How the heck

[chaser81]

Do some people afford their horses? I work full time in a good job and can just about afford to have one horse on assisted DIY. I know a family of people who rent a small yard and have 6 horses of their own, they live in a council house and none of them work! I know another girl who doesn't work, has 2 daughters and has 2 horses on a DIY yard, another person I know suffers with depression so doens't work and also has 2 horses, a trailer and competes every weekend! What on earth am I doing wrong to only be able to afford 1 horse? Is it because I have a mortgage and pay my own bills? I dont even have any debt.

These people must be getting ridiculous amounts of benefits which is proving how wrong the system is.

Sorry if this sounds like whiney post but it just seem so unfair.

 

[BeingKate]

I work, and on top of working I teach freelance, school horses, and do my photography (and yes I pay tax on all of that don't worry!)! I also don't drink, smoke, have a social life (!!) and I never buy clothes, shoes or anything of the like unless it's desperate. Our fridge stays semi empty, I'm a tight ass with things like lights off, taps off, heating off etc. I am a bundle of joy to live with hahaha luckily other half is the same mindset!

 

[Woody Le Bois]

Well, that's the benefits culture for you. It is annoying for people who work their backsides off and have their taxes go to finance it.

 

[hotair]

I noticed the same at the last yard i was on, i am another who works full time and still only has just the one horse. Amazed me the amount of people on that yard who afforded horses but didnt work!

 

[WelshD]

A family near me have three ponies all paid for by benefits as necessary 'therapy' for their child, not sure how that works and not knocking the idea but I am sure one pony would do!

 

[Arizahn]

I love threads like this. They tell me who to put onto ignore. I honestly don't have the emotional energy required to explain to any of you just how hurtful and flat out wrong you are about life on benefits.

I will tell you this:

That it isn't my fault that I am considered uninsurable and therefore unemployable due to my health.
That I have begged for work - any work - and have been oh so very kindly told that I belong on DLA and not to worry.
That I refuse to apply for DLA as I am sick of being labelled, and I don't care how much easier life would be, you can't make me - I want a job.
That I am afraid to tell anyone about my medical condition because of the associated prejudices.
That I have been physically, verbally, emotionally and financially abused by people because of these prejudices and that some of those people were my own family.
That I don't even qualify for work as a medical test subject due to my medical condition.
That the NHS has left me in chronic pain for almost nine years.
That the physiotherapy required to help me walk normally only began this month and has already been cancelled as I had to move house to escape abusive neighbours and now I belong to a different trust - those organising the treatment knew that I had moved before they arranged the first appointment but didn't bother changing my details over.
That the police did nothing regarding the neighbours and their assault because there were three of them, one of me, and none of the witnesses would risk saying anything - isn't NI delightful?
That I still have all the usual concerns that "decent hard working people have", and that this year those concerns reached a point where I attempted to take my own life.
That Lifeline are wonderful people.
That anyone who spouts the sort of "benefits means you are just a scrounger" rhetoric is not a wonderful person.
That I have lived with the risk of dying in my sleep for more than twenty years and that this will never go away because my brain is faulty.
That I have to go through dental treatment without any form of sedation because my brain is faulty.
That the medication for my faulty brain caused me to miscarry my only child and that she would have been three years old this May and that I miss her.
That I had to hide my miscarriage from my family because they needed me to be strong and support my father during my abusive mother's funeral, and that I still haven't told them because they never have time to listen and it really isn't a short conversation and it's too late now to start.
That I am not crying because I don't know how to cry like a normal person - thanks so much for that, mother.
That I have been paid a benefit (gasp) to be a full time carer to another disabled person for over twelve years - guess what, I paid tax for this - despite begging to be assigned actual help as honestly I cannot do this alone, I just can't, but they don't want to have to pay an actual carer as that would cost three times as much.
That I can't get a "real" job as a carer despite having been one for over twelve years as I wouldn't be insurable.
That I have recently graduated with a BA from a Russell Group university and was considered to be one of the best students in my year.
That the field of work I spent four years qualifying for is now haemorrhaging employees rather than recruiting them, so sorry about that, no job!
That I am as close to angry as someone who has been denied emotion can be.
That I am a published writer and self-employed freelance copy editor and illustrator, but that HMRC whom I am in regular contact with don't want my money yet as currently I don't earn enough. Likewise the IRS. Whoo - global economic stuff!
That nanowrimo made me laugh bitterly as I can produce 50k words in a week if need be, but still can't be employed in case my brain malfunctions whilst at work or some such rubbish.
That many people on benefits don't want to be there but can't get out of the system.
That there are different types of benefit and if you are on them due to illness then you are truly unwell.
That you are required to prove yourself yearly and that if you fail they stop your money completely, including rent, until you have successfully reapplied, which takes about three months btw.
That my household of two disabled and ill adults who desperately want to work but aren't considered capable/employable subsists on £170 per week, plus £96 towards rent and rates, and that my rent and rates is £125 per week.
That I still refuse to apply for DLA because I won't give those people who judge another stick to hit me with.
That horses and other animals can be kept to a budget and that they are my reason for not finishing what I started earlier this year.
That I have a vet fund rather than insurance (because insurance companies don't like to insure disabled people) and will PTS if I can't afford to treat.
That I know people who are employed full time in my preferred sector who have perfected the art of pulling sickies to get out of work because the weather is horrid or they are hung-over.
That before I was labelled as incapable, I worked full time for £2.50 per hour before tax, as we didn't have minimum wage then, and I never missed a day.
That by now the platitude of "but disabled people/ill people are different and of course we luffs them" has most likely been said - and that it is immensely offensive.
That some people don't know how lucky they are to be able to work and that I truly hope they never find out what it is like for me and my kind.
That we are indeed a separate group within society.
That benefits and council homes are there for whoever needs them, and that someday that may well be you, and that actually even people in work may also receive benefits, and that it's actually really hard to qualify for them.
That the benefits office pay National Insurance for me so actually I am still contributing to society.
That there are not enough painkillers in the world but luckily my defective brain no longer registers sensation properly and so I am less aware of the pain now.
That I buy my groceries just like you do but can't afford quite as many nice things, but hey - that money still goes back into the economy.
That my carbon footprint is zero, I don't drive, I don't have holidays, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs, and I don't drink - excuse me if I choose to have animals instead.
That every time I think I am wrong about the inherent nastiness of humans a thread like this comes along.
That I will happily swop my life with anyone who thinks that I have it easy because I "don't work" - wow, you think I want to be trapped and dependent?
That benefits paid to couples are paid to one person in the couple and not both and that this leaves many vulnerable people trapped in abusive marriages, especially if they are aged under 35 and have no children as they simply can't afford to live alone and won't have access to what they are entitled to when they first leave either - assuming that they can scrape together enough money to leave, and that their abusive partner will let them go.
That their abusive partners will not simply let them go because hey, abusive!
That the above fact should be taught in schools to prevent these relationships from beginning, but this thread will do for a start.
That no one wants to live below the breadline but sometimes you don't have a choice.
That anyone who doesn't understand this is beneath my contempt.

