Kids and Teenagers! Who pays for your horse?

[Jackson]

Just interested really, I spend a lot of time feeling guilty about the amount of money that my parents spend on Jack.
They cover the cost of his livery and shoes, and when I was doing my GCSEs, payed for everything else horsey, until I had enough time to get my self a job after collage. Now that money goes in a pot instead of health insurance for him, and when he is needing things money comes out of the pot
In some ways I think that it is fair, since both of my parents ride Jack, and are horsey too, but in others, I would love to be able to pay for him myself. Without their help there is no way in hell that I would be able to have a horse.

 

[Nannon]

I have always been lucky as we have always had land and stables, but my rents pay for their insurance, and did pay for shoes until I could pay them myself. Once I got a job I pretty much pay for everything, unless my mum goes out and buys a bag of feed as she does now and again while doing the farm rounds lol. I used to hate saying Jerry needs a new rug this winter... Ill pay you back? Now I just go and buy them

 

[bugbee717]

My kids are quite young, even when they are older and can pay for the ponies, we will still pay for them, as a parent you don't go in blind with horse ownership. You know the cost.

 

[floradora09]

I'm very lucky in that my non-horsey parents pay for everything- livery, vet bills, feed, shoes, competitions, lessons etc.

However we do have an understanding that I realise how much it all costs and I am to chip in as and when I can, especially during the summer season when I'm after lots of lessons and an event entry is £50 a go. I also pay for anything this is deemed to be 'unnecessary'.

For christmas and birthdays items at the top of the list will always be useful bits of tack, riding gear etc that I need.

 

[Megibo]

mum pays for everything for both of them, i contribute my £20 a week EMA! not alot but the best i can do whilst i am still at college..

 

[tonitot]

I pay for Ethel by myself. I'm 19 so older but my mum has never been able to buy me a horse or pay for a horse on loan. I had a pony on loan at a riding school which I worked at the yard everyday I could to pay for him. I was given Ethel in march 2010 when I was 17 and have paid for her myself the whole time (didn't tell mum I had her until 2weeks after ) Occasionally I ask to borrow a bit of money but I always pay it back

 

[SuperCoblet]

Were lucky enough to have our own paddock and stable. My parents pay for alot of gypsys stuff including shoes feed hay ect. He's a good doer and costs next to nothing to keep tbh. My parents pay for pony club rallies and membership however they say if I want to o to camp then I have to pay for it myself. I have no way of earning money as I have no time for an after school job because if the horses and my GCSE's coming up, plus the horses are my pocket money. The only way I gat money us from Christmas and birthday money.
Camp next year is £300! (we are going to somerford so it's worth it!) and parents have said they will pay the deposit and I have to pay the rest.x

 

[samlf]

When I had my horse on full loan before I was 16 my mum paid it all (it wasnt much as although I had him on full loan owner paid loads!)
When I hit 16 I got a part-time job and paid for him all myself ( kept him away from owners at this time, so was paying everything)
Now I have my own and pay for everything for her, my parents gave me the money to buy her but do expect me to pay it back when I can

 

[Phoebe+Sophie]

My mum pays for Sophie as I'm 13 but I have no pocket money(not that I'm complaining!) and she is quite cheap to keep she costs around £24 a week and is unshod. Me and my mum sort of share Will as mum rides him and I decide his tack/feed/stable management. At the moment my granny pays for him as he was a present she is paying for a year which ends in May. Will costs pretty much the same as Sophie. Any money I get goes on them really.

 

[ABC]

My parents are non-horsey and I've always paid for everything horsey but I have been very lucky.

I bought 2 horse for very little money and sold them for a very nice amount allowing me to rent my own fields, by field shelters and stables etc

I personally love the fact I pay 100% and always have done, it makes me feel great. Saying that, if my parents wanted to contribute I wouldn't say no

As much as I love my mum and dad, I have the feeling that had they ever helped me money-wise with the horses they would use it against me but as I paid for it all myself it has nothing to do with them, so they can't.

I think it depends on your family circumstances, don't feel guilty, if they didn't want to pay, they'd make it known xx

 

[doratheexplorer]

I pay for everything, its a chore because I am at uni, but its a dream come true owning B... Sometimes my parents help out, but they make a big deal of how expensive it is (if only they knew the full cost!!!) I try not to make it regular!!

