Need advice RE work/horses/money *long*

Mince Pie

Mince Pie

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 June 2011
Messages
9,756
Visit site
There is a possibility that I could be losing my job at the end of next week, if this happens then I will no longer be able to keep the horses. I was chatting to a friend of mine about this, this morning and about an hour ago she rang me back with an offer. Now before I say any more I trust this friend implicitly, she has never steered me wrong and if I was to die tomorrow she would be the first person on the list to have the horses.

A friend of hers is looking for a broodmare, so in exchange for me giving her my TB mare and my trailer (which I am trying to sell anyway) she will give me free livery for my cob for 6 months whilst I get back on my feet. My mare is the most laid back horse you'll ever meet, she is a total sweetheart and her only vice is a mild windsucking habit.

However, even if I don't lose my job I am still tempted to give her my mare and keep my cob. I don't do much with either of them due to lack of time, and money is a bit tight at the moment so saving £300 would come in very handy at the moment as I have about £5.5k worth of debt to pay off from when I did my back in last year and being about £4k down on rental income from my flat due to various costs against it (capital gains tax, new washing machine etc.)

I know all the horror stories about giving horses away but as I said before I trust my friend 200% and if she says that her friend will give her a 5* home then I believe her. At the moment a good home is far more important than price and I would still have updates on my mare and how she is getting on. So even if I don't lose my job what do you think?

I have added a couple of conformation shots of my mare so any breeders can give honest advice about her breeding potential. I have also added a link to her pedigree.
c70f8ca3.jpg

606539cc.jpg

6005479e.png
 
So you are giving away this mare and a trailer?
Ok, how old is the mare? I think that you could get 1.5k for her easily. And the trailer, what condition is that in? Let's say it's worth 2k (average price for a decent trailer). So that is 3.5k right there which you could have.
Now then, 6 months of livery at a standard yard at say, £120 a month only amounts to £750.
If money is tight then I would STRONGLY suggest selling the mare and the trailer, you will be so much better off!! Even if my valuations aren't accurate you will certainly be a lot better off if you sell both of them as oppose to giving them away for 6 months free livery!
Want my advice? Sell the mare and trailer privately, that will fetch a lot of money.
You say that you aren't doing much with either horse, move the cob to grass livery or a basic yard and slash your monthly bills. He shouldn't need shoeing (especially if not in work), also judging by his breed and the time of year he does not need any hard feed, only a small haynet if he is not on 24 hour turnout. This alone will slash your monthly outgoings, and like I say if you sell the mare and trailer then you will be so much better off financially. There are a lot of great homes out there for horses you know, your friend isn't the only option!!
So IMO sell them both, move the cob to a much cheaper yard/grass livery (only looking at paying £50-£60 per month- grass livery is even cheaper!) and look at ways to keep the costs down.
No offense, but I think that whoever suggested you giving the mare and trailer away is really cheeky and is trying to push their luck!!
 
Mare is worth about £500, trailer about £300-£400 (it's an ancient Bahill pony trailer which hasn't moved for nearly a year and will probably need a new ramp within the next 6-12 months). Grass livery in this area is about £130-£150 a month, and difficult to find at the best of times as I'm 15 miles from London and land is at a premium. If I lose my job I won't have the time or the money to advertise and sell the mare, both horses will need to be off my hands by next Friday. The mare has been out of work for 18 months and was straight out of racing before that - she is as green as grass. The free livery is full grass livery and includes any hay he eats.
I already keep them on a shoestring, basic, no frills yard and without compromising on their care I realistically can't save any more money on them.


ETA: Forgot the mares pedigree: http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-P...)&foaling_year=2006&nicking_stats_indicator=Y
 
Last edited:
Mare is worth about £500, trailer about £300-£400 (it's an ancient Bahill pony trailer). Grass livery in this area is about £130-£150 a month, and difficult to find at the best of times. If I lose my job I won't have the time or the money to advertise and sell the mare, both horses will need to be off my hands by next Friday. The mare has been out of work for 18 months and was straight out of racing before that - she is as green as grass. The free livery is full grass livery and includes any hay he eats.
Click to expand...

Ah, I didn't realize that it was like that! Hmm in that case it could be a good option to consider the 6 months free livery? Wow! £130-£150 a month for grass livery?? I live in Cheshire and its no way near that here!!
 
I'm 15 miles from London in the most expensive county in the country - everything costs a fortune round here!
 
Any more thoughts? If I lose my job then I'm taking the lady up on her offer. It's more the idea of giving the mare away even if I don't lose my job, saving the money would be handy but obviously I'd lose my mare. Just to clarify if I don't lose my job then only the mare will go - I'll be keeping the trailer, the only reason I was selling it in the first place is because it's too small for the mare!
 
It's a difficult one. It sounds like your swaying towards giving her away even if you don't lose your job - would you be happy with this? If you don't have such a strong bond with her then maybe it's for the best. Also,how do you think she would cope being a broodmare?

If you really are that broke, then yes I would suggest selling her. Out of interest how come she hasn't been worked for 18months? Could you not bring her back into work and then sell her 6-8weeks down the line so that you could potentially get a bit more money for her?
 
