Cost of owning a horse in France
Lifetime and food cost for 20 horses, localized to EUR.
Chart: the six cheapest horses to own in France, by total lifetime cost.
| # | Breed | Size | Food/yr | Lifetime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shetland Pony | Small | €905 | €77,695 |
| 2 | Mustang | Medium | €1,430 | €87,080 |
| 3 | Friesian | Large | €2,110 | €87,755 |
| 4 | Welsh Pony | Small | €1,120 | €89,135 |
| 5 | Standardbred | Large | €1,615 | €94,535 |
| 6 | Arabian | Medium | €1,495 | €96,500 |
| 7 | Morgan | Large | €1,615 | €98,050 |
| 8 | Haflinger | Medium | €1,680 | €98,390 |
| 9 | Appaloosa | Large | €1,710 | €98,785 |
| 10 | American Paint Horse | Large | €1,710 | €99,275 |
| 11 | American Quarter Horse | Large | €1,710 | €99,550 |
| 12 | Thoroughbred | Large | €1,805 | €101,885 |
| 13 | Belgian Draft | Giant | €2,850 | €104,985 |
| 14 | Tennessee Walking Horse | Large | €1,680 | €108,025 |
| 15 | Clydesdale | Giant | €2,790 | €108,125 |
| 16 | Andalusian | Large | €1,615 | €108,230 |
| 17 | Shire | Giant | €2,975 | €114,140 |
| 18 | Icelandic Horse | Medium | €1,350 | €116,355 |
| 19 | Hanoverian (Warmblood) | Large | €2,020 | €134,120 |
| 20 | Percheron | Giant | €3,100 | €139,340 |
What a horse really costs in France
Across 20 horses, lifetime cost in France ranges from about €77,695 for the Shetland Pony up to €139,340 for the Percheron — roughly a 1.8× spread. That gap is driven by body size (which sets how much a horse eats and its medication doses), breed health risk (which sets insurance premiums and likely vet bills) and lifespan (which multiplies every recurring annual cost). Local prices matter just as much: France sits at a food price index of 0.92 and a services index of 0.78 against the US baseline of 1.00, so the same breed can cost noticeably more or less here than abroad. Every figure on this page is in EUR. Pet insurance is widely available in France.
Compiled by the PawCosts data team from World Bank price-level data, NAPHIA averages and AAFCO/vet nutrition formulas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest horse to own in France?
The Shetland Pony — about €77,695 over its lifetime in EUR.
What is the most expensive horse to own in France?
The Percheron — around €139,340 lifetime.
Is pet insurance available in France?
Pet insurance is widely available in France.
How are France horse costs calculated?
US base costs (food via the vet RER/MER calorie formula, NAPHIA insurance averages) scaled by France's price-level indices — food 0.92, services 0.78 — and converted to EUR.