People Who Can't Afford To Look After Horses?

I was talking about this to my mum, as I have suggested I might want another. She is worried that I might not be able to afford it, but I don't have to pay livery, since they're kept where I work and my manager is an absolute star :)
Mums main concern is vet bills, but the vets I'm with is pretty good at payment plans and since I get paid weekly, it's not too much of a problem. Someone mentioned that if the cost is going to be so great that I can't afford it, then you may also have to look at welfare. If Ned cost me a (for instance) £5000 vet bill, it'd likely be such a bad illness/injury, that I wouldn't want to put him through recovery time and would rather PTS. It's not money, it's his happiness. It would absolutely destroy me to have to make that call, but I'd do it.
When he got his abscess and I thought it was a broken leg, I was prepared. I felt sick, I couldn't walk or see right, but I was prepared. When the farrier saw and said it was just an abscess, I could have kissed him!!!

I have seen some horses go without, because the owners are too cheap (not too poor!) to afford proper care. A horse with a clearly painful back go without proper treatment, because it's only bucking because it's naughty...apparently. Hm. They just didn't want to pay for a new saddle and I knew that for a fact.
I do look for cheaper things often, but only stuff that doesn't really matter. Why buy a £60 numnah, when I can get a good one from ebay for £10? All about budgeting and priories!
 
Agree with Mince Pie.
Take my physical/mental health issues and you can happily take my horse by all means.
Seriously...some people need to go and give their head a wobble!!
 
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ThursdayNext said:
I think the benefits point is slightly relevant because some of us who work can't afford horses despite dearly wishing to. So, when we are paying for other people's, that hurts.

I'm broadly in favour of the welfare state but don't really see why those not working (for however good a reason) should end up with a more luxurious lifestyle (and yes! mucking out at 6am wpuld be a luxury for me) than those working hard to feed themselves and their families.
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You can afford a horse if you want, it's just a question of what you're willing to give up to afford to do it. And of your own standards of course. Those people who you say can afford a horse on benefits, a luxury lifestyle as you call it - those are the same people who, according to your standards, "can't afford" to have a horse because they might PTS for financial reasons. You've chosen the standards that you have for yourself, you've set your own bar for "affording a horse" quite high, which is fine, you're entitled to your opinion as is everybody else, but don't get the green eyed monster of jealousy because others have different standards and choose to spend *their own income* (which is what their benefits are, they didn't steal it out your purse) on a horse. If you're hurt by other people having horses, it's you who's hurting yourself, because it's you who's choosing not to have one of your own.
 
Mince Pie said:
You would be amazed at the amount of people who are under the impression that because our benefits come from their taxes, it means that they can decide what we can and can't spend our money on. I have had a lot of people make comments such as "wish I could afford to do that", "if you can afford that you're getting paid too much" etc. etc. It is highly demoralising and, as Ian (Merlin) says, the tabloid media and programmes such as Benefits Street really do not help.
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It is not only people who get benefits who are judged. I have at various times in life been in lower paying jobs, worked part time or not worked at all. Now for all anybody knows I could have won the lottery but they do not stop to think before they judge. Plenty of people knowing almost nothing about me other than my working hours and that I am a horse owner have seen fit to ask me how I afford it! Not in a curious gathering info because they would like a horse type of way but in a judgy way as if I am doing something wrong. My life and finances are none of anyone else's business but somehow if people cannot see for themselves how the income and expenses matches up they seem to think it is their business? It is quite awful how rude some people are about others lifestyle choices. I never ask anyone with multiple children or a brand new 4x4 how they can possibly afford it! It is a strange world. Merlin100 the question of affordability is a difficult one. I have only rarely met someone who does not need to give something up in order to keep a horse, however rich or poor they may be. I define somebody who cannot afford a horse as somebody whose horse suffers because they cannot pay for something which is necessary to their horses welfare. For example an underweight horse with mud fever living out all winter knee deep in mud because the owner cannot afford to part stable it.
 
I'd be confident in writing here that those feeling hard done by about people having pets with their weekly allowances, would be better off directing their feelings towards alcoholics, drugs addicts and criminals. Even then, our tax spend on welfare is only a fraction of how it's spent. Most of public money is wasted elsewhere.

I'd be happy to know some of my taxes help less abled people feel happy. Sadly, I know a lot of it goes to keeping some peoples fridges full of White Lightning and their pockets full of fags.
 
