University and horses

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Luna2006

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I have the difficult decision of deciding what to do with my mare when I go to university. She won't be sold so it's a choice between leaving her at her current yard and getting a loaner or bringing her with me and keeping her at a yard near to my university. I'm yet to decide on which university will be my firm choice yet but I will either be attending one in London (in which case, nothing changes as I will be at home anyway) or I will be in Liverpool or Brighton.
I'm not keen on getting a loaner as although she's foot perfect on the ground, she isn't an easy ride in the slightest and is only 14hh so maybe difficult to find an experienced teen/adult who is the right size for her. On top of this we've had bad experiences with loaners on our yard before so making me a bit worried about having someone else ride and care for her.
Taking her to university would obviously be my top choice however I would be having to afford livery - I'm not sure I will find somewhere as well priced as where I am currently to be able to afford alongside uni accomodation/food etc. I'm not too concerned with balancing her with university work as she lives out 24/7 and doesn't need to be kept in regular work - the only issues which could then arise are if she were to get ill or injured so needed to be stabled or if I couldn't find livery which offered 24/7 turnout like I have now.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated - and if anybody has experience taking their horses to Liverpool or Brighton I would love to know what the equine communites are like around those areas
TIA
 
Not helpful on London/Brighton but I bought my boy in my placement year and took him to uni with me for final year. I don't regret it but financially for me it would have been impossible without a lot of support from my parents, he was on DIY at £140 a month with extras usually around £40/£50 as paying for turnout or bring in was cheaper than the fuel to drive out to him twice a day. My parents agreed to pay for any emergencies and I knew that if I was ever struggling I could ask for help which I had to do on more than one occasion.

It also depends on the contact hours for your course, I studied humanities so in final year I was only in lectures for 4 hours a week (bargain for 9 grand a year) so I was very lucky and able to structure my research around him and could be at the yard during daylight hours. It also helped he was a very immature 5yo so he spent a lot of it out of work.

Denzel was invaluable for my mental health during final year and I honestly don't know if I'd have done it without him, however I did feel as though I missed out on a lot of typical student things. I couldn't afford to join the sports teams I wanted or go on nights out with my friends, or meals out with my course mates. That wasn't so much of an issue for me because I'd already done a lot of those things in my first two years, but knowing myself I certainly would have resented it in first year so it would have been a different decision for me.

It's worth contacting your uni's equestrian society if there is one, or if they don't another uni in the city might. They're likely to be able to recommend yards who either provide livery or a riding school who can recommend somewhere.

Is there an option to turn her away for your first year and reevaluate before second year?
 
Tbh it totally depends on what degree you are doing and expected contact hours.
My first degree I had no issues with keeping a horse, apart from my placement blocks where I needed to arrange care if I wasn’t able to get to horse.
Current degree, not a chance. 1st and second year wasn’t too bad, but was heavy contact. The rest there’s no way I could keep horse fully fit and ready to go; I hack the odd weekend and whenever have time but it’s not a priority! Too much workload and again my placements can take me away for long periods and hours aren’t reliable lol.
 
One particular challenge with taking your horse with you to Uni is what you do during the very long holidays. You may find you need to pay a holding fee to retain space at your current yard so you have somewhere to come back to during the summer. Otherwise you end up being home with pony still in Liverpool or wherever.

It is a massive financial drain - but you can do it with parent support. You will miss out on some of student life - quite a lot if you have to work as well. Uni Equestrian Societies usually can't help - BUCS equestrian competition takes place on borrowed horses only so a rider with their own horse is in fact a liability rather than an asset.

We managed the best of both when DD went to Uni in London last year. She lives on campus so gets all the social side but is close enough to come home and ride at least once during the week and to compete / hunt at weekends. She got a grant from her Uni to carry their colours at competitions which covers travel costs and branded clothing. Horse is either lunged by me, walker-ed or professionally schooled on days she can't ride.

Finding a loaner would be challenging but far from impossible. I am closely involved with a local pony club and I have at least 2 would meet your cirteria and are looking for exactly that type of thing and we are holding for University loans - and accepting loans are term time only. We are south of London - if you want more info PM me. Otherwise speak to your local DC about kids working at B test level wanting a uni loan. They are out there!

ETA - I say kids... these are all over 16. I'm just old!
 
University for most people is a once in a lifetime opportunity to do and try things outside their normal activites and I would encourage any student to leave themselves as free as possibe to throw theselves into uni life, particularly in the first year. Have you considered truning away? I have just bought a horse that has been turned away for the best part of three years, not because of injury but because her owner didn't have time to ride her. she's come back into work well, is just lacking strength and muscle. You could do it for the first year and get yourself established with friends etc at uni and then decide what to do.
 
I found my horse a loaner when I went to uni.
I would say leave her where she is especially as you like your current yard, at least until you get there and settle in for a few months. As well as being able to have the chance to try new activities/ go out with new friends without having the commitment of a horse (and a lie in!) we used to get 4 weeks at Christmas, 3-4 weeks after 2nd term then a very long summer so you will either have to stay at the uni location/ pay for someone to do her or keep moving her back and forth! I was lucky to still be able to ride my horse or accompany loaner on a friends horse when I went home for weekends, but you can always join the riding club if you need a horsey fix.

If after a few months or in 2nd/3rd year you decide you would be happier with you then you can have a look at local yards to see if any are suitable :)
 
If you’re going to Liverpool Uni then just be warned that the suburbs go on for a long way and there are very few yards within easy distance of the student accommodation areas. It’s a bit better at the northern end (Crosby etc) but that’s still 7+ miles outside the city centre. I’m in south Liverpool and other than one or two farms off the M57 and one yard in Hale, you have to head over towards Prescot/Knowsley/Rainford to find anything.
 
I was going to mention the holidays, I was essentially 'at home' for nearly 6 months of the year (and returned as I had the option of full time work.) A couple of friends did ship them back 'home' for summer and have them on full livery Christmas and easter but both did first year without them (put on loan) until they could see if it would work out.
 
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