What are the benefits of having your own horse?

I love having my own. There isn't anything like having your own furry therapist :) I have 2 boys but admit that it happened in an unexpected turn of events, I love them both and can never see me parting with either but when I lose one I won't be replacing it. One is enough but I can't imagine life without both of my boys ❤️
 
Ask me in the summer and you’ll get a different answer to now 😅
I don’t remember life without horses and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing! Very fortunate to have them as a child, which were the best days.
Since then they have been largely hassle and heartbreak, interspersed with those occasional moments where you can’t imagine wanting to do anything else. It’s like the worlds worst drug.

The plan is that my current girls will be my last. I think I need to see what a normal life is like.
 
Right, I have tried to type this about 4 times…..


The benefits do far outweigh any reservations that you may have in buying or owning your own horse. You may have read elsewhere in the forum that I have just lost my heart horse. After £8,000 of surgery his blood stopped clotting and he turned anaemic that in turn then ruptured his colon and there was nothing else could be done for him. But still… I wouldn’t change a single thing I did for that boy, Id do it all again for another, some may think it is silly but another horse kind of fell straight into my lap a couple of days later and was offered to me so I bought him in the hope he might help to mend my heart a little. And what a wonder he is turning out to be. He is utterly amazing. I would hate to think what a mess I would be in if I did not have him. Thanks to all of my friends who Pushed me to get him as I felt guilty I was doing a disservice to BB. So all in all i am glad I did as he is turning out to be a star.

So get your own there will be ups and downs we all have them… 🥰
 
Cloball said:
I lost all my COVID weight and some without trying at all probably due to stress and anxiety, I feel healthier out in the fresh air even when I'm hiding in the shed from the hail. I watch less TV. You really get to know their personality when you're trying to stop then dying. Mine gives great cuddles ... When she's sick and can't escape.

The best thing is the fluffy ears....when they're your own you can run your face allover the fluffy ears and there's no one to judge you... Except your pony, mine has a very judgey side eye.
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There's the smell too

There is no smell in the world better than the smell of your own horse
 
I attempted to give up horse ownership after several decades (apart from the resident retiree). lasted 2 years and then bought a 5 year old. She has probably kept me sane during the past few extremely difficult years I've been experiencing. I have no plans to sell her, ever, but she will probably be my last.

One thing I was ruminating over this morning as I was hacking along in the rain was the number of posters who ask questions about the management of their horses on diy who they only seem to see at 5am and 8pm and never really get to ride, and I did think that if my job meant I couldn't spend a fair part of most days of the week playing about with my horses then I really wouldn't want to have them, wouldn't feel it was fair on the horse and wouldn't be able to justify the expense.
 
My top tip is to get owners who pay for the horse and you just ride it! There are no benefits owning your own unless you are very friendly with disappointment and familiar with resilience.
 
Barton Bounty said:
Right, I have tried to type this about 4 times…..


The benefits do far outweigh any reservations that you may have in buying or owning your own horse. You may have read elsewhere in the forum that I have just lost my heart horse. After £8,000 of surgery his blood stopped clotting and he turned anaemic that in turn then ruptured his colon and there was nothing else could be done for him. But still… I wouldn’t change a single thing I did for that boy, Id do it all again for another, some may think it is silly but another horse kind of fell straight into my lap a couple of days later and was offered to me so I bought him in the hope he might help to mend my heart a little. And what a wonder he is turning out to be. He is utterly amazing. I would hate to think what a mess I would be in if I did not have him. Thanks to all of my friends who Pushed me to get him as I felt guilty I was doing a disservice to BB. So all in all i am glad I did as he is turning out to be a star.

