How do you afford to go BE?

floradora09

floradora09

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First off, this isn't a whiney post about life not being fair etc etc! My family aren't horsey, and we're not rich either, I've had a 15yo event schoolmaster for a few months now, and my game plan is dressage/sj this summer, hunter trials in the autumn, dressage/sj winter and hunter trials in spring, then event over the summer- but I would just LOVE to be able to do some BE next season. To start with I'll just go on a ticket, later on in the season once we've got some PC eventing under our belt. But the thing is, my parents won't be able to afford the £70 (or whatever it is!) per entry, so I think I would need to be sponsored. But- I don't want products from sponsors, I'll need money- but if I'm not a big name in the eventing world (which by no means I will be!) would anyone want to sponsor me?

Also (silly question here!), he won't be too old at 16-19 years to go BE90/100 will he? I'm always very careful about the ground with him, he was evented till about the age of 10 but spent last 5 years showing, so not too many miles on clock! If he's kept in a lot and does lots of schoolwork he can be a bit stiff, but he's hardly been stiff at all -touch wood- since he's been living out 24/7 and hacking 3 times a week.

Thanks to anyone who can help :) xxx
 
It is a difficult one :( To be honest you are unlikely to get financial sponsorship at that level. It is an expensive sport and many of us struggle with the costs. I take extra jobs when I can in addition to my full time work to help fund it.

On the positive side 16-19 is certainly not too old to event I think 'Over to You' was placed at Badminton at 18 :) Hope you find some funds from somewhere.
 
i'm afraid it is expensive to event. By the time you have your tickets too, you are looking at about £100 per event, excluding diesel/stabling.

it is unlikely you'll find a financial sponsor to pay entries. Perhaps you could get summer job or start saving up now for next summers events.
 
Why don't you look to get a part-time/weekend job? From the age of 14 I worked in pubs/kitchens/odd horsey jobs to pay for my loan ponies.
If you budget about £100 per event and start saving now then you should be able to use your 4 tickets alongside some PC/RC/unaff events.
Good luck!
 
Part time jobs are the way forward. Doing anything and everything you can. I work for a Youth Club to raise extra funds for horses! Eventing is ridiculously expensive but by doing one every month or so and a bit of unaff will help.
 
To be honest it's pretty much nil possibility of sponsorship, unless you have an obliging family member with their own company (I wish). I do it by having worked every hour possible from the age of 16 - worked weekends, holidays etc whilst doing A levels then throughout 7 years of uni. I saved a lot when I was younger which meant when I got to 24 I had to enough to buy horse, trailer, land rover etc and to compete. I think I've probably gone without a lot in the last two years ie haircuts/beauty treatments, fancy shoes, clothes etc but I have a damn good time and have learnt to socialise on a budget. I worked for my horses livery for the past two years and have just graduated from uni, start working next week and can't wait to have weekends back - I've been working weekends for the last ten years!!!
 
like the others have said its very expensive, I work 8-5 monday to friday and keep Twizzy on livery, I do upto 2 BE events a month and some PC events that are close by. i pay for Twizzy up keep all by myself. I dont go out, The money I earna ll goes on Twizzy, i do have a very understanding BF who like taking me out though :). So its not all bad.
 
I am afraid I have a reasonably well paid job and I can't afford it!
I did 2 whole seasons a few years ago and I am still paying off the credit cards from that now :-(
As has been said before an event alone will set you back at least £100 with diesel and entry, as well as the training and preparation required to make sure you are ready.
FWIW I would maybe look at doing some really nice unaffiliated events that way you can be more choosy, as much as I love eventing I can't justify the costs involved.
Good luck and be determined x
 
I was a full member two years ago, and it was such a wet season that many got cancelled, and the rest were over subscribed, so I only got in 4 events anyway (I work a lot of weekends..). So last year I decided to just do 4 a year on tickets, which saved quite a bit of money.

If you're PC age anyway, get really involved with them. Their team events are often over BE courses anyway, and you'd get lots of training etc too..

