2 birds one stone.. Age and where the hell do people get their money from?

[Silent Knight]

LOL!! hmmm best i can do for drugs is paracetamol... im not sure theres alot of money to be made on the black market for that

You could paint them blue and sell on as viagara.... 50k horsebox incoming!

 

[4x4]

Read the above posts, not going to incriminate myself re age/money BUT if so many people are struggling to pay to ride why can't my friend find someone for free riding on her son's horses twice a week for free???

 

[Borderreiver]

Interesting thread and lots of younger people on here. I think you are all doing well to have horses. I'm 57 and didn't get my first horse till I turned 30, though counted myself lucky to go to riding school as a child.

I started my own business and grew it from nothing and worked all hours to do so.

Yes I have my own land now, it's an ex council farm which has so far taken 20 years to do up. We lived with the open sky outside the bedroom door the first winter.
I'm lucky to have my Highland ponies, including two homebred, and Welsh cob Lady and they give me so much pleasure every day.

It's never worth wishing you were someone else or envying anyone in my humble opinion, as you never know what goes on in their lives that you don't see.

 

[Vixen Van Debz]

I'm 26, completing my PhD without funding, and no horse yet 80( I live in a rented flat with my OH, and he's on a good wage with a global accountancy and finance firm. We're getting married summer 2013, and I hope that within a couple years of getting wed that we'll own a house & I'll own a neddy. Will keep buying lottery tickets just in case though! lol.

 

[Gorgeous George]

I'm 42 and work as I chartered Librarian f/t which I have been doing for the last 18 years (14 years in Essex and now in central London), my OH also works in london for the NHS. We are both reasonably well paid, mainly because we have been in our jobs for some time and worked our way up.

George is my first horse and I had to wait till I was 37 before I could afford one, he is kept on part livery, he's shod every 8 weeks and I have 1 lesson a month. I don't have any transport but I do get to comps as people at the yard are often kind enough to take me or there is a venue I can hack to.

We don't have children and after paying mortgage, bills and George's keep there isn't a lot left. Neither of us are interested in fashion so only buy new clothes if we have to (hate shopping ), we don't go out very much but OH is a good cook and loves cooking so we often have friends round for cheaper socialising! We have 1 car and it is 7 years old now and will have to keep going for some years yet!

I just try to be grateful for what I have as I am so lucky George truely is my dream come true, I have a lovely OH, house and a job.

 

[scarymare]

scarymare - when we were looking for a lorry we got quotes ranging from £30k for a 3.5T up to £90-odd for a 7.5T
the majority that we considered were around the £60k mark for a new build

Gosh, I've seen some quite nice 7.5 tonners up at the 30K mark. Not new builds though. Gulp

 

[Jadey]

I'm 22 and part way through a masters degree. I have worked very hard all through uni, with 3 jobs and other peoples horses at one point to be able to afford my horse, my car, rent and my uni costs. My parents have only had to help out with unexpected BIG vets bills in the last 3 and half years. Everything I have I have earnt and this I'm very proud of. Lots of people I know are handed everything on a plate and don't appreciate what they have. I would love a 4x4 and trailer and to have the time to go out competing. One day this will happen and when it does I will have got myself there!

 

[MarinaBay]

I am 25 I work full time as a PA on a pretty rubbish wage for the job I have! I have a mare & foal... foal was planned in respect that I arranged the stallion/vet to do the deed however wasn't my long term plan for mare! My mare was lame, broodmare became an option and that is what happened - all my savings GONE! My mare is now sound... has been since the day she went to stud - typical!
I pay for everything myself - my parents help out with unexpected vets bills etc. I hope I never have to part with either horse & will more then likely have to get a new job or another job in order to be able to afford to move out if I want to before I am 40! But i love my girls to pieces xx

 

[Ally_F]

I'm 26, and have a ex-pointer, who my parents bought for me when I was 16 - I took over payment for him when I moved out at 23. I've just managed to buy another pony thanks to saving like hell for a year, and blowing it on a pony instead of a wedding - opps.