 

[BeingKate]

Arizahn, the sad thing is it's people like the ones you see on Jeremy Kyle who give genuine people bad names.

We had a lady on a yard I was on before (which was flippin expensive!) who had 3 horses and had never done a days work in her life. She was a good for nothing lazy cow who bitched and moaned about how terrible her life was because someone cancelled her nail appointment.

On the OTHER hand

A yard I regularly teach at has a severely disabled lady with MS who keeps her horse on the yard. Do you know what, she is wonderful! Like above lady she has never been able to work and has tried to get non physical jobs however - this lady has ALWAYS got a smile on her face, never says why me, does as many jobs with her horse as she can, volunteers for charitys and is having a bash at para dressage

As a tax payer, I help both of those people (albeit indirectly) afford their horses. Lady 1 - I would not give her a penny if I had the choice, nor a minute of my time. Lady 2 however I would quite happily cough up for.

If that made any sense at all...

 

[shadeofshyness]

Excellent post Arizahn.

I don't know how people on an average salary (which I believe is 23k discounting London) afford horses especially on full livery - they must struggle. I think a lot must still live at home with parents and pay very cheap rent per month or something. I don't have a horse and earn a bit above the average wage, I couldn't afford it comfortably which is part of the reason I don't own a horse (the other being time as I travel for work).

 

[unicornystar]

That benefits paid to couples are paid to one person in the couple and not both and that this leaves many vulnerable people trapped in abusive marriages, especially if they are aged under 35 and have no children as they simply can't afford to live alone and won't have access to what they are entitled to when they first leave either - assuming that they can scrape together enough money to leave, and that their abusive partner will let them go"


NO EXCUSE FOR STAYING IN SUCH A RELATIONSHIP, been there done that, there are places you can go, in secret, even if you are dependent on others help, especially if you dont have children, that is the time to do it. Scary but very doable..........

Not everyone on benefits is a scrounger but it does grate that I have been a single mum (not by choice) for many years, worked every day of my life since 16 years old and get not one penny of help EVER!!!! put a roof over my daughters head and cannot get a penny despite my rent being £1100 a MONTH!!!!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Yawn. Another benefit bashing thread.