I have a very simple view on this:
If you are not in a position to guarantee the 5 freedoms:

FREEDOM FROM HUNGER AND THIRST. by ready access to fresh water and diet to maintain health and vigor.
FREEDOM FROM DISCOMFORT. by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
FREEDOM FROM PAIN, INJURY OR DISEASE. ...
FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NORMAL BEHAVIOR. ...
FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND DISTRESS.

you are unfit to keep a horse.
 
Mollylittle said:
I have a very simple view on this:
If you are not in a position to guarantee the 5 freedoms:

FREEDOM FROM HUNGER AND THIRST. by ready access to fresh water and diet to maintain health and vigor.
FREEDOM FROM DISCOMFORT. by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
FREEDOM FROM PAIN, INJURY OR DISEASE. ...
FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NORMAL BEHAVIOR. ...
FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND DISTRESS.

you are unfit to keep a horse.
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These freedoms are marketing nonsense .
If you take these as they are written non of us could work horses ever as it increases the risk of injury or put them in fields as most injuries occur in fields
How exactly do you provide freedom from disease ? Even the most well managed yards can have disease ,like strangles , cushings is a disease you can't guarantee freedom from that .
Freedom from fear or distress ..... A hot air ballon can cause fear and distress as can a horse losing its friend .
Freedom to express normal behaviours no gelding then or control of mares reproduction , to foal every year is a horses normal behaviour .
Freedom from discomfort , with the best will in the world you can't give a horse freedom from every discomfort it's just not possible .
 
tallyho! said:
I'd be confident in writing here that those feeling hard done by about people having pets with their weekly allowances, would be better off directing their feelings towards alcoholics, drugs addicts and criminals. Even then, our tax spend on welfare is only a fraction of how it's spent. Most of public money is wasted elsewhere.

I'd be happy to know some of my taxes help less abled people feel happy. Sadly, I know a lot of it goes to keeping some peoples fridges full of White Lightning and their pockets full of fags.
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Exactly what I was referring to in my first reply.
 
Goldenstar said:
These freedoms are marketing nonsense .
If you take these as they are written non of us could work horses ever as it increases the risk of injury or put them in fields as most injuries occur in fields
How exactly do you provide freedom from disease ? Even the most well managed yards can have disease ,like strangles , cushings is a disease you can't guarantee freedom from that .
Freedom from fear or distress ..... A hot air ballon can cause fear and distress as can a horse losing its friend .
Freedom to express normal behaviours no gelding then or control of mares reproduction , to foal every year is a horses normal behaviour .
Freedom from discomfort , with the best will in the world you can't give a horse freedom from every discomfort it's just not possible .
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I think you need to take these as intended.Which means you have to make sure to avoid any factors WITHIN your control. Common sense me thinks.
 
Mollylittle said:
I think you need to take these as intended.Which means you have to make sure to avoid any factors WITHIN your control. Common sense me thinks.
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No you're now saying something completely different you're first post said unless you can guarantee the following you are unfit to keep a horse you made a very black and white statement and that lacked common sense .
 
Chan said:
I was talking about this to my mum, as I have suggested I might want another. She is worried that I might not be able to afford it, but I don't have to pay livery, since they're kept where I work and my manager is an absolute star :)
Mums main concern is vet bills, but the vets I'm with is pretty good at payment plans and since I get paid weekly, it's not too much of a problem. Someone mentioned that if the cost is going to be so great that I can't afford it, then you may also have to look at welfare. If Ned cost me a (for instance) £5000 vet bill, it'd likely be such a bad illness/injury, that I wouldn't want to put him through recovery time and would rather PTS. It's not money, it's his happiness. It would absolutely destroy me to have to make that call, but I'd do it.
When he got his abscess and I thought it was a broken leg, I was prepared. I felt sick, I couldn't walk or see right, but I was prepared. When the farrier saw and said it was just an abscess, I could have kissed him!!!

