Really stuck and dont know what to do horse wise... any advice?

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bollybop

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I'm afraid I'm a regular user in disguise, but just wanted to do this incognito! Here is the situation. I've just moved to a new part of the country, and my horse has come with me. The rent is more than I was previously paying, and the livery is quite reasonable. However, the salary for the job is not as much as I thought it would be when I went for the interview.

I can afford to pay my rent, bills and livery etc, and have a small amount to put away into savings every month. However, I do keep thinking that it would be nice to sell my horse, and have all that money going into my savings, as I wouldn’t be so skint then.

Anyway horse facts: My horse is on full livery, as due to my job I cannot do DIY. He is also really too much for me too currently ride properly, so I am having to pay the livery yard to ride him for me. I am getting on him, and building my confidence up slowly, but it’s literally five minutes at a time. It’s going to take a long time for me to be confident on him (we had a parting of ways a few months ago, and it dented my confidence on him badly. I am fine on other horses that I know are a bit more “ploddy”.)

I enjoy having horses, but at the minute it just seems as though I am pouring money down the drain and not getting much benifit from it. I want to be able to ride and enjoy it, and go out to shows and have fun. I am sure current horse will get there, but it will be a good long time before I am fit to do it, and will have cost me thousands in the process.

So as I see it, I have three options:

  1. Sell horse and don’t bother getting another one yet so I can save money (sensible head thinks this is the right thing to do)
  2. Sell horse, but as I like being at the yard, get a nice ploddy replacement that will do a bit of low level stuff
  3. Keep current horse.

WWYD!!!
 
I would say maybe its best to Sell him and get something that you wont need the yard to ride so save some money there?
 
Life is short, you only live it once. Ask yourself how long realistically it's going to take you to get confident on this horse, if its a looooong time, sell. Get a cheap to keep, doesn't need shoes type, confidence giving nag and take some pressure off yourself.
 
Sell horse and get something you do want to ride and keep it on grass livery. More time, more money and more fun!
 
The only sticking point with selling is that he has had some medical issues in the past, which don't cause any problems for him now, but would mean he's not worth very much at all. I also am not keen on selling privately after some real nightmare people I had to deal with a few years ago.

It would therefore mean perhaps part-exing him at a dealers, or taking him to the sales.
 
I would sell, maybe wait a few months and save up some money over winter. Then buy a confidence giver next spring or if it worked out cheaper maybe share one with someone?
 
It would be nice to save up over winter.... trouble is if I don't have a horse, and don't "reserve" my stable, the chances of finding a space in another one locally would possibly be very slim.

I've looked into the share horses that are available currently, and they are all nutters, or want you to ride 4 horses!
 
What about sell and then share? Then you can keep your hand in 2/3 times a week for a fraction of the cost - do this over winter nd build the savings then if you want buy something suitable in the spring.
Sharing is commonly £20/30 a week so the cost of one lesson!
 
bollybop said:
The only sticking point with selling is that he has had some medical issues in the past, which don't cause any problems for him now, but would mean he's not worth very much at all. I also am not keen on selling privately after some real nightmare people I had to deal with a few years ago.

It would therefore mean perhaps part-exing him at a dealers, or taking him to the sales.
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I see your dilemma, but, do some sums, how much ideally would you like for him? How much are you paying for him to be ridden, kept on full livery etc? The weeks he's on sale at a bigger price are weeks you are paying out to keep him. Depending on how the sums work out, you may well have to bite the bullet and take less for him.
 
He really isn't worth much at all... and I really want to avoid selling privately, as I just cannot deal with the stress again after the last horse I sold. If I'm selling I want the horse away and gone, and not have to worry about him ever again.
 
sarahann1 said:
Life is short, you only live it once. Ask yourself how long realistically it's going to take you to get confident on this horse, if its a looooong time, sell. Get a cheap to keep, doesn't need shoes type, confidence giving nag and take some pressure off yourself.
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Seconded. I down graded 12 months ago, to a steadier type. (still have big horse but he retired due to injury) Really enjoyed the 'no need to ride every day' and not being a regular at the feed merchants. Bag of pony nuts every 3 months !

Six months after buying her my health took a nose dive and she is happily parked in the paddock with friends riding/schooling when they can. She seemed to know I was not right when I finally got back on her last week and took me for several steady rides. She is only 6 and green but she seemed to 'know' something is not right. She gives me something to look forward to when I am better and the confidence to get on despite her not doing much for a good while.

Life is short, no one knows what is around the corner.
 
I'd sell him. For the fact this is a very real consideration and not thru desperation sounds like he isn't the horse for you so your not having fun. And you should be enjoying him. Maybe best to sell to someone more suited, take a break and see what is out there. You might miss it so much you want another quite quick. But my opinion is if you don't enjoy your horse in whatever you like doing them maybe its best to sell. And that is the brave decision in itself as it will obviously be heartbreaking but best in the long run. Good luck!!
 
I would sell, you may not get much for him but atleast you'll be saving the livery expense, save up over winter (perhaps pay for lessons to continue with confidence as still be cheaper than livery) And then get something that will fit in with your lifestyle. The reason I love my cob is that she might be sharper when fit, but I know if needs be I can turn her away all winter and she'll come back into work without a fuss
 
Sell or loan him. Forget about his lack of value now, keeping him is money you won't get back anyway. If his health issue doesn't affect him now, why does it impact on his value so much?
 
I don’t really want to leave it over winter, as firstly I really want to be riding again (even over winter), and secondly, if I have winter “off” I would still be paying for a retainer on my stable... and as such I may as well have a horse in it to ride!
 
