Horse and university

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dark_prince

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Hi all, university is around the corner and I had originally planned to sell my horse before I went. However, I want to look at the situation from every angle.

Does anyone/has anyone been to uni with their horse? How did it work financially? What about holidays?

I am in the NW and am looking at unis in the midlands area.

Please bear in mind that I am not looking for people to simply shut me down, I am looking for experiences on this and if it is worth considering!
 
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I took my horse to uni in the second year... I had a car so I could get to her she was based 20mins out of town. On a DIY yard with 24/7 turnout. I only had to go up once a day.
I met so many more people than had I not bought her and it was an excuse to leave the city every day! I'm a country girl at heart
I had a part time job in a club... Not a great job but it freed up my days! I was just very tired all the time. I did about 25hours a week there and that was enough to cover her costs!
All in all I loved it though.. She is back at home in a retirement livery yard, and should she still be in full work I would not hesitate to bring her again :)

I've just got back to uni and I miss her so much :(
 
Thanks for your input! Do you mind me asking what university you are studying? And what course? I don't really want to part with mine but if it isn't financially feasible then I can either consider the university of my hometown and living at home, which I don't really want to do, or selling. Hmm very tough decisions.
 
No worries! I went to Nottingham Trent but studying a business course right in the city centre. My home town is in Kent so quite a way! Would your parents be willing to help you out??
 
Unfortunately I come from a single parent household so am the sole provider, bar insurance and vet bills. I wouldn't even know where to start with this just a small idea in the back of my head at the mo. Have also considered post poning to have a few more years doing horsey things, however, I'll be 19 next year and wouldn't want to go to uni any older. This is stressing me out bigtime haha!
 
Hi,

I took my horse up at the start of this year (my 2nd year). He has gone and broken himself well and truly so I am 'borrowing' another horse so I have something to ride over Winter. This means I will have 2 horses, one on box rest, on DIY over Winter. I plan on riding and doing stables etc before lectures so all I have to do in the evening is bring in and skip out. This should free up time for studying as it gets me out of my bed. I can guarantee if I didn't have horses I would just sleep until my lectures every morning so mornings would be wasted anyway. I am lucky in that the yard is only 5 minutes away and has fab facilities so makes it all very easy. They will also help out if I have a deadline or something so not completely stuck into going up 365 days a year.

Money wise, it is a struggle. I will be getting significant help funding horse number 2 but to pay for it I go without luxuries, eat appallingly and have very little social life! I was paying for my horse last year when he was at home so it is no big change having him at uni. I teach university students at a local riding school which is a great way of getting a bit of extra cash and make good use of my overdraft and student loan! I also worked full time over summer which allowed me to save a bit of cash for this year.

I definitely think it is worth the sacrifices but it's not for everybody - you definitely don't get the typical uni experience but I love being able to escape for a few hours to see my ponies :) Hope this helps a bit, and good luck whatever you decide to do.

Zeb x
 
I went to uni for 5 years while keeping my horse at home. I did an LLB in Law and then a Postgrad Diploma in Professional Legal Practice at Glasgow uni, lived with my parents on the Ayrshire coast (about a 45-50 minute drive away) and kept my horse 14 miles from the house (about 50-60 minutes from uni). I managed it - I won't lie, it involved a LOT of early mornings and long days but it is doable. Sadly you do miss out on quite a lot at uni because of not being able to stay out all night and needing to get up early (esp. in winter), but I felt it was worth it.

ETA - I also looked after a friend's horse in the mornings!
 
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I was glad I didn't have a horse at Uni (cough 20 yrs ago cough) as I had an absolute blast without the worry and financial and time drain that horses entail. It was an opportunity to try other things and I didn't even ride at all for at least three years. It also meant I was not restricted where I could relocate to work post-uni or the hours I put in - essential when you are starting a career.

I did however never lose my love of horses and went back to it at the earliest opportunity when time and finances were right.
 
I lived at home so I could keep my horse. If ever there was something going on I could stay with friends, I had a great time. If you could leave your horse at home then don't underestimate how long the holidays are!
 
I've had my horse on DIY livery during my three years at university and I found that ok, so it depends how intense your course will be etc.

Im currently at uni doing my PGCE at a uni an hour and a half away from home so now my horse is on full livery and I only ride on weekends with someone riding during the week for me. All my money goes on livery or petrol :( but my horse is older and I love my weekends riding around - it helps me de-stress xx
 
sussexbythesea said:
I was glad I didn't have a horse at Uni (cough 20 yrs ago cough) as I had an absolute blast without the worry and financial and time drain that horses entail. It was an opportunity to try other things and I didn't even ride at all for at least three years. It also meant I was not restricted where I could relocate to work post-uni or the hours I put in - essential when you are starting a career.

I did however never lose my love of horses and went back to it at the earliest opportunity when time and finances were right.
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This, apart from I started uni in 2006 (and still at it now!). And I didn't ride for my first year, then joined the uni riding club in 2nd year which was full of stuck up b*tches who had no idea about their riding ability. In my 3rd year a friend and I got ourselves lessons elsewhere.

I still had my old girl at home with my parents. I now have a horse, and am 200 miles from home. But I am doing a PhD student and get paid.