 

[Jazzy B]

when I got my first horse on loan when I was 15 I worked Friday night, Saturday and all day Saturday as a waitress at the local hotel. My parents gave me £50 allowance a month but I used to have to find the rest of the money for my livery and any bits and pieces that I wanted wanted and the money for any shows. Have always paid for my horse myself and now at the age of 32 have only asked my mum and dad for a loan once which was this year when I had to make the decision to have my mare put down and couldn't afford it when it needed to be done. Paid them back in two months though! Think people who are fortunate enough to have parents pay for their horses are very lucky indeed! I intend on paying for my daughter to have a pony though

 

[JenTaz]

i got taz at 16 and started paying for him myself a few months after once i had settled in my job which i had along side school and then college, my mum is there to help me out whenever i need a bit of extra cash to go for taz's feed if im short untill payday, or if i need money towards a set of shoes, plus she loves spoiling him buying him little treats, new numnahs and some bling every now and then when it takes her fancy. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment that i managed to pay for my own horse, i believe it made me realise how tight money could be

it totally depends on family circumstances of course i wouldnt feel guilty if the only option to keep taz would be my mum having to pay for him as she loves him as much as i do, when i go to uni next year she will be paying his livery untill i settle into a job and learning to live on a proper student budget

 

[pansy]

Parents have to be committed & pay for horses until the child is old enough to earn the money to pay for it
A child can not normally afford to buy the horse so are normally helped out by parents
My daughter is lucky enough to have 2 horses one who I ride on the odd occasion she goes hunting & x country all I expect in return is that she looks after her horses on a daily basis as well as mucking out stables & fields etc
My daughter is 12 & never moans about going to yard b4 & after school to sort horses she knows that they come 1st - she still does homework & sees her friends but she is also very committed - we discussed all of this before getting horses - I can not except her to contribute to upkeep but I do expect her to help on a daily basis & not just to expect to turn up & ride -she also normally has horsey stuff for Christmas & birthdays - this yea it's a saddle !!!

 

[muddygreymare]

Didn't vote because i didn't really fit into any. I have a little equine photography business and money from that goes on my horse, I bought her with inheritance money so that was a pretty large sum of money, then my parents pay livery etc and I chip in when I can, but I do feel guilty that I can't put more money towards her so when I finish college I think I might get another job to contribute more money towards her

 

[rascal]

Sadly im neither kid or a teenager, but i do have two daughters who are. We pay for their horses, they are 17 and 20 but both at college.

 

[emma.is]

My very lovely parents pay for Charlie. He is cheaper than most horses though! He's on full loan to me so no buying fee, he came with all the tack and rugs he could ever dream of! And he's such a good doer than he's on no feed at all, just haylage Oh and no shoes! Just trimming.

They do enjoy having him, although they don't ride. He's just a big pet to them

 

[bryngelenponies]

I'm a full time student in uni but I work during the holidays. I keep my horses at home and don't pay any livery. I pay for everything like food,farrier,dentist,vet and my parents pay for insurance. Of course once I finish uni in a few months time I'll be paying for everything (but probably still not livery).

 

[SeasonalSituation]

I'm 19. When I had my boy up until a few weeks.ago I paid.for everything as well as a house and.2 puppies.

 

[BlizzardBudd]

If I had my own I woul have to pay for most of it myself.. But I am realistic an know I couldn't afford it if there was a large vets bill or something unexpected!

So I have got a hare horse and my grandparents pay for a bit of him, my parents pay for some more and I chip in where I can.. Although at home I would say I an cheap enough to keep as I don't like all this designer stuff (apart from my riding boots.. But I will keep saving!)
I an so grateful for my grandparents and my parents for paying for my share horse though!!

 

[BringoutheBest]

I'm 17 and I pay for everything, including buying my pony (without telling parents, they were on holiday in france )
I'm with ABC that there are huge positives to that as they can't hold it against me!
I have cheap livery in return for schooling other horses and have done buying/selling teaching etc (3 of the buy/sell ponies the parents never knew about).
I now want to compete more so have just got the one pony on the go (and 3 that I ride but I do not look after/pay for these, I get paid). I hack everywhere and just about scrape up enough for the entry fees etc!
I do however have absolutely none zero zilch money for me so its quite a lifestyle choice! I would never complain about it though, it makes my horses really "mine" and means I can do whatever I like without worrying. My parents just leave me to it which suits me perfectly

 

[Tnavas]

My parents wouldn't pay for me to ride so the moment I was old enough to work I started a saturday job with Woolworths - I'd have a lesson one week and a hack the next. Took me nearly two years to save for my first pony. I've paid for my own horses from day 1.

