Kids and Teenagers! Who pays for your horse?

[siennamum]

I love watching Will ride and so will pay for the horse until he can afford to do so himself. He is 16 and I would rather he focussed on studies than an exhausting job tyring to fund the horse. He wants to work so after GCSE's he will get a P/T job and can contribute to the horse. Really don't mind spending the money, just don't have it very often, so we have cheap horses to keep and don't go to parties much or have lots of smart stuff.

 

[Jackson]

Thank you for voting/commenting

 

[Swift08]

I am VERY lucky that my wonderful mother pays! Not only does she pay but she takes me to the yard and college and I couldn't be more grateful. The arrangement when we got Sasha was that I would get a job to pay for her and I was (and still am) perfectly happy with that. Mum has been the one to change her mind though as I am predicted high grades this year she would rather I work for a-levels than to pay for a horse which is so nice of her. It doesn't help that I don't leave college until 5 a couple of nights a week so a job after college would get complicated. Am still looking for a job though, even though she doesn't know it! Luckily Sasha is a youngster and she's not expensive to 'run' either meaning any money I do get (oh the joys of having a father who would rather give money than see you...) is spent on her I do help around the house, house sit for her (consisting of looking after all the animals and things) when she goes to Devon and have no social life as such but I am perfectly happy

 

[MrsMozart]

D1 is seventeen and has a pony and a horse. We pay for everything from livery to feed to lessons to competing, etc. It was our commitment when we bought the first one that we would pay until D1 had finished her education.

She wants to be a vet and is at sixth form taking five A Levels. Between helping to look after our four neds, four dogs, and two cats, doing some work for our businesses, plus studying, she doesn't have time for a part-time job so she gets an allowance as well as, to be honest, if she got a job I'd have to pay someone else to help look after the horses anyway.

 

[BSJAlove]

Im 18, work part time, and managed to keep 2 horses going at one point on my own. Im lucky my job pays so well. However, one has now gone out on loan and I love having the extra to spend on my other one.

If, for instance, i have a really bad month, or i need something i cant afford. My mum and dad are the first to step in. Mum is horsey and dads very understanding. I help mum with her horse, giving them lessons and schooling him. I also do the mornings and she does the evenings so the way we manage works very well for us.

Im moving out next year and luckily my OH has a fab job and will pay the rent and the bills, so my money will be mine (I will be paying the food bills though!) to spend on my horses.

 

[I*HM]

I've said that my parents pay, as they *normally* fund my horse. However, I'm ridiculously lucky in that a friend keeps my horse at her yard for diddly squat and he gets exercised when I'm not back from school.

When he is at the local yard I keep him on grass and try and keep costs down (have started plaiting at the yard for a small fee ). I do try and pay for competition entries myself and get horse related things for my birthday (bits, new numnahs etc). I've also been ridiculously lucky in that I've managed to collect and sort of most of my things for next to nothing over the years and know far too many generous people, so while I still feel guilty asking for my parents to pay for shoes etc, I do as much as I can to help.

 

[hcm88]

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..

Sorry to be a boring old fart, but your EMA is not meant to be spent on the upkeep of your pony....

Anyway, back on topic. When I was young (gosh, this makes me feel old) my parents paid for everything for me until I left school. Then, if I wanted horses I had to work for them. I think whilst you are in full time education it's perfectly reasonable for parents to pay towards the upkeep of your horse. When buying their child a horse a parent knows what they're getting themselves into, they don't expect them to be cheap or for their child to start spending all their pocket money on livery fees - I just don't think that's reasonable!

OP don't feel too guilty about it, you're doing a good thing by having a part time job and putting money away for your horse and I'm sure they appreciate that a lot. I would say once you're out of education then you should be looking to pay for it all yourself, but whilst you're still in college and therefore are not legally allowed to work for the majority of the day, then it is more than reasonable for your parents to pay

 

[Cadfael&Coffee]

ive paid for mine since i was 18 and working, and ive had him away from home and on DIY for most of that time

Now im at uni, working full time to pay for him but since this last summer hes now down at my mum's stud whilst i study for my final 2 years, so this is the first time in several years ive not looked after him as well

ETA im nearly 25 now (christ im old lol)

 

[cc14]

My mum bought the horse and got me everything I needed to get started, rugs, tack etc, I pay for everything else, livery, shoes, dentist, lessons etc. I am at university, I work every spare hour I get, and sometimes it is hard but I wouldnt change it for the world. I dont have him insured, as that is the one place where my mum and step-dad have said they would step in if needs be, but even then I have a savings account so I could contribute a large amount. Mum is completely non horsey, but step dad is very experienced and has a lot of contacts, so I do get a few mates rates here and there and dont pay livery or bedding or hay when at home as he stays at his yard

 

[skint1]

I paid for everything til my daughter got a part time job at 16, she gradually took over parts of it until she left college and got full time job, she now pays for all Basils costs. I still pay for mare we can't sell but her costs are very low. My daughter helps me financially quite a lot these days, I would love to be able to help her more.

