MrsCentaur
Well-Known Member
I’m a self-confessed riding school numpty. I’ve only been riding as an adult for a year (about 13 years of riding as a child), weekly until lockdown and 3x/week now that I am working from home. When I started riding again as an adult, owning a horse of my own was the end goal and in December I expect to receive a generous work bonus that should cover that cost outright.
I’ve been thinking for a while about how to manage my work-life-horse balance. I have a high-pressured job with a long commute, a partner who likes to see me and five small children. My previous idea had been to put said horse on full livery and enlist the help of a keen teenager or two to ride in the week; no chores unless they want them, no cost, just riding. It felt like a nice way to come full circle as an independent person who didn’t need to rely on anyone else’s generosity in order to have access to horses. But last week, my instructor remarked that she would love to have her own but couldn’t afford to do so, and I remarked wistfully that I had the money but not the TIME, and when I suggested that I buy something for us to share she didn’t seem to think it was a bad idea and actually, it really appeals to me. I think that we could maybe make that work.
In my mind, it would work something like this: we would find a talented youngster that she could form how she likes, and compete on at whatever level she wants to do that, and I would continue to have lessons under her supervision but on my own horse and enjoy some lovely hacks, and take lots of photos to gaze at longingly because after lockdown ends, realistically I will be lucky to get to the stables twice/week. I’ll cover all of the costs, except perhaps competition fees if she wants to compete. Obviously she is a much better rider and horsewoman generally than I am, so there will be a great deal of trust on my part - she can do what she wants with said horse, when she wants to do it, and I will be grateful for the opportunity to have a horse of my own and some of the freedom that comes with, without having to sacrifice too much time with my family or too much of my attention to my career. I think it might be fun?! And what an opportunity to learn from somebody whom I like and respect, and for my/our horse to benefit from some vastly superior riding compared to my own!
Anyone done similar, as either party? Is it madness? I would expect to have a high four/low five-figure budget and we are in the South East; is that sort of money enough to find a horse with enough talent to interest a professional but enough kindness for a middle-aged woman who just wants to practice in the school and play My Little Ponies? Thoughts welcome!
I’ve been thinking for a while about how to manage my work-life-horse balance. I have a high-pressured job with a long commute, a partner who likes to see me and five small children. My previous idea had been to put said horse on full livery and enlist the help of a keen teenager or two to ride in the week; no chores unless they want them, no cost, just riding. It felt like a nice way to come full circle as an independent person who didn’t need to rely on anyone else’s generosity in order to have access to horses. But last week, my instructor remarked that she would love to have her own but couldn’t afford to do so, and I remarked wistfully that I had the money but not the TIME, and when I suggested that I buy something for us to share she didn’t seem to think it was a bad idea and actually, it really appeals to me. I think that we could maybe make that work.
In my mind, it would work something like this: we would find a talented youngster that she could form how she likes, and compete on at whatever level she wants to do that, and I would continue to have lessons under her supervision but on my own horse and enjoy some lovely hacks, and take lots of photos to gaze at longingly because after lockdown ends, realistically I will be lucky to get to the stables twice/week. I’ll cover all of the costs, except perhaps competition fees if she wants to compete. Obviously she is a much better rider and horsewoman generally than I am, so there will be a great deal of trust on my part - she can do what she wants with said horse, when she wants to do it, and I will be grateful for the opportunity to have a horse of my own and some of the freedom that comes with, without having to sacrifice too much time with my family or too much of my attention to my career. I think it might be fun?! And what an opportunity to learn from somebody whom I like and respect, and for my/our horse to benefit from some vastly superior riding compared to my own!
Anyone done similar, as either party? Is it madness? I would expect to have a high four/low five-figure budget and we are in the South East; is that sort of money enough to find a horse with enough talent to interest a professional but enough kindness for a middle-aged woman who just wants to practice in the school and play My Little Ponies? Thoughts welcome!
