How skint are you/would you be to keep a horse?

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RIDMagic

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Bit of a pointless post, just wondered what people's opinion on this are. There are some people for whom horses are their entire life, what they work for and live for. They will go without new clothes, luxuries, social life etc for their horse. They don't have much, if any, spare cash every month but they are happy because they have their horse.

Then there are some people for whom horses are a hobby, they love their horse of course, but they have other hobbies and interests and their horse fits around their life to an extent. They are happy to have a horse but wouldn't do it if it meant being penniless every month. Understandably so.

So which one are you? Would you/do you go without basic luxuries in order to keep your horse?
 
Hi amymay, just out of interest how did you get out of the situation? Did you sell your horse and live without until you were financially better off?
 
I always say: the first time I have to struggle to feed my horse will be the last.

I could face not giving my horses the. Best of everything. I'd sooner send them tosomeone who can.

My horses arelike my children only easier to get a babysitter for at a weekendlol

I do and give them all I have. But the moment I couldn't I would. Let them go.

I think if your financially unstable owning a horse is silly. Because they are. Expensive, and you need. To be prepared for everything!

My opinon only obviously :)
 
Im the first option.
I live with my parents, cant afford my own place.
I rarely buy clothes, I don't go out much, and I never have more then maybe £100 to my name for more then a couple week, I may get up to a few hundred but then a vet bill will come or Ill need to buy wormers/hay/bedding/farrier all on the same day and suddenly Im skint again.
I very rarely go out, but I can afford the occasional night if I want to.

To be honest, Im perfectly happy, I was never a social bird before horses so I don't miss it. Without the horses, I think, truth be told, I would be a recluse.


ETA, I think the point above is a valid one! If you cant comfortably afford your horses, then that's an issue.
I always have enough money to buy what they need and I have a bank account that I pay into every month (on a set date too) so there is plenty there ready for emergencies with them
 
Interesting, I'm sure many people have been in the skint boat at some time but it's no fun! I'm probably somewhere in the middle, I'm certainly not penniless (most of the time lol) but then again I'm not always able to buy everything I want... then again, not many can I suppose. I must admit I don't think I am such a committed horsaholic that I would be willing to go without everything in order to keep my horse happy and comfortable. I have wondered if that makes me a bad horse owner but feel a bit better now!!
 
I basically work to fund my horse lol! All my money goes on him and petrol for my car. Occasionally I'll buy something for myself but the majority of stuff I buy is for him because I want him to have the best of everything :D I would say he probably has a bigger wardrobe than me haha but I wouldn't have it any other way, seeing him have nice things and being well looked after makes me happy :) I'm lucky though that I live rent free with my parents atm, could never afford to move out on what I earn now though
 
I have been in the skint boat, but not by choice. My marriage broke up, I had to set up house again, was left with some debts and really struggled for a couple of years. I remember getting a free bag of spuds with the horses feed and thinking at least I was going to eat that week. Ok, so it wasn't all I had to eat, but it helped! All through that the two horses I had at the time kept me sane. And I still own one of them - she is 22 now.

Now I am older, wiser and financially independent, my life still revolves around my horses. I hate it when people describe them as my family (I have one of those) or my children (they are not). Absoluteyl I have a life outside of horses and I don't skint myself on anything, but when I was a child I thought that owning a horse and being able to ride as much as you wanted would be heaven. Now I can do that, I live the dream every day.
 
I've been the first for a good few months now.
I've never been TOO comfortable with cash, as in...I can't afford to go on holiday, or buy expensive things. However I could afford to treat myself to the cinema, or a take-away etc..

I was fired from my last job and it's been REALLY hard since Xmas. I got a new job just in time! I was down to my last £150 (not including savings)
Ned would have been the last thing to go, though! I would have done anything to keep him healthy and happy! It felt like a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulders :) I cried when she said I got the job!!
 
Always been the second.

Horses were my hobby not my life, I sold up last summer to concentrate on a career for myself so I can live a good life. I wasn't willing to struggle with a horse while doing this.
 
I'm a mixture of the two, my work fluctuates so sometimes I have some spare cash at the end of the month to buy some clothes, have a meal, go to the hairdresser etc and sometimes by the end of the month I maybe have £30 left over! However within my budget is savings, insurance, and various other things which are routine (I work out average costs of jabs/teeth/physio etc per month and leave the money in a separate account for when those things come round).
 
