Need help with the upkeep of my horse:(

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millieconnellx

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Hello, I'm Millie.
I currently own a Welsh section mare, and I love to ride her. I have to rely on my parents to take my up to our field, which she's kept at. However, I live in Mansfield and the field is at Renneth. It has a lake in, so the horses drink that. I don't see her everyday! I haven't rode her in around 3 weeks, for the pure reason of my dad not being bothered to take me up.
I get so upset, I feel like just selling her, everyone else seems to always be riding, but I never can. He's always telling me 'stop being so spoilt, you have a pony!' However I feel more people who ride at riding schools, and do not have a horse/pony, ride more than me. I'm not spoilt, and do feel very grateful towards having my mare. However, I feel that if I was at a livery, it would be a necessity to take me up! My mum doesn't mind taking me, but it's too far for her to keep driving out. So if I was at a livery in renneth, it would be different because my mum would drop me off and leave me there. I really want too but I have two other siblings, and my mum said it wouldn't be fair to pay £25 a week just for me. My friends who have horses have just moved too this livery yard in Sutton, which is supposed to be amazing. I just get so jealous..
Do you know any livery yards around the Mansfield area that are cheaper than £25? Or would livery yards allow me to do something around the yard to keep my mare there for a little cheaper. It's either keep her in a field, like a statue with only a little human contact, move her to a cheaper livery or sell her:(, i've had her for 3 years, I used to ride he a lot, as my mum was involved with horses, I just miss it so much:(, but anyway, what do you advise?
EDIT: I live in Mansfield as I stated, and yes, my dad goes up in mornings and day times, and another man who also has horses on the field checks them:-), I obviously didn't make myself clear enough. My dad does go up. I go to school, but when I want to go up and see her, hence the fact she's my pony, he doesn't want too.. I have been around horses since I was 3 years old, I know horses, soon as I've grown up with them, I didn't ask to be discriminated and questioned rather rudely, I asked for advise.
 
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Oh gosh, what a tricky situation for you.

If you don't go up, does anyone else (other people with horses in the same field) check that she is ok for you?
 
Going to be harsh here, but if you are relying on your parents to see to your horse, and they are not interested in taking you there, then that is not good for the pony. If you can't see to her properly, then you need to address the best interests of the pony and sell her to someone who can take proper care of her. What would happen if she was injured, or had colic, and you couldn't get up to see her for three days? This is not about riding, it's about the proper care of your pony, which it can't possibly be having if you are not able to get up to see her everyday.
 
OK, so she's checked up to three times a day. That's good.

I assume that the problem is that your Dad goes to check her while you are at school?

Would he normally take you up at the weekends?
 
Sorry I have no idea about your area, but would it be practical to cycle to the field? Or could you find another field to share within cycling distance? And if not, I don't see why its too far for your mum to take you? It's not really your fault, but your parents should have considered the practicality of daily commitments before buying the pony.
 
yes, he usually would take me up at the weekends, and after schools, but it stopped when my mum stopped riding. I feel that if I was at a livery I would see her more, cause I would have too.
 
can you not move her to a livery yard near you and get a sharer, maybe charge £20 a week for a sharer so that goes towards your livery bill and you have some time off also so your mum and dad dont have to take you every day. If not maybe put her out on loan?
 
I wasn't discriminating or being rude, but your initial post made it sound like the pony wasn't being properly looked after. In that case, you would be best to move either closer to home where you can get on a bike, or a livery with facilities so you can ride safely after school.
 
Could you sit down and have a grown up chat with him about it (no winging or moaning - which I would have found hard at your age ;) ) and ask what would be the best plan?

Could you look into buses that would take you to the area where the field is? Also is the bike idea possible?

If he sees that you are trying to be grown up, he might be more willing to take you at weekends. With the nights drawing in, riding at the WE might be all that you can manage for a few months.
 
You poor thing :O(

Where about in Mansfield do you live?

I am in Nottingham and might be able to suggest something. Have you spoken to your parents about how you feel? Why did your mum give up riding? xx
 
It is so local that I think you are going to have to do your own research here, you never know what is about until you look.

So, decide on 2 things, how far can you travel (with a bike?) and what can you commit to.

Then, go and knock on doors of farmers, people nearby, etc and see whether anyone has room to have your pony.

It could be a complete dead end, but you just never know. Someone maybe looking for a companion for their horse. Or there maybe a farmer who does a little bit of DIY livery. Or there maybe someone who could let you have a field BUT would also want you to do their poo picking at weekends in lieu of livery. Or someone who has a field because their now grown up children used to have horses. Just be really flexible and open minded.