You sound like you'd quite like to get rid of her? In the nicest possible way. If you feel having two doesn't leave you time to do them the way you would like ( a feeling I can whole heartedly sympathise with) then you could do a lot worse than let her go somewhere you will always have a link to her. It sounds like letting her go would be a fairly safe option in this instance.
 
She hasn't been worked because I bought her after she had been let down from racing for 2 months, 2 weeks after I bought her she had a serious accident which resulted in 4 months field rest, just as she was ready to come back into work I slipped a disc in my back and was out of the saddle for 4 months, then I went back to work and have just been too busy to do much more than mucking out etc.

Jenniwren I'm SE, and if I don't lose my job then I will be able to go ahead with my original plans and move the cob to my new yard at the end of July at £133 pcm Ass DIY. I appreciate the offer though.

Jesstickle I don't particularly want to but as the offer is there I'd be daft not to consider it. I am due to move from a DIY yard to an Ass DIY yard which is pretty much the same price and which should give me more time with them.

ETA: I love my cob dearly but I feel I have "outgrown" him in terms of ability. I'll be able to do more with the mare but if push comes to shove the cob stays - no questions..
 
Last edited:
Oh I see - you've had a hectic couple of years then!!

It would obviously take a lot of pressure off you physically and mentally to let your mare go. Would you consider letting her go on a long term loan as a broodmare? At least then you could have some say over her future in years to come...
 
What will be the price of the livery once the free period runs out?

So value of mare and trailer is £1k say. That would give you 7 months free livery at £140pcm. The cob probably won't need hay for say 4 months anyway.

It is a way out in a way because you could divert the £300 to paying off debt etc.

In your shoes I would sit down with a spreadsheet :o and work out exactly what the financial outcome would be 6 months down the line for each course of action.

You could loan your mare for one breeding (say 18 months) although your friend will have to get a move on to get covered for this year. You could then negotiate free livery for the cob in exchange for the trailer. Say 4 months as now it would be purely grass.

I would always try to hang on to my horses but faced with a downward spiral ad the offer of a good home I would be sorely tempted.

Hope you don't lose your job :(
 
I don't think the lady would go for it. If it all goes tits up on Monday then she'll go as I can have them off my yard by the end of the week, that's a given. However if all goes to plan and this new yard does give me more time then I can crack on with my plans for the mare. Luckily she can be picked up and put down and still be the same!

ETA: I have already put down a deposit at the new yard, however this is for 2 so effectively if I give the mare away I have now paid deposit and 1 months livery for 1 horse, so hopefully if I get back on my feet fairly soon then I can still take my cob to that yard.
If I lose my job and don't end up using the full 6 months then I'm not too fussed as this lady doesn't know me but has given me a way to keep my cob which is worth more than anything - he is my soul mate and losing him would be devastating.
 
Last edited:
sounds like you need a plan, this is a plan and gets you out of a tricky spot and takes the pressure off, I think you need to do what's best for now it might not be best for later down the line but you can't live like that.
 
Yes it does I guess, and when things sort themselves out I can always get another horse. But she is a total sweetie and I would really miss her - despite her fence trashing antics!!
I'm 80:20 on giving her away regardless of the outcome with my job.
 
I know a grass livery place on the outskirts of london that is £46 a month and another that has more facilities but is £23 a week including hay so there are places around.

Broke_But_Happy said:
I'm 15 miles from London in the most expensive county in the country - everything costs a fortune round here!
Click to expand...
 
By the sounds of it, realistically, you cannot afford the luxury of horses. So the deal your friend is offering sounds like a good solution. I would urge you to get the agreement in writing but to also do your own background checks on the lady who will be purchasing your mare. In answer to your question is the mare suitable for breeding, my answer is no. But needs must and life isn't always straightforward.
 
Out of interest why not? the only glaring faults I can see in her is an upright shoulder, low-ish set on neck and a bit close behind? I would have thought that with work she would be a little less close behind? Not trying to argue just curious :)
If I lose my job then no I can't afford them, if I don't then I can but money is tight but I have a nearly £200 buffer per month, or I can comfortably afford one.
SO1 where are those yards?
 
You say you have outgrown the cob in your mind and doesn't sound like your that fussed about them at The moment. Could you be horseless? If so sell cob too and get another when you feel ready. Just not sure if that's two big a jump for you though xx
 
I'm seriously stressed at the moment and have had depression issues in the past so struggling to feel much interest in anything at the moment. I love both my horses but as I said before my cob is my soul mate - I would really miss the mare but I couldn't live without him. I feel like I have outgrown him in ability but since time has been an issue plodding round the block is enough!
 
Could u push for 8 months? Most people offer less than they expect to pay. That would take u ve end feb. Plenty of time to find some work and if u find it quickly or don't loose ur job, it's a 2k livery saving off ur debts.
 
Can't edit on phone. Meant to say if u don't loose job but do give mare away. Keep making payments on debts but save livery money that ur not paying. Most creditors will accept a short settlement of 40 or 50% or even less so in 6 to 8 months u could pay it off by agreeing a settlement with them.
 
Could be an option if you trust the person she will be going to.

The thing I don't like is the fact she would be a broodmare. There are so many unwanted horses out there why breed more.
Surely you could find a ridden home for her.
 
She would be ridden, and by the sound of it would only have 1 or 2 foals.
Would definitely put the savings towards my debts - the three main debts are 2 overdrafts and my mum!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top