ARGGHHH!! What to do... buying a horse

Lippyx

Lippyx

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So... viewed a horse yesterday, gorgeous! So genuine, loving, and so laid back, I even jumped him, and I haven't jumped for years!!

He is slightly over my budget, but its do-able.

I keep asking myself I am ready, can I REALLY afford it, do I REALLY have the time?? Maybe I am over thinking, which I do all the time, and maybe I should just go for it and stop thinking about the what ifs!

Should I not save my money for the future, should I do what people expect me to do or do what makes me happy!?
 
Do you have his purchase price in cash in the bank?

Do you have another say £500 for tack rugs etc.to get him kitted out properly?

Do you have enough spare each month for livery, insurance, feed, farrier etc. - write list of everything and compare it to your cash spare each month.

Do you than have still a little money spare to save for emergancies/ wedding/ house deposit etc.

If answer is yes then go for it, for a nice horse you enjoy you'll make time! (unless you have a 12 hour a day job 4 kids and no OH!)
 
These are questions you should have answered BEFORE you tried out the horse. If someone tried out my horse, loved it, and then said they didn't think they had the time for a horse then I would be fuming.

Perhaps you're just getting cold feet before handing over a large sum of money. Life is too short to be too sensible all the time. Good luck if you buy him!
 
minimilton said:
These are questions you should have answered BEFORE you tried out the horse. If someone tried out my horse, loved it, and then said they didn't think they had the time for a horse then I would be fuming.
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This, surely after all these years of wondering when to buy a horse you have done the sums and made sure you have the tim and cash available both for initial purchase and ongoing costs.
 
minimilton said:
These are questions you should have answered BEFORE you tried out the horse. If someone tried out my horse, loved it, and then said they didn't think they had the time for a horse then I would be fuming.
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This!!

Have you sat down and worked out a comprehensive budget?
 
jemima*askin said:
This, surely after all these years of wondering when to buy a horse you have done the sums and made sure you have the tim and cash available both for initial purchase and ongoing costs.
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Oh yes, I have done the sums, and I do have time and funds, I am sure about that.
I just worry all the time, I worried when I moved jobs - Is it right, will I regret it, is it too far to travel.

I guess it is cold feet, the realistion that after all these years of wishing and hoping, that I might actually be getting my own horse!!
 
Lippyx said:
Should I not save my money for the future, should I do what people expect me to do or do what makes me happy!?
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Yes, you should save money for your future. If only because, if you have no savings, what happens if you need a lump sum for the horse and have nothing put by?

Surely you have worked out the answers to the above questions before looking for horses? Have you owned a horse before? You DO need to think about the what ifs because you are about to take responsibility for a living being and you need to ensure you can take care of it. Can you afford to pay for insurance, livery, shoes, feed, hay, teeth, vaccinations, lessons, tack, and anything else on top of that?
 
I think op is asking rehtorical questions in her thread. Not ACTUALLY asking if she has enough time and money, just the usual questions you double ask yourself before a life changing purchase.
Good luck op sounds like you like this one
 
sarahw123 said:
I think op is asking rehtorical questions in her thread. Not ACTUALLY asking if she has enough time and money, just the usual questions you double ask yourself before a life changing purchase.
Good luck op sounds like you like this one
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This ^^^

OP, you already know what you are going to do, you are just having a wobble of self doubt. Man up...get over it and go get your new horse.

Said with a grin and a glass of wine for you, I feel your pain but you'll only stop the wobble by taking action.
 
I think its a perfectly logical question to ask, even if you can afford it as such... I've ever had any issues paying for mine, but I have questioned if the money would be better spent on other things (i.e. saving for a house deposit, pension etc).
 
sarahw123 said:
I think op is asking rehtorical questions in her thread. Not ACTUALLY asking if she has enough time and money, just the usual questions you double ask yourself before a life changing purchase.
Good luck op sounds like you like this one
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I agree with this

The OP has been on here a number of years so must have read hundreds of threads where things have gone wrong, hopefully they arent really wet behind the ears and its just last minute panic!

OP if you can afford the overbudget extra amount whilst still kitting out the horse, get straight within a few months and have access to emergency funds of some sort then I would go for it.
If the extra means living on baked beans for six months or more and no money put aside then let this horse go and look for others not viewing anything outside the budget unless you are confident you can get the price down!
 
