Please help me buy a horse, I'm clueless!

No more posts...hmmm


Still,anyone remember the video with the very naughty pony? grey Welshie? When the owner had out together all the clips of said pony dumping the child ..very very funny. Should just stick that up!
 
I was a nanny for a family of 3 as my first job. They had a pony on their land. The children where that fussed about it I didn't know it was there for the first 3 months!! It was at grass, but if it was announced I would be taking care of a 4 legged charge I would be asking for double my wages, or telling them to jog on! And that was me having horse experience!
 
Thinking about it actually, iv been asked to do jobs that are in no way related to nannying in my time, such as sorting out the 4 ft fish tank which had gone black with dead fish lurking in there (result of pump failure when they where on holiday I may add), re-decorating bedrooms, family Christmas shopping (aunts and uncles not children), tip trips and doing a house viewing! So it doesn't suprise me really, the ones with the money are the worst.
 
OP, get your employers to send you on a BHS stage one horsecare course then ideally stage two. Tell them any health worries at all and you are going to have to get a vet in because you aren't experienced enough to treat anything yourself.

How old are all the kids? If they are all small and on lead rein you are at a far better starting point. If they are older, or worse with a big age/size range, it will be much harder to find something suitable.

Get the family involved with the pony club, before even getting the pony, there will be lots of useful advice there. Read a lot of up to date horsecare manuals.

I think its less than ideal but doable if the family are prepared to go about it right. Good luck (and if you're trolling, nice one :cool: )
 
The vid your thinking off is "Ed being very naughty"

Not sure if this is serious or not, but OP, please sit the mother down and show her this post. Her best bet is to emply a groom (sounds like she can afford it) that way no stress for you and the Pony will recieve the proper care and the kids will be getting a suitable Pony.
 
katastrophykat said:
Maybe get the mum to offer free livery to someone with similar age kids who are experienced, that way they get free livery in return for helping out and ensuring that the pony is well looked after and give you some support? And the pony some company. Ask the RS about ponies, and whether their instructors can continue lessons at home? If the boss is pushing so hard for this and you're an employee, I can see why you're stuck- maybe show her this post??
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chazza44 said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibJHFCEUcoE

Watch this!
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Queenbee said:
why thank you, It seemed so fitting. This week I am also using the terms 'super', as in 'super fun:D:D:D' and 'super difficult' and 'super boring' and the word epic... for anything of armageddon proportions, for instance running out of wine is an epic fail... or my pony cantering across the field to me makes me feel 'epic' possibly even 'super epic' :p;):D:D:D:D
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your are amazing! i think i love you!

edit: sorry Super Love you! pahaha
 
Gypley said:
If this is not a wind up, then will you please keep us informed as to how your getting on, if for nothing more that the sheer ammount of laughs this will encounter (and also to make sure the pony wont die)
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This above ...
Really hope this is a wind up but if not, please keep in touch as think you'll be needing advice on a day to day basis :rolleyes:

What a funny employer you have - think she'll buy me one too? ;)
 
Queenbee said:
that user has done about 150 other vids... the stallion will fix it is brilliant... have just posted it on its own thread...

Thank you trasaM I now have hours of comedy to trawl through! :D
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:) Wasn't me QB. Armas posted the stupid lady buys dressage horse a few weeks ago so I've seen that one before but not the rest. They seem to have one for every possible horsey situation too. Really funny :D
 
Grumpy Jewel said:
Thinking about it actually, iv been asked to do jobs that are in no way related to nannying in my time, such as sorting out the 4 ft fish tank which had gone black with dead fish lurking in there (result of pump failure when they where on holiday I may add), re-decorating bedrooms, family Christmas shopping (aunts and uncles not children), tip trips and doing a house viewing! So it doesn't suprise me really, the ones with the money are the worst.
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My ex boss used to have her nannys foal watching all hours of the night...
 
Ha, this is so funny - I have G from an almost exactly the same situation...family buys daughter pony as new house has a yard, dad decides to learn to ride, so promptly buys horse. Family are away all week at work/boarding school with nanny/housekeeper left to manage the animals (sheep, chickens, pigs and horses/a donkey).

Enter me, and another girl who basically have full loan of the horse/pony and take full responsibility but have costs covered so that the owners can still 'have horses'...


I'll be honest, we've had a few sticky moments with them when they've taken care of their animals on a weekend when they're home, everything from back to front bits and rugs done up wrong to more serious faux-pas such as forgetting to FEED the horses, or provide them water... :rolleyes:
 
I'm glad you all find my situation so hilarious. Thanks.

Basically, this pony is arriving no matter what, I have no say in that. I thought the best thing for me to do (and the only thing in my control) was learn as much as possible about horses before it arrives. Of course I'm not going to be an expert but it's better then doing nothing and then being presented with a horse to care for.

Thankfully there are a couple of nice people here who have sent me lovely messages with actual support and advice and I am really pleased about that (and sorry to those I haven't got round to replying to yet, I'll do that next!).

Maybe I will update you all once pony arrives so you can all have another great laugh at my hilarious situation....
 
NannySarah said:
I'm glad you all find my situation so hilarious. Thanks.

Basically, this pony is arriving no matter what, I have no say in that. I thought the best thing for me to do (and the only thing in my control) was learn as much as possible about horses before it arrives. Of course I'm not going to be an expert but it's better then doing nothing and then being presented with a horse to care for.

Thankfully there are a couple of nice people here who have sent me lovely messages with actual support and advice and I am really pleased about that (and sorry to those I haven't got round to replying to yet, I'll do that next!).

