Really could do with some advice about first horse!

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CoconutLoconut

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Hello! I would really like some advice about buying my first horse - thank you in advance!

SO, I've been riding/sharing/looking after other people's ponies/horses for at least 10 years now (I am 20) and I really, really want to get my own.

I have saved quite a bit of money (and i got some when my grandma died too). I think I have about 15k to spend (I also work part-time so I'm still earning). Sorry, I don't know if it is impolite to talk about money on this site!

The thing is, I want to go to university in 10 months. But, I will only be at uni during term time and I will come home at week-ends and the terms are only 8 weeks long.

Basically, would 15k be enough for a while? I will be doing DIY livery and doing things rather cheaply (though not bad quality). And also, would it be viable to get a sharer/loaner while I am at uni? I will only be a couple of hours away. How much input do loaners have financially? ie. would they pay livery? Would they pay insurance? What would I have to pay?

Thanks so much in advance. I just really need some advice - no one in my family knows about horses!
 
Best advice is to complete your university course and then consider buying once you have a job.
I would continue sharing for the time being.
 
Hey CoconutLoconut! Welcome!

To me it sounds like it might be worth holding out a bit longer before buying your first horse. You may well be able to find someone willing to loan your horse during the week whilst you're away at uni, but as you'll be wanting the horse at weekends it does narrow down your options a little, although you may get lucky and find someone that has a family and so only wants to ride during the week.

Then there's the issue of an injuries or illnesses as whereas those that have a horse on full loan take on the horse's day to day costs, a sharer usually wouldn't. Do you have the funds to cover full livery if the horse got injured and the sharer no longer wanted to be involved? Likewise if the sharer gave you notice would you be able to pay to have the horse on full livery until you could find a new sharer?

It's definitely not impossible, but I imagine it could end up being pretty stressful. I'd maybe look at sharing until you finish uni. That way you can focus on your studies and know that once you're settled in your first job you have the money set aside to buy.
 
As someone who had a horse (well 2 at one point) through uni I'd say leave it a while. Uni and horses both take up so much time, I spent every waking moment doing one or the other and my grades orobably suffered for it. There will be plenty of people at uni taking their horses with them and there's nearly always people at the start of term looking for loaners, I'd stick with that for a while
 
I understand you wanting to get your own, and I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I think if I were you I'd wait until after uni. I had my first pony at 13 (on loan) and still had him when I went to uni (in fact I had sort of bought him by then but that's a whole other story). His owner / former owner was around to keep an eye on him while I was away and this was the only way I could do it, if he was completely mine I would have had to have sold him as I had no other back up with my parents being totally non-horsey. He lived in the field at the bottom of her garden and she checked on him every day and rode him very occasionally but other than that he did nothing and I spent my holidays building up his fitness rather than doing what I wanted. By the time he was fit, I was heading back to uni.

As much as I loved him, I was really pleased to be at uni with no real commitments. For the first time in my life, I could have a hangover with no consequnces, lie in until midday if I wanted and just be a student. I very much doubt you'll want to come home at weekends once you get there, you'll be having too much fun. Yes it would potentially be viable to find a sharer /loaner but good ones are like golddust. What happens if they want to send him back in the middle of the term? What would be your back up plan seeing as your family aren't horsey? If you do come home at weekends, will they be happy for you to ride then? Most sharers will want at least one weekend day and most loans would mean he is to all intents and purposes theirs so you can't just turn up and ride when it suits you. Even if you can make a share/loan work, do you really want to buy a horse (it could take you 6 months to find the right one) only to hand him over to someone else for 3 years within a few weeks? What if something went wrong with him during that time - you will have thrown a lot of money away and won't have a horse at the end of it. Being a student usually means you're skint, owning a horse also usually means you're skint - the two together can be catastrophic.

If you were asking how to make going to uni work after owning a pony for years I'd be giving you ideas of how to make it work. But I really don't think buying a horse now that you won't be able to ride properly for 3 years is the best way about it. I'd try to find a share / short term loan every summer or find people who want help while they're on holiday etc to get your horsey fix and buy one once you've finished. You've got your whole life to enjoy a horse, there's no rush.

Good luck with uni!
 
