Another "why do people..." thread

because they love them and not everyone has a rich mummy and daddy that can support them...

Oh i dont know, i wouldnt, (hence why Pink pony isnt living with me yet :( ). I have about £5 in the bank today, and thats got to feed us for two weeks.
 
Yeah, I'd like to know the answer to that one too. I had to wait until my 40's to be able to have the freedom and money to have a horse. I just wouldn't have got one if I didn't have the money. I'd be interested to hear the posts.
 
I can afford my horse. It just makes me broke towards the end of the month :D I am only 19 but I pay for my horse entirely myself. Just means I have to learn how to budget ;)
 
And how far would you go to say what ''affording'' a horse is.

My freind has 8, they all live in a field she owns, she can trim barefoot, she rides one and i think her total monthly outgoing is something like £100-200 and thats literally on hay and bits and peices. I know its hardly anything. My other freinds livery alone is £200 a month.

Once my money gets here got a grand to go in the bank for her to start with.
ive costed basics at £250, thats headcollar+ropes, grooming kit, saddle, rug (s?) feed + hay, lunge ropes ect ect. and i dont have to pay for where she is or her insurance and she has just been trimmed,wormed, vaccinated. We will be able to afford her, but if we couldnt it would just be idiotic.
 
I don't object to someone who has a single horse that they make sacrifices for; there are ways to keep a horse more cheaply than paying for expensive livery yards, and providing the horse is a fairly easy keeper and not needing expensive feeds, if either insurance or vet fees money is available if needed and all the basics are met, I think it would be unfair to say someone couldn't have a horse just because they weren't financially well off.

I do object though when basic care is neglected or the owner can't afford to look after them properly and still goes out and buys or breeds more.

The other consideration is that anybody's financial status can change at any point for various reasons and with the market being so difficult it isn't always easy to loan/sell. Putting to sleep is also quite expensive and some people may well put off doing the deed when needed because of a lack of funds which has huge welfare implications.
 
I can't afford to keep mine - I made a deal with my dad that he paid for livery, I paid for extras. it does help that the yard I'm moving to is £45 cheaper a week so that will make my dad a bit happier
 
I can't afford to keep mine. I've just had to downsize from my house to a flat to keep them in the style to which they have become accustomed.

I'm not sure what afford really means. Mine effectively empty my bank account each month but both are insured for vets fees and I could always find the excess just about. They get their teeth and jabs done. But I know my saddle needs reflocking and I'm having to wait until after I've been paid. Does that mean I shouldn't have them?

I can't afford to go out much though (scraped up the money for B+E lessons and now can't afford trailer!) and they don't have new rugs every year.

I think most people could afford them if they had to. Some people just don't prioritise well!
 
touchstone said:
I don't object to someone who has a single horse that they make sacrifices for; there are ways to keep a horse more cheaply than paying for expensive livery yards, and providing the horse is a fairly easy keeper and not needing expensive feeds, if either insurance or vet fees money is available if needed and all the basics are met, I think it would be unfair to say someone couldn't have a horse just because they weren't financially well off.

I do object though when basic care is neglected or the owner can't afford to look after them properly and still goes out and buys or breeds more.

The other consideration is that anybody's financial status can change at any point for various reasons and with the market being so difficult it isn't always easy to loan/sell. Putting to sleep is also quite expensive and some people may well put off doing the deed when needed because of a lack of funds which has huge welfare implications.
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^ this! I think If someone wants to sacrifice other luxuries, and always be broke at the end of the month to allow them to keep a horse then fine, I've done it! But to not be able to afford the basic care is another matter, and to have multiples in this state is not on!

I have two because I can comfortably afford two, when I could afford one I had one.
 
ThePinkPony said:
And how far would you go to say what ''affording'' a horse is.
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I see "affording" like this: being able to pay - on time - for board/feed/farrier/vet/etc. I'm not saying those who aren't rolling in cash shouldn't have horses, far from it! If that were the case, I wouldn't have one! That the basic needs of the horse are met, and in a timely manner.


touchstone said:
I do object though when basic care is neglected or the owner can't afford to look after them properly and still goes out and buys or breeds more.
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^^^
That is exactly what I mean!
 
