Dilemma - what would you do?

[DiablosGold]

I am going to see a lady about looking after her 6 horses in return for free accomodation (mobile home) and space for my horse, saving me over £520 per month. She wants me to muck out/turn out in the mornings, and bring in/feed in the evenings, and seems happy for me to work round my uni timetable.

Sounds perfect, but:

Dibbs will have to be out on his own, although he will be able to see other horses.

He will have to be stabled at night (he is currently living out and loving it).

I will have to move yards yet again - I love my current yard, and we've only been there for about 7 weeks plus the hacking is out of this world. At the new yard I will have no-one to hack out with, and I really doubt the hacking or facilities would be as good as at my current yard.

I will be living on my own in a caravan, away from friends and family, while trying to get a decent degree

Am I mad or would this actually work? What would you do in this situation?

 

[251libby]

I wouldn't.... I just don't like the sound of it

 

[Munchkin]

I guess the question is, how desperately do you need to save £520 a month? That's a lot of money to anybody, never mind a student, particularly if you're paying for your education...

Personally if I was broke, I'd do it. However if you CAN manage, it doesn't sound ideal. Keeping your horse stabled at night would mean you potentially spend more on him, and being responsible for 7 horses might sound like a good idea until you have a hangover and 7 stables to muck out before lectures...

 

[PeterNatt]

No way!
You would be taking on a lot of work and responsibility and you would become very restricted.

 

[MICHAELA8228]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess the question is, how desperately do you need to save £520 a month? That's a lot of money to anybody, never mind a student, particularly if you're paying for your education...

Personally if I was broke, I'd do it. However if you CAN manage, it doesn't sound ideal. Keeping your horse stabled at night would mean you potentially spend more on him, and being responsible for 7 horses might sound like a good idea until you have a hangover and 7 stables to muck out before lectures...

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm with Munchkin...............

 

[Twizzel]

I think you'd struggle to look after 6 horses plus your own, plus do well at uni. I help to look after 5 horses, but 3 live out 24/7 and only come in at night if weather is v v v bad. I manage to fit everything in but sometimes need a kick up the arse to do uni work

I am on a day off from horses today... I've been told to do my dissertation! hehe.

If you weren't doing a degree I would say yes give it a go, but think about the logistics of doing a degree and looking after 7 horses alone. I think it could be quite an isolating job

 

[Ziggy_]

Also, think about what would happen if things went wrong with this arrangement (as they so often do) and you had to find accomodation for yourself and your horse at short notice....

 

[Berkeley]

Stay where you are hun.

 

[Archangel]

I think you would need to think about it very carefully and ask some questions (in fact a lot of questions).

Would you be doing the horses 7 days a week as well as your own? (if so don't touch it!)
What would looking after 6 horses twice a day for X days be worth in the open market, then compare it to the deal she is offering you.
Would the horses be turned out in the summer - thereby giving you a break?
Would it just be restricted to the tasks you mention - what about holding for farrier, vet, ordering/collecting feed etc.
Are all incidental costs - electric - heating - etc included?
Is there a washing machine provided?

Would you have enough time to earn the money to support your own horse or even enough time to do anything with him?

This might sound a bit sniffy (sorry) but it is easy to get sucked into something that doesn't suit you and you are stuck there because your horse is there and you can't afford to move etc (believe me I know!).

ETS - gawd I sound like a right old bag

- didn't mean for it to come out like that

 

[Tinypony]

Moving into a caravan as winter comes in... well, it needs to be a very nice caravan!
I'd be very careful, it is a lot of work, and a lot of potential to go wrong. You need to be able to take time off, be ill without getting hassle, and find time for your studies. Personally, I had a lucky escape a few years back and since then would never take up any employment where I relied on my employer for somewhere to live. They have too much leverage over you, and some people would regard you as being at their beck and call 24 hours a day.

 

[geraldgiraffe]

What a fantastic idea! I think i might just go and buy a mobile home. Thats a lot of work for accomodation in a mobile home, you're probably looking at 3 hrs work a day, presumably 7 days a week. Is there not a way of making your current livery cheaper instead?

 

[DiablosGold]

Thanks everyone - you have all helped put it into perspective! My situation at the moment is pretty much perfect - I like my house and housemates, my social life and most of all my yard, and the fact that Dibbs is out 24/7.

The only problem is I have to work all day Saturday and Sunday to pay for it, and still struggling with money.

I have somebody coming to look at Dibbs with the view of sharing him, which will help cut the cost a bit, and at least I live in a warm house

 

[Cliqmo]

[ QUOTE ]
The only problem is I have to work all day Saturday and Sunday to pay for it, and still struggling with money.


[/ QUOTE ]

I've no idea what you do or how well you're paid but whilst at Uni I worked in a call centre selling insurance- it was slightly soul destroying but it was office work between the hours of 5pm and 9pm Mon-Fri so meant I had the weekends free and it was pretty well paid because nobody wants to do it

Alternatively I recommend working in a local pub or restaurant a few nights a week- it is really sociable (so doesn't feel like work!!, normally pays okay and still keeps the weekends free

 

[AmyMay]

I agree with all those who have said don't do it.

You will end up exhausted, lonely and unhappy.

 

[Pedantic]

Caravan, on your own, if you were my daughter I would not be happy.

 

[steadyeddy]

No, don't do it. Lived in a mobile home for 2 years, it was awful in winter. Think you would be lonely & exhausted too, as mentioned above!

 

[LauraWinter]

I think it sounds really lonely and like hard work. I sympathise that bills need to be paid etc but money isnt everything. I would stay where you are

 

[teddyt]

I would stay where you are too. Caravans in winter are VERY cold. You may feel like you are working all weekend now but at least your horse i happy and you are with friends, etc. Living on your own and looking after 7 horses is alot of work too!

 

[Mithras]

The groom at the small private yard I'm at looks after 8 horses - as a full time job and gets her one horse free livery. She too has caravan accommodation but the caravan is massive and inside the barn, not outside. She also gets meals included and a normal salary.

 

[Natch]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks everyone - you have all helped put it into perspective! My situation at the moment is pretty much perfect - I like my house and housemates, my social life and most of all my yard, and the fact that Dibbs is out 24/7.

The only problem is I have to work all day Saturday and Sunday to pay for it, and still struggling with money.

I have somebody coming to look at Dibbs with the view of sharing him, which will help cut the cost a bit, and at least I live in a warm house

[/ QUOTE ]

You're in a better paid job than me then! I work 4 nights and 2 days a week, am a full time student but am lucky with a horse who lives out. and I'm still broke at the end of that