I think annagain has given you some really sound advice. I am 20 too, work full time and have 2 horses. Whilst I love them more than anything I was slightly jealous when all my friends went to uni and didn't have a care in the world. Even when I went to visit them during fresher's it was difficult finding cover for my horses and I would spend the weekend worrying about their care. So I would say go and have fun, put all your effort into your studies and then come back to horses when you've sorted yourself out with a decent job. :)
 
Thanks so much everyone. You've really given me some things to think about now...I guess I hadn't considered the actual uni part as in all the studying I'd have to do and the socialising! I guess you can't really keep uni and horses separate as they both require commitment. I will think about it some more. Maybe think about sharing for a few more months.
 
CoconutLoconut said:
Thanks so much everyone. You've really given me some things to think about now...I guess I hadn't considered the actual uni part as in all the studying I'd have to do and the socialising! I guess you can't really keep uni and horses separate as they both require commitment. I will think about it some more. Maybe think about sharing for a few more months.
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Oops, I didn't even mention the studying, although it wasn't really a priority for me most of the time!
 
I'd also say to wait till after university. 15k is a very good amount of money for someone so young to have saved up, and I'm afraid if I was your mother I'd be encouraging you to hang on to that money to use as a down payment on a house eventually. Sorry.
 
Spring Feather said:
I'd also say to wait till after university. 15k is a very good amount of money for someone so young to have saved up, and I'm afraid if I was your mother I'd be encouraging you to hang on to that money to use as a down payment on a house eventually. Sorry.
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Funny I was thinking along similar lines with regards to the money, that is a very good sum of money to save up very well done to you I wish I could save like that, thing is once you have a horse the chances of you ever being able to save that amount again is slim unless you have a very well paid job, but hey I can understand you wanting to spend it on a horse saving for a house is pretty boring for someone your age, good luck with whatever you decide to do:)
 
University is hard enough particularly if you want to work part time while doing your course and so another vote for waiting. After all Uni is only 3 years and getting a horse as an end incentive will help you crack on through uni. Also thats another 3 years to keep saving (admittedly may be hard when at uni theres quite a lot of expense particularly if you are living away from home.)
 
I understand really wanting one now, but since you're just leaving for Uni it's much better to wait. I actually bought my own horse when I was 14 and worked my ass off to keep her through school, then uni. She was special and I wouldn't change it, but I also would never recommend it. It was very difficult, especially coming out with loans to repay since all the money I earned working (instead of studying) went to her upkeep.

Plus, it's a time when you'll be so busy that you just won't have much time for a horse. My poor girl saw me once a week at most. Since you've managed to save up so much, hold onto it or put yourself through uni without loans! You'll be in a great position to get yourself a horse when you finish, and you'll have a lot more time too.
 
Universities also have riding clubs - and even though they want the best (most experienced) riders for their team competitions, they may well have subsidised riding lessons as well. Some also have polo clubs (better not get too keen on polo though!)
 
I'd recommend putting your grans money into a 3/5 deposit bond, or similar, so you can't get your hands on it. A house deposit is a very good destination for the money, and if your gran is anything like mine, she'd rather have seen her money go on a house than a horse.
 
I am and have always been 100% horsey I worked at riding schools and stud farms while I was a teenager and was spoiled enough to be bought a pony at 14 (working on the yard in return for livery) BUT the longest I was without a horse since then was while I was at Uni, I call it my 'cold turkey' phase, I splashed out on monthly lessons at uni and rode friends horses in all the holidays = I think the commitment of having my own over that period would have really ruined the wider aspects of uni, not to mention the actual time to work.

When I finished and got a job a horse was the first thing I bought (literally - not a car or a flat or anything sensible!) and now c.20 years later I still have my collection of waffes and strays and I wouldn't have it any other way.
We are really lucky that we can ride for a very long time - unlike many sports so there is no rush when Uni is on the horizon.
 
Buy a house before a horse.

Also, not many universities start in October with 8 week terms and those that do will need pretty much all your time. With the rest of your time I'd recommend being a student, taking advantage of the opportunity to meet loads of people and do all sorts of clubs and societies.

Having horses is like having children- enjoy uni and then you'll have all the time in the world to get a horse.
 
