How do I convince my mum..

Shame you don't live near me. I have a horse I'm desperate to find a rider for - full time work / children / house / OH erratic hours and own hobies. I've tried preloved and no one replied. Keep looking, moped is a great idea, just be careful on those country lanes ! Forever a mum...:D
 
Parachute...don't think of your friends laughing at you when they have cars and you're on a moped...it might well be you laughing at them as yjeu try desperately to pass their test! :p
 
Glad to see that you've now got some sort of a plan i.e. moped and learning more but once you've got the moped why not start car driving lessons? It's a marketable skill, which can improve job prospects. In addition, you are never going to be able to bring home a sack of feed for a horse on a moped. Besides wet weather mopedding is horrid.

Perhaps your mum would consider letting you be a named driver on her insurance policy once you've passed your test if you give her the additional premium and, of course, fill the car once you've used it. I don't suggest Mum gives you accompanied lessons, that really is a way to an argument or 6. I also don't think it a good idea to aim for a car of your own as that will just eat up the money you could use, eventually, for a horse.

Also why not let people know you are willing to help out with their horses via the tack, feed, pet shop noticeboards etc as soon as you've got that moped? You could be of use immediately once you have your own transport and you might make some useful contacts and more friends.
 
Good idea:) I'm going to start from the beginning as I'm a complete novice on the ground - don't know anything really about horsecare,feed etc.. Would you all be offended if I asked questions on here? You're all very knowledgeable!
 
There's no rush. I got my first pony aged 44 :) (well it is technically my daughter's :D)

I would seriously learn to drive. You won't believe how much it will open up your opportunities. And also when you do get a horse (and you will, in time), you will be able to drive to shows.
 
I'd love to do shows! I think a moped is needed as buses don't take me where I need to go and when! I will put an advert in the paper looking for a horse to loan after I'm mobile and after I'm earning a bit more money! Exciting :D
 
I used to love my moped. I had one from being 16 to 22 and it gave me such freedom. I would never have been able to have a pony and run a car on my wages. I went all over on it, to work, to the pony, even to Scotland once.
It is unpleasant in winter and I often needed a good defrosting when I got to work but I was young enough then to cope with it. It was so cheap to run, nearly 200 miles per gallon :)
 
I heard they were cheap to run, are they easy to drive - what sort of price are we looking at to fill up?
 
Isnt there a scheme where a company supplies small engine sized motorbikes and you just pay then a small fee to hire it but if it breaks they fix it, if it wont start they come out, but you also dont have the cost of buying one. I think it is for youngsters to get to work and onlycosts abut £7 a week. Look int it.
 
That's £7 a week for the scheme, but you're not far off for petrol too. Mine used to be about a tenner for the smaller bikes and a moped will be a lot less (never understood litres, just price & how far it got you!). I used bikes from 16 and only started driving in my late 20s. It's cheaper by miles, and tbh there's always an alternative if you need to carry things. You'll also be a more alert car driver when the time comes after a few years of having to notice cars that won't notice you ;-) Just remember to be visible & ride defensively as you would on a horse.
 
I see you've had some good advice and made a very mature decision. But just to remind you that horsey options are not restricted to own horse or no horse. There are loads of ways to get exposure to horses. In the past at various different life stages I've had riding lessons, worked at a private yard in return for rides, worked at a riding school in return for rides, been paid to ride someone's horses, paid someone a nominal amount to ride their horses, helped exercise point to pointers and found someone who didn't have the time and needed their horse exercising a couple of days a week (for free!).

To get to these I've cycled, walked, taken the bus, tube, train, lift from friends, relatives, parents, one one occasion I was looking for somewhere to live and moved into a house as a lodger in the middle of nowhere because the house owner had point to pointers I could ride. I've found myself at random bus stops in several different areas of the country with a google map print out and no mobile signal setting off to walk to a random riding school to get a horse fix whilst at uni or working in different cities.

Also remember you don't have to ride - if a local yard will let you go on a Sat and sweep the floor you then build up to getting rides.

I bought my first horse 3 years ago at 25 when I earned enough money to afford him, we've had a whale of a time since then but I really do look back on the time I spent grooming at shows, riding nutters and getting on anything I was lucky enough to be offered as great grounding for having my own.
 
In all honesty I would wait and look at a car, mopeds are not safe at all. YOU might ride safe but I have seen so many nasty accidents involving mopeds and no child of mine will be having one. If one of my children was desperate to get out and about (I to remember that age well, I'm not that old yet !) as I know they will be soon, then the money 'saved' on a moped I will help fund for driving lessons as I would be much more happier they were in a car than on a bike.

