horses and uni

[TarantuLove]

Im going to uni next month and am confused as to what do with my horse. Who took their horse with them and how did you manage to fund that AND university?? And also what did you do in the holidays, did you leave them there on full livery or bring them home with you (but then finding a place at a stable could be difficult?)

Thanks x

 

[Jasper65]

Im also going to uni in september... i was originally taking my horse with me but after looking into costs, time retraints etc i found it was going to cost far too much and so now im leaving him at my current yard which luckily is only 40 mins from my uni so i can come back easily xx

 

[Annette4]

I did it and I didn't have a job during term time either. It's hard work, financially demanding and requires time management BUT I had a full social life, good grades and horses. I think its worth it if your prepared to put the hours in.

 

[TarantuLove]

Thanks can i ask how you managed it if you dont mind me asking? x

 

[Ride_2_Live]

I did it and I didn't have a job during term time either. It's hard work, financially demanding and requires time management BUT I had a full social life, good grades and horses. I think its worth it if your prepared to put the hours in.

^^ I'll second that

 

[TarantuLove]

how do you all manage it?! especially without a job??

 

[DiablosGold]

First year I kept him at home, on 5 day livery. Went home on a Friday, worked Saturday night shift, rode over weekends, back to uni on Sunday.

Second year I brought him up, and got 2 jobs at uni. Eventually got knackered out so cut down to one job and moved him to a really cheap rented field. Only able to do this because I have a car, field is about 20 min drive away, no buses.

Over this summer holiday I have been getting quite miserable if I'm honest. I've never been homesick until now - all my uni friends have gone home, and my friends from home are at home. Can't go back as have to work and look after horse Roll on term time!

I've always paid for him myself, through college and uni. If I didn't have to work that would be better (obviously!) as I could get someone to see to him over Summer and go back home.

ETA - I have less of a social life than I would like, affording the car is probably more of an issue tha affording the horse (£100 a month petrol, £500 MOT etc). Still get to go out properly about once a month. Grades not affected.

 

[TarantuLove]

thanks x

 

[rowy]

I was thinking of staying away and keeping horse with me. my parent would have paid for the horse for me and i would have used student loans for myself. as well as trying to get a job.

In the end I decided to live at home from uni. Uni is only 30-40mins drive away and it is only 3-4 days a week the first day then the second year it is only 2-3 so i decided it wasn't worth the huge expense of me staying plus one of my horses just for a few days a week. plus the campus i am on is in the middle of nowhere (nott trent brakenhurst) and it takes 40 mins from that campus to get to nottingham centre anyway. also have land and horses at home so easy to ride in evenings

 

[BobbyMondeo]

I took my horse with me to Uni, although i did go to an equine college so that probably made it easier!

I was lucky enough to have my dad give the money for Robbie so I didnt have to work, to be honest i don't how i would have managed the uni work, a job, a horse and social life as i did spend a lot of a time on my uni work...bit slow to catch on i am.

If you do decide to take your horse it is a big commitment obviously and it is likely that you wont get out as much as other on campus.

Having said that, i wouldnt have been without him

 

[Umbongo]

I had a horse in my second year and managed.

Although I lived on a farm with stables and land so it was easier. However I had 2 part time jobs, one at the weekend and one a couple of nights in the week. This was to pay for the horse and my own food, car etc.

It would have been a lot harder if I did not have my friends to get him in, turn out etc when I didn't get back from work late. I did find getting my work done a bit of a struggle, so spend many a sleepless night getting it all done! My grades did start to slip a little but I don't think this was the horse...more I lost my determination and wanted to go home and get a proper job!

All of this AND I had a boyfriend who was at another uni so had to make time to talk to him in the evenings and go to see him every other weekend.

In 3rd year I didn't have a horse as I decided dissertation was more important...but I spent most of my time looking for horses to buy as I was so desperate to go riding!

 

[SillySausage]

I did it and I didn't have a job during term time either. It's hard work, financially demanding and requires time management BUT I had a full social life, good grades and horses. I think its worth it if your prepared to put the hours in.

Ditto this. I've just finished my first year at Lincoln (at the equine college) with my horse and loved every minute. He gets me out of bed in the morning, keeps me fit and I've learnt more in this year with him, than I have in the last 13 years I've been riding.

Financially, I use my student loan to pay for accomodation and myself. To keep the horse I work every single holiday and put all of the money straight into the bank into a specific account for the horse. I work full time 5 days a week from the moment I get home until the day before returning to uni!

I wouldn't have it any other way and he will be returning with me in September

 

[LMR]

I left my horse at home as Uni is about 30-40mns away and I stayed at home so that saved on Rent etc. I would muck out etc before i went to Uni and my mum would do the rest during the day which was mainly T/O horse and check water. I have a part time job throughout the week and still manage to ride 6 days a week.. it is hard work and my social life isn't as full as some other people but my grades are good and I wouldn't change it! I am going into my 3rd year and thinking of getting a second horse. It does help that in Scotland my fees are paid and I get quite a healthy student loan!

 

[jaffa2311]

I took my horse to uni and it was amazing.
I didn't get a job to fund it but simply managed my money carefully and got a part loaner for 3 days. This helped me plan my time, as i used the 3 days she had to do work, catch up on lost sleep from the early mornings and go out/have a hangover!
The yard was better than the one i left behind, I enjoyed a full social life, had enough time to study and had time for my horse except sacrificed a bit of time with her during exam times.
I was always busy with neddy at the weekends and after lectures meanwhile my friends would sit about being hungover/ doing absolutely nothing so didn't really miss out on anything at all.
It kept me busy and made me realise why I was at uni, to get a good job so I could afford a nice life for me and my horse
Don't regret it for a minute!!

 

[FinkleyAlex]

I took mine to uni - worked out fine

1st year: He was on full livery 40 mins away as I couldn't have my car on campus and had to get a bus to my car, then drive there...so only saw him once a week ish.

2nd year: started off on DIY but found it too time consuming going twice a day. Put him on part livery and got a sharer to do him two weekdays a week (which paid for shoes) and I did wednesdays and weekends. This was ideal as I could manage my workload, still have time to relax, work a job and have a social life. The yard was only 20 mins away too.

3rd year: he'll be going back onto part livery at the same yard in the same routine.

NB: I study a law degree which is about 12 hours a week. Horse comes home with me for the long summer holidays and I keep him on DIY livery then. He goes on full livery during the easter and christmas holidays so I can go home, but I often go back to visit him. I could never sell him - I've had him 10 years and loaning wasn't an option after some of the phonecalls I received. Luckily my parents pay for his livery - I just pay for new equipment etc and petrol.

 

[monkeybum13]

I'm going to uni next year but being the lazy sod I am I'm staying at home (with 4 uni's very close why not?!) which means that me and mum will continue to share Lacey which will not only help financially but also give me some more "social time"