Is your horse a luxury or a necessity?

[scatty_mare]

Just musing.

Are horses a necessity to you, like a food, council tax, electricity, rent?

Was talking to someone (deliberately vague here) who has 4 horses on diy livery. She and her partner choose not to work, and are openly proud of the fact that they are better off claiming all the benefits they can get than they would be working, plus they have all the time in the world to work their horses.

She argues that she needs her horses for her sanity so it is not taking the mick, they are a basic need like food.

Sorry to get all daily mail on you but aaagh that makes me mad!

 

[BBH]

Luxury.

I don't go without to support them but they aren't a necessity to me.

 

[BigRed]

I am amazed at how someone can afford to house and feed themselves on benefits and keep 4 horses !

 

[irish_only]

Mine are a terminal illness, they'll kill me one way or another, but I hope to die happy having shared my life with them and vice versa

 

[GlamourPuss86]

If said friend is getting so much from the state that they can afford to keep 4 horses then.... I really don't know! I'm speachless!

I work full time, can just afford to put petrol in my car and feed myself, and I certainly can't afford to buy and or keep a horse!

so yes, IF i could afford them, a horse would be a huge luxury.

 

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

WOW. I don't condone your friends attitude at all.

However, I do work, and I fund my horses and my lifestyle myself by hard work, early mornings etc.. My horses are a necessity to me, as they do keep me grounded, fit, healthy and sane

 

[scatty_mare]

I am amazed at how someone can afford to house and feed themselves on benefits and keep 4 horses !

Yes, me too! I think that's what made me mad! I have a full time job and a part time job and struggle to pay for one and a half horses...

Let's just say that not everything those horses have has been paid for by the owner.

 

[JadeyyAndLadyy]

Bit of both really.
Nessescity-I cant imagine not having a horse, i wouldnt know what to do with myself!
Luxury-I would have hundreds of pounds left over each month if i didnt have them. BUT i chose to spend my money on my girl because i love her. This month ive spend almost £400 on vet bills but wouldnt have it any other way I very rarely spend money on myself (maybe the odd t shirt or a new eye liner stick....) all my money goes on my car and my horse

 

[posie_honey]

horses are a necessity for me - when i didn't own i rode any i could
my horse is a luxury - saying that i'd be fat, unhappy and unmotivated to earn enough to keep her if i didnt have her

 

[scatty_mare]

horses are a necessity for me - when i didn't own i rode any i could
my horse is a luxury - saying that i'd be fat, unhappy and unmotivated to earn enough to keep her if i didnt have her

That's it in a nutshell.
Horses are necessary.
Your own personal horse is a luxury.

 

[skint1]

They're a luxury until you become responsible for one, then all the things they require are necessities for which you are responsible if that makes sense.

 

[jsr]

Necessity. Without him I'd have no social life, I'd be bored, I'd be grumpy and I'd be very very very unhappy.

 

[ThePony]

Horses are necessary.
Your own personal horse is a luxury.

Really well put.

I know I am extremely lucky to be able to own my own horse, she is a luxury that I am as happy as larry to be able to treat and work with and I am very fortunate that I have been able to afford her in my 30s rather than having to save for longer as many have to. I am under no illusions that she is necessary though, I would be utterly lost without her and I would give up everything for her but she is a luxury.

 

[a_e_d]

Really well put.

I know I am extremely lucky to be able to own my own horse, she is a luxury that I am as happy as larry to be able to treat and work with and I am very fortunate that I have been able to afford her in my 30s rather than having to save for longer as many have to. I am under no illusions that she is necessary though, I would be utterly lost without her and I would give up everything for her but she is a luxury.

I agree with this, I get so much from Dixie and would be lost without him.

To me though necessities are housing / food etc. and so he isn't a necessity - although I too would do whatever it took to hold onto him if times ever (god forbid) got tough.

 

[jsr]

What you need to remember though is some people do not have children, they don't have partners and their horse is a reason to get out and see other people and mix with like minded company. Or they have mental health issues that make life a bit harder than it is for others and having a horse is a fabulous way of improving social skills, of making people get out of their homes and doing, of making people think of others rather than themselves so for that reason I say horses to some are most certainly necessary.

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Compared to people who do not have food, shelter and warmth, everything above that is a luxury.
Some people choose to spend extra income on new clothes, holidays, hairdressers or going out several times a week. Some people live very simply in order to keep a horse. For instance, my grass livery is £10 p/w. With extras over the course of the year for hay, farrier, etc, etc, it probably costs £25 p/horse.
So, can forfeiting other luxuries in order to fund a horse at the most basic end of the horse owning spectrum, still be termed as a luxury, particularly, as it has so many benefits to health and wellbeing ?
A friend who is a single parent, working full time, on a very limited budget wouldn't agree that owning a horse is a luxury. It keeps her sane and gives her something for herself, when other areas of her life make so many demands.