Otherwise, as everyone said, get a part time job perhaps? We pay a teenager to feed and muck out for us on Sundays so we get a lie in - you could offer a service like this at your livery yard/ local area. We pay her £12 for an hour and a half.
 
Sounds like hard work and determination is the way to go then! However, we do have a very good family friend who is very very rich and has a successful company- possibly worth a shot! :D I've never done any proper eventing, as my previous pony got too old and small to be able to do any proper PC eventing- I was going to do lots of unaff stuff with him this summer but this schoolmaster came along and we couldn't say no! I'm 14, and have done a babysitting and first aid course, so that may also be a good route to go down, easy money! Although it does mean staying up late alone, something I'm not very good at lol!

Such a relief that you think he'll still be up to the job though! I'll just make sure I really look after him and next summer I'm going to put him on a joint supplement as he's entering that age and also he'll have a lot more work to do!

Thanks so much for the help everyone- any other moneymaking tips?! :P xxx
 
I'm another with a good job but struggle to afford to do it.

I don't have the lessons I should well actually any (thankfully have a strong SJ/Dr background so at intro/PN it means I do well but could do better, I would have to rethink majorly if/when we eventually step up to Novice especially where the XC is concerned).

I don't do unaffil events in between and I do 1 or at most 2 events a month. (This year I have done 1 unaffil dressage and 1 unaffil SJ before starting BE and done 4 BEs so far this year with plan for another 3 or 4 BE this year)

I only have to pay deisel costs for transport (no maintenance/upkeep/insurance etc) which is a major saving!

And even with the above I struggle with the cost but I don't put it on credit it has to be from money I have. as much as I love competing I won't put myself in debt over it.

If need be I would sell unneeded things, do more paintings etc etc so that I could afford to do at least a small number a year ;) :p (would take on another job if came to it but current job contract doesn't allow me to! not that I would have the time anyway!)
 
Keep a spread sheet of your expenses (all outgoings not just horsey) and see where you can trim money off, you will be surprised at how much you can redirect to your BE fund.

Look for part time or one off work. odd shift in local pub or exercising someone elses horses is good to top up the budget.

you don't really need to miss out on other stuff such as socialising etc you just need to think harder eg I have a wedding to go to on Fri but can't afford a new dress so am taking old dress, modifying it, adding some accessories and hey presto whole new look for £0! cha ching that's more money for my BE entry next month! :)
 
I think everyone with experience is going to give you the same advice, really. It's an expensive sport (although, be grateful, it's a lot more expensive in many other places) and it's very rare to get other people to pay for your pleasures in life. ;)

Another good idea is to get as much training/knowledge/experience as you can for free. Offer to help out any local riders you admire, work in exchange for lessons etc. I know it's very tempting to save money on instruction but it's almost always going to make you worse off in the long run. If you only have limited opportunities to event and one horse it's in your best long term interests to do as well as you can with what you've got, not the least so you and your horse stay safe and sound.

On the up side, people ARE willing to help out keen, hard working kids so it never hurts to put yourself forward, so long as you can show WHY someone should take a chance on you. That even goes for non-horsey jobs etc. - you never know who might come through for you.
 
It's tough! I work full time and I am lucky enough to have a very understanding husband who allows me to enjoy my hobby which would appear to be the equivalent of £20-note-burning! ;)

I have a horsey account which gets a set amount of £/month into it each pay day and then a weekly personal allowance which I take minimum £ from and pile the "change" (e.g. majority of!) into the horsey account also! This account then pays all livery/ farrier /feed /tack /lesson /competition fees. It is a current account with debit card- not credit card! ;)

I'm really struggling at the moment as have just shelled out on a saddle/ 50 bales of hay (due to scare stories about lack of it later in the year!) and will be moving yards next week- more £/week at new place, so that will hit the pocket too. :( However, just sold my rubber mats to someone at current yard as new yard has them in all boxes, so that helped fund the BE entry I did today! :)