Maybe I will update you all once pony arrives so you can all have another great laugh at my hilarious situation....
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Well NannySarah, in that case you are a better person than most, and I wish you well. At least you are trying to do the best you can in a very awkward situation.
 
NannySarah said:
I'm glad you all find my situation so hilarious. Thanks.

Basically, this pony is arriving no matter what, I have no say in that. I thought the best thing for me to do (and the only thing in my control) was learn as much as possible about horses before it arrives. Of course I'm not going to be an expert but it's better then doing nothing and then being presented with a horse to care for.

Thankfully there are a couple of nice people here who have sent me lovely messages with actual support and advice and I am really pleased about that (and sorry to those I haven't got round to replying to yet, I'll do that next!).

Maybe I will update you all once pony arrives so you can all have another great laugh at my hilarious situation....
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In amongst people having a bit of a laugh, has been some good advice, and also some sensible words about just how potentially dangerous this situation could be. I realise you feel under pressure, but you would be wise to listen to those words, and do your best to try and convince the parents that this needs seem thought and professional help.

You may worry you'll lose your job if you don't do what they ask, but what will happen to your job if you buy an unsuitable pony, or inappropriate care causes problems, and one of the children is hurt or killed?
 
Nannysarah- Looking after a pony takes specialist training. You can't just wing it! Tell your boss this- for goodness sake, my boss wouldn't expect me to perform open heart surgery?!
You CANNOT be fired if you say 'no', it is not in your job description, you are not trained, and it would be unfair dismissal if you were fired.
 
I strongly agree if your up for doing this whole horse malarcy then put pony in livery or you and kids go get experience on a yard. It's hard work. Family doesn't sound supportive
 
Can you not say that assuming full care and responsibility for a horse is not a part of your job? Especially now that you've learned how complicated horses are and how much knowledge it takes to care for them and how much more knowledge it takes to keep them kid safe. Even a quiet, "bombproof" pony learns bad habits real fast if not receiving clear and consistent training. And no one can teach you that over the internet. Can you say that you will fully support the family keeping it on full livery, driving the kids to the barn, and so on, but you are not knowledgeable enough or qualified to care for and train this horse if it's kept alone on your employer's property. Draw a line in the sand. Emphasise how dangerous horses can be. See what they say?
 
I feel sorry for you but you clearly havent listened to anyones advice if you are still planning to do this yourself. I have serious child and pony welfare concerns.
 
Sarah, I suspect that the only reason people thought you were "hilarious" was that your situation is so outrageous, they assumed (wrongly, I believe) that you were trolling, posting wind-ups. Worth you knowing, I think, that your employer's idea is so nuts that a bunch of horsepeople didn't think it could be true. But truth, of course, is usually stranger than fiction.

I appreciate that you're caught in the middle, doing what these eejits are telling you to do so you can pay your rent, but you don't know what you don't know. Horses aren't like big dogs or gerbils. Reading stuff online is better than nothing at all, but no one who hasn't had hands on experience with horses should assume full care for one, especially on private ground where you won't have experts like yard owners or fellow liveries to help you out.
 
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Caol Ila said:
Sarah, I suspect that the only reason people thought you were "hilarious" was that your situation is so outrageous, they assumed (wrongly, I believe) that you were trolling, posting wind-ups. Worth you knowing, I think, that your employer's idea is so nuts that people didn't think it could be true.
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Perfectly put. I am so worried for you NannySarah. Your boss sounds completely unreasonable - have you actually been able to stand up to them/suggest some of the things said on here? I think you need to be direct with them and don't hopefully hint that it might not be a good idea. You need to say 'this is wrong, i need help'
 
or, (as I am a sales person!) be assumptive. Be assumptive that looking for etc INCLUDES finding a suitable livery yard to take care of said pony.

So how about asking for good yards in a certain area near you, or if the riding school you use will make room and give that to your employer when giving her the results. They are being incredibly unreasonable. As others said, this is not a rabbit or a gerbil, it is a large expensive animal, (even a pony). How about giving her a breakdown of some of the costs she would look to be incurring for say, a nice 13.2 first pony. I am sure they could afford it but they might not want to when they see how expensive these animals are.. so I am basing mine on Surrey prices as a guide..

Instructors time to assess pony and child (including local travel) assume say £150
Vetting - even if basic £250 (make sure that pony won't drop dead when your employers have bought it, is the age it should be etc etc)
Shoeing - every 5 weeks, even if only with fronts on, say @£40 a time
Teeth, annually, upto £60 (and possibly a vets trip to sedate if pony objects)
Insurance say around £35 -50 a month
Livery - part (so pony cared for, stabled, yard there for vet, farrier and dentist, pony fed, turned out, brought in, feed and bedding included) @£350
Livery - full, pony kept fit when child not riding it, tack cleaned and groomed plus all of the above @£500+
Pony cost - say a really safe all rounder not aged, anything upto £2000?
Tack for said pony - and rugs (coats for the field and stable effectively) must be looking at around £1500.

Yes there are MUCH cheaper ways of caring for a pony (living out full time etc) but perhaps compiling a list like this might make your employers think again. Alternatively, a really good option would be to see if your riding school has a pony they would lease on working livery - so the child would "own" the pony on say 2 days a week.
 
This sounds like a very difficult situation for you. I think you do need to think long and hard about taking on this responsibility. There are other employers/other jobs. So much can go wrong with ponies and children - particularly when together! If you do end up in this situation then make sure those children join the pony club for you, the pony and the kids!
 
I wish you all the best Sarah and do feel this is genuine as sadly I have come across folk like your family of the just make it happen school of thought.
All the best advice is here ,older pony, full livery and bhs stage 1. Chin up Hun. Not everyone is laughing and some are really worried for you.
 
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