Life is too short, it sounds like you have thought it through so go for it ........ :)

I felt exactly the same way 25 plus years ago and yes they are pains sometimes, winter can be hard and money in the bank would be nice but I can truthfully say I have never regretted a moment with my horse/s..

Good luck and have fun x
 
_GG_ said:
This ^^^

OP, you already know what you are going to do, you are just having a wobble of self doubt. Man up...get over it and go get your new horse.

Said with a grin and a glass of wine for you, I feel your pain but you'll only stop the wobble by taking action.
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Got it in one!! I need to man up, and just go for it! I worry about what others will thin and say, telling some people your getting a horse is like telling some people you are pregnant!! Some people can be so judgemental, and all my life I have done what is expected of me and not what I want to do... and its got me no where!
 
Lippyx said:
Got it in one!! I need to man up, and just go for it! I worry about what others will thin and say, telling some people your getting a horse is like telling some people you are pregnant!! Some people can be so judgemental, and all my life I have done what is expected of me and not what I want to do... and its got me no where!
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Don't tell them. When they say things like, "have you got yourself a horse?" respond by saying yes, he/she's gorgeous, you should come see him/her sometime. If you get any kind of judgemental response, just say thanks and laugh...actually laugh out loud.

If they then ask why you are laughing just shrug your shoulders and tell them you think it's sweet that they worry about you but it's ok...you've survived so far in life :-)
 
Lippyx said:
Got it in one!! I need to man up, and just go for it! I worry about what others will thin and say, telling some people your getting a horse is like telling some people you are pregnant!! Some people can be so judgemental, and all my life I have done what is expected of me and not what I want to do... and its got me no where!
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Right, so now it's time to do what YOU want to do! When you've got the horse you won't have time to worry about what others think (so don't start listening to fellow liveries who are telling you you're doing it wrong). I've bought horses before with nowhere to put them but it's always worked out. As someone else said, life's too short - seize the moment!
 
I can completely understand where you are coming from.

I am (finally) getting to a point in my life when I can afford a horse and although I haven't actively started looking I am suddenly swinging like a pendulum from "OMG finally I can get what I have wanted for the last 10 years! This is going to be brilliant! I can't wait!!!" to "can I really afford it? Have I got enough time? What if it turns out I can barely ride? Do I have enough knowledge to not kill it within the first 3 days?!? Argh, what am I thinking? I shouldn't even be trusted with a toy horse!"

These changes in perspective can often change 3x in under 10 minutes.

This is despite me having a comprehensive list of the costs, which is double and triple checked with multiple horsey people. I also have the cash in the bank for the horse and the subsequent "new horse costs". As for experience, despite having never owned my own I have loaned a couple and in my times off from that I have worked on a yard... Time wise, I have a flexible workload and can choose when to get things done, allowing me time to care for and ride the horse...

Yet still these concerns bother me!

To be honest, I see it as a sign that I appreciate the gravity of the commitment I am about to take on.

From your post you seem to be in the same place, logically you know you are able to make this huge and costly decision, but occasionally you like to scare yourself! I should think that most people who knew what they were doing felt a little nervous the first time they went to buy a horse!!
 
E_Lister said:
I can completely understand where you are coming from.

I am (finally) getting to a point in my life when I can afford a horse and although I haven't actively started looking I am suddenly swinging like a pendulum from "OMG finally I can get what I have wanted for the last 10 years! This is going to be brilliant! I can't wait!!!" to "can I really afford it? Have I got enough time? What if it turns out I can barely ride? Do I have enough knowledge to not kill it within the first 3 days?!? Argh, what am I thinking? I shouldn't even be trusted with a toy horse!"

These changes in perspective can often change 3x in under 10 minutes.

This is despite me having a comprehensive list of the costs, which is double and triple checked with multiple horsey people. I also have the cash in the bank for the horse and the subsequent "new horse costs". As for experience, despite having never owned my own I have loaned a couple and in my times off from that I have worked on a yard... Time wise, I have a flexible workload and can choose when to get things done, allowing me time to care for and ride the horse...

Yet still these concerns bother me!