It depends what you want from uni...I very much wanted the whole experience (and to be able to have hungover lie ins!). Plus I could have no way afforded it. I couldn't have done my degree, had a part time job and a horse.
 
I can sympathise with you OP! I'm applying to universities at the moment to study Law... not entirely sure yet, but I've made the tough decision to sell my dressage horse. I want to be able to enjoy university and have the proper uni experience. For me, the time I spend at uni is the time for me to work hard for the degree that will one day support my yard full of horses! ;) Best of luck with what you decide. Sorry this hasn't been particularly insightful but I hope you get into the university you want and make the best decision with regards to the horse! :)
 
I lived at home to afford to keep my horses. There were a lot of others who lived at home and did uni so I did not feel I missed out at all. I also worked part time term time and full time plus during holidays but came out with a good degree and due to the part time work being in the right field also got the job I wanted at the end of it. It was hard work but if you want to have horses long term you will end up juggling horse, work, family and social life so I am not sure uni is much different, save that the lack of money is tougher. I would also not worry about having a year out to earn money first especially if you can work in the industry you want to be in during that time as real work experience is vital.

Ultimately go with your gut instinct and do what you want (subject to being able to afford it and with your head screwed on) rather than what you think you should do.
 
I did law at Warwick and took my horse with me. I kept him on DIY and worked at the yard teaching to pay for his keep and managed to work there enough to support myself too. I did have a car and managed to go muck out and ride etc before most of the other students had got out of bed. I stayed there most of the short holidays as I didn't have transport and took him home over the summer holidays.

I also came from a single parent family and had no financial support for my horse. I took a year out before uni to work and save enough to keep him for a year but didn't actually need that as I earnt enough to keep him.

I don't feel I missed out on any of the social life or partying and I got a 2:1 and honestly think that having my horse with me gave me an unusual uni experience as I made local friends outside of uni too but didn't take anything away from my studies or uni life.
 
Try asking in a couple of months, started Uni this week and horse is following on tomorrow. I've missed him so much and can't wait to have a more structured day again. My plan is to get everything sorted before lectures and go from there.

Financially it will tough. But I had a gap year, did loads of saving and thankfully work have agreed to have me work holidays. I will have to miss out on some of the Uni stuff - but I'm not a huge party animal anyway so don't think I'll miss out too badly!

I have three horses, and selling isn't option, it's too many for mum to do by herself. So my choice was to stay at home with the horses or bring at least one with me. I know mum will help financially if I get stuck, but for now I think I can support us both :)

The main thing is good luck with whatever you choose and have fun!
 
I have a horse and started uni this year however I'm not staying in halls. Not sure it would be as easy in halls as they're miles from any yards.

I have a car too and don't think it is doable without unless there is a yard on a bus route/ waking distance. So far its been fine but we haven't really done much yet and I imagine nearer my exams it will be a different story. I'm cutting down my hours nearer exams at work and hopefully looking for a sharer but can't find anyone I would trust him with. :)

Good luck it is doable but you have to treat uni like a 9-5 job. I'm not saying don't socialise (I've had a blast at freshers) but you always have to be careful how much you drink as you gave to drive to the yard in the morning. :)
 
I didn't take my horse with me - I was doing vet med, so crazy hours, and we weren't allowed a part time job as part of our uni rules, so I'd never have had the time or money. Gla I didn't tbh as I found horses to ride there just by advertising, and it meant I could ride once or twice a week with no worry about muckin out, and I could party all I liked, I played basketball and joined the rowing club as well as studying enough for my 2.1, so had a good all round experience.

At the en of second year I did accidentally get myself a horse... Long story, but he went on working livery at a riding school at home, so I could ride and compete all I liked in the holidays, but I didn't need to worry about him during term and he wasn't a financial burden. When I left uni, I could then afford to do what I liked with him.
 
I went to uni In Aberdeen from the Isle of Skye... about 200 miles (4hr drive without the horsebox!)

There was no way I was leaving home without my horse, so spent time looking for livery yards and went visiting at the same time as visiting the university.

I decided on a yard, and Horse came with me to uni! I had to get a bus to and fro the yard for the first year as I hadn't passed my driving test yet. This took a lot of time out of my day... but I didn't really care! There were days that I had labs so couldn't make it out to feed through the winter, but I worked it out with certain people on the yard who fed Whisp for me on those days. She was field kept, so less work/expense than stabled.

After I passed my test things were much easier as I could nip out to the yard in half the time.

I will say that I probably spent more time at the yard than I probably should have.... and very very little time at the library. Saying that I didn't really get into my course and think I would have found another distraction if it weren't for the yard!

I worked on the yard on sundays, and this payed my weekly grass livery fee and left me with enough money for a couple of pints!

Horse came home with me in the holidays and returned to Aberdeen in term time. I think it did her the world of good too- became a pro at travelling, and got used to the hustle and bustle of yard life etc.

My sister went to Aberdeen the year after I graduated- she took her pony for the first couple of terms, but then pony stayed at home as Sister didn't have the time to spend at the yard... she was too busy... doing what she was supposed to... :D
 
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