 

[Spring Feather]

Mine are a necessity by choice. They are my business and my livelihood. They feed, clothe and house myself and my family. They pay for our lifestyle and I have a very enjoyable life because of them.

If I was a regular horse person and just had a couple of personal horses then they would be a luxury as they are something I could easily live without and not something necessary to survive.

 

[Janah]

Necessity.

 

[jaspejoo]

Having my own horse is a luxury, but when thinking about it, not sure how i would cope without horses/my pony galaxy in my life!

 

[Enfys]

Hayburning pets.

On the other hand, they are tax deductible as just by having one (so why do I now have 4?) broodmare I am classed as a Horse Farm and everything is claimable (my accountant is worth every cent I pay her and she's deductible too).
The stallion pays his way, the foals sell, the Boarders support my own horses costs and pay me a wage.

It would not be the end of the world if I didn't have horses, been there many times before, and will undoubtedly be there again within a couple of years. So, for me, yes the non-earning horses are a luxury item, but, again, if I had to pay by the hour to ride a horse, even, say just 3-4 hours a week (@ $35 min an hour) then it is cheaper to own, even with associated costs.

 

[JFTDWS]

Mine are a terminal illness, they'll kill me one way or another, but I hope to die happy having shared my life with them and vice versa

This. They're also trying to bankrupt me, so when they do kill me, they won't inherit anything either. Don't think they've thought that side of things through

 

[hessy12]

Necessity. Without him I'd have no social life, I'd be bored, I'd be grumpy and I'd be very very very unhappy.

Now this is what i'm talking about! Are you me in disguise JSR? LOL!

 

[milesjess]

Luxury! Slight nescessity as he keeps me sane and helps me to de-stress... Though he causes stress too!

I too am amazed but not in least surprised that she has her horses paid for her and is on benefits. Irritates me but thats another thing altogether!

But yeah hes a luxury

 

[LaurenM]

A luxury but being around them keeps me sane(ish)

 

[Luci07]

Unfortunately have to go on the "they are a luxury". They might feel like they are a necessity but in reality - my mortgage, food etc fall into that category.

I can JUSTIFY my horses to myself - so they fall under social/exercise/stimualtion/etc etc

but yup, have to agree with you guys.. luxury. And the woman paying for 4 on benefits is a real slap on the face to the people who work and struggle to pay for their horses.

 

[alext]

They are luxury but without them gosh I'd be very grumpy they are my reason to get up in the mornings!!
It does make me mad when i know people that don't work and get to spend more time with there horses! Makes me wonder why i bother working stupidly long days and have little sleep it's not for the love of my job!!

 

[AGAGE]

definitely a necessity! I tried to live without horses in my life and lasted 4 months before I ended up working as a part-time groom, while I was at uni just so I would stay sane.

I was extremely lucky to then inherit my sisters horse when she then went off to uni and I moved back to Norfolk. I couldn't live without my two horses. I think it was Churchill that once said, ' There's something about the outside of the horse that is good for the inside of man.' I totally agree with this, having done some training in equine assisted therapy!

 

[Snowy Celandine]

I think that homeless/jobless but not by choice/those who work hard but still only just manage to feed themselves & family and keep a roof over their heads etc might feel miffed by someone who tells them that they own a horse because it is a necessity

I agree that owning horses can help fulfil various human needs e.g the need to socialise/take responsibility and care for a pet/gain exercise/de-stress etc but all those needs can be met in other ways and/or by smaller, much less expensive animals than horses.

I view my horse as a luxury but I love her and feel very lucky to be able to afford to keep her. Owning her makes me happy, undoubtedly more happy than I would be without her but, all things considered, I could live without a horse, many people do.

 

[OneInAMillion]

Definitely a luxury but really they are to all of us unless we are learning our living from them however I would go crazy without him

 

[soulfull]

In the whole scheme as far as people who are homeless or starving my horse is a luxury

However living in the society I do he is a necessity.

There was a time particularly when my teenage daughter was killed that her horse was the only reason I got out of bed at all. Then when I separated from my husband of 23 years, again my horse was the reason I got out of bed

I live alone and without my horse I would not see anyone outside work, and times when I have been out of work I would not have seen anyone at all.

I do now have other things in my life but would be devastated and insane without my horse!!

What you need to remember though is some people do not have children, they don't have partners and their horse is a reason to get out and see other people and mix with like minded company. Or they have mental health issues that make life a bit harder than it is for others and having a horse is a fabulous way of improving social skills, of making people get out of their homes and doing, of making people think of others rather than themselves so for that reason I say horses to some are most certainly necessary.

So yes you are right!!