Sadly it is often the case that they could afford them and now circumstances have changed and they cannot bring themselves to sell or put them out on loan as they are hoping for a minor miracle...
 
cyberhorse said:
Sadly it is often the case that they could afford them and now circumstances have changed and they cannot bring themselves to sell or put them out on loan as they are hoping for a minor miracle...
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Oh yes - I bet there is a lot of this. I hope if something happened and I lost my job I would do the right thing, but the thought of saying goodbye......;
 
Far from being able to afford one myself (both in financial and time senses!)....I took on a part-loan!

Best thing I EVER did, I found someone lovely to share with and Kelly is more of a loan now I see her every day when I am home from uni, and her owner will not accept any money (I buy feed, and other accessories, do the jobs, give lifts when needed etc in return).
When I did pay for her, I paid it myself :)
K x
 
If you mean afford as not having to make sacrifices in other areas to keep your horse (in my case horses) then I can't. What I do is cut food costs by buying basics and making my own cakes/treats, running a cheap truck, using own brand horse feed, cheap rugs etc. The only reason I can afford a holiday each year is because my Aunt and Uncle have a house in Greece so I stay with them ;)
 
Damnation said:
I can afford my horse. It just makes me broke towards the end of the month :D I am only 19 but I pay for my horse entirely myself. Just means I have to learn how to budget ;)
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I have also paid for my own horse since I was 16 and its hard work but its the love of it. Like my Dad says I dont drink, I dont smoke I dont really go out every weekend so I should spend my money on something i enjoy.

I wouldnt say i struggle to pay for my mare but I dont really have heaps of cash to do to much each month.

You do it for the love of it.
 
touchstone said:
I don't object to someone who has a single horse that they make sacrifices for; there are ways to keep a horse more cheaply than paying for expensive livery yards, and providing the horse is a fairly easy keeper and not needing expensive feeds, if either insurance or vet fees money is available if needed and all the basics are met, I think it would be unfair to say someone couldn't have a horse just because they weren't financially well off.

I do object though when basic care is neglected or the owner can't afford to look after them properly and still goes out and buys or breeds more.
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^^^ This
 
The horse doesn't actually cost that much - it's the petrol!!

I go on holiday twice a year, run a car, have a savings account I pay into every month, do the occasional long-distance driving trip, yakk yakk yakk. . .

No, i'm not on heaps of money - far from it actually. My car is ancient and desperately needs replacing ideally with something that can pull a trailer, my boyfriend (who's made of money) actually pays for one of my holidays a year (because I do his ironing all year round and clean his enormous house), I purchase a bag of "non-brand" feed and am lucky enough to be one of these that if i don't need it, i don't buy it!!!
 
What makes me furious is when people WON'T spend the money on them required, because they'd RATHER be spending it elsewhere - and I don't men on essentials either.

I know of one woman who fed her old mare the worst hay I think I have ever seen in my life, grown on her own land and badly cut etc, because she refused to buy in decent stuff AND THEN buy a brand new state - of - the art caravan for her weekends away. I know of another (saw her the other day) and her horse's feet were absolutely atrocious - clearly hasn't seen a farrier in months - had a huge crack almost to the coronary band and she is floating around in a brand new, top of the range Volvo estate and is having a massive extension on her house. Now that sort of thing I think is disgusting. If you don't WANT to spend the money on them, DON'T have them!!!
 
Sanolly said:
If you mean afford as not having to make sacrifices in other areas to keep your horse (in my case horses) then I can't. What I do is cut food costs by buying basics and making my own cakes/treats, running a cheap truck, using own brand horse feed, cheap rugs etc. The only reason I can afford a holiday each year is because my Aunt and Uncle have a house in Greece so I stay with them ;)
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This is what I do as well. My OH is paying for me & the kids to go visit relatives, and that's pretty much our holiday. Hard to take time off when you live/work on a farm. Such is life though - and for those who want to have horses in their lives, I feel they should be prepared to put in the time (& money) to keeping them well looked after.

showqa said:
What makes me furious is when people WON'T spend the money on them required, because they'd RATHER be spending it elsewhere - and I don't men on essentials either.

