at $12,000:
- A 1% share costs $120
- A 2% share costs $240
- A 5% share costs $600
- A 10% share costs $1,200
These examples show the standard proportional purchase price before any discount that may be offered for a larger ownership percentage.
Depending on the horse and opportunity, owners purchasing a larger percentage may qualify for discounted pricing. Discounts are not automatic and may differ between ownership offerings.
Monthly ownership fees
Our current standard monthly rates for each 1% owned are:
- Turnout: $20
- Training: $28
- Training and racing: $36
Using the standard rates, the monthly fee for a 5% share would be:
- $100 during turnout
- $140 during training
- $180 during training and racing
The actual fee may be lower if an ownership-percentage discount applies. Pricing may also change when the horse moves to another stage or when expenses, trainer arrangements or other circumstances change.
A first-year illustration
Suppose you purchase 1% of a $12,000 horse. Your initial share costs $120.
If the horse remained at one stage for a full 12 months, the illustration would be:
- Turnout: $360
- Training: $456
- Training and racing: $552
These totals include the $120 initial purchase and 12 months at the applicable standard rate.
This is only an illustration. Most horses will not remain at exactly the same stage for an entire year, and the example does not include any discount that might be offered for purchasing a larger percentage.
What owners should budget for
Before buying a share, owners should consider both the initial purchase and the ongoing commitment.
Ask for a clear explanation of:
- The price of the ownership share
- The monthly fee at each stage
- What the monthly fee covers
- Whether a larger share qualifies for a discount
- How pricing changes will be communicated
- How purse earnings and sale proceeds are distributed
- How unusual or additional expenses are handled
The final pricing provided for a specific horse and ownership percentage will control over general website examples.
Ownership should be enjoyable—not confusing
We believe owners should receive a clear explanation of expected costs before making a commitment. There will always be uncertainty in horse racing, but the pricing structure itself should be easy to understand.
Use our calculator to explore different horse prices, ownership percentages and monthly stages. Then contact us for the current pricing and any available ownership-level discounts for a specific horse.
The examples above are estimates for educational purposes. Pricing is subject to change and may vary by horse, trainer, ownership percentage and circumstances. Horse ownership involves risk and does not guarantee racing success, purse earnings or a financial return.