Keeping horse whilst at uni??

[Tilly06]

Hi, does anyone have any experience of this, ie keeping your horse near university and managing the two? for example studying during the day and then evenings and weekends attending to your horse. Im toying with the idea and think it would be really good for me, helping to keep me chilled out when uni gets tough, would be one obvious bonus lol! any thoughts/personal experiences greatly welcomed!!! xx

 

[_jetset_]

I bought a house with my husband just before starting uni... and I kept Hannah about 5 mins from home. It used to take me about an hour to get into uni but I was only in 3/4 times a week so would just do Hannah early morning before uni and then after my lectures.

I have to admit, in my final year I struggled a bit and used someone who did full livery some mornings to give me a lie in and for a few days when I had exams. If you want to take your horse to uni make sure you keep it somewhere that offers a livery service if you ever need it. Sometimes, coursework will take you longer than you think and you could just do with someone to turn out/bring in/muck out etc

 

[Bri]

I'm off to uni in a few weeks and will be keeping the horse too!
I am going to a uni only 15 minutes drive from my house though, which I think will make the whole situation a lot easier with regards to money, time (mum to help out, and no worries about settling in at a new yard). My YO is also an absolute star so to be honest I don't think it's going to be all that different from when I was at college...well not for my first year anyway!

 

[Ginn]

I was horseless when I started uni - by the time I started my second year I had a yearling who is now 2! I haven't looked back once! Its very hard work - I work an average of 20 hours a week down my local pub and that seems to keep my bank balance out of the red and I am lucky enough to live at home (40mins drive from uni) and that my parents don't charge me rent and pay my tuition fees!! But I love my girl to bits and wouldn't change my circumstances for the world. Whats more - I have the fun of starting her next summer and I still have another 2 years of uni to go so its definately doable. If you want to chat about it feel free to pm me.

 

[Leg_end]

I bought my lad in my final year and have to say it was the best decision ive ever made! He kept me chilled out when i was stressing about dissertation and finals and made sure i HAD to get away from my desk and get some fresh air twice a day

 

[lizzie_liz]

I spent 6 years at boarding school with my horse, which was great as i lived on site with the horse and had just enough time but still hard to compete.
I then went to uni last year and had to sell the one i was competing at the time and go to uni horseless. I do miss having a horse at uni as at times i do feel bored in a way as am not a person who can lie in bed all day. But when it was exam times it was nice not to have one as means i have more time to study. It was also not financially viable for me to afford a horse and beable to afford to live at uni.
Some people manage but only a few and even then they are people who have people who can help out when required

 

[0]

I took mine with me and had her on full livery and tbh I still struggled to find time. But it helped me when i felt far from home and lonely that i could go and see her!! Unless you can have full livery or you're going to uni near home so horse staying where it is so that you have family/friends that can help you, i wouldn't recomend it!

 

[Tilly06]

thanks thats so helpfull. i actually live away at uni, and theres a livery yard 15 mins away. they offer al ivery service if ever you cannot make it down, charge a few pounds for this. Im in uni 3 days a week, off fri afternoon, sat, sun and monday. Would be starting my final year this sept. All my units are course-work based, so only one exam. I think id really benefit, as i know id HAVE to crack on and do my work, plus id be keeping fit and happy and having a chill out from number crunching etc!! hmm..... x

 

[katiejaye]

I kept my horse all through uni and it was hard work but for me worth it...I found it great to have an escape after a long day. Uni hours are more relaxed than school hours so I had plenty of spare time to ride. I studied normally during the day and rode late afternoons for a break! The only time it became hard was during my finals when Louis had to go onto full livery and I could only get up to the yard 3 times a week...it was only for a couple of months though so it wasn't too bad.

 

[Laafet]

I kept my horse through uni when most of my friends and course mates sold their and I still have him now, it was bloody hard work but tbh it kept me on the straight and narrow and I even managed to learn to be deceptive enough to have a car while at halls even though cars are banned in Oxford for those in halls.
I was on DIY but made friends quickly and got someone to do mornings and i did evenings. It was fine as I could go up during day to ride and party all night then stay in bed all morning in the knowledge that Murph was looked after. Seriously it did not affect my uni enjoyment and I went to a non horsey place. Only thing that p*ssed off my flatmates was the horsey apparrel but I have to say I was cruel enough to take the perverse pleasure in washing murphy's hairy numnahs in the halls washing machines and making sure I always used the one I didn't use for my clothes and finding it funny when the other students took out their clothes to find them covered in white animal hair.

 

[vic07]

competed 3-5 horses while studying for my degree. I was fine. You get long hols and if you pick the right course very few lectures. hee hee! law- 10 hours per week. Sciences- lots more!