 

[Megibo]

Sorry to be a boring old fart, but your EMA is not meant to be spent on the upkeep of your pony....

well how else am i supposed to contribute? do you think i should pay nothing at all and my mum should fork out for everything? i have two afterall.

 

[giddyupalfie]

I was never lucky enough to have my parents pay for anything when I was younger. I am now 18 with 3 horses! I didn't get my first one until Feb this year once I had a job and could afford it. Everything is paid for by me...and I mean EVERYTHING. Unfortunately my parent's would never even consider paying for anything as they are very non-horsey and tight, ha!

But tbh I wouldn't like my parents paying for my horse as I wouldn't really feel it was "mine" as such. I feel that paying for my own horses, their feed, livery, farrier and all their bits and bobs is much more of an achievement than having mummy and daddy pay for it

 

[wattamus]

At the minute my parents pay, and have paid for the past few years but after january I'm hoping to start paying for everything apart from insurance

 

[maree t]

I have got two kids 12 and 14. they have 2 ponies each which has built up since the first shetland cross (now out on loan) . They have horse stuff for xmas and although my son (14) now does a bit of work that money is for him to spend on his music exams and clothes (the exta stuff that teenage boys with girlfriends need)
We will continue to pay for everything until they are ready. The ponies are at home and unshod so the main costs are the lessons and entry fees but we wouldnt have it any other way.
I rode as a child until my mother had a bad accident resulting in brain damage which resulted in my father withdrawing all funds for horses.
I didnt get my first horse until I was 21 and would have killed for their opportunities but they do appreciate it most of the time.

I hope my kids dont feel that I will hold it against them as some posters have said. I love them more than life itself and will do my best for them. We dont have much money but we get by and the time will come when they will be off doing their own thing then I will have my driving ponies

 

[Double_choc_lab]

Hmmm wonder if my daughter is reading this. I currently pay everything for the horse (she's 18 and 1st yer at Uni although living at home) and have done since she had her first pony when she was 5. also support son part time with golf. Hubby and I aren't even on average wages but we chose to have kids and wish to support them in whatever they wish. They're both well adjusted kids and devote their time to their hobbies and work/Uni. B***r all savings, public sector pension (so going down all the time) but hey that's they future anything could happen. Kids aren't pregnant, drunk, riotting, drug taking or hanging around street corners so it's worth it.

 

[hcm88]

well how else am i supposed to contribute? do you think i should pay nothing at all and my mum should fork out for everything? i have two afterall.

EMA is for people who can't afford to pay for things like school utensils, transport to/from school etc. It's the tax payer's money for those less fortunate than others. Not to pay for two ponies, they are classed as luxury - not what taxes are meant to be paying for. I won't argue with you, just stating fact!

 

[soulfull]

my daughter used to pay for her own pony

she got a morning paper round and worked on the local market on Saturdays and holidays. Every penny she earned was spent on him whether he needed it or not. However any time she needed anything whether horsey or not I would happily help. She loved paying for him herself and didn't really want our help

 

[StormyMoments]

i pay for the farrier, feed (£50 every 6 weeks), half of livery, i pay insurance, buying my new saddle when saved enough (currently dont have a saddle), i pay bedding (£30 a month)

i have 2 horses but this has only just started as i have only just started my new job (8 weeks ago)

mum contributes if she knows im struggling but that isnt often and when i wasnt earning i would pay anything i could toward the horses

 

[welshstar]

I'm incredibly lucky as my mum has always helped alot. When I was younger, she paid for everything but I got extras for birthdays and christmas. When I started working at 16, I paid towards competition entries. When I was 18, we went halves on buying me a horse. We pay halves on everything as I'm at uni but I use my wages for him and also an extra £10 a week that I get for mucking out my sisters horse.
I am very grateful for all that my parents have done for me, I'd never be able to afford a pony without them and would have never experienced all that I have. Also, my mum has her own horse so it's nice that we get to spend time going out hacking/hunting.xc's etc

 

[Megibo]

EMA is for people who can't afford to pay for things like school utensils, transport to/from school etc. It's the tax payer's money for those less fortunate than others. Not to pay for two ponies, they are classed as luxury - not what taxes are meant to be paying for. I won't argue with you, just stating fact!

I shan't argue either-BUT it's easier to transfer my EMA as it goes straight into my bank...my wages don't.
My mum pays tax too