following on from an earlier post

[grandmaweloveyou]

this is not meant to be contensious and i can justifyt: do you think if everything is paid for on your behalf for your horse that you appreciate them as much as if you were working to keep them or that you learn as much from it as if you funded him/her yourself and care for them on a day to day basis without being "bailed out" when its too hard/hot/cold etc? i ask following on from the earlier post and feel i can ask without getting shot down as my grandparents always had horses and i was always surrounded by them and rode them from an early age but readily admit that until i loaned my first horse in my early 20's i did not appreciate the cost, the care, the never ending knowledge needed and the level of commitment involved in keeping such an animal. now i own one i realise it all the more and truly appreciate everything i have and do and i love every bit of it, even in the dark and pouring rain today!

 

[gemmaw]

i think that if you have to pay for everything and do everything yourself you get a much stronger bond than if you dont actually own them/care for them. I was always told I couldnt have a horse until i could buy my own and thats just what i did and am glad for it, i know that everything i've got and acheived has come from my own hard work! dont get me wrong, i'm sure that people who have horses bought for them love them but i dont think it can be the same. I feel jealous sometimes that people have it so good, parents buy trailers and boxes and things but i just keep saving and thinking maybe one day!! (dont mean to offend anyone who has things bought for them

)

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

Don't know! I had my first horse when I was 28, had a bit of riding when younger but no way would my parents help me at all with horses, not even a lift to the riding school to help at the weekends (no, I couldn't get there by bus).

Maybe if I'd had horses when young, I wouldn't be horse mad now? And I do truly appreciate having horses!

 

[Parkranger]

Tough question - my parents paid for my horses when I was younger and I don't think that I appreciated them. But I think that was more down to age than who paid for them.

Now I pay for everything for mine and always make sure he's got what he needs.....

That said, I'm not sure that I wouldn't appreciate a horse that I was sharing/not paying for as I think it's just in my personality!

 

[catembi]

My grandfather was a farmer so I always had a pony. I didn't realise fully what a responsibility it is to have a horse until I had one while away at uni & was completely in charge. I had no idea how much there was to pay for, & worry about, even tho I'd had a pony since I was 3.

 

[Tia]

I've always had horses and ponies. I think I probably adored my childhood ponies far more than I do as an adult. I used to absolutely love my 14.2hh's when I was a young teenager on a level which is not comparable to how I feel about my horses now. I like all of the horses I have at the moment but there are probably only 3 or 4 that I could hand on heart say I adore.

I don't think it has really made me appreciate or not appreciate them because I pay for them now but didn't as a child. I just felt far stronger about the attachment I had to my ponies - but that is natural; I was a child.

 

[BB2008]

I really enjoy having to 'work' for my horses and doing all for them and think i appreciate them ten times more for it. People who have it all done for them and take their horses for granted really irritate me (sorry!) but known some really spoilt people who couldn't care less about their animals other than them winning competitions etc! I know full livery works for some people but I get more out of the care and ground stuff than riding and know it is 100% commitment. Each to their own though!