controversial Post people who can’t afford their horse

[Ratface]

Old Horse and The Cat get everything they need, whenever they need it. Sometimes, I go without to make sure that they do. They get good-quality food, ditto shelter, and regular excellent health care. Old Horse is now retired, has aged out of his insurance now, and will be pts if he gets any major injuries or illness.
Madam Carrie Cat is insured to the hilt, has routine jabs and the best of everything available to ensure that she gets everything that she needs. Plus treats.
My animals keep me on the right side of sane (most of the time!)

 

[lynz88]

Exactly that, years ago you either had a horse on D.I.Y. and had no other luxuries like holidays and nights out or you didn’t have a horse. Now they are not prepared to go without their luxuries and moan about the cost of the horse ..

I would agree to this to a point....one could argue that I fit within that profile to a degree - I had a fair few holidays last year (mostly trips in the UK for a few days), have a house/mortgage, doing work on the house to "upgrade" it (what property doesn't need work?), and a horse (but no car - can't afford one and have to redo licence from the beginning being foreign) but when you look at ALL of the costs that have gone up over the last little while combined with wage stagnation or even decreases (I know of someone who had to take a 25% paycut just to get a job) with heavy competition, it's a no wonder people are struggling who haven't before (or has been a little while since they've struggled).

I just got notice that my livery is increasing. I was expecting it but it's always a shock. I am now paying closer to £1,100+/month for my horse across part livery, farrier, supplements, and his drugs. Not too long ago that was closer to £800/month. My mortgage has gone up nearly £400/month. Electricity/gas up by at least £50/month. Council tax up by £70/month. Train/tube travel up by £300/month. Food up by about £20-30/month (not huge but does make a huge difference). No pay increase. Bonus was less than any previous year and I had done far more work and had more successes last year. I live on my own. On paper I have a damn good salary but when compared to the cost of everything else, it's really not (especially when you live alone). I told OH that the only holiday abroad I'm taking this year, really, is to Canada and that is only because my grandfather isn't well and I've never met my niece who will be 2 in October and that will cost a small fortune (Canada is wildly expensive - you could easily go on a number of smaller European trips for the same cost).

I actually said to OH last night that having a horse has always been expensive....always and that will never change....but it's getting to a point that I am thinking that it's almost unaffordable....which the last time I thought that, I was still in school and working to pay for a partboard as I couldn't afford a horse for myself. Here I am almost 15 years later back to square one.