I don't think you have time for a horse you don't enjoy get yourself to a good riding school as you sound like you would have time to share even as most shares are diy. Have some lessons save your money.
 
I think sell him and either buy a cheaper horse that can maybe live out or on livery and get a sharer, or just share one for a while to get confidence that way you will know if you really want another if you have a break.
 
I agree that you should sell the horse (sounds as though you've already decided this anyway) but if you're struggling money wise I would not buy another horse or pay to hold the stable. Give yourself a winter off, get some lessons on horses you feel confident on, share something (other share horses will come up, especially as winter comes up, there may even be someone at your yard..).

I would sell the horse privately, not everyone is like your "nightmare buyers". Ask your yard to help you perhaps?
 
Do you want to persevere with this horse? It doesn't sound to me like you do.(Which is fine) I think I'd sell and get something quieter that you can really enjoy. With whichever horse you end up with, can you look at assisted DIY - so you only have help on days your job demands, rather than full livery?

If you do want to persevere, your other option would be to get a sharer for him who could help with livery bills and reduce the need for you to pay the yard to ride him? Or loan to stay at your yard (maybe even with view to buy?) so you have a bit of space to sort out in your head what you want to do without the financial and emotional pressure?

It's so hard to make that decision to sell so I really feel for you. I've not done it myself but I came very close. I felt like I was admitting defeat, which is hard for me as I'm a stubborn old goat so I stuck it out, then he went lame and it was taken out of my hands. The only reason I stuck it out was that the only issue for me was jumping and that only formed about 5% of our time together. Although I didn't advertise him, I replied to a few wanted ads, thankfully they didn't get back to me! Knowing what I know now (foot problems) it wasn't his fault and we're both very happy now that we don't jump!

One last question - and tell me to butt out if you want, but reading between the lines are you happy with the move on every other level? Sometimes if lots of things are getting you down, you end up focussing on one thing as the problem, when it's not really the issue?

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
I would sell the current horse and buy something more suitable, from your posts it is obvious that you actually want a horse, just one that you are happy riding :) As to being skint, think of it this way - you have an average amount of disposable income, you just choose to spend it on your one hobby, the horse.
Honestly, I don't think that being able to pay your bills, keep a horse and put a small amount into savings each month is a bad position to be in. You can save all your life, get rid of horse, put the money away, keep slogging away - when are you going to spend some and enjoy yourself? Life is short, make the best of it while you can.
Selling your current horse, whereabouts are you? PM if you prefer.
 
Sell him and get something you enjoy..!!! This is exactly what I have just done, even though I am letting current horse go for half of the price I paid gor him (he has developed sarcoids).
Im lucky that Im in a position to have mine living out 24/7 up the road from my house but still I was struggling to motivate myself.
I have now bought a lovely new horse who will be arriving next week and Im finding that Im actually excited at the thought of getting back in the saddle :)
 
Polos Mum said:
What about sell and then share? Then you can keep your hand in 2/3 times a week for a fraction of the cost - do this over winter nd build the savings then if you want buy something suitable in the spring.
Sharing is commonly £20/30 a week so the cost of one lesson!
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That's what I would do sell and share.
 
Ok ideally what I would “want” to do would to take my horse to a dealers, and come away with a hairy, green bog pony that needs some work, but would be ridable, and sensible enough for me. (I don’t have a large budget, and I know that this is all I am likely to get with what I’ve got).

I want to get on and ride, and enter the shows that are being held at my yard, at the minute I can’t. Although I’ve had current horse a while, I’ve not ridden properly for a while due to work issues, and the parting of company between us a few months ago.

My sensible head says I should not have a horse and save money, but I want a horse in my stable that I can go and sling a saddle on and ride. I don’t really want to share one either I’m afraid. I’ve already looked into it in the area, and so far there is nothing suitable.

I am happy with the work move, as I have engineered it so that I am living near work and the yard, and the yard was chosen due to its facilities. I am based near Liverpool now.
 
I have been/am in a very similar position at the moment. I decided to sell my very green young Arabian because he scared me, and get something more sensible. He went to a wonderful home where he will fit in perfectly; I lost a lot of money but I have a clear conscience. I would have px'd if I had to, because I had to be practical - no point paying for a horse I couldn't ride! I'm a month into my horse search and have come up with... nowt; I think my budget is just a little too low for the saint I want to buy. I'm going to see one over the weekend who sounds wonderful, but if he isn't for me I'll be letting my stable go (with a strong chance that I'll never get it back for years, as the yard is heavily over-subscribed). I'll then take lessons and save up a bit with the intention of buying another next year, hopefully in the summer when people want to switch to grass livery and the yard may have space. You could perhaps do what I've done; I've really thought it through and would rather have no horse than the wrong horse, as my confidence is in tatters and I've been left thinking that I can't ride at all!
 
What about trying to find someone to loan him at your yard over winter, then you would save money, still keep your stable and you could have lessons etc if you still want to ride. Then in spring see how you feel and maybe sell him then and get something else? just a thought.
 
bollybop said:
Ok ideally what I would “want” to do would to take my horse to a dealers, and come away with a hairy, green bog pony that needs some work, but would be ridable, and sensible enough for me. (I don’t have a large budget, and I know that this is all I am likely to get with what I’ve got).

I want to get on and ride, and enter the shows that are being held at my yard, at the minute I can’t. Although I’ve had current horse a while, I’ve not ridden properly for a while due to work issues, and the parting of company between us a few months ago.
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Sounds like your mind is made up so strike while the iron's hot and do it! As long as you find a good reputable dealer, both your current horse and the new one will be fine. Good luck.
 
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