Almost always been in the first category but have always had a slush fund for the essentials but the ponies cost me less than it would to go out, smoke or drink so I look on them as my vice I dont drink smoke or go out but do get and annual holiday usually a bus mans holiday helping a friend to go on holiday and house sitting and caring for her horses while she gets away but she lives in a beautiful part of the world
Dad always used to say there are two kinds of horse owners those that have no money and those that shortly will have no money but I guess there are always exceptions to that.
I would rather eat beans from the tin than let my horses go without essential items but I am not frivolous and they only get what they need I cannot see the point in matchy matchy and thousands of rugs as long as they are fed watered and comfortable they dont actually cost that much. Crunch comes when something goes disastrously wrong that is when the slush fund comes into play
ps what are savings;);)
 
I used to be able to comfortably afford my 3, then I got divorced, when I left I had one set of clothes, lovely ex had cut up or burned everything else then set fire to the house so I literally had nothing, couldn't stand the thought of losing my ponies so I rented the cheapest flat I could find in the most rubbish house in a bad area, and walked a 3 mile round trip twice a day to get to the horses (ex had also had my car scrapped) till I finally managed to save enough to buy a heap of a car. Thankfully things have gradually got easier since then and now I can afford them, they don't get fancy rugs or unnecessary things but they don't know or care what colour their rug is or if its 2nd hand, thankfully they are healthy and amazingly simple and easy to keep really, it doesn't have to be overly costly and complicated unless you want to make it so.

Although I will keep all of them for the rest of their days I don't plan on replacing them, I want to be able to easily afford nice holidays and adventures. Theres so many places I want to go and things I want to do that at the moment I can't afford to do. and I'd really like to wake up one rainy morning and not have to trundle out in it lol
 
im the first. although i am finding that by working all the hours i do just to keep him comftable i hardly have any time to spend with him. it is finacially easier now i only have the 1 horse and i am looking for another job to cut my hours but my horse comes first. i cant remember the last time i went out or bought myself something new. luckily i havent put on much weight in years so can still fit into same clothes as 4 years ago. people ask me if i would like a relationship with someone and my answer has always been no because between work and sleep i dont have enough time with my horse as it is. i never go out anywhere to meet anyone anyway. not that im complaining as im very selfish in the way i spend my time so would end up hating someone who took time away from my boy!! lol
 
I would rather go without luxuries and have no money for extras. But at the same time I would never put myself in a financial situation where I was struggling to feed or house my horse. I've seen plenty of friends in that situation, its heartbreaking for everyone and its not fair on either the person or the horse.
 
Spencer93 said:
I would rather go without luxuries and have no money for extras. But at the same time I would never put myself in a financial situation where I was struggling to feed or house my horse. I've seen plenty of friends in that situation, its heartbreaking for everyone and its not fair on either the person or the horse.
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This ^^^

I don't go on holiday some of but is financial some ofnitbis I have no one to go with
My horse is my life and I love it!!! My son is grown with a fan job. But I still buy decent Christmas birthday presents etc
I've recently spent most of savings on renovating my house with luxury carpets, leather suite and posh bed
But I won't be able to do that again in my lifetime.

My horse wants for nothing. Has all good quality kit

I have just had to start budgeting better as livery gone up by £52 per month which I guess you could say that was my 'wastage' cash
I save money each month for emergencies and to pay for bigger things, mostly horsey. But heaven forbid an appliance breaks money has to be found

The ones thing I do want to change is I need a few none horsey clothes, everything else I'm more than happy with
If I start to struggle will sell my horsebox
 
I wouldn't say im 1 or the other im comfortable but not flush with cash

I can quite easily keep my horse on part livery buy her everything she needs I don't buy unnecessarily but if theres a good rug or something in the sale I will buy it over buying me something
I shop vintage & charity shops but that's my style luckily doesnt cost v.much

Tbh I hate spending money ! Im so tight because previously ive had to be when I worked on yards but now I don't but I still am !
I can afford to compete 2/3 times month etc so I dont think im to hard up !
 
I'm the first, but I guess I could be the second if I cut back on things.

I live at home (couldn't afford to get my own place even if I didn't have the horses I suspect!) and my life revolves around my horses. I haven't had them this week as they've been at Matt's as my yard flooded one too many times last week and it's regionals this week so I couldn't work G, and I've been bored stiff.

I have never really had a social life - I have two or three close friends and that's it.

On the other hand I am able to afford to rent a small yard for myself and the horses, have a 7.5t lorry, and am out competing a lot. Comps and lorry would be the first things to go if I struggled for some reason.

That said, I will think nothing of buying a new rug (if actually needed - I'm not a rug hoarder like some!) but will hesitate to buy myself new clothes, even absolute essentials!
 
My OH wouldnt let me be option 1, but i must admit i would be so much better off financially without the neds! My horses normally cost very little as on own land - but since the floods/wet sopping fields they are now residents at other yards/fields. Now am paying £80PW livery for them which i can manage but thats the extra £80 i had left over every week after essentials.
One horse on DIY livery i could afford but no way 2 of them on livery!!
They will go back to our field in the spring but until then its a bit grin and bear it!
 
