Horses and Uni

J

Jenni&Ditty

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Hi,
So I ride for an owner, but I will be hopefully be going to uni next September. I've been eventing this horse, at be100 at the moment, hoping to go novice this season. she's quite a talented horse and I hope she would do */intermediate in a few seasons, but I'm selfish and she's my baby and I would like to be the one to do this with her. I don't think the owner would sell her unless I asked her to, and I don't particularly want that to happen. But the horse is eight and she is too good to stand in the field all day. I suppose she could have a foal, but I still really would like to get her to her full potential. And I don't want to rush it and neither of us are anywhere near ready to do that next year. so I suppose my question is, is it possible to fit in uni (I'm hoping medicine which will be a pretty intense course) and keep a horse fit enough to event? (bearing in mind my nearest uni is over an hour and I might not get into that one, and I cant afford to move her), and also how much does it cost to run a car and park it in a city and drive it home?
Now I appreciate this post sounds pretty hopeless but has anyone done it? Thanks!
 
Hm, theoretically possible if you can get help with hacking/ fittening work, but you will never do anything except study, ride and travel, and I suspect will always feel something (or everything) is being compromised. Also, you mustn't, mustn't choose your university or course on the basis that it's near to someone else's horse!

Sorry to be negative, but short of taking it with you (and even that could be a real struggle alongside a medicine degree) I'd focus on making the most of university, and perhaps find a share near by if you find the workload allows.
 
If you are riding for an owner, rather than loaning or owning your own then the owner needs to be on board for it to stand a chance of working, they should be prepared to help you out with fitness work, if they don't ride then can they arrange for someone to exercise her a few times during the week to take some pressure off of you, as long as she is kept ticking over it should be possible to compete and do more at the weekends, holidays and plan the main events towards the end of each break so she is well prepared.
Plenty of people do manage but they need some support at busy times, exams need to take priority so with help and forward planning it should be possible, I have had a few liveries that went to uni, 1 took her horse for the easier terms but left him here prior to exams so I kept him fit ready for her to enjoy as soon as she came back home, the other was doing an easier course so came back and rode him from here as much as she could and I ticked him over so he was kept fit.
 
Is there no chance the owner can help pay to move the horse closer to you?

I kind of think a deferment of uni is your only option if you want to ride her at intermediate level. If you choose the horse and uni you will have no time for friends or a life outside of studying and the horse especially to keep her fit for eventing. You will be spending all of your money and time with the horse or studying.
 
Hate to be so negative I'm just being honest but most my friends that have been to uni struggle enough let alone having a horse. They either took them or put them on full working livery (super expensive). I think it'd be extremely difficult especially with it being such a distance to keep her fit and keep on top of everything else. Do you have any friends that'll be willing to help you exercise her? Sorry again for the negatively :(
 
I don't mean to sound unkind but your post does sound a little crazy. If you're going to make a reasonable stab at a medical degree it's going to be hard work and you will need to be properly committed to it. Don't see how you could realistically combine that with keeping a horse fit enough to event at a decent level, especially if there's travelling involved! You will end up cutting corners and doing either or both badly.

Agree with others who have suggested take a year out, fill your eventing boots, and then once you start uni you can focus on your course and fit any horse activities around that without any pressure.
 
Honestly? No!

I'm in the middle of medicine & i live at home, travel up everyday. Id like to live closer but personal circumstances means i cant. I keep my horse at home & he basically lives out. During winter we just hack when we can, usually only at weekends. in spring/summer he's not fit enough to event or dressage until mid july at earliest. I did send him to a yard last year for 6 weeks so he was reasonably fit when I finished exams but competition was still a level lower than i wanted as i was also not really fit to ride. If I didn't do medicine we would probably have been eventing at 2* & dressaging advanced medium at least.

When I did my Physio degree it was easy to keep horse fit, less hours but placement meant I couldn't ride for those 6 weeks. In winter it was still hacking only though.

You might be able to still event if the owner keeps the horse fit, but medicine is a 9-5 course monday-friday so riding will be limited. Also Bear in mind though that once you hit 3rd year on you are on permanent rotating placement so riding consistently will be near impossible.

If you can persuade the owner to send her to a yard where can be kept in work & you compete at weekends then it might work. But Christmas/January and from easter-june you'll be studying for exams & I'd imagine that you would have limited competing unless you have a photographic memory!
 
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