Need some sensible advice?

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dark_prince

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This is also in the club house but don't really know how busy it is in there...

'Hi, I feel a bit anxious posting about this so don't be too harsh :o

Anyway, I'm 17 and am really worried about the future etc. I'll be 18 soon, but will have another year at college before stepping out into the wide world.

I don't want to go to uni, but I do want to work with the Police. At the moment I have been really struggling with college and work, as over winter I've had to basically live at work to pay for my horse. I am 100% financially responsible for him.

So bearing that in mind... I live close to my yard, but because I can't drive yet, I've been reliant on lifts etc. It would be a huge help if I could drive, but the initial costs, at the moment, are too expensive. This would be the case until I leave college..and maybe a while after that whilst I get myself a bit more sorted financially. So at the moment I am ok, though I never have any spending money at the end of the month to save up for myself etc.

Anyway, recently I've been thinking a lot about this and I've been considering putting my horse on full loan for a year or 2. This way I'd be able to get sorted with a car and college, and he would get more attention/exercise.

Can someone tell me not to feel so guilty for thinking this a good idea?! Or give me opinions or experiences? I feel awful thinking of 'pawning him off' on someone else, but he's basically had the winter off and I feel guilty that he hasn't done anything.

Just a thought out loud really..just getting a bit stressed with it all :( '
 
If having a car or transport would make the biggest difference, have you thought of doing your motorbike test?

It's just a one day course for your cbt, no expensive lessons etc. The you will be able to pick up a bike for buttons, they run on air and The tax is around £15 pa iirc.


Just a thought :)
 
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You sound very sensible and you have obviously thought this carefully through. It's very difficult when you have little income to do everything. Learning to drive is an important thing for you for your future. Loaning out your horse would give you both money and time.
You can vet a loan home and maybe find a loaner on recommendation via your farrier or friends.Also think about getting a sharer. All I would say is ensure you have a good loan contract and visit your horse regularly if you go this route. Good luck :)
 
If it is the right thing for you and the horse then do not feel guilty by doing it.
I found myself in a similar situation at that age (not that long ago only 4 years!) working all hours and juggling school ect.

All i can say is whatever happens there will always be some other expense for the money to go on. up until sept last year I had 3 horses, paying livery for each one each week and everything else and now down to one and guess what... Im still skint every month lol

Perhaps consider a sharer? to contribute towards costs and riding ect. that way you still have the enjoyment and most of the responsibility and know exactly whats going on

You do hear horror stories of horses going out on loan but then some people can do it successfully as well.
 
alainax said:
If having a car or transport would make the biggest difference, have you thought of doing your motorbike test?

It's just a one day course for your cbt, no expensive lessons etc. The you will be able to pick up a bike for buttons, they run on air and The tax is around £15 pa iirc.


Just a thought :)
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I actually have one now, but I've had so much bloody trouble with it over winter! I don't know what I plan on doing but the car thing is just one issue of many atm :(
 
basilbrush2009 said:
If it is the right thing for you and the horse then do not feel guilty by doing it.
I found myself in a similar situation at that age (not that long ago only 4 years!) working all hours and juggling school ect.

All i can say is whatever happens there will always be some other expense for the money to go on. up until sept last year I had 3 horses, paying livery for each one each week and everything else and now down to one and guess what... Im still skint every month lol

Perhaps consider a sharer? to contribute towards costs and riding ect. that way you still have the enjoyment and most of the responsibility and know exactly whats going on

You do hear horror stories of horses going out on loan but then some people can do it successfully as well.
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I would be worried about him on full loan, but I know I'd end up visiting him every week. A friend has found an excellent home for hers for a couple of years whilst she's at uni and I would only hope I could find someone like that.

I just feel he's going to waste at the moment as he really is a lovely little horse! :( Just feel really sad at the thought of it all.
 
I'm in the same situation as you. Nearly 18, financially responsible for my horse (dad helps out sometimes) on part livery but i don't have a job so paying out of life savings. It leaves me with no money to drive!
I made the decision to have a horse over a car for my 17th birthday and don't regret the decision in the slightest! However, i'll be moving my horse onto DIY in june and starting a job so hope to afford it then.
Sorry for rambling about myself!
In your situation I would loan. Tough decision to make but sounds like the right choice!
Also agree with the comment about getting a bike.. Far cheaper!
 
If it's any help to you I did exactly that about 30 years ago. The horse went to a brilliant loan home with some friends for their son. Was competed to a decent level. Never actually came back to me & died about 5yrs ago having lived well into his 30's.
Until the horse went on loan I was doing to same as you are. Working all the hours gave just to pay for him left me no time to enjoy him. So here's the sensible advice. Loan or sell the horse, & when you are in a better situation with regards to work, finance & transport then think about having him back, or if you have sold start looking for another one. These days I have several horses on my own land & I won't say even now that it sometimes isn't a struggle, but I do at least have the time to enjoy them far more than I did back then.
 
At this point in life you have a couple of main pathways you can choose to go down,

1) You could make your life choices around keeping your horse. This will limit what jobs/careers paths, where you live, how much you can save etc. You will likely trap yourself for a horse.

