Own Horse and University...

[tasel]

I have seen a lot of ads recently where horses are being sold due to rider going off to university.

When I was at uni (and this was one of the prestigious unis out there) 10 years ago, I had quite a bit of time even after lectures and all the studying, and could have done with having a horse (would have been cheaper than all the shopping!).

I can understand if you were going to uni in London, then you might have to sell because it may be too expensive to keep a horse anywhere close by. I think livery fees could be quite similar whether it is at home or where the uni is. So for those that are not heading to London or any other expensive hotspot... what is the actual reason of giving up your horse? I just can't quite believe it is because of time??

 

[skye123]

Cost. My parents cannot afford to pay my tution fees + accomadation + the cost of running the horse. They arent horsey so wont keep her for me (which is fair enough) while i`m at uni so its either selling her or putting her out on long term loan. Saying that i havent actually decided if i want to go or not so we`ll have to see....

ETA: Also living in a small village for all of my life i want to go to a big city uni where i can just walk to shops etc and get the "city life" so obviously it wouldnt be practical for me to keep a horse there anyway or it would be mega mega bucks

 

[blackcob]

I went to a crappy local university because I didn't want to sell my horse - I've sacrificed a good university degree and have an hour's commute each way to lectures, but I have my own litttle house and my horse is 10 minutes down the road. Couldn't be happier.

I don't quite believe the time factor either. Excluding the commute, I only get six hours of contact time at uni per week, and while I understand this will be different for more science-based degrees I can only imagine other humanities students get a similar deal.

 

[lexiedhb]

I dragged my horse from Surrey to Wales when I went 10 odd years ago..... he was a god send and really good down time, I just wouldnt contemplate not taking him with me, and worked my butt off in the holidays to be able to afford him...... simples

 

[tasel]

Ahhh! Forgot about the increased cost due to fees and accommodation (silly me)!!! That's such a pity. Uni is probably the best time to have a horse... it gives you a bit of a change of scenery!!

Oh, and yes... I also only had 6 hours of lectures and a few tutorials thrown in.

 

[madiz123]

I really want to take my horse to uni with me, but she would have to be stabled near the uni as i'm not going to uni near home! If anyone has done this and found it not too much of a burder/not too awfully expensive, I would be interested in knowing!

 

[littlen]

Well i went and bought my horse in my gap year, and will be returing to uni next year and will be keeping him.

Time wise university only takes up about 8 hours a week, the rest is own study which im sure can be fitted in around my horse, fair enough when assignments are due it may be harder but it is do able.

And financially the average student gets thousands in loans and choose to drink it all away, mine will actually go towards my horse/car etc. I also work part time so will have that supplimenting my loan. Saying that i do live at home as i already live in the city.

It is do able definatley!

 

[Shazzababs]

I went to uni in the early 90's and took my horse with me. We had 30hr of lectures a week too. My family lives in kent and I went to Plymouth.

I kept him and me on my grant (yes you still got one in those days), and worked at the farm he was kept on, teaching the kids to ride, and helping out with exercising a full livery who was too much for the YO in return for hay bales.

I loved it, stayed down at Uni from September to July and worked really hard at my summer job (fruit picking ugh), and Xmas ones if I could get them to save enough to make ends meet.

I am still in contact with the people where I kept him now, the farmers wife is like my second mum and we go to Badminton camping together every year to catch up!

 

[lizzie_liz]

I am at St Andrews University which is now riveling Oxbridge and I regret (and think my parents do) not having my horse at uni since 1st year. I am in my final year and managed to persuade them to let me take the horse with me. It is the best thing I have done. Incidently my grades have gone up this year!!

In first year I may have struggled as I had lectures and labs 9-5 most days.
In 2nd and 3rd year contact hours reduced so time isnt an issue.
Now in my final year I have juggled my uni work, a part time job and the horse.

In terms of cost, I am lucky as I have parents who can afford to pay livery for the Horse and pay part of my rent. But even with a student loan and a part time job my bank account isnt the healthiest. I do have a car with me this year too, because of the horse.

I would recommend taking your horse to uni, I dont miss out on any socialising, my academic work hasnt suffered.
However you do have to make sure you can find a suitable yard.
The yard I am at is mainly a competition/dealer yard with about 10 liveries of which most are either students or work for the uni. Everyone helps each other.

Incidently when I started at this year my parents lived in Berkshire (500 miles from uni), so distance shouldnt be an issue when deciding whether to take your horse.

 

[Bossanova]

I kept my horse throughout uni and had 2 during my post-grad year. I worked to support them in term time and holidays, I shared a room in halls then lodged cheaply with a friend of the family.
I did it because I adored my horse and couldnt face not having him. It's very do-able if youre dedicated and you like your horse enough!

 

[Quadro]

i took 2 horses with me and i think they suffered for it as i did not have the time to do them both justice, i have just finished now and eralise it maybe was not the best idea, i kept them on a uni yard which was an "experience" and not 1 i would wish to repeat!!!