 

[sunshine99]

I sold both my horses before I started uni 2 years ago and have to say I loved not having the responsibility at first. It meant I could go out every night, sleep late etc etc BUT after a while the novelty wore off and I really started to regret the decision to sell and hated the fact that I couldnt keep them through uni. Last year tho, I found a horse near to me at uni who I now loan...so for the majority of the year she is mine to bring on. I am very lucky in that her owner is around to look after her if I'm bogged down with work and whenever I go back home during the holidays etc so I've got quite a good deal! It is possible to keep a horse while you're at uni and like so many people have already said, for me there are benefits to having a horse here...its so relaxing to go for a ride or go to the yard and completely take a break from uni work and it keeps you fit and healthy too. Why not give it a try, you'll know if its not working out for you and you can always look into finding a different option if it comes to that...

xxx

 

[elsielouise]

I took mine to Uni with me - not literally

and never regretted it. I stabled him at a nearby livery yard/riding school and worked one day at weekends in return for DIY livery.

I moved him in my final year when I moved flats and found several places where they were happy to make same arrangement but wanted the time to study then so used my student loan to pay for him. I was lucky as I had some D.A.D finances to help but I could've managed.

If youwant to keep your pony badly enough there's always a way methinks.

At my yard there was another student too and we'd help each other out when assignments etc were due.

Go for it I'd say. I had plenty of riding time during the day too, in fact, given my workload nowadays I'd happily go back!

 

[Tilly06]

thanks for all replies really appreciate it!! Yes im tempted just to go for it, see how i go on for a few months and take it from there. Im sure i would benefit no end. My biggest worry is if it did all get too much, id have to find either someone to loan him, or sell him, which in the depths of december, im sure would be a hard job, wouldnt it?? Im lucky also that parents pay my fee's, and give me money for bills and food etc. Its a showjumping yard that also does lessons, so maybe i could suggest to them they could use him in a few lessons a week in return for cheaper livery?? bloody horses, who'd av em lol! xx

 

[Beanyowner]

I have my horse at Uni...I am very lucky to be renting a house which is on the yard where I keep Benson which saves a lot of time!! Its a really good get away from studying and allows you to take a bit of a break!

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

I'm taking mine horse to uni in nottingham, brackenhurts, im doing an equine sports science degree. They have their own livery yard on site but it has loadsa silly rules so i'm going to a nearby livery yard which was recommended to me by a friend, on DIY obviously.

 

[old_girl]

I reckon it all depends on your course and uni.

I sold my first horse when I went to uni, because my course was really really work-heavy. I had lectures until 8pm some days, and no transport to get to a yard, so I'd never have coped with both. Plus my course involved spending a year abroad.

On the other hand, I have friends who had only 4 hours of lectures per week, which no-one cared if they skipped anyway, so they could easily have managed it.

 

[old_girl]

I should add that doing it will definately keep you sane while everyone else is stressing about dissertations, and it will make you really really good at managing your time!

 

[Tilly06]

Yeah im very sure i could cope, it would be a lot of work and id be on the go most of the time, but i think it would be so beneficial! My main main worry is if for any reason it didnt work out, Id be stuck with a horse and unable to sell. i simply cant run the risk of it going all to pot and still having uni work to do etc! Id like to see how it goes. i would be taking my car,a nd the yard is a 15 min drive from my apartment which is ok i think?? x

 

[Kat1e]

Hi Tilly.
I've kept a horse through uni- I loaned her out while I was abroad in my gap year, then took her to uni with me when I got back. I had her on full livery during the first year, DIY in the second, then bought a youngster in my final year and kept both of them. I'm going back this September to do a postgrad course for a year, and still have them both. They've been at a couple of yards, all 15-20 min drive from where I live, this has been OK I've found. I'm considering moving yards in the next month or so though, for one that will suit me better while I'm studying (morning turnout included in livery fee, hay and straw provided on site (no driving about to collect it!), and someone available to hold horse for farrier so I don't miss days at uni (course is full time 9-5). I love having them at uni- a great way to relax, gets you out of the house, and moderates your drinking, lol! If you can afford it and you have a car too get there then I'd say go for it! If you decide it isn't working after a term or two yoou can always rethink things. Good luck!

 

[carladye]

Hiya,

I started uni in 2001 and I took my gelding with me. I was really lucky cos the uni had its own stables (see Wales isn't so bad!). There are a few things to consider thou - before you make the decision take a couple of days to check out the area and find a good yard as moving when your starting uni would be a pain. Also find all you need before you go so you don't have any nasty shocks i.e. farrier, tack/feed place, vet. I turned up only to find the nearest feed shop was 18 miles away and didn't deliver! You will probably find someone who can help you out with doing some mornings etc but beware when you get to uni people often start clubs etc with trips or weekends away and you might not be able to join in if you have your horse with you...

but in saying all that I wouldn't have left him behind for the world and even the early hung over mornings were worth it to have him with me so go for it!!

 

[Santa_Claus]

I kept a horse through uni as well. I found it meant a lot less time to go out partying but as I am not really the type to be out getting smashed every night it didn't bother me. For the last two years I had to take on a part time job as well but it worked and my time management has improved no end.

You need to work out costs and prefrably find a nice flexible livery yard. (i went up once a day (they turned out in morning) but on days i was really busy or had exams/deadlines etc I could put him on full)