Leaving horse to go to uni

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lauradarita

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Im and due to start uni this time next year. My parents want me to leave my pony where it is currently stabled, which will be over 3 hours away from uni. I really dont no if i can leave her behind. My course is four years long, i will pop home most weekends and holidays, but can i really miss out on 4 years of my horses life?
Has anyone left their horse behind or in the same position? Would love to no if its just me being stupid ?
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My mate has just gone off to uni, she's gone too far just to pop back and see her boy
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She couldn't bear to sell him so made the sensible but sad decision to put him out on loan. Her course is 4 years too
She knows he is in good hands and she can see him when ever she gets home but he is still hers and he will be kept in work rather than standing around in the field all day.

Of course there were tears over this decision, as i'm sure there will be over yours, but she can now concentrate on her studies and still has her pony
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Best of luck at uni and you will make the right decision for you and your beastie i'm sure
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Youve got to weigh up the pros and cons of going to uni really- is it a course you will enjoy?is it going to get you the career you want? hopefully it will help you be financially secure in the future.You could join the riding club at uni and, if your good enough, get to compete if thats your bag. I joined my uni riding club and had a great time having lessons every weds afternoon and going to YH Live etc.
 
im going to uni next year over 150 miles away from home hopeully and my boy is going with me my mum doesnt want him to but i dont care he's going as i dont trust anyone with him let alone for a five year course would never happen
 
I wish my parents had offered to keep my horse at all when I was at Uni! He went on permanent loan and his loaners were very happy for me to ride him in holidays, but my parents (who aren't horsey) were never going to pay for his keep at the same time as paying for my rent at Uni. He was very well looked after at his loan home and they adored him. He retired at 18 as a companion horse now - unfortunately he was always far too excitable to retire as a happy hacker!

Sorry, that was just a bit of random nostalgia and entirely unhelpful! I hope you find a happy medium for you and your horse. I agree that a loan or part-loan could be good for you both, perhaps with the agreement that you can ride in holidays or weekends when you're home (with prior arrangement)? It is a tough decision but it's good to know your horse is being well cared for, so you have the freedom to focus on your studies, making new friends and having a good time as a student.
 
Either take him with you, loan him or sell him. My experience of uni was that most of the people who went home every weekend ended up dropping out. For at least the first term you need to stay there, make friends and settle into your new life. I hated uni at first but then I settled in, found friends and made a life for myself. It ended up being some of the best years of my life but I was so close to dropping out.

If Uni is what you really want then go for it but do it whole heartedly, don't let it be the thing that is keeping you from your horse as you'll resent it and not get the most out of it.
 
I have to give the opposite view to dwi.

I left mine at home for the first two years, got a weekend job at home to pay for the weekly 300 mile round trip, scheduled lectures so I finished at 10am on Friday and rode 3 times a week (fri/sat/sun), including competing (remember you get amazing summer hols!). I then had a year out (work placement), got my mare in foal and spent the last year at Uni with mare and foal at livery nearby, working weekends on the yard to pay.

The last year was hardest as I was doing all the work with the horses, full on Uni work, and bills up to the eyeballs! I recommend leaving them at home if you can and if it saves you money and time, but it definitely can be done so if you want it - go for it!
 
i took two horses to my uni, i went to lincoln so was lucky enough that they had an agricultural campus for students horses. you should look into stables near to uni as well. i basically cartered my horses on a 4 hr journey home every term as i was lucky enough to have my stables at home. It completely depends on how much time you will have there but i would have missed mine if they werent with me. otherwise i would loan out but only if your 100% about the person, there is a fine line with leaving them to get on with it and interferring but you can judge with the person
 
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