So get your own there will be ups and downs we all have them… 🥰
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I'm sorry to hear about your loss @Barton Bounty and thank you for sharing your perspective. I am glad that your new boy is helping you to heal and hope you enjoy every moment with him 🥰

Rowreach said:
One thing I was ruminating over this morning as I was hacking along in the rain was the number of posters who ask questions about the management of their horses on diy who they only seem to see at 5am and 8pm and never really get to ride, and I did think that if my job meant I couldn't spend a fair part of most days of the week playing about with my horses then I really wouldn't want to have them, wouldn't feel it was fair on the horse and wouldn't be able to justify the expense.
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I think this is a very good point and for me personally, I would want to make sure I had the flexibility to spend a good amount of time with them rather only being able to do the necessary tasks due to time constraints.
 
Not to derail the thread or overshare but I will say that I am considering horse ownership now at a point in my life where an unfortunate change in personal circumstances will result in more free time, some equity from the sale of my house and therefore additional cash to put towards a horse purchase. I also anticipate being quite lonely and miserable for a time, so I guess I’m trying to find a positive out of my situation and use it to my advantage to achieve a life goal, find some purpose and do some healing at the same time.

However, even if my personal circumstances hadn’t changed, horse ownership would have still been a goal/dream for me just a lot further down the road.

Hopefully that doesn’t sound too bizarre or the wrong reason to be considering a horse of my own.
 
I 'loved' that but also wanted to add that I'm sorry it's coming out of difficult circumstances.

I have yet to have my own horse and despite all the various things it throws up (as evidenced on this forum), I have still not been put off! When my dad died during Covid I seriously thought about it then as I had a bit of money from him though not enough really. I still have it though and it's for the horse fund, keeping the dream going at least.
 
Rowreach said:
One thing I was ruminating over this morning as I was hacking along in the rain was the number of posters who ask questions about the management of their horses on diy who they only seem to see at 5am and 8pm and never really get to ride, and I did think that if my job meant I couldn't spend a fair part of most days of the week playing about with my horses then I really wouldn't want to have them, wouldn't feel it was fair on the horse and wouldn't be able to justify the expense.
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I would love to be able to spend as much of my day with my horses as I please but I need to work to keep them and for me it’s absolutely worth the expense even if all I do is poop scoop and a quick check over twice in a day. They daily put a smile on my face and I don’t think they feel they are unfairly treated getting to groom, mooch and graze with their field mates instead of having to play with me.

@norolim I'm glad you haven’t been put off. I think it’s so worth it to have your own.
 
It's really sad to see so many totally disheartened by horse ownership due to horse illness and injury. I've had/am having a wonderful experience of horse ownership, I don't think I will ever go back to being horse-less even if I were to lose the one that currently owns me.

@norolim the purchase of my horse made me single. I didn't have time to feel lonely, nor did I get those calls that many coupled up owners got asking them how long they were going to be and to hurry up. I swan around in my own little dream world, spending as much or as little time as I choose, knowing that the only obligation I have that day is feeding the cats at home. This has been my reality for the last 15 years.
 
norolim said:
Not to derail the thread or overshare but I will say that I am considering horse ownership now at a point in my life where an unfortunate change in personal circumstances will result in more free time, some equity from the sale of my house and therefore additional cash to put towards a horse purchase. I also anticipate being quite lonely and miserable for a time, so I guess I’m trying to find a positive out of my situation and use it to my advantage to achieve a life goal, find some purpose and do some healing at the same time.

However, even if my personal circumstances hadn’t changed, horse ownership would have still been a goal/dream for me just a lot further down the road.

Hopefully that doesn’t sound too bizarre or the wrong reason to be considering a horse of my own.
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Nah, you won't be lonely or have time on your hands if you find the right horse. I'm glad something good will come out of what sounds a largely negative place you're at. It is mandatory for us to help you search and for you to post photos though 😁

The first one is such a milestone, go for it!
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Not read all replies but there’s a decent middle ground in sharing or part loaning a horse. A lot of the good bits, less cost, less stress around looking after them!
 