 

[Bustalot]

I am 24 (25 soon... eek - quarter of a century ) I have my gelding who is now semi-retired. I worked two jobs to buy / keep him when I just 18. As i worked my way up in my main job at 20 i stopped working the two jobs. Had fun with my horse and still seeing my friends etc while still living at home. No transport to speak of. Unfortunately things didn't work out with my gelding and he is now semi-retired. I am now looking at getting another horse and will be keeping the two. I still live at home and pay minimal rent. The second horse is a big decision for me as it means I can not move out and live with OH until my loan I took out to buy my car is paid. It will leave me with minimul money a month, but it will work as long as i stick with the plan!

So i will afford the two horses by living at home, keeping them both on DIY livery, working full time, no transport - but instead will beg, borrow and steal lifts somewhere along the line to get out and about.

 

[Echo24]

I'm 26, I don't have a horse but currently share one. I work for a charity and have just changed jobs and taken a big pay drop so struggling to keep my pony! I do some freelancing writing in my spare time to make a bit of extra money. I'm looking for something more permanent in marketing and communications which will be better paid then what I'm getting now. OH earns twice the amount I get but I fund everything for my pony.

 

[Dubsie]

Sometimes that new car/lorry/equpment might not be all it seems. I think some folk have lost the ability to 'make do and mend'. So many times I've been asked 'is that a new trailer?' (It's not even new spec IW). However OH, being a mechanic likes to keep it in tip top mechanical and shiny polished condition so it looks new. In reality we paid about £800 less than the going rate as it was a little bit untidy when we got it and in need of a serious steam clean, but it polished up lovely as it had little wear and tear underneath. Even the car looks far newer than someone else's we parked next to at a show that was similar, ours was 5 years younger but they looked the other way round. it really bugs him at a show, he goes round saying 'I can't understand folk that spend £10s of K on a newish box then it looks like the Forest of Dean is growing on the roof'. Or he says 'look at that one, tyres half flat and they're towing two horses that cost best part of £20K..accident waiting to happen' Or the one next to us starts up and as the smoke belches out he comments 'nice to see they spend so much on their ponies but so little on looking after their transport'

He's on the lookout for something to do up as a lorry now.

I've far LESS money having a daughter and 2 ponies than I ever did before Luckily have owned own home for many years and upgraded over time so we keep them at home. Don't drink, smoke, go out, go on holiday, but have almost repaid the mortgage (1 year to go), just got 20 years to save for retirement next - think will try the buy to let route.

 

[JFTDWS]

I have a large abyss where my bank balance used to be, occasionally I stare down there into the blackness and wonder why I ever thought I could afford this horsey malark...

How peculiar - when I stare into that abyss, I'm staring into the redness of my balance, not the black

I'm 24 and I work in scientific research at a university - not well paid and I don't plan on making a career of it... I keep my 3 on a private yard (field plus couple of stables) as it's obviously a lot cheaper. I run a 4x4 (15 year old Defender, currently costing me a small fortune to get through its MOT ) and a trailer.

I would also be interested to know how to make the easy money - lottery isn't helping so I guess drugs or bank it is?

 

[Winklepoker]

I am 25 and a purchasing manager on an alright salary (hampshire so pretty decent), Husband is a soldier on an above average salary - double mine!! We have no mortgage as we live in Army accom, no real bills as such so have considerable disposable income. We dont really have savings, I am ALWAYS in my o/d facility and have a credit card too!! We dont live carefully though and this will continue until I have a bun in the oven (putting that off for another few years yet). We both have expensive hobbies and all our money goes on that - he plays golf 3-4 times a week I have one horse on DIY we are currently in the market for a cheapy lorry after selling ours earlier this year!

 

[Horses24-7]

28 and horses fully funded by my husband at the moment (there I said it!)

Im on maternity leave at the moment so vie got no pennies coming in until after Xmas, but even then i couldn't afford them without the sponsorship from my husband!

