The cost of eventing!!

[Gamebird]

Just sitting here with five minutes free thinking about the horrific cost of eventing. Now I have a averagely well paid job, but also a large mortgage and have unfortunately just moved from a farm (free livery) to a livery yard (albeit DIY).

I'm not moaning about value because I know that a dressage test, SJ round and XC comp would all add up to about the same as a BE entry fee and the standards of course building etc. at unaff. competitions can be dodgy.

But, and it's a big but, where on earth do people find money for entry fees??? I've just done an Osberton entry and will need to enter Chatsworth and Richmond before I get paid again - well there's £200-odd in one go. I'm only competing two horses and don't have huge fuel costs but if I ever want to do a 3-day I'll have to save all year! (and certainly not let my husband know how much the entries are!).

On the basis that most people on here aren't any better off than me (and if you are can you lend me a tenner?!) how on earth do you all manage?

 

[Baydale]

This is a well-timed post seeing as I've just shelled out for BSJA membership for myself and two horses: a grand total of £257! (Note to Self: dig out stuff to go on Ebay later).

I think we're all in denial, certainly never add it all up, and go without food/clothes/a social life to be able to afford it. I'm a jammy b***er as we live on a farm, and I have a well-paid 3 day a week job and also teach/ride to supplement my income.

I have to save up for my 3 days. I try to make sure I get the maximum effect/results from the least number of outings ie. getting qualifications and mileage without running the horses into the ground. The downside of this is that I put myself under more pressure on those occasions (as k9h will testify), thereby increasing the chances of c***ing up.

 

[pinktiger]

i only have one horse and that halves the bills!!!!!

 

[KatB]

With difficulty!! Only run the one horse thank god and at the mo at entry level, but dread the costs increasing as I move up the levels. I work as much overtime as possible, still live at home and very rarely spend money on myself. Why I want to event am not really sure

But i figure I cant afford to get on the property ladder, so may aswell enjoy it whlst I can whilst have no mortgage etc to pay

 

[kerilli]

i've had a few years off, but the cost of it 4 years ago horrified me. especially when i had to withdraw from events (with vet's certif) and didn't get a refund even though my space was filled... i lost over £600 one season because of this, with 2 horses. that was really gutting. travelling to the other end of the country to do a very expensive A dressage test and then not jump because the ground was so bad (despite assurances on the phone that they'd do everything to it) also made me very bitter.
of course, diesel is now double the cost... i filled my lorry up this morning, £95!!!
entries... jeez. i am going to be a bit picky, and not do tons of events, i guess. do a lot of my practise stuff here at home too, only do a bit of extra sj etc.
i save up by not going on holidays, not drinking, not smoking, not doing drugs (not that i ever would!), reining in my designer-clothes habit, not going out much... crikey, i'm boring!

my mum helps me a bit, bless her... i think she's so relieved that i'm not a druggie (unlike some of her friends' kids) that she rewards me by indulging me in my eventing.

 

[Baydale]

[ QUOTE ]
do a lot of my practise stuff here at home too, only do a bit of extra sj etc.
i save up by not going on holidays, not drinking, not smoking, not doing drugs (not that i ever would!), reining in my designer-clothes habit, not going out much... crikey, i'm boring!

[/ QUOTE ]

My BSJA reg was out of necessity: HH desperately needs the practice, H can win me some money, and it should help with my nerves at events if I do enough of it. I only bit the bullet cos the boys have won me £169 this month (I wish that happened every month!)

I can go without all those things you mention other than the booze.

 

[kerilli]

haha.
i desperately need the practise too, and it's by far the worst part for me at events. what i didn't mention is that registering bsja inevitably seems to put a jinx on my horses, i've done it 3 times in the past only for them to go lame the next week and need the season off...

 

[KatB]

Agree re. practising at home. Not going to do much other than event until July/Aug when he will have some time to SJ and BD as I dot trust the ground to be great. However, if we have good weather for eventing all year so ground isnt to dry or wet, I will be officially bankrupt at the end of the season from running without a break!!

 

[Gamebird]

Sadly I too was a jammy b***er with a farmer husband. However with farming being the way it is (and possibly with his wife freeloading all the spare haylage, straw, keeping horses in sheds that could have housed cattle etc...) the farm had to go.
Husband has a building job now, works half the hours, earns twice the money and has no worries.

