Do I buy a new horse for myself, or transport for daughter?

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sue_ellen

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I sold my horse in November and so am horseless at the moment. Am trying to get over a knee injury and physio has told me not to ride so thats ok at the mo.
Daughter has a registered 13.1 section B gelding who is absolutely gorgeous and very temperamental, but she loves him and so do I, for that matter!

They did some local showing last summer and did very well, and a little bit of more advanced showing, but not much because we have no transport. We are in hacking distance of our local show but it is nearly an hour away, but only a few minutes by road. She hates hacking him down as he can be quite sharp and spooky on his own, and she has noone to ride down with.

The dilemma is, I have my "horse money" that I am saving for a new horse for myself, but I feel guilty that she would like to do things with friends and go to pony club etc, but she cant because she cant get there. It isnt a lot of money (just under 2k), but I could get my self an oldish large car and a small trailer (the pony only weighs 300kg).
But if I do that, bang goes my new horse!

The thing is, I only want a happy hacker for a gentle plod about, as I am getting on a bit and my hunting and competing days are over as my nerves just wont take it any more, but I'm not ready to hang up my riding boots just yet!
I thought of trying to get a loan horse but never seem to see anything suitable, does anyone know of any good places to look? I would have to move it to our livery yard tho' as I couldn't juggle two horses on different yards.

I just feel selfish and guilty all the time when I know that she would like to do stuff and I have to keep saying "no", because I cant get her there.
If I give up riding now, because of issues with my back and knees getting worse as I get older, I might never be able to start again in a few years time.

I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions, what would you do?
I can afford to look after two horses, its just the initial capital thats a bit thin on the ground!
Thanks for reading, sorry its a bit long, and any kind thoughts/opinions gratefully received!
 
How much is livery each month where you are? In your shoes I'd buy the transport, then whilst your knee is still recovering, look for a loan but meanwhile put the money you'd spend on your horse each month (livery/shoes/hay/feed/wormer/whatever) in a separate account. Realistically you can't ride now anyway, so in the time it takes your knee to fully recover, you may well have saved enough for a horse for you - or found a loan horse in the interim.
 
Your daughter should thank her lucky stars that she has a pony. Buy a horse for yourself in case you end up losing confidence by being horse-less.
 
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How about getting transport that would also be suitable if you got a horse ( so not a pony box)
Then when time is right for you to have another horse what about looking for one on loan. possible best of both worlds?
 
Personally, I would get transport for the daughter's pony. She will only have a few years when she can have fun doing all the Pony Club and show stuff before she gets into exams and work, so I would make the most of that time as she won't get those years back! You will probably really enjoy it as well. You might also find that the contacts you make through Pony Club etc will make it easier to find a loan horse for you, as the best loans tend to happen via word of mouth rather than ever being advertised.
 
I would buy transport you can both use and look for a loan horse for yourself :)

Despite all the horror stories on here, loans can work out really well. I have had two very happy loans of lovely horses when I couldn't afford to buy :)
 
Do you have to buy transport? Can't you rent it when you need it? Or borrow someone else's transport, paying them for petrol and expenses? What if you pay for transport and your daughter loses interest and everyone's unhappy?

In your place, I would buy the horse. You could always hack to the shows with her, as someone else pointed out.

She's very lucky to have a mother to buy her a horse. Transport and competition are not entitlements. And she can still do them anyway if you can hack to the shows or borrow someone else's transport.
 
I would buy the transport and keep looking out for a loan.
There are a couple of other options to think of, buy a car you can tow with and hire a trailer if there is somewhere local, borrowing may also be an option if there is someone on your yard that has one they dont use a lot. The other thing to consider is that your daughter will at some point outgrow her pony you could maybe share the next purchase and you would have the transport to get around.
 
I would also say buy transport, but buy a double trailer not a single so when you do get a horse in the future you could go to shows/hacks together :)
 
If it were me i would defo buy my daughter some transport and let her get out and about competing and having fun. Maybe then with money gone to by my own i would prob think about loaning one??? :)
 
I would proberly get some transport, but make sure that it would be suitable for two horses, so you could both go out together to place. I would then be saving the money that would be spent on livery, shoes, food etc to put towards another horse for yourself so in 6-12 months you should have saved enough to get yourself another. You can also keep a look out for a loan horse in the mean time.
 
Transport, PC years are pretty formative and really help young riders develop a really quite confident way with their ponies. Maybe if you find a car to tow with, you could then hire a trailer?

If you're just after a horse to hack, finding one on loan (or for much less than £2k!) won't be problematic.
 
Thanks for all your replies.
The pony is a very good one, daughter is 15 (small for her age)! and she loves to school and have lessons and have something to aim for. I must say she doesn't really complain about having no transport, just looks disappointed when I have to say no again!
Think I will go for the transport, I just hate not having my own but need to be a bit disciplined with my self because I'm not supposed to be riding at the mo anyway! Just hate it when my best friend goes off riding on her own on a lovely day and I get left behind! Just feeling a bit sorry for myself and wishing I could have it all, I suppose.
Thanks again, everyone
 
I disagree with most people it seems. I have children and I know that you have probably sacrificed many things over the years for yours (if you are like most of us mums)
If it was a straight choice between the two I would choose a horse for myself.
Your daughter doesn't seem set on riding competitively and would probably enjoy riding out with you more than having transport.
She would probably also be happier with a fulfilled happy mum too.
I say go for it.
 
SpottedCat said:
How much is livery each month where you are? In your shoes I'd buy the transport, then whilst your knee is still recovering, look for a loan but meanwhile put the money you'd spend on your horse each month (livery/shoes/hay/feed/wormer/whatever) in a separate account. Realistically you can't ride now anyway, so in the time it takes your knee to fully recover, you may well have saved enough for a horse for you - or found a loan horse in the interim.
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^^That sounds like quite a good plan
 
I would buy yourself a nice road safe horse and then hack with your daughter to shows. A one hour hack to shows is nothing. We used to hack far longer to get to shows.
 
I would buy the transport. (have done that myself:)) my kids are out at pony club and have made good friends and learnt a heck of a lot. I will have my time back in a few short years when they have flown the nest .
Then I will have my driving ponies :D
 
I would buy a horse, and encourage your daughter to get a job to help save for transport. You may not have that many years riding if you already have problems, and you also deserve some pleasure.

I felt blessed to have a pony at all when I was young. I would never have expected my parents to buy transport.

Sorry I may be an grump old woman (42 :D), but it seems to me that teens get given so much these days, and don't really appreciate it at all. Then when they have to start working and paying for themselves, they get a shock and feel resentful that they suddenly can't afford all the luxuries they have come to expect as their entitlement.
 
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