Giving up for financial reasons...anyone done it?

Crikey that does seem an awful lot. But yes, shift work does present a few problems for horse owners. I hope you manage to find a temporary solution that means you can keep your horse, as you never know what's round the next corner, and keep on doing the lottery ;-)
 
I didn't consider giving up horses, but lost my horse last year through illness. On paper I should be an awful lot better off financially, but in reality, I'm no better off. I don't spend money on other things such as clothes etc., and my one luxury is an occasional mechanical horse riding lesson (£15), so I've no idea where the 'spare' cash goes, but it does.

Having been horse-less for 6 months, it's driving me crazy and I don't think I'll hold out much longer before looking to buy another, but I need to save some money first.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do, but be under no illusion that the on paper savings don't really live up to expectation.
 
Generally having a mortgage is cheaper than paying rent, plus you should get your money back so I'd recommend this as a goal, but not at the expense of giving your horse up.
Perhaps get a sharer and this money put in an untouchable savings account to start going towards a deposit.
As said previously put into a small rentable flat so that you can get an income off that?
With presumably extra free time from sharer too you could get a second job!?
 
I had to sell my horse twenty odd years ago as I had to move out from my parents and I couldn't afford a mortgage and a horse. I didn't really want to part with him however I didn't really ride as much and used to let other girls compete him so I did feel he was being wasted with me.

I didn't regret my decision right away, it was a few years down the line when I did. However I got over it and probably wouldn't have met my husband if I had kept him.

If you don't feel ready to give up horses, don't do it. You will just be miserable. It's not that you can't afford your hobby as it stands, you just feel that you should be saving for a deposit. I would see if you could cut costs by trying to get a reliable sharer so you don't have to pay as much livery and just look at cutting costs such as switching from shavings to straw etc. the money you save put towards a deposit. It might take you longer but at least you won't be miserable x
 
blowsbubbles said:
With presumably extra free time from sharer too you could get a second job!?
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Cor blimey, not a chance!! Wish I could. Shift pattern involves 12 hour weekend shifts, nights, lates with a varying pattern. It's full time work obviously and pays OK so it's a case of managing my money better than taking on another job.

I think I'll begin with cutting lessons down to fortnightly (would save £50 a month) and trying out a sharer if I can find someone suitable. Am also scrutinising food shopping (have frequented good old Aldi lots this month and have noticed a difference), have just switched TV and broadband packages to save £35 a month. It's just a case of making these savings count in real life each month!!
 
joolie said:
Cor blimey, not a chance!! Wish I could. Shift pattern involves 12 hour weekend shifts, nights, lates with a varying pattern. It's full time work obviously and pays OK so it's a case of managing my money better than taking on another job.

I think I'll begin with cutting lessons down to fortnightly (would save £50 a month) and trying out a sharer if I can find someone suitable. Am also scrutinising food shopping (have frequented good old Aldi lots this month and have noticed a difference), have just switched TV and broadband packages to save £35 a month. It's just a case of making these savings count in real life each month!!
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We phoned up our fuel provider and managed to get £20 a month knocked off. Its now £69 a month for both gas and elec. Weve also stopped shopping at Tesco and we shop at Asda instead - noticeable price difference at the till ! We dont have Sky or anything like that - just Freeview. As for the horse, my farrier is also a friend so he does her really quite cheap (and I love him for that !), and I also get my hay off a farmer friend, and Im sure its a little cheaper. In the summer I get a load of hay straight off the field so its even cheaper, and it lasts quite a long time. As in my previous post, we dont smoke, drink, eat out, get takeaways, or wear designer clothes (sadly). We sound reeeeeally boring, and perhaps to some people we are. But times are tough. Oh, i forgot to say - I challenged our council tax banding and actually got it lowered a band !! Martin Lewis in an absolute saint, and his website has some amazing money saving ideas. Do take a look - it may make life a whole lot easier until you meet a handsome millionaire :-)
 
Notimetoride said:
Those people who are spending £400 to £500 a month , is this full livery ? I doubt I pay more than about £150 a month for mine - DIY livery is £70 a month. If I had to spend £400 to £500 a month I would definitely be horse-less. My horse wants for very little, is insured, shod, fed basic chaff and nuts, bedded on rubber mats and shavings, rugged, turned out in the day and stabled at night, and kept 1 1/2 miles from home. Admittedly I dont compete and not having lessons at the moment - I know these costs can add up. Im my opinion, horse owning doesnt have to cost a fortune. People often think Im rich to afford a horse. Far from it, but I doubt I spend more in a month on my horse than other people spend on a night out, which I dont do. I suppose nice clothes, spa visits, manicures, social life etc are all sacrificed so that I can have a horse. Its priorities I guess. Would be great to afford it all :-)
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How on earth do you manage to pay for feed, hay, bedding, insurance, teeth, shoeing, wormer and vet costs, never mind extras, for £80 a month?!
 
I would rather live in a cardboard box and eat out of bins before I gave up my beautiful amazing horse :( It's one thing giving up because your hearts not in it but for it to be for financial reasons when you don't want to give them up it must be heart-breaking.
 
i dont have sky tv, i don't have a smart (phone service costs £5 per month currently), i rarely go out for the evening, I don't have expensive clothes, my car is falling apart, i don't have a landline. the horse, dogs and walking are my hobbies and i don't have time for much else apart from my kids.
I don't go without though, the other things in life don't really interest me, apart from going out when life allows
 
I ended up on my own at the age of 30, struggling to afford to live after bills and Pie's livery and other costs. I literally lived on toast at the end of the month. It wasn't fun but I don't regret it for a minute. He was my reason for getting up and going to work - if I hadn't had him to think about I don't know where I would have ended up!
 