Sorry I know this probably not helping fuel your horsey ambition, your nearly 17 and with a job so it won't be to long before you'll be in the position to have a car. :)
 
Jaffa said:
In all honesty I would wait and look at a car, mopeds are not safe at all. YOU might ride safe but I have seen so many nasty accidents involving mopeds and no child of mine will be having one. If one of my children was desperate to get out and about (I to remember that age well, I'm not that old yet !) as I know they will be soon, then the money 'saved' on a moped I will help fund for driving lessons as I would be much more happier they were in a car than on a bike.

Sorry I know this probably not helping fuel your horsey ambition, your nearly 17 and with a job so it won't be to long before you'll be in the position to have a car. :)
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I've heard they're safe :eek: so bit of a shocker reading this! I can't see myself being able to afford the upkeep and cost of a car so I think a moped is the most suitable option for me :)
I appreciate your imput though! Thank you :D
 
I'd never call them safe! But I'd also take the opposite stance to Jaffa (perhaps because I'm a biker) ;) as I think they're a good, affordable way to get your own transport earlier than a car (I wouldn't have been able to afford a car before I did (28), and even then was with parental help). You just have to be very, very aware - ride defensively, and as though every other road user hasn't seen you. A good instructor should show you that. You're very vulnerable - but as a horse rider that should be familiar :D You become (or should) hyper-aware of other road users - my car instructor told me I checked my mirrors a little too often, if anything!
 
my OH has a moped while he learns to drive - no public transport where i am. he rides it a half our each day to Milton Keynes. theyre safe, as long as you dont ride like an idiot.
 
Oh bless you. I agree with all the suggestions everyone has said. My priority would be to get yourself driving, then Perhaps you could get a job in the trade and work from there. Playing devils advocate I could throw out there and say as soon as you hit 18 you can technically do as you please...

This is going to come out terrible but in some ways I see your mums point of waiting and I am definitely not saying that you will be like the next 2 examples I am going to put out here now so I apologise in advance...

Within the last year on the DIY side of the livery yard I have seen 2 young ladies (both 18) start out with all good intentions with their respective horses, up first and last thing, riding, caring every day until boys, jobs, make up and going out get involved. Slowly the 7am turnouts start to become, 9,10 and even 12pm, horses stood in until whatever time with no hay and on occasional instances no water. It ended up being the responsibility of the other girls on the yard to care for them.

Even I had to take a break of owning a horse at around 20 to get it all out of my system until I was ready for the 24/7, 365 days and the financial side of it too. It's not the buying or basic keeping, it's the added extras.

Be patient chick. It'll appen. X
 
Thank you:) I know it'll be best to wait I just get frustrated at waiting and try to go for it! I can't see how people get bored? I'd give my right arm to spend time with any horse and to ride whenever!! X
 
I don't think it was boredom more that other things became priority in their lives at the time and if it wasn't for evrybody else looking after said horses it would have been them that suffered. Again, will reiterate I'm not saying that this will be the case and probably going to sound terribly patronising but I don't mean it to at the ages the girls were things change so quickly for them. boys become a major issue as do hair styles. It happens to us all at the not a child, not quite a proper adult stage.

As a little bit of advice (and from knowing how to work stubborn mums - and my mum will kill me if she reads this) never ever get angry, regardless of what she says or 'gives that look' don't argue back but calmly put your point across, nod in agreement and say ok alot! Put everything down on paper, costings and a bit left over every month for vets bills, show her how you'll pay for everything etc. Unfortunately mums have a habit of telling their daughters things like 'well start acting like an adult' whilst in the midst of a disagreement. ironic really that I shout more now I'm married than I did as a teenager ;) x
 
I was a horrible horse owner when I discovered pubs =( But I do know girls the same age now who are shining examples of horse owners!

Whatever the justification I do feel your pain though - moving goal posts isn't nice and must be frustrating.
 
Floxie said:
I was a horrible horse owner when I discovered pubs =( But I do know girls the same age now who are shining examples of horse owners!

Whatever the justification I do feel your pain though - moving goal posts isn't nice and must be frustrating.
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It's not the best feeling ever but having read through this thread i've realized that I need to do something that will benefit the horse and to be fair, if I got one now, I don't know enough that I could do some serious damage through my lack of knowledge. I think a part loan is a great idea and i'm looking at getting myself mobile now so I can start looking at loans.
It's okay though, I won't be horseless forever :p
 
Again i say please not patronising here but when we go from childhood to adult we start thinking. you young lady have taken the first steps to adulthood(eeeeeekkkk)well done for showing a mature attitude and sometime in future you will achieve your dreams and by god you will enjoy it. x
 
babymare said:
Again i say please not patronising here but when we go from childhood to adult we start thinking. you young lady have taken the first steps to adulthood(eeeeeekkkk)well done for showing a mature attitude and sometime in future you will achieve your dreams and by god you will enjoy it. x
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Wow, this made me grin from ear to ear! Thank you so much :o:D
 
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