You sound pretty resourceful, so start to draw up a plan of people you can ask (local farmer, local horse owners), people with paddocks and keep your fingers crossed it leads you to a good solution!
 
Its a bit unfair on you that your mums loss of interest means you miss out. Have you considered working livery at a riding school? That means the riding school use your horse for lessons in return for cheaper livery?

I've listed some of the places near you below. Might be worth giving them a call. Are your brothers/sisters (sorry cant remember which you said) not interested in your mare?

http://www.yell.com/s/riding+schools-mansfield.html

Feel free to pm if you like xx
 
Millie, can you try and find someone to share your pony? It sounds hard I know, but with shared costs you (or rather your mum and dad) could afford to keep her at the livery yard where your friends are. You don't say how big your pony is, but if you could perhaps advertise for a small, lightweight adult you may get someone who wants to ride whilst her children are at school during the week. You could try popping a notice in local tack shops, or even have a word with the livery yard owners, they may know of someone.
 
It all sounds very odd. Why doesn't your Dad check her when you can go the same time? Are you sure he's checking her at all. I would find it highly unusual for the non horsey Dad to check a pony when his wife has lost interest. Could he just be saying he has gone to check her? Just that surely it would be far easier for him to take you to do the checking. :confused:

I really do feel sorry for you. I have known ponies be neglected at proper livery yards because parents can't be bothered to take their kids to do them. I doubt whether you being at a livery would make much difference. Really sorry.
 
My non horsey hubby checks my ponies but he only looks over the gate to verify they have four legs each!

In my experience riding schools have kids hanging around who will work for free and livery yards will have the horses owners who do stuff so you might draw a blank there

Is it possible you could find a local field? Maybe look out for suitable places nearby and ask the owners if you see them or put a card in a local tack shop

The sharer idea is a good one too

I used to cycle 7 miles each way to my ponies as a youngster but the roads were probably a bit safer back then

I hope you manage to get things sorted out
 
I am sure there must be another rented field somewhere nearer you can keep your pony, obviously with someone else nearby hopefully. It took me a while but I managed to find somewhere within like 5 mins walk in the end and it is cheap too (which was great when I broke my arm!). Trouble is people sometimes don't want to share with a stranger so don't advertise or just don't have the room, but maybe they would for a small one. How big is the pony? Bless you I'm sure someone has room, you sound like a responsible person and it is very mature of you to realise you may have to sell for the benefit of your pony, but I hope it doesn't come to that.

Try finding out who your local parish council is, I tried that and it was forwarded to various village folk, I got quite a few replies too! I did this for the surrounding villages too but it was a card in a shop window that got me in in the end :-)
 
I'd just like to say, thanks a lot for all your replies, I truly feel grateful. I spoke to my dad about everything, there was a little fallout for a while, but then he said about a field which his friend owns, and it's around a 10 minute walk away. So I've thankfully got it sorted. I guess it was just one of them days-.-. I'm actually moving my pony on Wednesday :D. Again, I'd really just like to thank all those who attempted to help.
P.s- My dad is horsey, he has another horse at the field I'm currently at(there's 3 horses, my dads friend, my dads and mine). My dad did check on them, I know that for sure. I'll be definitely be posting more questions I have regarding horses on here, as I've got a majority of positive feedback, from people who's aim is actual to help me! Thank you all.
 
millieconnellx said:
I'd just like to say, thanks a lot for all your replies, I truly feel grateful. I spoke to my dad about everything, there was a little fallout for a while, but then he said about a field which his friend owns, and it's around a 10 minute walk away. So I've thankfully got it sorted. I guess it was just one of them days-.-. I'm actually moving my pony on Wednesday :D. Again, I'd really just like to thank all those who attempted to help.
P.s- My dad is horsey, he has another horse at the field I'm currently at(there's 3 horses, my dads friend, my dads and mine). My dad did check on them, I know that for sure. I'll be definitely be posting more questions I have regarding horses on here, as I've got a majority of positive feedback, from people who's aim is actual to help me! Thank you all.
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Just caught up with this, sounds as if you handled this really well (which isn't always easy) and fingers crossed it all works out.
 
Glad you are sorted. I was going to ask if there is a local riding school near where you live? Maybe putting her on working livery for a while would be a good idea. You could still ride her yourself and make use of the facilities.
 
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