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

xgemmax said:
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
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Im exactly the same. live at home, yet all my wages go on the horses. He has best of everything, i wear asda george clothes. Couldnt be without my horse, im be a depressed mess without him!
 
I am skint but I wouldn't change a thing. I'm only young so I get financial contribution from my parents for livery bill (DIY), insurance, haylage and straw. I then work 2 nights a week, which brings in an extra £200+ a month, to afford everything else, practically all is spent on feed/supplements/vets bills/lessons/rugs/wormers/trimmer etc. It also helps to have a very understanding boyfriend who is content to stay in when I can't afford to go out anywhere! I'm happy spending all my money on her though, I'm never in a position where she goes without but there are areas I've had to cut back on in order to keep her comfortably. I would never keep her if I couldn't provide for her as it is not in my interest or hers. To be honest, I have more time problems than financial with balancing a levels, work, my horse and a boyfriend (though this will all change when I go to university!)
 
RunToEarth said:
But what happens if you sacrifice all of the above to enable you to finance your horse, and then, as horses often do, it manages to injure itself and throws up a significant vets bill? How do you cope when you already forego all of your extra cash to keep the horse?
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I forego so that the money *is* there for a vets bill. I always can find £250 or so for a vets bill straight off the bat, and anything above that would go through my insurance which I pay for monthly. If I couldn't (if insurers managed to really catch me out) then my vets are very good at payment plans, and I could easy find £250 a month to put towards it if I stopped all my lessons and competing whilst repaying...

I have to juggle, and every penny does get accounted for, so I clean my own rugs/mend rugs/buy things secondhand or sometimes inherit secondhand things people are throwing away that just need mending... I wouldn't have a horse if I couldnt find that money when needed, but I give up pretty much everything else in order to do it.
 
i keep mine as cheap as possible, on rented land on run-down farm. bulk buy food to save money ect,... agree there are always cheaper ways, some people really waste money and could spend a lot less.
i am in the 1 category, i have a low paid job and although i manage to save a few hundred over quite a few months, it then goes on horse related things: in the summer i paid for trailer training and test and buying a trailer, this year have spent savings on electric in the barn.
but i budget, and i can afford them. i couldn't wait to have an amazing well paid job to have horses or i never would have them! instead of new clothes and meals out i choose horses- some people i work with spend as much on clothes, makeup and going out drinking as i do on keeping my 2 horses!
 
im def the first. am on a pension, have 1 horse whom is almost 23 and has cushings, she is on 3 1/2 tablets daily so very expensive....BUT she has a good quality of life,is in good condition, has enough to eat, is shod every 6 weeks without fail, has her annual booster jab for flu/tetanus, has annual teeth check. sees a vet if needed..... i havent seen a dentist for 8 years, dont go on holiday or out to expensive places, my car really could do with a service but i dont have the money....luckily my dogs dont cost too much, but i wouldnt change my life , although a lottery win would be very nice!!!!!!
 
I'm one but would be two if I had less horses.

Luckily I have a well paid other half who helps towards costs, and pays most of our living costs too. I only work part time currently as I am also completing my PhD this year but once I am finished I will be much more stable financially and will be able to afford to pay for the girls myself without having to rely on OH for help.

I do like nice things and get treated a lot, if we couldn't afford to do things besides having the horses then I would have to consider other options but luckily we still go on holiday and OH plays hockey and golf and goes on "boys" weekends every couple of months which means I can enjoy the girls guilt free.
 
I don't own a horse as I couldn't afford to, I do have a share though. Tbh, I'm not entirely sure I'd buy one even if I could afford it.

I'm curious as to those that still live at home, own a horse and still struggle. Does it not irk your parents that you're making no effort to save to move out? My parents have always been very supportive, but I'm sure they were glad when I moved out at the age of 25! I rented to begin with but at the age if 28 I've just bought a house.
 
I am a 2 .... because I waited until I was 43 to get a horse despite first wanting one when I was 3!

I work long hours away from home so from necessity horses are only my hobby, and I pay other people to look after them. But despite this I see them as vital to my wellbeing and will do everything I can to keep them. TBH I could work a lot less hard if I didnt have horses - but then there would be no point having spare time!!
 