To be honest, I see it as a sign that I appreciate the gravity of the commitment I am about to take on.

From your post you seem to be in the same place, logically you know you are able to make this huge and costly decision, but occasionally you like to scare yourself! I should think that most people who knew what they were doing felt a little nervous the first time they went to buy a horse!!
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And I can tell you right now that the very fact that you question yourself so much is what will make you a brilliant horse owner and people like you do horses a disservice by NOT having one, so get yourself out there.

The people who shouldn't be allowed near a horse with a bargepole are the ones that think they know everything! Let's face it, none of do and none of us ever will!
 
Lippyx said:
Got it in one!! I need to man up, and just go for it! I worry about what others will thin and say, telling some people your getting a horse is like telling some people you are pregnant!! Some people can be so judgemental, and all my life I have done what is expected of me and not what I want to do... and its got me no where!
Click to expand...

You get (well I do anyway!) the exact same feelings and thoughts when you change jobs. You apply for it and its really exciting, but then the real possiblity of having to leave that familiar secure office with people you've worked with for years, your pension has to be sorted out, you have to drive to a new area and so and so on. Its human nature. Go and get your new boy and enjoy him!
 
_GG_ said:
And I can tell you right now that the very fact that you question yourself so much is what will make you a brilliant horse owner and people like you do horses a disservice by NOT having one, so get yourself out there.

The people who shouldn't be allowed near a horse with a bargepole are the ones that think they know everything! Let's face it, none of do and none of us ever will!
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Thanks! That really does mean a lot! I have loads of non horsey friends who think I am bonkers so I appreciate comments like that :)
 
Lippyx said:
Well... I have done it, I have booked the vetting!!! I would be mad if I let this one go, he actually ticks all the boxes, so I'd be crazy to let someone else take him!!

Now the vetting nerves can take over!!!
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Exciting!! I hope it goes well for you :)
 
Lippyx said:
Well... I have done it, I have booked the vetting!!! I would be mad if I let this one go, he actually ticks all the boxes, so I'd be crazy to let someone else take him!!

Now the vetting nerves can take over!!!
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**Like**

Good luck :)
 
fatpiggy said:
You get (well I do anyway!) the exact same feelings and thoughts when you change jobs. You apply for it and its really exciting, but then the real possiblity of having to leave that familiar secure office with people you've worked with for years, your pension has to be sorted out, you have to drive to a new area and so and so on. Its human nature. Go and get your new boy and enjoy him!
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Totally!! When I got offered the job I am at now, it took me 2 days to think whether it was right for me. I woke up the morning I had to tell them, thinking I'm not going to take it, and then my OH said I was mad not to go for it!! So I took it, and haven't looked back!! I even got a job here for one of the girls at my old place, because it had gotten so bad there!
 
Lippyx said:
Oh yes, I have done the sums, and I do have time and funds, I am sure about that.
I just worry all the time, I worried when I moved jobs - Is it right, will I regret it, is it too far to travel.

I guess it is cold feet, the realistion that after all these years of wishing and hoping, that I might actually be getting my own horse!!
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See I understand all this. I don't have my own horse and although I'd love to own my very own horse I worry about all the same things. I could afford it but it's the responsibility and all the what ifs. My feeling would be that if you've bound the right horse then go with it.
 
Lippyx said:
Well... I have done it, I have booked the vetting!!! I would be mad if I let this one go, he actually ticks all the boxes, so I'd be crazy to let someone else take him!!

Now the vetting nerves can take over!!!
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Ohhh.. Well done. Fingers crossed for you. Meanwhile I will continue window shopping until I'm brave enough to follow in your footsteps . :)
 
I am in the exact same situation as you... I've just bought my first horse (and a baby one at that!) and have had all the same 'what ifs' as you, I still have sleepless night worrying now, but I am very much a worrier in general! I've wanted a horse for as long as I can remember and know I can afford it and know ill be a responsible owner so I think it is just a case of having 'cold feet' which I think/hope is normal before a big life changing purchase! Like others have said I think it's sensible to have these doubts rather than walking around with your head in the clouds like I see so much with horse owners around me!

I think if you know he's right then it would be silly to pass up on it :) I hope the vetting goes well!
 
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