I have had to let my BSJA membership slip as I couldn't afford it anymore.

I think Baydale and Kerilli are right - my novice horse is getting fewer runs this season than ever and I am picking them to get the most (ie. qualifications, experience) from them. The move to the livery yard has paid off in that there is a school and jumps so I can put work in at home that I haven't been able to before. However nothing beats match practice, and young horses need running to learn.

I think I need a new job!!

 

[Baggybreeches]

I have always loved eventing for the sheer thrill of the xc, so I am now trying p2p if that satisfys my adrenalin that I am seriously thinking of doing that instead.
Some Facts Eventing Horse Reg £65, Rider Reg £110, Entry Fees (inc Start fee) £61, Prize money should be lucky enough ??????
Pointing Qualifying £200 - £300 but you get 6 days hunting, RQC £147? Hunter Cert £54, Entry Fee £25, Prize money £150++++!!!
I dont think eventing is a rip off, but it needs some serious action to avoid becoming an elitest discipline as it was in the eighties.

 

[Gamebird]

Echo Baydale... I can manage with no clothes or social life, but I have a serious wine habit to fund

 

[Baggybreeches]

[ QUOTE ]
Echo Baydale... I can manage with no clothes or social life, but I have a serious wine habit to fund

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh I was assuming we all did without new clothes anyway??

I am often given things by friends, colleagues and family who feel sorry for me.

I have had a bad week this week though, lost 2 bra wires!!!!

Bugger, means I need to go undie shopping

 

[i_should_be_working]

How sad am I. Nearly 40 and I have moved back home so that I can rent out my house (rent nearly pays the mortgage), that then meant that I could move to a yard with a school (4 times what I was paying before as they hadn't put up my rent for 15years!). I work until 9pm each night so Im not tempted to go out and I don't get overtime and if I don't go out then I go straight home and therefore save on fuel. My aged mum does the 2 boys each evening so I don't have to pay for assisted DIY. A sad life and destined to be "billy" but I love the lessons, training shows and planning where our events will be but it is expensive so I try not to ever add it up. The horses wardrobe is far more up-to-date than mine!

 

[Baydale]

Yay, another drunken bum (I can feel the formation of a new clique coming on)!

fa2, my OH would love me to p2p (I reckon he's trying to get rid of me: Melton Hunt Ride and Fernie Team Chase both got a big thumbs up when they were suggested to him

). I think I'm too old and too chicken tbh but the cost of doing it (when we hunt anyway) makes it look like an interesting alternative to eventing.

 

[Baggybreeches]

I was actually suprised, I thought it would be way more expensive, but definitely worth a bash. I have bought quite a few bits of kit off ebay, and borrowed some other bits for now, but even the tack, clothes everything is just so much more realistically priced. And even better if like me people keep giving you horses for Free!!

 

[tigers_eye]

I've moved abroad. Seriously, I think many brits will go the way the GB showjumpers and dressage riders have soon. I went xc schooling today, 5 euros per horse..... Diesel is the same, but with a euro sign in front of it (as seems to the case with a lot of things), and entries are between 10 euros (with no prize money, but some nice prizes in kind) and 25 euros..... (that's at a top-level affiliated event, ok you'll prob pay for stabling too, but hey) with decent prize money. Oh and lessons? MUCH cheaper. Your horse is registered for life, and my registartion costs 150 euros per year and I can do all disciplines...

 

[SteveGG]

I am fortunate that I have a well paid job - but the downside is that that I leave home at 7:30am after riding and I am lucky to get back home much before 7:30pm.
Even so the entry fees and travel costs do seem to add up. I just try not to think about it too much - after all the monthly cost is still less than the livery (for 2), shoes, bedding etc.
The problem is that if I gave up eventing I think that I might just give up riding & then I might have a lot more money but it would be rather boring.

 

[Baydale]

That's why I'd love to do some three-days abroad, and I can kid my OH that it's a holiday for him.

They're bound to make you more welcome than Weston do.

 

[SteveGG]

Nicky - the only 3-D-E I have done are Weston & Ede. Weston was fine but with everything spread out and the late date it always seemed that I was in a rush to get somewhere. Everything was much more relaxed at Ede and def felt more like a holiday.

