tootsietoo
Well-Known Member
I've got 6 and 7 year old daughters who are loving their ponies and going really well at the moment. They are keen to compete, and we all had a great weekend at Badminton together. So today I found a schedule for neighbouring PC's beginner's ODE which would be a perfect outing for them - a 45cm lead rein class for the little one and 60cm beginners one for the bigger one. Merrily filled in the entry form and then got to the entry fees bit - £25 for the little one and £45 for the big one! A £70 day out! (even before the bacon baps, the obligatory photos, not to mention fuel). Is this really how much it costs to run this sort of event? If there are 40 or so entries (it is popular) then that is nearly £2000 - does it cost that much to hire the venue and insure? I'm sure this isn't much less than a BE event would cost to enter. In fact, even if I take them just to the local arena for a little clear round and mini show jumping show, it ends up being over £30 by the time they have done 2 rounds each.
Obviously they are very little, so I can keep them entertained on their ponies in lots of cheaper ways. I would love it if they wanted to compete when they are a bit older but if we were out once a fortnight or more, then it could be a couple of hundred pounds a month to go to competing, which is a lot to add on to the horse budget! How does everyone else manage it? Are there clever tricks to keeping down the cost of taking the children out places?
I guess I am old and it was all a lot cheaper "in my day". Going to have to keep my nose to the grindstone........
Obviously they are very little, so I can keep them entertained on their ponies in lots of cheaper ways. I would love it if they wanted to compete when they are a bit older but if we were out once a fortnight or more, then it could be a couple of hundred pounds a month to go to competing, which is a lot to add on to the horse budget! How does everyone else manage it? Are there clever tricks to keeping down the cost of taking the children out places?
I guess I am old and it was all a lot cheaper "in my day". Going to have to keep my nose to the grindstone........