 

[Hedwards]

I took my old mare to uni with me - meant a 3 hour journey twice a year, but well worth it - i couldn't have sold her - and wouldnt have found anyone daft enough to loan her. I met loads of great friends - and there was always someone at the uni without a horse who would help out (especially useful after a heavy night drinking) - however i was lucky, the university had a livery yard on campus, and my parents could afford to pay the livery costs as well as tuition fees etc.

I have to say i did tend to go without sometimes towards the end of term when the loan money was running out - living off toast so i could afford to buy branded horse feeds etc. although i think toast is a staple of most students diets anyway!

 

[Skhosu]

There's nowhere within a 45 min journey, by the time I transfer on public transport to keep him,
I keep mine at home so livery woul dbe significantly more expensive
I am doing vet, so with minimum 15hours lectures plus at least triple that in other activities.
I havent sold mine, he just lives at home!

 

[Pinhead]

I went to the University of Nottingham (I am from Somerset and that was where my horse stayed) I couldn't afford to take mine up to uni with me, nor could he stay at my parents and not be ridden etc for months.
Anyway, I didnt want to sell him so we lent him out to our local equine college and he stayed there during the term time for the students to use. He absolutely loved it and he came home in the holidays when i was back from uni!
I think for alot of people it the cost of having your horse stabled with you at uni, especially if uni is far from where you live and if your horse lives at home. If i'd had enough money then i wouldv'e loved for mine to have come to uni with me... I certainly had enough spare time to look after him and i certainly would'nt have piled on the pounds!!

 

[Riverboy]

I took my boy to uni with me and though it was hard i'm really glad i did it... it stopped me being stupid with my money...

 

[Marchtime]

I kept my horses whilst at uni but I stayed at home. It was a choice between sell the horse and go away to uni or go to a local uni and keep horse. My parents couldn't afford paying my rent and the horses livery. The good news is not only did I get to keep my horse but I graduated without debt, best way! It did get frustrating sometimes having to go down the yard early after a heavy night and not being able to go out all nights of the week but well worth it.

 

[milliepops]

I 'commuted' 200 miles to uni in my final year so I could keep my horse!

Daft idea, it really was, but there was no way I was going to give her up. I picked my modules so all my lectures were on the same day (arts degree).

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone but I'm so glad I did it - although I'm still paying off my debts several years later

 

[teapot]

It's also finding somewhere to keep the horse near said uni without having to worry about the extra expense of having a car & its running costs. Plus if you're in halls, most unis won't let have a car on campus thus causing further issue

 

[zoe123]

I have just finished my first year for the summer. This year i have had 16 hrs of contact time a week, plus at least an hrs commute each way and still manage to ride and compete my horse. But like Marchtime said i had to choose between living at home and keeping the horse or movig away to uni.

 

[Erehwemos]

I chose to commute to Uni, meaning a 2hr commute each way, each day (so over 4 hrs travelling per day!) so that I could keep my horse

I still went to a good 'red brick' Uni, and have not regretted a minute of it. I havent had any form of Uni social life, I dont drink and I dont go out partying, but it was my choice, and it has meant that I've been able to look after and ride my horse every day

 

[emma69]

I rode more and taught horse riding more when I was at Uni than any other time! I lived in halls, had a car, and cost-wise managed fine, as 2 of the horses were funded by the owners (I just exercised and competed them, for which they payed transport and entry fees too!) and the other one was on part loan where my contribution was knowledge and schooling rather than money. Certainly time wise there was no issue - I worked another couple of non horsey jobs in addition to my teaching, and rode several times a week.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

I'm hoping to keep my horse through uni- I would rather have horsey uni life than the average "drink your money away" one. But I am planning on doing vet, which I think is 9-5 hours each day

If I don't do vet, defo keeping, if I do do vet, then hopefully but not definately keeping.

 

[DiablosGold]

I have my own horse and am at uni, no financial help from parents.

It's a struggle but worth it

 

[Mahoganybay]

This is really interesting to read as my daughter wants to go to uni next year and wants to live away from home leaving me with the decision on what to do with her horse as she does not want to take him with her. He is a lovely lad who she competes BSJA, but i have my own mare who is perfect for me as a happy hack. I don't want to sell either of them but know i won't manage two when she i away. Hmmm got me thinking i should insist she takes him with her or go to a local uni.

 

[emma69]

You may well find when she comes home at Christmas she decides she does want him! If you are near a local uni, why not contact their riding club to see if anyone would be interested in term-time loaning, that way daughter can still ride him during the holidays, but you have someone to help during term time? I wouldn't make anyone who didn't want to take their horse do so - horse and daughter won't be happy and you will worry.

 

[cheekycharley]

I sort of did both, all through my degree I lived at home and rode my horse. Was fine time wise year 1 and 2, then my uni went a bit mad and shorterned the uni year = very stressed student and not so much time for horses (they got ride of exams - i hate coursework and shorterned term by 6 six weeks!!).

I also lived away from home for placement year (1 year between 2nd and 3rd year) and left horse at home. Went home at weekends - would have been ok if uni terms but got a bit much every week. Would have been bored at weekends though not riding!!