2) You can take the hard but sensible choice - give up the horses short term. It will open up more oppertunities for you now that really will be of benefit to you later.

I did the latter, and I'd advise anyone else to do the same.
 
ihatework said:
At this point in life you have a couple of main pathways you can choose to go down,

1) You could make your life choices around keeping your horse. This will limit what jobs/careers paths, where you live, how much you can save etc. You will likely trap yourself for a horse.

2) You can take the hard but sensible choice - give up the horses short term. It will open up more oppertunities for you now that really will be of benefit to you later.

I did the latter, and I'd advise anyone else to do the same.
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Thankyou! I like the way you put this. This is exactly how I feel! I feel awful thinking that my main concern is that I can't afford to drive or have the time to do work experience and go on trips etc. but I'd hate not to be able to get the job I want or whatever because I restricted by lack of experience or inability to drive :/

Really glad I'm not too horrible!
 
I think you're being sensible. I also agree with Ihatework.

Bear in mind that when you loan out a horse it could come back at any time and you have to take over responsibility again. When I was at uni and abroad, my old pony got sent back, and my non-horsey parents had to find a full livery yard for him and help out until I could get home (I was on my year abroad of a language degree). It was all a bit of a nightmare and could have been a big mess if it wasn't for my parents..

Loaning a horse out is great if you find the right person, a nightmare if you don't. I've had loaners of each type over the years. So I'm going to say it would be better to sell him and share someone else's horse for a few years, get yourself where you want to be work/car wise and then get another horse.
 
I think putting your horse out on loan might be a sensible option.

The only things is that, in these hard times, there are loads of horses (or their owners) looking for loan homes. You will need to be so very very careful that the potential home - if you find one - for your horse has got to be just right for him, and just now, loaners can't be choosers. One of my liveries has desperately been trying to find a loan home for her good quality pony, but has (rightly in my opinion) turned down severa interested partiesl.

I think the suggestion of the motorbike (or scooter) is a very sensible one as a compromise. I also think, though you have obviously been unlucky so far, that a sharer might be the answer ...though they too are like gold dust just now. I've had one or two lovely sharers in my time, and it really takes the pressure off you.

Anyway, what happens the horse when you go to college? Or will you be attending from home?
 
I think everyone knows how much I love Obi.

Back when I was 18 I found myself suddenly, heavenly pregnant.

I had to move out of my parent's home and move into my (now hubby's) house.

We were poor and I couldn't afford to keep Obi.

So I put him on loan to the riding school I had been working at when I got pregnant and he was there for 5 years.

It was the choice I had to make at the time and I am so grateful I could get him back when I could afford to keep him.

As far as your situation goes - you don't necessarily have to go with a car. You can do your CBT training in one day for £100 and then you can ride a 125cc motorbike. You can do everything but go on the motorway with them and they are pretty fast.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-Hond...5330353?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item4170340031
 
OP, you are a lovely caring person & your horse is so lucky to have you.

Difficult to know what to advise! Could you get a sharer or someone to loan at your current yard?

I know you hear of some awful loan/share stories but there are so many great success stories & friendships made too?

Could you advertise for sharer/loaner?. At least if you test the market you can see who is out there wanting to do this?

Good luck with your career.
 
Oberon said:
As far as your situation goes - you don't necessarily have to go with a car. You can do your CBT training in one day for £100 and then you can ride a 125cc motorbike. You can do everything but go on the motorway with them and they are pretty fast.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-Hond...5330353?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item4170340031
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Just wanted to add my support regarding the bike..... I have a honda CBF125 and it was the best thing that I did. Very economical (think 400 miles on less than £20), and you can go around on an L plate for ever if you choose to, you can just keep retaking your CBT (every 2 years I think) which are done in one day by a motorcyle training school for around £100.
 
alainax said:
If having a car or transport would make the biggest difference, have you thought of doing your motorbike test?

It's just a one day course for your cbt, no expensive lessons etc. The you will be able to pick up a bike for buttons, they run on air and The tax is around £15 pa iirc.


Just a thought :)
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and if you're worried about the insecurity of two wheels, you can get a three wheeled scooter, saw one the other day and it looked quite good. I had one before the car, it cost £5 a week to fill up.
 
I have a friend who put her horse on working livery at a really good riding school. She could check up in him and visit him whenever she wanted, they had a proper contract so only more advanced riders or student working through their levels could ride him. He was there three years and was very well cared for.
Another option to consider maybe?

Good luck x
 
good idea about the working livery. I rode a couple of really nice horses who were at my riding school as a kid and they were owned by other people.
 
Rose Folly said:
Anyway, what happens the horse when you go to college? Or will you be attending from home?
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I don't follow? I'm at college now!

Also I have a scooter now but in all honesty it is more hassle than it's worth! I decided to talk to my mum and she thinks it might be a good idea as I really struggled this winter time-wise. A friend has put hers on full loan as she can't ride for a while due to old injuries etc. and that has sort of made me a bit happier at the idea of it all as he is possibly the nicest lad! I think I am going to do it as I wouldn't want another winter where he is wasted.
 
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