Marley&Me
Well-Known Member
Hi all,
I apologise in advance for the long post. I have had my gorgeous coloured coblet for 2.5years. Brought on from a youngster and gone through all the ups and downs with his health and behaviour and finally have a rising 7 year old who is an absolute star. Healthy, sound, balanced, schooling nicely and a potential future show cob/riding club horse.
However my life has changed since September, I went back to work full time as a teacher and I also have 3 children and a husband with a very demanding job. Horsey has been on 5 day livery since then and I have 2 sharers on the go just to keep him ticking over. I have not been riding him consistantly since the summer partly due to time, and more due to my own knee injury. He is costing me £500 plus per month which I am really struggling to afford along with my huge childcare bill.
I cant bring the livery cost down, as I cant spend the time needed to do the mucking out and other jobs, that would reduce the cost. I am managing to get to the yard 3 times per week but only for short visits and no riding due to my knee, which is an ongoing injury.
I have just been offered a promotion from Easter Hols onwards, which is more money but also more demanding. I am going take the promotion, it is something I have worked really hard for and it is a unique opportunity.But this will obviously mean more implications.
I need help to decide how to manage my horse. I love him to death, and really dont want to part with him, but I am not coping. I am spreading myself too thinly in all directions and something is going to have to give.
I have thought about selling him, it would break my heart. I finally have him fit, healthy and behaving and now I am thinking of selling him.... I did sell him about 9 months ago to someone I knew and trusted, but I bought him back a week later when I nearly had a nervous breakdown through grief (literally). And luckily the person who bought him lost their job and so asked me if I would have him back....thank goodness!
I am scared of selling him incase I regret it again, and it will be impossible to reverse (as well as entirely ridiculous).
I have thought about loaning him out, but worry someone will have him all summer and then hand him back. Or maybe he will go on loan, get hurt and broken and then they hand him back....etc etc. I am naturally indecisive and this makes things really hard.
Please help.
Brownie points to anyone who got to the end of this post, and real Brownies to anyone who replies!
I apologise in advance for the long post. I have had my gorgeous coloured coblet for 2.5years. Brought on from a youngster and gone through all the ups and downs with his health and behaviour and finally have a rising 7 year old who is an absolute star. Healthy, sound, balanced, schooling nicely and a potential future show cob/riding club horse.
However my life has changed since September, I went back to work full time as a teacher and I also have 3 children and a husband with a very demanding job. Horsey has been on 5 day livery since then and I have 2 sharers on the go just to keep him ticking over. I have not been riding him consistantly since the summer partly due to time, and more due to my own knee injury. He is costing me £500 plus per month which I am really struggling to afford along with my huge childcare bill.
I cant bring the livery cost down, as I cant spend the time needed to do the mucking out and other jobs, that would reduce the cost. I am managing to get to the yard 3 times per week but only for short visits and no riding due to my knee, which is an ongoing injury.
I have just been offered a promotion from Easter Hols onwards, which is more money but also more demanding. I am going take the promotion, it is something I have worked really hard for and it is a unique opportunity.But this will obviously mean more implications.
I need help to decide how to manage my horse. I love him to death, and really dont want to part with him, but I am not coping. I am spreading myself too thinly in all directions and something is going to have to give.
I have thought about selling him, it would break my heart. I finally have him fit, healthy and behaving and now I am thinking of selling him.... I did sell him about 9 months ago to someone I knew and trusted, but I bought him back a week later when I nearly had a nervous breakdown through grief (literally). And luckily the person who bought him lost their job and so asked me if I would have him back....thank goodness!
I am scared of selling him incase I regret it again, and it will be impossible to reverse (as well as entirely ridiculous).
I have thought about loaning him out, but worry someone will have him all summer and then hand him back. Or maybe he will go on loan, get hurt and broken and then they hand him back....etc etc. I am naturally indecisive and this makes things really hard.
Please help.
Brownie points to anyone who got to the end of this post, and real Brownies to anyone who replies!