I have seen some horses go without, because the owners are too cheap (not too poor!) to afford proper care. A horse with a clearly painful back go without proper treatment, because it's only bucking because it's naughty...apparently. Hm. They just didn't want to pay for a new saddle and I knew that for a fact.
I do look for cheaper things often, but only stuff that doesn't really matter. Why buy a £60 numnah, when I can get a good one from ebay for £10? All about budgeting and priories!
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Your mum is right to be concerned because it's not only serious would not put the horse through that type of stuff that costs thousands .
One of mine has cost just short of £8000 since April his problems is not complicated he keeps getting repeated mild colics to more serious one between bouts he's normal
The cost is ongoing and even now as we have gone to a don't get the vet in for colic type of management and are not doing any more investigating to try and find out wants wrong .
I have £1800 bill still to pay for last month .
I have no idea were this will end but it's very difficult to end it when you hope ( and you are told it will in all likely hood it will resolve with time ) .
So the cost keeps racking up .
 
Goldenstar said:
Your mum is right to be concerned because it's not only serious would not put the horse through that type of stuff that costs thousands .
One of mine has cost just short of £8000 since April his problems is not complicated he keeps getting repeated mild colics to more serious one between bouts he's normal
The cost is ongoing and even now as we have gone to a don't get the vet in for colic type of management and are not doing any more investigating to try and find out wants wrong .
I have £1800 bill still to pay for last month .
I have no idea were this will end but it's very difficult to end it when you hope ( and you are told it will in all likely hood it will resolve with time ) .
So the cost keeps racking up .
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That is a difficult and not uncommon scenario, the bills add up, none of the incidents are bad enough to make the call and it can be never ending.

I had similar with "just an abscess" numerous visits by vets, xrays, farrier visits, poultices, vet wrap, extra bedding, then the other foot got laminitis and a slightly contracted tendon on the bad leg, it never felt right to call it a day while the pony was bright and fighting and he did come out the other side after 4 long months, total costs I never added up but in the region of £2k for a deep rooted abscess in a pony with extremely tough feet, so even something that normally requires a quick visit from the farrier and £10 or so of dressings can become far more serious just because of bad luck, a broken leg would have been hard to deal with but the decision is so much easier when there is no other option.
 
Chan said:
I was talking about this to my mum, as I have suggested I might want another. She is worried that I might not be able to afford it, but I don't have to pay livery, since they're kept where I work and my manager is an absolute star :)
Mums main concern is vet bills, but the vets I'm with is pretty good at payment plans and since I get paid weekly, it's not too much of a problem. Someone mentioned that if the cost is going to be so great that I can't afford it, then you may also have to look at welfare. If Ned cost me a (for instance) £5000 vet bill, it'd likely be such a bad illness/injury, that I wouldn't want to put him through recovery time and would rather PTS. It's not money, it's his happiness. It would absolutely destroy me to have to make that call, but I'd do it.
When he got his abscess and I thought it was a broken leg, I was prepared. I felt sick, I couldn't walk or see right, but I was prepared. When the farrier saw and said it was just an abscess, I could have kissed him!!!

I have seen some horses go without, because the owners are too cheap (not too poor!) to afford proper care. A horse with a clearly painful back go without proper treatment, because it's only bucking because it's naughty...apparently. Hm. They just didn't want to pay for a new saddle and I knew that for a fact.
I do look for cheaper things often, but only stuff that doesn't really matter. Why buy a £60 numnah, when I can get a good one from ebay for £10? All about budgeting and priories!
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Say you did get another one - what would happen if, for whatever reason, you had to change jobs? Not all yard jobs include keep for one horse, let alone two. Or you got a non-horsey job and then had to pay for two on livery, even if only DIY? Would you be able to afford it then?
 
I'm more concerned with people who own/buy horses without having the first clue as to how to look after them, never mind the costs involved, I have known two in the last 10 years, and it is heartbreaking at their lack of knowledge....to the detriment of the horse of course.....
 
Micky said:
I'm more concerned with people who own/buy horses without having the first clue as to how to look after them, never mind the costs involved, I have known two in the last 10 years, and it is heartbreaking at their lack of knowledge....to the detriment of the horse of course.....
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Research, research, research. Along with experience. :wink3:
 
I like to think that I am careful with my money and not frivolous with it. I never take illicit drugs and occasionally make my own home brew beer, most of which ends up with family and friends. Out of a 40 pint kit, I may have 5 or 6 pints over the space of a couple of months.

I'm involved in amateur radio as one of my other hobbies, the main cost there is electricity.

Not everyone on benefits lives the life of Reilly, contrary to what the tabloids tell you!
 
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