 

[Ibblebibble]

then there are bussiness owners that milk them until they go bancrupt ,then start again
over and over (crooks)
then there is the other group the ones that live the high life on credit you see them about for a few years and then the just dissapear off the circuit
then there are the real wealth creators come up with a great bussiness idea and make a fortune .... most of us sadly just chug along going without things to pay for what realy matters = our horses..

so very true there's one of the first variety not far from here, own land, stables and lorry but has had 3 bankrupted ltd companies

I'm heading for 41, when i first got my horses and daughters first pony we were doing quite well, OH had own business blah blah, stupidly a lot of stuff was also on credit Business went tits, OH went bankrupt and we lost everything except the horses. It was a struggle but our lovely farmer helped by letting us have free hay for a while and only charging me half rent for the 2 ponies. We still live in a rented house, i have an old 4x4 and we don't have a trailer and things are always a bit tight at the end of the month, but i'm more content now than i was 6 years ago, i've learnt to appreciate what i have and learnt that money isn't the key to happiness. We have nothing on credit and only buy what we need rather than what we want.

 

[Fairytale]

Its not the horse box that counts its what comes out of it! And I have the loveliest and bestest horses in the whole wide world and I wouldn't swap them for any horsebox thanks

Taken nearly 60 years to get them though!!! Full time work and carer for very elderly parent!!!!

Fairy

 

[EnduroRider]

I'm 29.

I have three horses to look after but only own (and pay for) one of them, the other two are paid for by their owners so cost me nothing but my time.

I work full time in the financial sector and am lucky that we get London salaries for working in South Bucks. I would not travel in to the city to work as I would not have the time for my horses (kept on DIY).

I earn enough that I can get by comfortably and can afford things for my horse, however I do not spend much on myself, I rarely buy clothes, get my hair cut, go out for an evening etc.

I also have a significant amount of debt that I am not able to make any significant in roads in to. If I were to get rid of my horse I would be able to improve my financial situation rather quickly, however I wold be miserable without her and no doubt just find something else to spend the money on!

 

[abercrombie&titch]

My age fluctuates.... sometimes I feel like a right old bag, sometimes like a spring chicken Depends if I keep pony between me and the ground!!!

Ours are at home (big, small & baby) which is why we can afford them, but still working on horsebox.... currently trundle round in trailer which grows green moss on the sides for ponies to nibble (saves hay!)

Sadly, folks imagine wealth to come in multiples of the drive length I find....!!

 

[Syrah]

I'm 40, own 1 horse, no transport yet as there's no point at the moment. That'll change hopefully sometime next year where I'll go for a 2nd hand trailer.

I'm in an ok paid job, OH is a driving instructor and earning not alot at the moment. So I'm the family bank with 2 children, 1 dog, 2 cats and the hubby on top of the horse. There's room for us to tighten the belt more if need be, horse is on full livery so could always move to diy.

I've worked hard to get to where I am, had a few blips the worst one being a few years ago where I was pregnant and unceremoniously made redundant so I had to sell my horse at the time to save the roof over our heads (1 daughter and 1 on the way).

I tend not to think about what others have, just enjoy what I've got

 

[midi]

lol omg this thread makes me feel like a right failure of life,
20 going on 21 and still not been able to get any sort of job other than voluenteer work or temp, slightly jealous of those in their early 20s and already sound utterly sorted.
Be a long time before I can afford a horse sadly

 

[shadowboy]

I am 27. I am a college teacher (A levels only) and I have a partner who works for the Environment Agency so we have decent wages but because we both have to travel an hour to our respective jobs a lot is spent on fuel. So I have to instruct (classical dressage) on evenings/holidays/weekends and clip (horses) in winter to add a bit of cash. We are never going to be rich but we get by. We have a mortgage and two large dogs which costs us, so the horses we own are of the 'cheaper kind' -unshod/hardy etc.

 

[Captain Bridget]

I'm 21, I don't have a horse, I don't have a job. I live in a rented flat with my OH who is studying for a PhD with funding thankfully and my cousin who has a student loan. I'm just about surviving on money from my previous job but barely. I seriously need a job now, I've applied for so many, only had 1 get back to me and it seemed bogus tbh! I don't like sitting at home not doing anything.

I previously lived at home paying rent, worked a badly paying job at a stud/livery yard and kept up payments for a share horse. Then I got a slightly better paid job who decided they would give me hardly any hours and rode for free.

Currently I'm thinking I wish I was still at home! But my mother told me I had to get on with my own life so this is me trying. The horse is a long way off. Hopefully once the OH has his PhD he'll be able to get a well paying job as he'll technically be an 'expert' in his field! -fingers crossed- Then maybe things will be a bit better.