Unless you have inside information to their financial affairs, you do not know where their income comes from or how they budget.

I don't work but I do have a private income which I'm sure my fellow liveries don't know about because they have never been rude enough to ask. Perhaps I should pin my bank statements in the tack room in case someone like you thinks I'm on benefits ?

 

[unicornystar]

my fave saying is this...

NEVER JUDGE A PERSON UNTIL YOU HAVE WALKED A MILE IN THEIR SHOES...

 

[Arizahn]

Arizahn, the sad thing is it's people like the ones you see on Jeremy Kyle who give genuine people bad names.

We had a lady on a yard I was on before (which was flippin expensive!) who had 3 horses and had never done a days work in her life. She was a good for nothing lazy cow who bitched and moaned about how terrible her life was because someone cancelled her nail appointment.

On the OTHER hand

A yard I regularly teach at has a severely disabled lady with MS who keeps her horse on the yard. Do you know what, she is wonderful! Like above lady she has never been able to work and has tried to get non physical jobs however - this lady has ALWAYS got a smile on her face, never says why me, does as many jobs with her horse as she can, volunteers for charitys and is having a bash at para dressage

As a tax payer, I help both of those people (albeit indirectly) afford their horses. Lady 1 - I would not give her a penny if I had the choice, nor a minute of my time. Lady 2 however I would quite happily cough up for.

If that made any sense at all...

Do you even understand how very offensive this post is?

<bangs head off desk>

 

[BeingKate]

Do you even understand how very offensive this post is?

<bangs head off desk>

Ummm... not really no... could you explain? Genuinely as I am obviously ignorant and can't see it!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Ummm... not really no... could you explain? Genuinely as I am obviously ignorant and can't see it!

Oh dear. Perhaps you should stop using Jeremy Kyle as your information resource.
Arizahn, I understand , don't think everyone makes ill informed judgements about people who are having a tough time.

 

[BeingKate]

Oh dear. Perhaps you should stop using Jeremy Kyle as your information resource.
Arizahn, I understand , don't think everyone makes ill informed judgements about people who are having a tough time.

I wasn't at all if you read my post I said it's a shame people use Jeremy Kyle types as an example! Sorry for any offence caused!

 

[numptynoelle]

Yawn. Another benefit bashing thread.

Unless you have inside information to their financial affairs, you do not know where their income comes from or how they budget.

I don't work but I do have a private income which I'm sure my fellow liveries don't know about because they have never been rude enough to ask. Perhaps I should pin my bank statements in the tack room in case someone like you thinks I'm on benefits ?

This says everything I wanted to say. It's none of your business how people pay for their hobbies.

Arizahn - You have my utmost respect for that post.

 

[Arizahn]

Oh dear. Perhaps you should stop using Jeremy Kyle as your information resource.
Arizahn, I understand , don't think everyone makes ill informed judgements about people who are having a tough time.

Thank you.

BK, it is like being patted on the head by an elderly Victorian gent and told to enjoy your sovereign for you have truly earned it, what with the wooden leg and all. Not like that filthy jezebel with the sixteen children and three dead husbands etc.

<apologies to filthy jezebels and multitudinous children etc>
<arghhhhh!>

 

[MerrySherryRider]

I wasn't at all if you read my post I said it's a shame people use Jeremy Kyle types as an example! Sorry for any offence caused!

Actually it wasn't what you said, but no matter, I accept you didn't intend to cause offence.

 

[BeingKate]

Actually it wasn't what you said, but no matter, I accept you didn't intend to cause offence.

Ahh it was what I meant any way

Arizahn, sorry, it was meant to be empathetic not patronising...

 

[JennBags]

Yawn. Another benefit bashing thread.

Unless you have inside information to their financial affairs, you do not know where their income comes from or how they budget.

I don't work but I do have a private income which I'm sure my fellow liveries don't know about because they have never been rude enough to ask. Perhaps I should pin my bank statements in the tack room in case someone like you thinks I'm on benefits ?

Hear hear.

 

[pennyturner]

This says everything I wanted to say. It's none of your business how people pay for their hobbies.

Arizahn - You have my utmost respect for that post.

^^^this^^^

I have no time for people who judge how others live their lives, or envy their benefits / wealth without knowing the facts. Most people with money have earned it. Most people with horses or assets have saved or budgeted to get them... and if you're spending your time getting bothered about other people's financial situation, you've got a problem.

 

[pennyturner]

my fave saying is this...

