own horse- a hobby or lifestyle choice?

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kazhar

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discussing this with some Non- horsey people this morning. I was trying to explain that when you have your own horse, you cant just look after it when you feel like it..ie if its wet ,cold and miserable, you cant just leave it because you cant be bothered etc. or just ride it on a sunny day when you have not seen it for two weeks. unless of course you have them on full livery which is slightly different, although someone is still attending to the horse. so my non horsey friends see it as a hobby, all my horsey friends see it as a way of life. I see a hobby as something you can pick up and put down as and when you feel like it. what do you see it as?
 
I would say it's a lifestyle choice for the vast majority of people. A lot of sacrifies need to be made for the most people to own a horse/s, either in terms of time, or money, or both.

The minority of people who I think could call owning a horse a hobby, would be wealthy people who keep them on full livery, who don't even notice the livery cost from their accounts. I do know people like this. They're horses are kept very well, are kept nicely schooled, all the responsibilities of checking and organising everything that their horses need is done by the yard, and every week or two the owners will swan onto the yard, wearing imaculate and beautiful boots and kit, and have a lesson, or something. This is what I would describe as a hobby.
 
Errrmmm this is a tricky one really. Personally I see horse riding as a hobby, whereas the actual owning of a horse as a lifestyle choice; perhaps you could describe it to your friends as like having children. Once you've took them out for the day and had a really good time you can't just send them home at the end of the day. Children rely on their parents, just like your horse relies on you :) xx
 
A hobby, pmsl, I would like someone to say that when we are struggling in -15 temps and having to haul water in containers from house as the pipes are frozen at the yard, we can't feel our extremities because they are just about frozen off. If it's a hobby I think i will choose a new one, like crotchet or something safe and warm!
I would probably poke my eye out with the hook though :D
 
lifestyle... i really dont get people that own a horse.. actully any animal then cant be bothered with it. really ps me off, even when ill i still go and check on them and do bare minimum. IMO if you cant tend to your animal.. be it horse or not ... on a daily basis dont have the damn thing,.
 
i think having a horse is a life style choice, but perhaps riding is a hobby. my horse is on diy grass livery, 2 mins walk from my house, so i look after his daily needs myself. but thats all part of it, as i love the daily chores, its all part and parcel of ownership. the only thing i find hard is putting the hay out on my rota'd night, in the lashing wind and rain during winter. i ride when i'm either kid free or not working, altho i do generally arrange my work so i hve time to ride twice in the week. it is a hard one, but i can see why non horsey people would see it as a hobby.
 
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