Are you cutting back on competing/training due to the cost of living?

blood_magik

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We hire out our indoor and have noticed a big decrease in numbers recently.
We did put our prices up this year but the extra cost has been swallowed by the increases in diesel and electricity.

I have noticed an increase in the cost of classes recently (2 x BD AM classes = £54 ?) so will be cutting back after our petplan area festival next month.
 

rara007

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I’ve done 500 miles each way to Holland, 400 miles each way to Holland, a ‘local’ 40 mile one way, 450 miles each way to Scotland and 180 to wales. Now 100 miles from home at Norfolk. I’ve only just changed from an 100 mile each way commute to work. I’d planned mid France in august before the championships in Normandy but not sure I can justify it…I’m not forecast to clear the CC any time soon even working 60hour weeks. I’ve stopped training and school hires since the season started. I am staggeringly lucky to have done what I’ve managed but the cost involved have become truly eye watering.
 

GreyDot

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We hire out our indoor and have noticed a big decrease in numbers recently.
We did put our prices up this year but the extra cost has been swallowed by the increases in diesel and electricity.

I have noticed an increase in the cost of classes recently (2 x BD AM classes = £54 ?) so will be cutting back after our petplan area festival next month.

Same here - the venues near me have all added £4 to £5 on to their entry fees for each class. It's getting too expensive so I am now just going out for the qualifications and leaving weeks of no competitions up until the actual championship/Area Festival/Regional. It's just too expensive to pay that just for whiteboard practice.
 

GinaGeo

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I was hoping to do some Unaffiliated Events this year with the young one. He hasn’t really been ready - keeps growing ?. So we haven’t.

I was going to rejoin BD and try and get some qualifiers in. I ummed and Ahhhd. And eventually decided I couldn’t really warrant that either.

Solo is doing just enough to qualify for the Side Saddle Champs (hopefully).

I am definitely going out competing less, and as a side effect I’m not needing to train as much. I’m not Eventing so not needing to do various discipline specific training.

I am doing Arena Hires, which are a more economical way of getting two jumped.

But mostly I’m ploughing money (and time) into training for me, so that I can have a career change. The training is horse related which means as well as benefitting me career wise, long term I will be able able to reduce my own costs by not having to outsource so much of the skilled bits.

Expensive in training and tome at the moment though ?
 
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Same here - the venues near me have all added £4 to £5 on to their entry fees for each class. It's getting too expensive so I am now just going out for the qualifications and leaving weeks of no competitions up until the actual championship/Area Festival/Regional. It's just too expensive to pay that just for whiteboard practice.

Funnily enough it's the unaffiliated showing that has whacked its prices up and not the agricultural shows. I did a low level unaffiliated show at the start of the year because it was 15mins up the road and it would get the 2yo colt out. £18 a class! With a judge that had no idea about M&M's! The local agricultural show is £8 to enter your first class (and a catalogue is included in this price) then £5 for every subsequent class. Mostly affiliated classes.

The Shetland show I run I won't put the entry price up either. I would rather people entered more ponies and brought them all than entered a select few for the same price. I like seeing lots of ponies making it a busy day!
 

nikkimariet

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I’m deffo looking at the costs of entries. I’ve just spent a sickening amount which takes me up to end of August (closing dates forced entry this early on) so it’s not ‘too’ bad but I’m not looking to go to unnecessary shows if I can avoid it. I’ve pushed my lessons out to 6 weekly rather than 4 weekly too.

Fuel is a real killer and I’ve cut a fair bit of that cost down by hacking from home rather than trekking out each weekend and competing a bit closer to home too. Had a feed rejig and he’s actually looking better on that and it’s saving me a decent amount each month.

I live on my own and it is hard work and it’s even harder getting paid and watching 50% of it disappear within direct debits the next day. I’ll be due an inflationary pay increase - very lucky - but I have worked my ass off to get to where I am.
 

Pokitren

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Competition will put everything in its place. And the desires of horse owners will adjust these places.
After all, price increases are inherent in the principle of a free market economy. So do not be surprised, we have to make more money :)
 
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