Please wait a while longer. WHo knows, you might do your Uni course and then sign up for a Masters or PhD straight after. Or you could get a fabulous job but which requires you to work all hours or travel alot. I was 32 before I got my first horse but I spent all the intervening years reading and helping other people so I got oodles of extra experience. By that time I had decided that actually owning a horse wasn't a brilliant idea largely due to my dodgy back, but then along came Her Ladyship, it was love at first sight and all my sensible thoughts went out of the window - they were right though as now 20 years later and horseless again my back and knees are at least 20 year older than the rest of my body :)
 
I agree with those saying to wait a while! I am currently at university and have, for the first time, been in the position where I could afford a horse.
However, doing my course and having a horse is just not possible at the moment, and I've had to finally admit it to myself!
I'm part of my riding club and we have really good lessons with a discount and we also go on hacks and beach rides :) It's all the fun without the stress! Friends of mine share horses, but really you need a car for that. For the time being, I'm happy doing riding lessons and still being able to party, go away for the weekend and lie in, all whilst being able to get all my assignments in!
As others have said, 15k is a great amount of money and if you're still working then it'll grow to be even more! As hard as it may be, wait until after uni. It is hard, but really is the best option! :)
 
I'm another that agrees with the wait a while approach. Uni is about so much more than the studying - at best you will just miss out, at worst you would begin to resent your horse/hobby as you turn down opportunities to do things. You can still get your horse fix through the riding club, or through sharing, or through (as I did) working on a yard during the holidays. But leave your time at uni for socialising, getting involved in clubs and learning. You also want to leave yourself with as few ties as possible when you finish to maximise your chances of getting the job you want. I would advise securing your amazing savings fund as well as you can - don't want a drunken raid to ruin all that hard work!
 
Nightmare before Christmas said:
I had horses and competed through uni so you can imagine what my answer is. You only live once!
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But did you take your horses with you to uni? I think OP plans to buy a horse and share/loan it out during the week and then go home to ride it on weekends and during the holidays which sounds like a recipe for problems IMO.
 
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I had a five year uni course that was full on and with long term times. I shared/part loaned during uni and rode in the team/uni riding club. I had sold my mare before uni, although that was the right decision at the time for me. (I went to uni 6hours away from where I grew up).

It's a difficult one. On the other hand, what course are you doing at uni? Ie will your job be full on when you've finished your course and start working?

Although I had one initially after beginning a full time job it was full on. Admittedly though I was better off financially. Now, I'm back looking for one- but again I do have thoughts in the back of my head about am I sure I'll have enough time etc, especially now where in the next year or two my husband and I will start thinking about having a family.

I guess what I'm trying to say is there will always be something else that will potentially get in the way, and I agree with what others have said, you do only live once.

That said, I would maybe be tempted to start your uni course and see how time/work intensive it is and go from there. You don't want to miss out on going out with your friends/travelling etc.
 
I'm at Uni and have horses. One horse comes with me. The other stays at home to be mum's hack. If I were a sensible person I'd have sold the horse to fund Uni. But I'm rather attached, have done everything with him since he was three, and he's a rather special boy. I was therefore, not sensible. I work full time in all of the holidays to fund him and do all of the care myself when he's here. It does mean that I don't live a student lifestyle, but I'm not that sort of person anyway. I do actually find that I have more time to do things because I'm up at 7am every morning to sort the horse. Unlike friends who are still in bed past midday. It is a tie. I have to be somewhere three times a day everyday. Do I mind? not really. Do my friends? - probably a little. My studies aren't suffering, I have fantastic friends, I don't go out often or drink much, but do socialise plenty.

I am lucky in that I have support from my parents at home, who ensure I have sufficient money to feed myself. (Horse always has everything he needs).

I do take part in the Uni Riding Team as well which is a blast and I would recommend it.

I'm not sure I'd want to buy a new horse whilst I was at Uni, especially if it wasn't coming with me. I have a couple of friends who have done that and they're really struggling getting to know them and keep them in consistent work.

I'd suggest you wait until you finish Uni. Someone'll have something they need help with and you won't be tied. However, If I were you, I can't say I'd be sensible :winkface3:
 
We have started a new YouTube Channel called HorsesforCourses which might help you (we'd love your feedback) :). The videos include 'How to Buy'. See[video=youtube_share;mPRtadrjIic]http://youtu.be/mPRtadrjIic?list=PLNzQI__qI7uJtBZMIc1IC_OEyzspK9iw Y[/video]
 
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