Can't believe I'm posting this but- how much should I ask for my horse?

Wow thanks for all the replies everyone:) I really hope I can find a long term loan home if I can't afford to take him to uni but by what you're all saying I shouldn't have an issue. :)
After my degree there is a slight chance I could work in Australia which again makes me wonder what I could do with.Him.

148cm is just over 14.2 :)
 
Kokopelli said:
After my degree there is a slight chance I could work in Australia which again makes me wonder what I could do with.Him.
Click to expand...

Cross that bridge when you come to it :) It's hard, but having my horse at uni kept me sane and meant I could mingle with other people away from uni, if it was all getting too much I could escape to the yard for a few hours
 
You could always take him to uni and find a sharer there to help with the costs I am sure you will find lots of like minded horsey people when your there. Hope you find away he's come so far with you.
 
Obviously you love Andy and you have come a long way with him. Whether you decide to keep him or not that is up to you. I'm just going to give a slightly different view just to balance things out and make it even harder for you to decide what to do :)

At the moment he is very saleable - is a good age, has done a lot, is in good condition and is in work. If you want him to go to a good home now would be the time to make that decision. Uni takes a lot of time and money - you won't be graduating for 3 or 4 years and you won't have that much time for him during term time. Having him will stop you doing a lot of other things that you might like to do when you are young and otherwise free because of both financial and attachement reasons for example travelling and doing other things to broaden your horizons. Even after Uni you may not find a well paid job for several years and you may have to move around to do it pay lots of rent as well as your student debt - having a horse will seriously limit your options. You might start to find that he becomes a burden rather than a joy and that would be very sad.

He is not a good doer so will he thrive being chucked out to grass? maybe, maybe not. Maybe a loan will work but he won't be getting any younger and you still have the responsibility.

I still think about my pony that we rehomed before I went to Uni - I visited a few times afterwards but then lost touch. I do still dream about him and I am always searching for him in my dreams so its not an easy option but I'm glad I didn't have that financial and emotional tie to worry about and could throw myself into Uni life and I had a wonderful time.

Whatever you choose it won't be easy - it never is when you love something so much.

I hope it all works out well :)
 
Try your local colleges and just keep a very close eye on him! There are lots of equestrian colleges in your area and further south!
 
I agree with sussexbythesea.

I think keeping a horse through uni and then beyond is very very difficult unless you have solid parental backup and financial support. Loans can easily fall through - would your parents be prepared to shoulder the burden of his care if you were at uni (or working abroad) and no suitable loaner could be found?

If not, then I think selling is a very realistic option - particularly as he is not getting any younger, and would be much more difficult to sell in 3/4 years as a 16/17yr old.

Personally, I sold my horse before uni, and I've not been in a position since to own one as I moved away from home after uni, and have been working my way up in my career. Money and time were just too tight to cope with the responsibility of horse ownership.

Ultimately only you can make the decision though. Keeping him is a lovely notion, but in order to do so you will probably have to make a lot of sacrifices, and only you can decide if that is worth it for you.
 
I think Andy is worth a lot more to YOU than a 2.5k market price tag. He is actually a very very talented little horse, he has a phenomenal jump. He may have age and quirks that limit his market value but for you, you will be lucky if you ever find another little horse with his scope and heart again...
Why can you not take him to uni with you?? Thats what I did with my horse. My horse was in his early 20's so I couldnt sell or loan him (I didnt want to anyway!) and I kept him at an assisted DIY livery down the road and my dad helped me out by paying for his livery which was only £125 per week.
Trust me you will have more time for a horse at uni then you will once you are working full time ;). I used to get my horse turned out for me in the mornings so I could get to my lectures and then I would go up after lectures in the evening or I would go up between lectures and ride. Lectures only come to about 10 hours per week and the rest is research work in the libary so its very flexible and its nice to take a break from revision and go riding!
Over my exams ect yes my horse didnt always get ridden as much as I would have liked, maybe once or twice a week but at least he was still mine and he didn't care.

Otherwise I agree a loan home is a good idea. Not every loan home is awful, you could find someone. Or you could take him to uni with you, and find him a sharer up there! I bet someone in your uni will be horsie and missing a horse to ride and then you could share him.

There are lots of possibilities.
 
Oh and also my parents didnt give me much financial help at all, other than paying for the DIY livery. I paid all my uni fees with a loan and I used to work during the summer holidays and save up the money for term time.
It was really really easy keeping my horse at uni. Honestly, so easy it was a shock when I came home and had to work full time. I can't understand how anybody couldn't manage it?
 

Trust me you will have more time for a horse at uni then you will once you are working full time ;). I used to get my horse turned out for me in the mornings so I could get to my lectures and then I would go up after lectures in the evening or I would go up between lectures and ride. Lectures only come to about 10 hours per week and the rest is research work in the libary so its very flexible and its nice to take a break from revision and go riding!


this is dependent on the course you are doing, my course was 9-17.30 5 day week, plus extensive course work, with practicals etc. if you are lucky for a less intense course, i was always jealous of my friend on an Art degree 3h a week.

if you decide to sell and as you are going to italy and have a sharer, i would sell before you go to italy. if you try and sell towards the end of the summer then the market is flooded with everyone who is going to uni and also people down sizing before the winter.
 
redmone said:
I know I'm not a frequent poster, but had to comment on this!

I've watched you and Andy ever since I was shopping for Dolly for my daughter!

All your worries, ups and downs! Is he too thin? Too stressed? :)

I don't have years of experience, but I know this.

Some ponies are laid back and can move from one owner to another and settle quickly. I've seen it. Other ponies struggle to make themselves heard.

I suspect Andy is like Dolly. Took ages to settle but now he has, will do just about anything for you.

You'll be on here in 5 years time asking where he is now and how your heart is breaking because you let him go. :(

Keep him. Don't sell him. He needs you! :)
Click to expand...

^^^^^Actually brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat!^^^^^

I'd say loan Andy if you can, I'm local to you and if I was a lighter and had a bit more time I'd offer to keep him over the winter for you but at 10.10 I'd squish him!

Good luck- speak to the local Pony Clubs- we have enough someone will take him x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top