If you don't WANT to spend the money on them, DON'T have them!!!
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Absolutely!
 
you can afford it if you scrimp on other things. it is all a case of prioritising your financial needs. if you REALLYm have no money find a share/part loan. it can be done but not if you drink, smoke, socialise, holiday, drive a nice car etc. but you can always increase your income with some sort of freelance/swap favours etc. it can be done! if you want it enough.
 
blood_magik said:
I can't afford to keep mine - I made a deal with my dad that he paid for livery, I paid for extras. it does help that the yard I'm moving to is £45 cheaper a week so that will make my dad a bit happier
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Pretty much the same arrangement I had with my dad when I had Dylan. He paid the "big" bills (livery/insurance/vets), I paid for shoes, feed, rugs and anything else he needed. And I paid my petrol driving 14 miles to the yard twice a day in winter - probably the biggest expense of all!
 
touchstone said:
I don't object to someone who has a single horse that they make sacrifices for; there are ways to keep a horse more cheaply than paying for expensive livery yards, and providing the horse is a fairly easy keeper and not needing expensive feeds, if either insurance or vet fees money is available if needed and all the basics are met, I think it would be unfair to say someone couldn't have a horse just because they weren't financially well off.
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Thats me, I dont buy anything for myself and have 3 jobs, would take on another in a heartbeat! I do think a lot is about budgeting, I do live at home and could only move out if I found a grooms job with accomodation for myself and horse but pay for car+horse :)
 
orsolya80 said:
I see "affording" like this: being able to pay - on time - for board/feed/farrier/vet/etc. I'm not saying those who aren't rolling in cash shouldn't have horses, far from it! If that were the case, I wouldn't have one! That the basic needs of the horse are met, and in a timely manner.




^^^
That is exactly what I mean!
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Yep my sentiments exactly.

There is a livery at my yard who moans she can't afford to put petrol in her car and cadges lifts up the yard.

Her 2 horses have been at our yard since last summer and have never seen a farrier-she thinks that because they are barefoot they don't need to? Their feet are awful.

Since she arrived we've all started to lock up our feed as that kept vanishing over the winter.

Having no money is one thing but she's also thick. It's such a shame because I dread to think what would happen if one of them became seriously ill and needed costly vet treatment.
 
Damnation said:
I can afford my horse. It just makes me broke towards the end of the month :D I am only 19 but I pay for my horse entirely myself. Just means I have to learn how to budget ;)
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Me too...I'm 20 but my horse is my horse, and I have sole responsibility of paying for everything..and paid for her my self...I wouldn't have it any other way :)
 
Im always poor but having just sold a very needy tb, food bill was though the roof, needed lessons every week to ride him then pay someone else to jump him for me. Got shod every 4 weeks, needed pampering at every turn, but I worked an extra shift a week to pay for him, the most cripplng part was that he needed to be on part livey at £64 a week, because the silly thing wouldnt be turned on his own, so had to fit in with every one elae who most on my yard dont work.
But ok ive just sold hm, but only because i couldnt ride 2 legs of the beast if i could then he wouldnt of gone anyhere, because i love the bloodly thing and that meant he had to have the best that i could afford. If i cant afford it then went running to oh, if it was a big bill eg new saddle, then i go begging to my dad, who never gives me money for the horse (he doesnt like them and thinks they are a waste of money) and say theres something wrong with my car, naughty me

But in all fairness dad was never around when i was little, hes got a nation wide company but never gave my mum any money for his kids. Even when he remarried and had more, they had 1000's spent on them for bdays, xmas etc and i was lucky to get a card- which i very offen didnt. So a few porkies here and there wont hurt him
 
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