I'm between the two. I do often go without to keep the horse but my daughter comes first always. I think if I was in a position where I was having to scrimp for every last penny to keep my horse in basics then I would be forced to sell him.
I do manage to have a life as well as my horsey life but it's a juggling act.
 
GinaB said:
I'm curious as to those that still live at home, own a horse and still struggle. Does it not irk your parents that you're making no effort to save to move out? My parents have always been very supportive, but I'm sure they were glad when I moved out at the age of 25! I rented to begin with but at the age if 28 I've just bought a house.
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This.

I moved out of home aged 18 and in the almost decade I've been 'independent' I have not once been able to afford a horse. Arguably, if I asked my husband to sacrifice his swanky car and his Sky Sports subscription and our gym membership and his right to want to treat his wife to meals out and nice dates, I could have a horse AND afford the mortgage/bills. But I don't, because it would be asking him to sacrifice for me to gain.

I'd desperately love a horse of my own, especially as I lost the best share set up in the entire world a few months back (free horse, in a nutshell), but I simply don't have the time for cheap DIY, nor the budget or inclination for fancy full livery.

If I lived at home I could easily afford a horse, but I'm sure my parents would inwardly be highly peeved that effectively, they were funding my horse and I was being blissfully (or selfishly) ignorant...
 
I used to have my horse on part livery and enough money to buy him anything, and go on holidays and pretty much do what I wanted although I never smoked drunk or went out much and never spent money on clothes for me, but I paid for it because I trained for a lo g time to do a very stressful job that pretty much broke me, when kids came along I juggled it all still but enjoyed none of it, more kids and suddenly couldn't affordclivery and childcare, I had to put the children first, I was not in a position to leave my job so my horse went out on loan. But with time I managed to Jack the job and be with my kids, but that sacrifice meant I couldn't do horses properly any more as I had done, but I have a small rescue pony who keep a me sane who has just the basics and nothing he doesn't absolutely needs, I can afford vets bills etc if needed but it is a different world and I am happy.
 
I have never been horseless but had a few years of just keeping my two old girls at retirement livery because I couldnt afford a riding horse too and I owed them their time. That was in my earlier years at work when I was earning less. I feel very lucky that now I can have two horses in work, at home, and still do lots of other things like holidays and keeping a boat. But I could not do any of that without OH. So if I was on my own I would go without luxuries and keep my horses. Ive never spoilt them with ten sets of everything so I am sure they would never know any different.
 
Not skint, but most of our family disposable income goes on our horses and ponies although they are a hobby, not a way of life. I ride only at weekends and my younger daughters are very much fair weather riders, who ride only when they feel like it. The problem is that our horses and ponies have become family members and aren't going anywhere.

At the moment, I have 4 on livery (due to the hours I work / type of job I do to be able to afford them). I also have weekly lessons on my mare and schoolmaster lessons, both of which I really enjoy, even though I don't compete. I do care about our horses and ponies and intend to give them a home for life, but I am very aware that I am an accidental horse owner and could easily envisage a life without them.
 
Hmm, I feel like I am the 1st but, in reality I am not. I work in an industry where, quite frankly there will always be jobs and, although I don't earn as much as I 'd like I also like to have a life and free time so I know to have a job that paid a lot better that would probably mean sacrificing some life and I am not prepared to do that.

I would LOVE to have more money, a big house, new car and nice holidays. As it is, I have adequate money, my own house and a car that's seen better days. However, I would not sell my horses or give away my dog. Life to me is about enjoying it whilst you're here and, in reality (as much as I will moan to the contrary), money is not the be all and end all. I have lost friends too young in the last 2 years so it puts things in to perspective and you should focus on what makes you happy at the end of the day.

I guess maybe I am lucky as well as my parents made a good decision just over 25 years ago when they bough 12 acres of land in the village where we lived and I'd grown up. Because of that, we have been able to keep out horses there without worry of livery bills etc. I think that s what would cripple me but then again, I would probably find a way round it if that was what I really wanted! :)

Currently, after paying my mortgage, bills, shopping, petrol etc, I have on average about £3 a day left to 'spend at my leisure'. Before I bought a house I had holiday every year. I can't see that happening for a while......! Still, do you know what I am (relatively) happy - I will be happier when spring arrives mind you - and our horses don't want for anything. Do I wish for to win the lottery? Yep, of course! :)
 
I earn decent money but I absolutely couldnt afford a horse where I live now if I didnt live with my partner. He costs me about a quarter of my income, which is the money I'd spend on haircuts, clothes and flash nights out. I dont do those things, nor do I want to. But there is a limit to how much I would spend on him! I adore him, he keeps me sane, but even so there is a limit on what I will spend.