I will be getting a sharer once I move yard which will help with £ situation, but will need a lot of luck to find the right person who is flexible enough to let me continue to compete 2 weekends per month and is a reliable/competent enough rider themselves. Scary, but have found one before, so hopefully can find another one! I know a lot of folk don't like the idea of a sharer, but needs must. (for time as much as money!)
 
yes should of said I wouldn't ever advise anyone to go without lessons as a form of cost cutting. ;) I am in a slightly 'different' situation to most hence 'get away' without the paid lessons at the moment. Picked up some freebies though (including through HORSE magazine, and I encourage eneryone to apply for their masterclasses ;) ) and watch trainers/competitions for free training as much as I can ;) :)
 
Sorry, Santa it wasn't supposed to be a "shot" at you! As you say, you've lots of experience so it's not the same thing at all. My point was more towards your second part - there are lots of ways of learning that don't cost much/any money and if the budget is tight it pays to think how to get the most out of what you have access to. Even just going to a show and sitting by the ring, watching how other competitors and trainers approach things can be very educational and doesn't cost a thing.
 
Since leaving school in May I have worked as a dinnerlady at a local primary school and also do one or two days a week on a local yard. I also sell things that me or the horses have grown out of on ebay - would deffo recomend this if you're not too sentimental! Every single penny that i earn goes towards either having lessons or eventing. I've just turned 16 and have not been shopping, to the cinema, out for a meal etc for over two years but i don't mind because i've evented BE the last two seasons. :) It is a very expensive hobby but well worth all the sacrifices and IMO i'm prepared to not really be able to have anything else in my life if i can event.
As for your horse - I have a rising 16 year old eventer on loan, we have just started Novice this season and still going strong! If your horse was evented by a pro in the past then they will have looked after his legs etc and the showing owners will also have wanted to keep him in top condition so you probably have a better chance of him staying fit/sound than of a normal 15yo. Best of luck with the eventing :) x
 
I work full time on a decent salary, but do freelance work to solely fund my eventing. Really glad of the freelance stuff this year as have two horses out competing now so everything twice as expensive!
 
As you are 14, why not see if there is someone local to you who you could work for in exchange for lessons/pocket money? I know I used to do all kinds of things at your age, and more recently (at the grand old age of 29!) I spent 3 months working in exchange for training (was in the enviable position of all my bills being picked up for me, but I did put my horse on loan to do it) which revolutionised my riding.

Also, in the nicest possible way, you're 14. If your parents can't afford BE but can afford unaff, then do that - at least you're out there competing. I obsessed about eventing at your age, but the deal with my parents was that I could have a pony on loan if I did everything myself and they did nothing. Consequently I went to the three local shows a year which were in hacking distance, and did not event until I was 26, which was the point at which I could afford to do it all myself. So even if you don't get to go eventing next summer, you will one day if you want it enough!
 
I do alot of work for pony club mums!!! Put the word out in your local area about horse/dog sitting whilst they are away on hols. Also I plait for 3 PC mums the night before rallies and shows. It's a great way of earning extra money.

I have only started eventing but luckily I don't own the horse so the bills get paid for me but I have my own horse to pay for aswell so any money I have goes him. Just got huge vets bill. You will find a way to do it if you really want.

And as some of the other posters have said go to unaffliated events they are usually cheaper. Do they have a cheaper member rate for BE? I'm a member of Eventing Ireland and it cost me 85euro to join but I can only do Intro and Pre Novice but that suits me as I wouldn't be going above that level for a couple of years. Full membership is €170.
 
I'm a mature student, my husband and I don't have a huge income so I work outside of term time and then save as much as I can from my student loans (usually not that much as we need it mostly to live off) but every little helps.

Could I recommend the website www.moneysavingexpert.com to you? I know it's probably mostly aimed at adults but there's quite a lot of advice for teenagers on there too. It's a really great financial website with loads of tips and tricks for saving money, increasing income, budgeting etc etc - I find it invaluable!!
 