 

[Thistle]

I think we should have a H&H trip to some of the closer events across the channel, that way it wouldn't seem so intimidating if we knew some of the others there.

BTW Nicky, are you going to Manor Farm next Thurs now you have crossed over to the dark side?

 

[Baydale]

That's a brilliant idea Thistle, particularly if I can hitch a lift with someone as my lorry is nearly as geriatric as I am.

I can't do Thursdays unfortunately as I'm in MK working. I also wondered whether HumungaHorse would make the turns at Manor Farm or if it would look like something akin to fairground dodgems.

 

[Gamebird]

Can I start a 'I'm a HHO alcoholic and I'd like to compete abroad (preferably in someone else's wagon)' clique please?
Any other members?

 

[Hullabaloo]

I would love to do BE with my horse but it is just too expensive for me. If I was to enter an intro on a ticket, by the time I paid for fuel etc, I'd probably be looking at £150 which I can't justify for 1 event. We are lucky that we have a few unaffiliated competitions round here over BE courses and they are much more affordable.

I do understand why it is so expensive, but it does put it out of reach of a lot of hobby riders such as myself.

 

[Thistle]

Willough likes it there as she wins money! Possibly because she is small and nippy, last time I went the eventers were all moaning about the turns.

 

[Rosiefan]

My lot reckon p2p is less hairy than eventing because if you come off, you're going so fast that even with a rotational fall you end up well in front of the horse - so your OH had better stick with you eventing if he's trying to get rid

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I work f/t and take on extra whenever possible I'm lucky to have help from Mum as well. No social life, nights out or nice clothes (except riding ones!). It is worth it though although really starting to feel the pinch this year with the high fuel costs - my nearest event is 2 hours away and I guess the average is 5 hours. I guess it is all worth it when I get a bit of ribbon although aim to do more BSJA this year as more econmical and local.

 

[daisycrazy]

tigers_eye - which country have you moved to? How easy is it to register and start competing? Are there certain areas in the country where there are more competitions? I was trying to find out about eventing and SJ in France but struggling with my limited French to find much info.

 

[henryhorn]

We worked out the cost last year of running the lorry, lessons every week with trainers' local comps to get horse going and entry fees plus farrier/feed/back lady/vet etc came to over £15k.. And that's just a few horses kept at home so no livery costs.
My daughter is currently working at an event yard and funding herself with just one horse to compete, this year we were planning on competing three but diesel costs would have knocked that on the head.
I think it's incredibly expensive to event compared with other sports, but do see where the entry fee charges come from, so not complaining re them.
Living here there are few events drivable within an hour, and diesel prices will restrict lots of people if they keep going up and up.
On the good side this year once some more horses are sold we might afford a nice holiday..

 

[sw123]

I close my eyes and hope the cards get accepted and the cheques dont bounce?!

I started eventing as a working pupil and that gave me very expensive tastes - lessons everyday, SJ every week, lovely tack and gear, horse looking perfect all the time.

Then came home and went to uni so had a student loan, an NHS student bursary and a universty sports bursary all to pay for eventing, was lovely

No i'm in the real world and its scary!!! Leaving for work having ridden at 7.30 and working all day but at least knowing that the money i'm earning will make it worth it. However got a huge shock when i couldnt have the usual amounts of lessons, now have so many more things to pay for, so much less time its just a nightmare!!! Been an expensive week this week, had SJ lesson which was luckily 1/2 price as didnt do the full hour on tuesday at £20, then dressage lesson yesterday at £35, physio today at £50, Another dr lesson on sat (can you tell Belton is coming up!) albeit that will only be £20, SJ on Sun at £15 a class and £60 for the diesel and then shoes next monday at £75 a set!!

Need to enter Osberton and Chatsworth somewhere, not good!!

Between mum, my aunt and I we also own 2 young horses that we bred, both are with a pro at the mo and those bills are just scary and I only have to pay a 1/3!!!! The pre novice one was £790 last month not inc entry fees.

One day maybe i'l have horses, a life, a nice car, a nice house, nice wardrobe and time left over in the day!!

 

[flohelf]

Pretty much the same system in France... Competing in the UK is mad