It's awful to see that the people who have done it have regretted it! Will be doing all I can this year I think just to reduce outgoings in every aspect of life - it's not just the horse that costs. I've been riding for the last 25 years aside from when I was at uni, it would be very strange not having my own now :(
 
How about you get a sharer and put away the money every month and continue to pay for your horse yourself .
The sharer money is then building up and your depending on it .
Look at the housing you might buy on the government scheme and see if it could be in an area and of a size where you could get a lodger on the government rent a room scheme which would help defray the cost .
Another option might be to turn away your horse during the summer and save more then ( I did this at one point when we where doing up this house ) I simply could not afford to do horses and the house ( time was an issue to ) so I turned both my horses out on a local farm .
I think you need to think of the future I used to get mad at the MrGS as he was always forward planning when we where young but because of his caution we owned our place at 50 and he's retired at 55 .
I think you can probably have both with a bit of jiggling about and forward planning don't rush to sell your horse .
Horses also take up time being without one is not necessarily a huge cost saving as there's all that time to fill up if you don't have one it's easy to spend money doing that .
 
Goldenstar said:
How about you get a sharer and put away the money every month and continue to pay for your horse yourself.
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Thanks. This is going to be my first port of call I think - I'm going to advertise end of March, she's done very little over the winter so I want her in a bit more regular work and fitter first. Just hope she is shareable, she's generally sweet but does have a spooky side to her (Welsh D) and can be a bit sharp at times but never in an unsafe way. Would be perfect for a confident teen I think, hacks alone (with a spook) schooling novice dressage, I'm not much of a jumper so I'd love someone to do some with her.

Some new houses are going up where I live starting spring this year (help to buy) so that would be an ideal aim with the 5% deposit. Going to start with a huge clear out and sell all the stuff I don't need! IT's a tricky one as although renting is flexible I just feel a bit unstable....I'm settled where I'm living but aware I could be asked to leave with a months notice at any time!!
 
I did, slightly different to your reasons though OP. I decided I wanted to travel and explore life outside of horses (I'm 21). I had my mare on loan so she went back to her owner. It was an extremely hard decision. I'd brought my mare on and we became a successful duo out on the competition circuit. I miss her and sometimes I miss having horses in my life in general, but for me, it was completely the right decision and I'm very happy. I also start my backpacking/ travelling adventure in September and I'm so excited!!! I do think one day my mare will come back to me though, I can feel it :)

Could you perhaps look at half/fall loan until you decide fully? Sounds as though you're in two minds about it, so don't make any rash decisions.
 
I'd agree that a sharer would be the way forward for you. Not only could they make a contribution, but they may be able to do some of the jobs so you could reduce your livery bill. She sounds very shareable and with you often working weekends, I'd imagine that would be a very attractive proposition for someone who works 9-5 as they'd have her almost to themselves a lot at weekends when they're free.

I've had sharers for my horse over the last 8 years as well as sharing one myself for the last 7 (long story!) If you find a good one, it's a brilliant way to save some money and get some help - and make a new friend. I'm still in touch with three of the girls who shared mine even though two have moved away - one 7 years ago and the other 2 years ago.

Mine was becasue of time (doing a post grad course and planning a wedding) and then horse lameness issues (I share one to compete on as mine can't jump and then have a sharer for mine to make sure he gets enough work) rather than money but it still worked out brilliantly.

The other thing to consider is that, all being well, your career will progress and you'll be earning more money, so although you're struggling now it won't be forever. If you can hang on to her, you'll be grateful in 5 years' time.
 
annagain said:
I'd agree that a sharer would be the way forward for you. Not only could they make a contribution, but they may be able to do some of the jobs so you could reduce your livery bill. She sounds very shareable and with you often working weekends, I'd imagine that would be a very attractive proposition for someone who works 9-5 as they'd have her almost to themselves a lot at weekends when they're free.
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Very true - it's often at weekends that I have very little free time with work at catching up with friends etc - I have quite a bit of free time in the week to spend with her. I've been a sharer before and loved it but it got to the point where I wanted my own horse and to be able to make my own decisions! Hopefully she'll be shareable, guess I'm worried about wobbly novices wanting her and she isn't a novice ride, although there's no malice in her as such!
 
I went through a situation about 5 years ago, I am 34 now, I had moved out of home and house shared which was great but I was sat thinking I'm lining someone else's pockets while renting. I decided to sell my beloved, one in a million horse and buy a house instead, I couldn't afford both. Anyway, after a few people came to view him I realised I just couldn't go through with it, I would be sat, alone, in my house wishing I had my horse.

I moved back in with my Mam, not ideal but we live pretty separate, and I LOVE my lifestyle, spend all my free hours with my horse. A lot of people scoff at me living with my Mam at my age but who am I trying to please by having no horse but bricks and mortar? Not me, just society. Life is too short to not enjoy what you have here and now. MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY, KEEP YOUR HORSE!
 
I'm giving up next year for slightly different reasons. Husband retires next year and he is also horsey but there are other things we want to do. I have a fab mare who will be 10 years old, I know once I sell her that's it I have no control but I'll not allow myself down that road of thinking. Financially we don't need to do it but it just feels 'right' for us at this time.

I've been a horse owner for 22 years! Time for a change but I will continue with lessons every so often, will keep hold of my hat and boots. :D
 
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