</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <wondering how much it costs to keep a pair of mules> )</font>
The animals themselves.. for two good ones, will run you a couple thousand at least, plus tack. ( tack ain't cheap.. and wears out.. the nylon stuff is tougher.. but gets ratty ).
Lets see.. about 85$ each per year for coggins if you haul them up to the vet, and 45$ each for vaccinations, if you give them yourself.
Hoof trimming is about 20$ each animal every 6 weeks, make that 40$ if you shoe them.
Vet supplies need to be kept on hand.. like wound sprays, liniments and ointments, bandages and wraps, powders, puffers, butyl, etc. Dental visit every couple years to have teeth clipped or filed.. this can be from 50$ if you've got an old farrier that will do it.. or 120$ if you get a real equine dentist.
If you have enough pasture for feed, then you only need to feed them mineral blocks ( 5-9$ each depending on if you give them white, yellow or brown blocks ) hay for the stall cribs.. square bales go for about 4$ each from farmers.. to 4.45-5.00 from feed stores. Good horse round bales are about 35-50$ each depending on where you get them.. and the age and quality. Winter energy supliments like molasis and low protien blocks go from 7$ and up depending on if you get blocks, or 25$ and up for tubs.
Feed can be anywhere from 5.95 a 50# bag and up. A working animal will eat between 2 quarts to 4 gallons of feed a day depending on size, amount of work, hay, and forage quality and time. Feed/forage suppliments like beet pulp or bran may be needed depending on your pasture.
If you groom your animals like you should for health, you will be using nose sponges or rags, clipping and currying their hair when it needs it.. tieing up and trimming the main and tail, maintenance on your tack, including cleaners to get the salt off the leather and metal fittings.
Throw in a couple bags of apple treats a year at 10$ a bag, just so you can get the animals to come to you when you walk out in the pasture to fetch them for shoeing, or trimming, or vet work.. etc.
Lets see.. this all means that you will at least need a single horse trailer to get the animals anywhere.. but preferable a dual trailer.. that will be 4500$ and up just for a cheap one... without this.. add a 50-75$ farm call fee to all vet visits, etc.
Lets see... a horse barn is built a bit 'better' (read: more $$) than an equipment pole barn. ( you need stalling that is safe for animals.. and dry feed and forage storage.
You've also got extra utilities, in the form of plumbing for stock water tanks, and possibly electric fences, and tank de-icers. Add to that the basic costs of the feed buckets, scoops, grooming tools etc.
Time in careing for the animals will be more than the time in careing for your tractor.
I think I've covered most of the bases.... If not.. some other equine owners will fill the holes.
Soundguy