Advice re buying first horse

[ChestnutMare13]

Hi all!
I joined this forum as I am in need of some advice regarding making the leap and buying my own horse. It’s a bit of a long story but my background is as follows: I have been riding horses for approximately 15 years. I have had horses on both part and full loan over the years but I have suffered heartbreak with most of them due to them being sold from under me. Others just weren’t suitable for my level. As a child/teenager, my parents could never afford to buy me a pony, and I would never have expected them to, and so I just had to make do with whatever was about and affordable. I then went to university for 4 years so a horse was out of the question then as well!
I’m now in the position where I feel that I can afford a horse, but time is now my issue. I work full time and to further my career, I’m undertaking a 2 year part time university course which requires me to attend seminars at a university about an hour away from home every other weekend. I typically stay overnight but I am able to drive there and back each day.
I currently have a horse on part loan 2/3 days a week but his owner rides him along with another loaner and so I do not feel fulfilled as I cannot make any progress.
In my head, I know it would be sensible to wait another 2 years until I have got my exams out of the way and finished my part time university course but my heart says otherwise as is there ever really a “right time?”
So, from people that have horses and may have been in a similar predicament, can anyone offer advice as to what would be best to do?
Many thanks in advance.

 

[twiggy2]

Realistically how many times a week will you see the horse?
In order to do all chores and ride it used to take 2hrs of my time each day- how often can you spare that?

 

[ChestnutMare13]

Hi twiggy2, thanks for the quick response!
The weekends that I am not at uni, I would see the horse every day (twice a day in winter before and after work). If I have uni, worst case scenario, I wouldn’t be able to make it up on Saturday and Sunday.
Factoring in exam revision, that would limit my riding time as I would need to get home to study, but I would still make it up to check the horse and do jobs in winter.

 

[splashgirl45]

you are still young and have many years ahead to own a horse. so i would suggest you wait until you have finished your studies and that would mean you can put all of your effort into getting a good education which will be useful for the rest of your life..then once you get your horse your time will be for him/her and you can fully concentrate on enjoying the horsey lifestyle...

 

[Shay]

Actually it is less about time and more about money.

You will need full livery or fairly extensive part livery to care for the horse when you can't be around to ride. Fitness wise missing weekends from time to time won't make a blind bit of difference. If you only ride once or twice a week just resign yourself to having a relatively unfit horse. The horse won't care - just don't ask them to go out and compete or do heavy duty stuff. But they'll be find for training clinics and short sponsored rides etc. Or find a full livery yard which will exercise as well. That is why it is basically about money.

If you can afford a decent yard which can either exercise for you or use a walker for days you cannot reach the stable there is no reason not to have a horse now. Don't plan on eventing to a high level - but pretty much will be within your grasp. But if you are talking about DIY only - you don't have the time right now. You need to see a horse - even a grass kept one - at least every day and ideally twice.

 

[SpringArising]

There isn't a perfect time but there are certainly times more ideal than others, and I don't think you'll have time for a horse unless on full or extensive part livery. IMO you're going to burn out pretty quickly.

The last thing I'd feel like doing after being at uni all weekend and driving home is going to see and ride/tack up/groom/put everything away in the freezing cold.

 

[Theocat]

You are currently riding 2/3 days a week - how many extra evenings are you sitting at home feeling bored and wishing you had some ***** to shovel? After you finish your course, what are your plans - might you need to relocate for your career? As above, how much money do you have available to spend on this?

I'd carry on with the share, but invest in a lesson a week on the share horse, plus another schoolmaster lesson at a good school every week as well - you ought to start progressing pretty quickly with that regime. And if you find either the time or the money to fit that in are a problem, you know you aren't in the right place yet to have your own!