Do You Believe........

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I have been thinking about this ......Do you believe it's fair to keep a horse on a shoe string! The reason why I ask, is that in the past having been on DIY yards people come and go and occasionally you get that person where the animal has been given minuscule hay,bedding and food........ And you know they our struggling to keep the horse ,because of financial reasons which saddens me.I have in the past left a bale of hay or bedding outside the box to help if I know it won't offend......but, why I think don't you find it a new home or loan it out untill you can sort yourself out. I remember years ago reading an article in some horse magazine on a family who lived on a diet of potatoes and bread to keep their horses.and thought that is some dedication.So I ask what would you give up to keep your horse or would you sell it on or loan so it had the best care possible!!!

 

[RunToEarth]

This is a sad case. I have always believed that having a horse you should have good finances. Not only because horses are bloody expensive, but for emergencies such as vets fees, which need to be paid. In this case it sounds like the horse should be loaned out/sold, as it doesnt sound fair on either horse nor owner.

 

[Bex7]

I think there is keeping a horse on a shoestirng and then not being able to afford the horse at all.....
I know plenty of people, including myself that at times go without in order to afford the farrier/feed/bedding/vets bills......... and do not shell out for the nice to haves and the horses are always looked after as the number one priority maybe finding cheaper alternatives for things etc. I do not see a problem with this when the horse is looked after and not neglected, however if you cannot afford to feed them and pay for the essentials to the detrement of the horse then I think the horse would be better off else where.

I would give up most things other than my home and husband to keep my horse, i would sell my car, take a second job, find a sharer (already have one of those) eben move house for cheaper livery but if doing all this I could not afford to keep him and do right buy him then he would have to go on loan

(would never sell him)!

x

 

[clipertyplop]

ive kept my horse on a shoestring, and i think as long as your straight with people they will give you time to pay...depends on how comitted to owning a horse people are

 

[pottamus]

Well in our house the animals come first and their welfare is of most importance...after all...they are reliant on us. My husband has this opinion too and whilst may grumble at the cost of things from time to time, would never see my horse go without. We have gone without and struggled financially in the past but have always made sure our animals did not suffer because of it. We both lost our jobs once for 6 months with bills and mortgage to pay and no income

!!! We lived off jacket spuds and beans but always made sure there was the same food and quantity down for our animals.

 

[sevenoceans]

I Keep my horse on shoe string aswell, I think many people do... I would rather give him food than for myself, I do have savings tucked away for if anything happens to him. Each month when i get paid i put away his amount (enough for feed, beeding, livery, wormer, and little extra) so he gets what in the limit no more, also i made sure he lives out 24/7 during summer months so the finances can be put forward for winter months for neccessary rugs needed, more feeds etc because i know i won't be doing much work for 3 months in the winter.
This year is gonna be huge financal burden as i have recently bought house an hour away from my boy (cheaper to live here than where he is! But the livery is cheaper there than here!!!) he's now on few days full livery, few days DIY, I try to see/ride/muck him out at least 3 days a week, I now have a lodger moving in next week so that would help to pay the bills.

I would Never ever give him up for the world... Money or no money.... he gets what he needed not what i want (ie lots of rugs or gadgets) He is a good horse, bit of accient prone, has decent wardrobe of rugs (horseware) Never cold or hungry and is well loved not just by me by the whole yard!

.

 

[Doreys_Mum]

I'm keeping Dorey on a shoestring because I can, she doesn't mind, and it's less worry for us.

We don't need shitloads of posh rugs, posher tack, diamonte browbands, gagdets, bandages, stuff we don't actually need... all Dorey needs is 3 basic rugs (all bought at varius sales), tack we bought years ago and food (which in Dorey's case, is not very much feed, and a bit more hayage - however, come winter it's all you can eat hayage to make up for the losses in grass outside, so thats not an issue anymore!)

She's happy, well fed, and we're not starving.

 

[sleepingdragon10]

Awww!How kind of you to be so patronising

 

[ladylisa]

i would go without, so as my horse could have what she needed!

 

[filly190]

Most "old fashioned" horse folk, are very clever with how they keep their horses and are thrifty.