 

[abitodd]

I'm 42

I've got 3 horses.

I'm on the game.

(sorry if thats advertising BTW)

.........I think!
Good idea though. I have considered pole dancing,but there's not much demand for it on Exmoor.

I am 46 and a musician. I can earn between £30 and £150 an hour if I can find/generate the work. Hoping to have a hit record one day(about as much chance as a lottery win,but more fulfilling than buying lottery tickets.)
I inherited half a house when my Mum died. I bought an expensive horse and a cheapish horse. They cost very little to keep because we rent a place with land and they live out,unshod.
I no longer have 'funds' so have to work hard for this lifestyle. I can no longer afford to buy clothes(even at charity shops),have my hair cut,go out,make unnecessary journeys..........but I am very happy.

 

[Shadow-01]

I'm 28 and have 1 gelding.

I work in finance and earn a fairly decent wage. OH is self employed. We are fortunate enough to rent our home from one of OH's family members (long term arrangement) and our rent is cheap

I've gone without transport for a couple of years and hacked to shows as they're all close by, but recently bought a trailer and 4x4. (4x4 nothing fancy, an old Shogun which has been nicknamed 'The Beast'!

Other than that, I go without foreign holidays, luckily OH isn't too keen on traveling! I love fashion, but have to be strict on what I buy and save for things I want.

Oh and no kids!!! (don't plan on having any either!)

 

[fatpiggy]

Ok, I don't have many months change out of 47 and work in university admin - after 25 years I just about earn the national average wage I think. I have a mortgage in a not very brilliant area, second hand car. Just me and the cat so only one income stream but at least no kids to drain it! I was in my 30s before I got my horse so for all those of you who are still dreaming about it, it can happen. My biggest expenses are petrol (£250+ per month) as I drive over 60 miles a day visiting horse twice to and from work and the yard is half an hour from home (another 50 minutes to work) and my horse's drugs - £500 per month. The old biddy is retired so she doesn't even earn her keep!!! I've lived on £10 - £15 per week for over a decade so I'm used to it now, only had a weeks holiday since I bought her in 1995 and all my clothes and shoes, apart from undies come from charity shops, but I'm used to that too as I grew up in hand me downs. Meals out, takeaways, a social life are complete unknowns for me. I do have quite a few other hobbies but have to make sure they cost peanuts. When she is gone I'll have so much spare cash I won't know what to do with it - you really do get used to going with just about everything.

 

[FriendlyCob]

Hey

Have to be honest, I read this post and it brough a tear to my eye- sniff sniff..... it seems non of us would be without our horses no matter what it takes.

I'm 30- that happened this year, let be honest had a bit of break down about it.... have lovely black show cob who's worth more than I could start to say, i don't earn enough to buy my own place- gotta luv the rents! and would never sell my boy to do it when he'd given me so much.

But if anyone hear's of a rich guy that after a bird before the assets go south, feel free to pm me! ah there I go with the dreaming again x

 

[wispagold]

Interesting thread, seeing what everyone else does.

I am 24, I work as a ruminant nutritionist for a big ruminant feed company. My job is very interesting with lots of opportunities. I have 1 horse that I event when I can afford it and can find someone to take me, currently on full livery and costing me a fortune. I live with my OH who is a design manager on a decent wage. We have a house (plus mortgage) and 3 cars. Neither of us have a credit card as they are scary. We don't spend much money on ourselves and are both very sensible with money. I just about scrape even at the end of the month. Spent all my savings on house deposit.

One day I hope we will be able to buy some land so that I can have the horses at home. Would love a 3.5t lorry as I can't seem to find the time do have lessons for towing.

 

[minkymoo]

I'm 35 and work for a Training Company. I got made redundant this year and that paid for the baby horse and my livery for both for 6 months.

I earn a good wage and work really hard to continue to afford both. My OH is excellent at saving so that helps me save better too.

 

[velv]

Im 24 and am in my final year at medical school. I had some amazing grandparents who brought me my first pony who I still have. I bred from her last year from inheritance from my grandad so have a 6 month old gelding and Ive now inherited my Grans two ex race horses, and 5 month old filly.

I owe everything I have to them and now hopefully with a doctors wage in the future will be able to do the same for my grandchildren.