NEVER JUDGE A PERSON UNTIL YOU HAVE WALKED A MILE IN THEIR SHOES...

..by then you're a mile away, and you've got their shoes... ba-dum-tish!
*gets coat*

 

[Equi]

I have my own yard. If i didn't i would not have a horse quite simply.

 

[majors]

surely the OP post was not about private income, but about people who quite openly live on benefits and have numerous horses etc, some even boast how stupid we are to work (forgetting no workers no tax income to pay their benefits). I have worked for 32 years straight, taking any job through the recessions. Have worked even when doctors have wanted to sign me off, so I am allowed to be 'annoyed' at those who think 'benefits' are a right.

 

[WelshD]

Yawn. Another benefit bashing thread.

Unless you have inside information to their financial affairs, you do not know where their income comes from or how they budget.

Unfortunately there are plenty out there that DO give you the very inside information about their finances and who are open about how to abuse the benefit system

Arizahn - I get what you say but for every person like you (and also my poor mother who suffers badly and cannot work) there are several more who like I say think the whole benefit system is a thing to exploit and manage to do that to good effect

I don't think anyone has anything against those genuinely needing support

 

[MerrySherryRider]

surely the OP post was not about private income, but about people who quite openly live on benefits and have numerous horses etc, some even boast how stupid we are to work (forgetting no workers no tax income to pay their benefits). I have worked for 32 years straight, taking any job through the recessions. Have worked even when doctors have wanted to sign me off, so I am allowed to be 'annoyed' at those who think 'benefits' are a right.

How does the OP know where their income comes from ? It's too easy to point a finger at other people when the reality since the benefit changes is that the media portrayal of scroungers is not reflected in the statistics for welfare expenditure.

 

[keri66]

To those genuinely needing help I'm willing to give and have no issues with this regardless of how much they receive.
To the scroungers I would not p**s on them if they were on fire.
Like Majors I have worked all my life even when doctors told me not to because I had no choice I had to pay the bills. And I earn way less than the national average.
I have known someone all my life who has been on benifits all her life never once worked a day. She bought her own home and rents it from herself. She receives sick benifit for a non existent drink problem. She went on holiday to Goa for 3 weeks. Tell me that this right.
People who have earned their money, people of independent means good on you I wish you well and say enjoy &#9786;
To those who are too ill to work I sincerely hope your health improves and have no problems in helping you at all.

 

[Bexx]

I can see both points here. It must be awful to want to work but not being able to. On the other hand, today one of my year 10 students was refusing to work. She said "what's the point in doing all this to get a job when I can just claim benefits"

 

[stormclouds]

There was an interesting study published by the Guardian (I think) quite recently, about public perception vs. reality. The truth about benefit 'scroungers' is that they make up something ridiculous like 0.3% of all people in the entire country accepting any form of help. It's a tiny, tiny amount, we just happen to have a national media that loves nothing more than pinning the failures of this country on a group of people who can very rarely stand up for themselves (unlike corporations and banks who accept billions a year in forms of 'benefits' and Gov handouts, and sit defending themselves and their tax evasions).

Life is too short to spend time moaning about what other people do or don't have, or judging people you don't know for what they put on show.

 

[fatpiggy]

Nothing in life is ever black and white. I've known several people who live on benefits with more than one horse, a nice double trailer and a big vehicle to pull it. They don't seem to contribute anything to society, just take from it and openly laugh at those of us who work hard. I do think that if they have no other source of income (and presumably they state they haven't or they wouldn't be getting so much) then I think I do have a right to be angry that MY taxes are paying for it. If they have another source of funds, then why are they able to claim so much? Low income working families can't. Equally I've known some people who were apparently pretty well off but lived in a state that was well on its way to squalor as long as the horses were ok. If they want to live like that then each to his own I suppose. I suspect that people who really want to work but can't for genuine reasons would have a strong drive to get things done even if they didn't have a health problem (for example) because they are simply like that. Personally, I couldn't NOT work, it would drive me mad but many people would tell you that once you have been unemployed for a bit you just sort of sink into that routine, go to bed late, get up really late and sit on the sofa watching the TV all day.

I work with a chap who had his leg amputated after an accident and has a blue badge because walking isn't easy for him. No problem with me. Every day I see a woman coming out of the gym (she swims) carrying two large bags, walks without a trace of a problem and wears nurses' scrubs. She has a blue badge too and I'd love to know what for. I know some people have conditions that aren't always acute, but I see her EVERY day. MY mum had to jump though hoops to get one for Dad when he was dying and on oxygen 24/7. His walking was reduced to just a few yards before he had to rest for quarter of an hour.