I have previously gone without decent food and had no heating at all to keep horses, but that was when I fractured my spine and my income was literally about 10% of what it was. A lesson learnt about income protection! But as it stands now, I adore my horse, but I wouldnt let him impact heavily on my life with my partner. Thats not fair! I would move him somewhere cheaper, cut back on food etc, but I wouldnt be spending on credit to keep him.

Even now when I earn more than my partner, I dont pay less into the bill account because I have a very expensive pony habit. Thats my problem! My partner kept me and the horse for 3 months when we moved in together as I moved 200+ miles to be with him. The expenses for the dogs and cat come out of joint money, but thats because he gets a lot of pleasure out of having them. For him, he wants me to be happy and have a horse, but theres a limit and thats fine :) He does sub me a lot in that meals out etc are paid for by him, but hes ok with that as he knows I would go without those sorts of things to have Frankie :) He also has access to thousands of pounds of credit that I dont, and if needs be would spend that, although Frankie is insured so shouldn't ever happen :)
 
Ironically the money i earn now is less than the money I earnt living in the same place previously when I had a horse, but I really did go without anything at all to keep her. I also worked 3 jobs and never sw my bloody horse! I wouldnt do that again now! Age makes a ig difference I reckon! Its ok in your twenties to scrimp by, but I'm in my 30s now and I want a higher standard of living!
 
Interesting thread. I'm in camp 2, and I wouldn't sacrifice everything for horses, but I can happily afford one - but the monthly cost of having a horse is the sae as my total budget fr a week's summer holiday. I have wondered now and again if I can really justify spending as much as I do - I love it, but my head says it's an awful lot f ,only even f I can afford it!
 
i am the first one. dont get me wrong, i earn enough to put fuel in my car and pony has everything he needs (and more!) but i do not have a social life as i am either with said pony, at work or at uni. i dont buy new clothes, go on nights out as i simply cannot afford to. when i wasnt at uni it was different as i worked more and therefore i earnt more, roll on the end of this year!
 
I've been in the "so skint I'm having to borrow money to pay my vet bill" boat. Went several years where I didn't buy new clothes for either myself or the horse. Thankfully the reason I was so skint at that point in time was that I was at uni and hadn't been planning on having to take over the horse financially until I was working but loaner's situation changed and was close enough to end of my course that finding another loaner would've been daft. Also very thankfully I was mostly living at home when not on theory blocks so didn't have to worry about things like bills to pay. I'm in a much better position now that I have a job (alas I still can't afford to move out but think a lot of people are in that boat) and have paid off all the money I borrowed to keep the horse.
 
GinaB said:
I'm curious as to those that still live at home, own a horse and still struggle. Does it not irk your parents that you're making no effort to save to move out? My parents have always been very supportive, but I'm sure they were glad when I moved out at the age of 25! I rented to begin with but at the age if 28 I've just bought a house.
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Mine it doesn't. They are of the opinion that renting is throwing money away - so I'm better at home until I can afford a place of my own. Plus with having just started my own business, this is support from them.

My mum didn't move out until she was 28, I'm only 22 so have a few years left before they start to get irritated I think...

I do pay them rent, and when my dad is away with work for weeks at a time I'm company for my mum, so we all get something out of it.
 
I'm a mixture. Always skint by payday (& counting the days to it) BUT I can easily afford to keep them.
The problem for me is I like to compete. This creates a significant expense in itself (not just the money for entries but the additional costs in keeping competition horses in peak condition) but I also like to do the very best I can so the training also adds a huge cost - I would say my training costs can easily run to £250 a month.
I also like me & my horses to look nice :D
So if I had to slim down my outgoings I could.....I just like to spend money ;)
 
RunToEarth said:
But what happens if you sacrifice all of the above to enable you to finance your horse, and then, as horses often do, it manages to injure itself and throws up a significant vets bill? How do you cope when you already forego all of your extra cash to keep the horse?
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Sugar_and_Spice said:
You cross your fingers, pray it doesn't happen and PTS if it does.