It is tuff but like others every penny i have goes on my horses and i probably live in denial to be honest and would hate to think but i also am careful not to over spend, very easily done! I have a young horse who would probably go out and do BE this year but have decided to invest the money i would spend on entries in lessons and training so hopefully everything being right will have a better crack at BE next year. In saying that it can be a bit frustrating when everyone keeps asking when his first BE is or egging you on. I also work very hard and dont take much time off (self employed) so no holidays just the odd horsey day. i also dont spend an awful lot on myself, i think a typical horse person dont think twice about a new set of shoes for the nag but myself well that another story :)
 
I'm in a fairly fortunate financial position thanks to having a pretty good job but even then my mortgage eats up most of my money, and what my mortgage doesn't eat, my horses do!

As has already been said, it's all about deciding what you're prepared to go without to event (e.g. big nights out/ fancy holidays, etc).

For someone in your situation, let me give you a story about a girl who lives along my road. A couple of summers ago, when she was maybe a year older than you, she went up and down the neighbourhood posting through a leaflet to say that she would be available to do horse duties (anything from poo picking to ragowort pulling to grooming, to livery while the owner is on holiday, etc), to dog sitting, to babysitting, to car cleaning, to gardening - whatever she as a teenage girl could do. She did that one summer and picked up an absolute shed load of clients needing help with various things that she could help with (including me) and ever since has had a regular local client base. I should say here that I live in a cute little village and the girl's mum could monitor where she was going tho.

Maybe if it's appropriate, you could think along similar lines to get that extra income?

As for your slightly older event horse - if it's any comfort, my now dear departed mare hunted up until 6 months before she died at the age of 25. RIP my dear mare.
 
Weeelll I don't live in the UK or event, but I do compete affiliated DR and SJ with my boy..without a trailer/box or towing vehicle. I work three full afternoons a week at a yard teaching and riding, tutor English two days a week. I do extra work for the yard (in the form of pony parties and sometimes doing the therapeutic riding at schools in the morning, and taking the adult lessons in the evenings as a catch up if they cant make their usual saturday slot), and as a plus they lend me their horse trailer and towing vehicle for free, and we just put the petrol back to where it was.

I also do promotions work and try to do 2 or 3 of them a month, seeing as they fit around shows and usual schedules as its normally at night and they pay pretty well. Easy work, but you have to throw away any doubts and be confident and friendly and outgoing :) Here they're really slack about age, but in the UK its quite possible alcohol promoters have to be 18 or over, I don't know though.
 
This is a very good question. I think it is very, very sad that eventing has become so much harder to afford over the years for a person of average means. I think that there should be a re-think by BE to look into how costs could be reduced to expand the participation.
 
As you're only 14 proper part-time work will be mostly out of the question (and evening/late night work illegal!) so it might be better to see if you can go and be a working pupil for an event rider or something similar during your school holidays - not only is it lots of fun but you'll learn loads and probably get paid for it!

Easy money is helping with lambing over easter holidays if you can put up with being continually dirty and sleep-deprived :p - I got paid over £400 for 12 days work, which meant I was able to buy a saddle for my lad, but would enable you to enter 4 BE events or about 10 PC events :) There are several PC events near me that are ran over BE courses, so it's always worth looking out for this type of thing becuase the entry fee is going to be a lot lower yet you'll do the exact same thing :)
 
livetoride said:
This is a very good question. I think it is very, very sad that eventing has become so much harder to afford over the years for a person of average means. I think that there should be a re-think by BE to look into how costs could be reduced to expand the participation.
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In fairness though aren't there a significantly greater number of BE competitors than there were 10 years ago? In all honesty they probably don't want to encourage more people as there would simply be more events ballotting. I don't think a person of average means would have been eventing 10 years ago, it has become a far more accessible sport first with the introduction of PN, then Intro and in recent times the BE80(T) classes. There was a time when there was no way a "normal" person would have been able to event
 
As you are still very young, maybe the PC or riding club route would be a better idea and not so expensive. I evented for 8 years, but having gone up the grades, entries, stabling and the huge costs travelling to compete became too much and I have given up despite my horse being only 8 and intermediate pts wise. Sorry to be somewhat negative but you do have alternatives to gain experience. Thought of going on the streets to be able to afford to keep going but thought better of it!
 
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