Feature in Horse magazine: unusual ways to own/keep horses

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CharlotteRS

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Hi
I'm writing a feature for Horse magazine on unusual ways people who are cash or time poor manage to own/keep horses. Does anyone have a syndicate where two or more of friends or family own a horse and split costs/care?
Have you previously kept competition horses in a smart yard with all the facilities and you now have a horse in a field?
Or do you look after horses at a rescue centre and feel that a particular horse is like your own, even though you don't have ownership - or the responsibility?
As a previous horse owner and now sharer (with 2 young kids) I'm desperate to find a way I can own again - minus stress and cost!
So, I thought a feature on the innovative ways people keep horses that are time or cash poor would make good reading.
Please get in touch if you've got an interesting tale to tell - I'd love to hear from you.
 
I am completely broke due to the horses! In order to afford them I currently have one out on loan, one on the most amazing competition yard where I work there part time in return for his keep and my boss schools him (nice warmblood) so its free (indoor, outdoor massive schools, turnout in good fields, pens, huge surfaced walker, hot water wash box and solarium ect). Then I also have a baby cob who is three and in a field that costs me £40 a month, has great grass and he is a good doer. There is no power and is very basic on the yard though so a struggle at this time of year!
 
I'm time poor, so I keep mine in a big barn like cattle with an outdoor sand corral. Horses like it as they are a herd, and I like it as 4 horses require only a small amount of time as no mucking out. PM if you want more details
 
CharlotteRS said:
As a previous horse owner and now sharer (with 2 young kids) I'm desperate to find a way I can own again - minus stress and cost!
Click to expand...

You could see if you can find anywhere (word of mouth) that will have space where in return for work some days they keep a horse for you. Then you could choose hours to fit in around the kids school time, work ect. That and get a sharer to help with cost and time!
 
I have an elderly pony who I rode while whe was used in a hacking centre, had her on loan while she was in good shape, and then I call her mine now, even though she still belongs to her original owner. Basicly I feed and groom her when I can and am free to pop up and visit her anytime but dont pay for her. Her owner on the farm pays for her and brings her in in the mornings to feed her. Never a problem if I cant get up to see her.
Have a new horse on loan now, basicly shes mine to do whatever I want with her, but when owner wants to pop up she will hack her out. Also while I am away lady who rides her stable mate will take her out or her boyfriend will ride her.
Dont know if either counts as being unusual, but hope my story may be of some use! :)
 
I keep one in the garden shed so no livery. In summer the neighbours are kind enough to donate their grass cuttings. Winter we tie it near the privet hedge for a quick munch. And local yard had a load of dried plants they were going to just burn (the ones with the yellow flowers) so we pinched some to feed over winter. Got tack from a 17.2 I had, with a bit of help from a leather punch it fits current 13.2. Feet I do myself with an angle grinder. I save a fortune! And being just outside its stress free.
 
Many a true word spoken in jest Little legs This is exactly what happens to the £5 foals
Will ad that any keen riders and pony players are very welcome I cant find anyone to ride mine So if you live within visiting distance of north lincolnshire you would be more than welcome
 
Hi
Thanks everyone for replying - there are some good stories here. I'm afraid I can't include you all, but will be in touch if we want to include you in the feature.
charlotte
 
I own jointly with my husband, we share the care and riding and financial responsibility of our horse. I couldn't justify the commitment of time and money if we didn't share. But when I added up the cost of lessons for two over a year and compared it to the cost of livery etc it seemed much more manageable! It also means I have someone to do the horse if I am out or late home from work.
 
CharlotteRS if u lived near me I have a pony I need to get a sharer for, the pony will be pretty much free for the sharer (entry fees & bit towards shoeing), no mucking & lifts to comps & as much riding as sharer wants etc but am*totally at a loss as to how to find a decent person to share! Maybe I should read ur article so I know where to find these gems ;)
 
Hi Elleskywalkingintheair
It's just as hard finding nice horses to share! But I had the same prob as you when I owned a horse - it is really hard finding people you can trust. This feature will be less about sharing horses - more about the interesting ways people manage to own a horse, even though they don't have much money or time (and it doesn't include keeping them in a tent!)
 
Seriously, mine are on cheap farm diy, round the corner from my house. Time wise, I do mine, daughter responsible for her jobs. They are out 24/7 most of the year, in at night in the mid winter. I'm very organised, so wkend do everything we can to make wkdays quicker. Horses well mannered, which allows lots of time saving in terms of not tying up, doing feet from one side etc. Plus years of working with them has left me able to do jobs at high speed.
Money wise like I say cheap farm diy. Both are good doers & native crosses, one gets a trim a few times a year tops, other trimmed every 6wks. Both healthy types, & experience means I very rarely pay for outside help. And stuff I do need, I barter for. Eg I teach free in exchange for borrowing an arena up the road. I have tons of stuff from more affluent times, things for daughters are either gifts, second hand, or bartering.
 
I keep mine on a shoestring
Out 24/7 365 days per year
Fed high oil,protein and fibre diet
very little hay/haylage
barefoot
biggest expenses are feet trimming, worming and vaccinations which are all up to date. We do compete when we can afford it
They would love to do more but no riders so keep them as pets really The one that is ridden and competing is fed, clipped and rugged the others are as fat as butter unrugged and fed small hard feeds. of A&P calm and condition, alfa oil and speedibeet but they are small feeds to provide the building blocks of life not to feed as such they then scratch around for any grass available. they get one section of hay between three of them to keep guts moving. The ridden pony has as much as the other three put together for fear of losing weight due to work and has added micronised linseed and farriers formula.
In summer they are all on restricted grass turnout and equibites for vitamins
 
Have 3 as such. Keep on farm DIY with barn space (made our own stables) and my dad pays livery in exchange for us looking after his horse (also sort of mine-he is semi retired). All 3 live out as much as possible, normally 24/7 365 days a year unless field floods and I bring them in for a bit to dry out. Fibre based diet with minerals as barefoot. Farrier trim every 8 weeks. Biggest expense is the upkeep of jabs and teeth, do all 3 together to save on callout fee.

I would say we keep all 3 on about 40 a week (including farrier and routine vet fees) which also includes the rent etc. No facilities to speak of but excellent hacking and the field is nice to ride in when it's dry!
 
The_angel_littlelegs said:
I keep one in the garden shed so no livery. In summer the neighbours are kind enough to donate their grass cuttings. Winter we tie it near the privet hedge for a quick munch. And local yard had a load of dried plants they were going to just burn (the ones with the yellow flowers) so we pinched some to feed over winter. Got tack from a 17.2 I had, with a bit of help from a leather punch it fits current 13.2. Feet I do myself with an angle grinder. I save a fortune! And being just outside its stress free.
Click to expand...

LOL :D
 
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