I'm fortunate to be in a stable job and if anything crops up, I'm ok. The horse for me is a heck of a bonus. I doubt I could sell him, I'd rather pay to keep him even tho he's doing nothing currently. I wouldn't put myself in a poor financial situation for him, tho. I had to choose to find £8000 for my loan horse who broke his leg some years ago. I chose to have him PTS because it wasn't fair on my OH to put us into debt. I'm glad I'm much more financially stable now. Having my own means so much more and I'm glad I can look after him without worrying about money.
 
My daughter and I are horse hunting atm but for the last year and a half I sat her down and explained that as a single parent on one wage, things will be tight while we save for a horse and once we have one, holidays and expensive luxuries will be few and far between. She was /is absolutely fine with it and it was me who felt guilty at Christmas when I couldn't buy her as much as I usually do! she, however, was ecstatic with what she got and said it was more than she was expecting. She does have the best of both worlds in that she gets expensive gifts and holidays with her dad. I am not fussed. yes, it would be nice to have a holiday now and again but I would much rather have a week off and just ride/look after our horse all week! he/she may not have expensive rugs or named feed stuff, more likely the tack shops own brand where possible, but it will not go without essentials and will be loved unconditionally. Horses make me happy and not being with one has had its effects on me, mentally over the last 13 years, so I cannot wait to start living the dream again!:)
 
I don't really know what I am..

Horses aren't my 'life' as such because I have a daughter now so other things are more important however I don't spent a stupid amount on them. They get what they need when they need it and don't go without. I will always invest in good quality tack but rugs are rugs no matter what colour or brand. We have 3 horses at the moment with us (we own 6). One is a livery yard which is extra expense as I need the facilities for him, the others are just in paddocks.

When I'm in work (on maternity ATM). I can afford my horses and my own things comfortably but I'm not rolling in it by any stretch.
 
I am nearer 1 than 2. But, I am lucky that horses are kept on own land, albeit not at home. I have to manage the fuel costs to get there, which isn't THAT far, but it is further than stepping out the back door!! Also lucky that I share the cost of one with my mum regarding farrier and worming, but vets bills are all mine!!!
I couldn't imagine life without the mares, but a teeny tiny part of me knows when the time comes, and I don't have them anymore, I'd be better off and more able to go on that holiday that I've wanted for years, even if it was simply time better off, rather than money. They are cheap to keep sorts really. Bless them.
 
I am defo 1, but it's because I set up my own business last year. All my money is spent on the horse or back into the business!

I can afford all his necessities, including odd vets bills, dentist, chiro, saddler, farrier, livery, feed, the odd new rug etc, as well as a few comps and the odd thing like rc camp, but I no longer own a pair of wellies without holes, and haven't bought myself new clothes in over a year.

I live at home, and pay rent when I can afford it - but it means there is never a decision between horse eating and me eating thankfully. Without the parental support, I wouldn't have a horse right now - or more likely would still be in my old, hated job where I could afford him better!!
 
Our horses cost between £6,000 and £7,000 a year, all in.

But it's our life choice.....for holidays, we have a mini bus we converted to a camper and before that camped. Before OH was made redundant we went abroad every year.

Finally, this year things are getting better...due to some good financial choices we have made. No more debt, and upgrading the trailer back to a lorry again.

Never have we struggled though to feed us or the horses, things have been tight, but they have wanted for nothing. The horse I bought to compete last year will be my last, we have 3 OAP's in the field as well as OH's riding horse and my new one.

I'll be mortgage free when I'm 55, I have different plans then..... :)
 
I have to admit that my life pretty much revolves around my horse. I am very lucky to have a very understanding partner that I live with. I pay towards house bills etc but not as much as I would if I didnt have a horse. I manage to cover all my bills every month with a teeny bit to spare that I keep for emergencies but I very rarely get a haircut or buy myself clothes but I wanted a horse all my life and buying my first one at the age of 26 means that I have 26 years worth of catching up to do haha!

I dont think I could do it without my partner though - he puts a roof over our head and although I help with bills, there is no way I could live on my own.
 
RIDMagic said:
Interesting, I'm sure many people have been in the skint boat at some time but it's no fun! I'm probably somewhere in the middle, I'm certainly not penniless (most of the time lol) but then again I'm not always able to buy everything I want... then again, not many can I suppose. I must admit I don't think I am such a committed horsaholic that I would be willing to go without everything in order to keep my horse happy and comfortable. I have wondered if that makes me a bad horse owner but feel a bit better now!!
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I'm in this category too. I like having a social life, and to buy nice things for myself (not all the time though, and not excessively). T never has and never will go without, she wants for nothing. I am lucky in that I am young (20), live at home, and have a good job in the city. I'm making the most of it whilst I can, lol.
 
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