Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ Russian horse breeders are reporting booming sales due to the ongoing fuel crisis. Despite the expenses of owning a horse, they are now cheaper to maintain than constantly refuelling an SUV. ⬇️

https://x.com/igorsushko/status/2069534571755078052

2/ The Russian news outlet Mash reports:

"About a thousand horses were saved from slaughterhouses in Russia due to the rise in gasoline prices."

3/ "Villagers are increasingly buying four-legged animals instead of off-road vehicles - it's cheaper to get around off-road, go to the forest, mow hay, and engage in farming.

4/ "Breeders told Mash that sales have skyrocketed. In the last month alone, some have sold or reserved seven or eight horses, whereas previously, one could wait two or three months for an owner.

5/ "The reason is simple: keeping an animal in many villages turned out to be cheaper than constantly refueling off-road vehicles like the UAZ or "Niva". A working horse now costs 100-200,000 rubles [$1,300-$2,600] – depending on age, breed, and training.

6/ "There are also expenses: hooves are trimmed approximately every six weeks (~3,000 rubles), horseshoes are changed every two months for a thousand rubles, hay (2,000–3,000 rubles), supplements (~5,000 rubles), and veterinary care (~6,000 rubles/year).

7/ "But for many rural residents, even with these expenses, a horse has turned out to be more affordable than a car."

Source:
t.me/mash/75734