I belive that we are being conditioned by glossy mags and adverts to "spend spend spend". Good knowledge and good management a horse need not be expensive.

On a yard, you can barter, trade your services etc. For example poo picking and nasty jobs that busy people have no wish or time to do. You could offer to do theirs for a sum of money. Collecting and fetching the yards rugs for cleaning, another little profit. The list can go on and on.

Informal riding lessons to a friend etc for a fee.

There are always ways of getting a bit of extra money to pay for your horse. If you havent the money, hard work and a bit of imagination will soon pay off.

The path is'nt as bleak when you put your mind to it.

 

[serena2005]

i agree you can keep a horse on a shoestring, our cob was always kept on a shoe string, now me and my siblings are earning we all put in. but at one point we were keeping 3 on a shoestring, but 2 did have part time loaners to help chip in.
the horses never went without bed or feed or hay,
like doreys mum said, we passed down bridles and such to each new horse, made our own flashy brow bands & stitched up torn rugs.

 

[Kelly1982]

I agree with Bex7, i am always skint and go without just so that my horse can have everything she needs.

I dont waste money on things she dont need and the things she does need i shop around for.

She lives in luxury and i go without pretty much everything but the moment my horse started suffering would be the moment i sold.

 

[debbielinder]

every bit off money i get goes on my horse and iam always skint but i make sure i have got money in my seperate bank account for emergencys theres enough in there to buy another horse lol if i wanted but i like to know ive got that although i never touch it incase of an emercancy

 

[lilym]

i keep mine on a shoestring!! they don't have to have £200 fal rugs for instance!! i but alot of stuff from end of season sales for instance, the most important things such as feed. wormers, feet etc are accounted for and if they are lucky they can have a luxury, like a new rug! i go without expensive holidays and posh cars to pay for my horses and am always skint, but i wouldn't be without them!

 

[Peanot]

ok, so I used to keep 3 horses on a shoestring. Had not a lot of money for food etc but bills were always paid and horses were well looked after. I competed on one at local shows, rode one regularly and one was a foal. (accident from competition mare before I bought her). My rugs used to fit well but were a little shabby, and if they got wet through, I`d have to take them home to dry them out as I had no spares. I had an old transit lorry that I thought was brilliant that I bought for £300.
That was about 15 years ago. Now is a different story. We have a biggish house, not with land may I add. I have one horse now and I compete regularly, at around £30 a competition BSJA for 2 classes. I have a lesson most weeks at £30 each, and am constantly on the lookout on Ebay looking what I MIGHT need or could do with. My horse is spoilt rotten with many rugs, a brand new saddle, 3 magnetic rugs, all sorts of boots, some not even used yet. If my horse feels a little `off` or is off form, I get a massager/chiro out straight away.
AND NOW I AM FEELING TOTALLY GUILTY after reading some of these posts. My husband is always moaning that I spend too much on my horse. BUT I don`t drink, don`t smoke, hardly buy any clothes, unless they are horsey, and only go shopping at Christmas or to places like Sportsworld where I can buy loads at a time for all the family. I hate shopping - unless it`s horsey.

As for these people, I bet they love their horses and do everything they can to keep them happy. Although I agree that they should have sufficient food, but if they look well and are up to weight, then there shouldn`t be a problem.
One girl who I get on very well with up the yard, doesn`t have a job, has just aquired a 2nd horse and although her horses don`t have great big haynets, they both look healthy and happy. One is a foal. She makes her own haynets out of string and doesn`t even own a saddle, just a saddle pad, she rides with this when she tootles around on him the odd time. She doesn`t have them shod and only rugs the foal up now at night. They both have a good bed of shavings and I think that her mum helps her with the livery money and she lives in a rented flat. She has passed a course of Equine Body Working, (massaging) and has just passed another course for healing horses and she also uses crystals. Although I qualified with the EBW, I often ask her to have a look with the crystals and she is giving her a massage next week, so as I feel that I am helping her out as I am paying her to do this.
She thinks the world of her horses and I admire her for what she does. So again I say, if they are healthy and happy, then I don`t see it as a problem.
But I can see your concern if they are underweight with runny eyes etc.