They have bought in total, the bits for a double bridle, a body brush, dandy brush & curry comb and a red tail bandage - all those were many decades ago now.

Hopefully you do appreciate the expense your parents go to with your hobby. You are very lucky. Thank them often.

 

[welshcobmad]

Xmas in the sun - Your very similar to me, rode since I was 5 they paid for lessons but was always told if I wanted one I had to pay for it myself. 2 days after I turned 16 got a job & worked 4 evenings a week in a pub alongside 6th form & then whilst doing my apprenticeship as the allowance wasn't enough.

Paid to buy him myself & paid every penny since, I'm now 24.

I appreciate the way they made me do it as I appreciate my horse a lot more & the value of money not taking it for granted.

The amount of teenagers or children I see at the yard with it all on a plate & paid for who's parents do all the hard work & they just turn up & ride when it suits its unreal.

If I ever have children I'll definately do it the same way as my parents.

 

[BombayMix]

When I was a teenager my mum paid it all but it was her hobby too as we both rode/competed and shared both the horses so the situation was different to many people's. Also any extras I wanted I bought myself - I remember buying long rubber boots and thinking I was the coolest of the cool!

 

[Shantara]

I pay for all my riding lessons and I'll pay for my own horse when I get one.

I did have a few nice little loan ponies when I was 5/6 though, which of course the parents paid for

 

[Once was lost]

Up until I was 16 my completely non horsey Mum paid for my share pony but I had no pocket money and only very small token gifts for Christmas and Birthdays then once I was 16 I let my sharer take over the pony as she got on better with her and I started working for my rides with complex arrangements I was able to have 5, my Mum paid for entry fees and transport as my Birthday and Christmas gifts.
I then exited the horse world or horses due to injury and now I am an adult in my 30's with children of my own. I work as a free lance groom and that pays for my 6.5 year old daughter to have lessons and then she (and my son to a lesser extent as he is only just coming up 4 years old) gets to reap the benefits of my work, I have been given a very green 5 year old pony to bring on for my friend so my daughter has her own pony in essence paid for in a round about way by me although I make it clear to her that she should help out with his care when she can and she also asks for things for him rather then herself, this year she asked Father Christmas for a new saddle, had to admit that was rather out of his budget but she has asked for and is getting a new grooming kit, named head collar and a new turnout rug (she is still little so is getting toys to lol!).
I do think that as a parent if I am going to allow my children to have ponies then I have to take the over all responsibility to pay for them, the buck has to stop with me while they are under 16 however it never hurts to let them know how much it costs and have them contribute in even the smallest ways, it teaches responsibility and money management in a way they can connect to.

 

[Ladydragon]

We pay but the kids are too young to work and earn... 14 and 8...

They don't have 'proper' birthday/christmas presents from us though as they both realise maintaining the horses for the year is a pretty hefty expense... They are both quite happy to do the general looking after such as mucking out etc after school and on weekends...

When they both started to ride we had a pony on loan... The deal was they could learn to ride once they'd learned to muck out and brush/handle her properly...

 

[Lolo]

With me, my parents paid for everything but I stopped when I went to uni. If I started riding again properly (I'm 20 now) I'd pay.

My sister (17, 18 in April) is in the midst of her A2 year and mum pays for livery and Al pays for lessons and comps- they do spread the cost increasingly though. Al has always been pretty conscientious about not sponging though and even when we were little would offer money up for comps and stuff which I never did.

We're very lucky to have a family who willingly support us (when we started riding mum was totally unhorsey, but now sounds like she's been bought up round horses and dad mucks in as well!) and we appreciate it hugely.

 

[SarahRicoh]

Iv bought all my horses and paid for them all myself. Im 19 & i do have a job but if i didnt i wouldnt have a horse! My parents leave me to it cz i pay so they have no say.. Suits me but id like to have some help sometimes

 

[Damnation]

I used to work weekends, but I only earned £36 a week so I paid for weekly bedding £20 and a bag of feed if needed.

Parents paid the rest.