For this reason I won't buy a horse from a decent home, which has a chance of finding another decent home. I buy horses from less than ideal situations, or who are being sold cheap to any home. They then have a decent home with me (all the proper care, handling and management they need) until something major goes wrong.

Perhaps it depends what you buy or where you buy from? But its not my experience that horses *often* get an injury that needs expensive vet care. I find it happens rarely. Perhaps that's because the situations I generally buy from, if the horse was needing expensive vet care often, it would have already been PTS. So perhaps, by default, I'm already starting out with a fairly tough animal.
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Easy, thats what insurance is for - there is no way I could have afforded to pay the 2 1/2 grand bill from Roo choking a couple of years ago (spent a week in Dick Vets with aspiration pneumonia) but the insurance paid it - thats what the insurance is there for!
 
mynutmeg said:
Easy, thats what insurance is for - there is no way I could have afforded to pay the 2 1/2 grand bill from Roo choking a couple of years ago (spent a week in Dick Vets with aspiration pneumonia) but the insurance paid it - thats what the insurance is there for!
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I went out of my way to make sure I avoided injury etc by management. Any vet problem I had (strangles) was entirely due to negligence by the yard, all in all it ended in a mess, me paying the bills and my horse paying the penalty.
In all the years of horse owning, that is seven, I have called the vet out twice in emergency, once when I let him feed on GREEN GRASS [new owner], and once with strangles [yard let diseased horses mix with others]
In 20 years of horse management [not ownership] I have called emergency vet out once ........... impaction colic in a racehorse, he was back to normal in under four hours.
I would not buy a horse with problems, and they need to have good limbs and feet.
If the worse comes to the worse, I have an emergency fund.
P.S. to answer the op's q ........ I lived for 5 years on the bare minimum, bare floorboards in the kitchen, and debts, but I loved my pony :)
 
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equi said:
Im skint all the time. I work casual hours still (about four jobs!!!) so until i get a full time job i will use all my money on my horses. I generally buy the cheap food in iceland ect to live on
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It can be a good idea to get a job in a pub/hotel, so you can eat as much as you can for free! I used to work in a leisure centre with accommodation, it gave me some income, but also I did not have to buy any food on work days, and often customers left sports clothing, which I "re-cycled" if it was not re-claimed :). My income was minimum wage, so I got £200 or so, but also benefits were worth at least an extra £30 per week. There was some sort of uniform and safety shoes, so no extra expense.
That was my last job, in the end I came to hate it, did not like the other staff, the feeling was mutual :), but I have worked in pubs which had a nice atmosphere, and I got invited to loads of parties :), also started my career in racing this way as pub owner had a racehorse :)
 
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I've been reading the replies with interest, thanks everyone for replying! A very good point was made about people living at home and how long parents are willing to extend that courtesy before they say enough is enough! If I still lived with my mum I can safely say I would be loaded compared to what I am now! But as I live with my partner, and have done since I was 19 (25 now), things are a bit tight sometimes. Plus I think my mum would have been dropping fairly strong hints about wanting me out some years ago had I still been living with her. So I guess I think the ones who are able to continue living at home well into their 20s are very lucky to have generous parents, whether they pay rent or not!

Eta I know it's not easy in this day and age to afford to move out, especially as a single person, so I'm not belittling the need to live with parents at all.
 
I live with my parents and work for minimum wage. I simply cannot afford to buy new clothes so all of my stuff (other than gifts) come from Charity shops and eBay. I don't go out anyway but I work my A*se off so I can keep my girl. I would never let her go without and she is simply my world.

Sure, i'm not happy at the moment, but things can always get better :)
 
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Kind of inbetween!

I've owned my horse since I was 14. Obviously parents paid most of the bills before I could get a job , but I have worked since I could and any money I earnt went to my horse. I had no problems with this as he is my life. Now I'm a bit older I still work, he takes a chunk of my wage but I'm happy for that. I'm now expecting a baby and manage a house so I still put a lot of money into my horse and go without but it's manageable in a way so I can still afford other things now!
 
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