LEC said:
My top tip is to get owners who pay for the horse and you just ride it! There are no benefits owning your own unless you are very friendly with disappointment and familiar with resilience.
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That works if your reason for having horses is to ride, train or compete them. What if the most important thing to you is to keep your horses long term? One of the most difficult situations I've had was getting far too attached to a horse that I had brought back into work for his owner, but didn't own. Riding but not owning really doesn't work for me.
 
I had already bought my horse when I found out that a fair number of owners were open to the idea of sharing. I'm glad I have my own, because some of the horse management I see is eye opening and not something I would want to be involved with. But when it ain't your money there's nothing you can do.
 
One thing I learned from sharing was how much the right people and environment can make or break 'horse time' which I'm sure applies to ownership too. It's something I would want to be as selective as possible about before going for my own horse.
 
norolim said:
Not to derail the thread or overshare but I will say that I am considering horse ownership now at a point in my life where an unfortunate change in personal circumstances will result in more free time, some equity from the sale of my house and therefore additional cash to put towards a horse purchase. I also anticipate being quite lonely and miserable for a time, so I guess I’m trying to find a positive out of my situation and use it to my advantage to achieve a life goal, find some purpose and do some healing at the same time.

However, even if my personal circumstances hadn’t changed, horse ownership would have still been a goal/dream for me just a lot further down the road.

Hopefully that doesn’t sound too bizarre or the wrong reason to be considering a horse of my own.
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Not to assume but if its a partner, the horse will soon fill any hole left very quickly 🥰 and become the new love of your life ❤️ we can all vouch for that, @scats is completely correct it is the worlds worst drug, everything about it 😂

And once you start… thats it 🥰

Welcome to the world of us crazy bitches 😂
 
norolim said:
Not to derail the thread or overshare but I will say that I am considering horse ownership now at a point in my life where an unfortunate change in personal circumstances will result in more free time, some equity from the sale of my house and therefore additional cash to put towards a horse purchase. I also anticipate being quite lonely and miserable for a time, so I guess I’m trying to find a positive out of my situation and use it to my advantage to achieve a life goal, find some purpose and do some healing at the same time.

However, even if my personal circumstances hadn’t changed, horse ownership would have still been a goal/dream for me just a lot further down the road.

Hopefully that doesn’t sound too bizarre or the wrong reason to be considering a horse of my own.
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Sounds a perfectly good reason to me.

Plus it means anyone who comes into your life down the line knows full well that horses are part of it.

My long suffering OH found me not long after I'd been adopted by a stray cat. I was regularly riding my friend's horses at the time, but I'm not entirely sure he expected a decade down the line to be spending his life with multiple cats and horses :D He's got sole charge tomorrow night which for a guy who never had pets growing up because his mum had allergies is pretty good going
 
Rowreach said:
One thing I was ruminating over this morning as I was hacking along in the rain was the number of posters who ask questions about the management of their horses on diy who they only seem to see at 5am and 8pm and never really get to ride, and I did think that if my job meant I couldn't spend a fair part of most days of the week playing about with my horses then I really wouldn't want to have them, wouldn't feel it was fair on the horse and wouldn't be able to justify the expense.
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I think this is one of the reasons I don't see myself buying a horse any time soon. I can't keep it at home and I know I wouldn't enjoy having to get up early every morning to go and see it. I also think that I would end up disliking having to go every evening to look after it. Particularly in the winter when riding opportunities could be seriously limited.

I am toying with the idea of a share, but not really actively looking.
 
norolim said:
Not to derail the thread or overshare but I will say that I am considering horse ownership now at a point in my life where an unfortunate change in personal circumstances will result in more free time, some equity from the sale of my house and therefore additional cash to put towards a horse purchase. I also anticipate being quite lonely and miserable for a time, so I guess I’m trying to find a positive out of my situation and use it to my advantage to achieve a life goal, find some purpose and do some healing at the same time.

However, even if my personal circumstances hadn’t changed, horse ownership would have still been a goal/dream for me just a lot further down the road.

Hopefully that doesn’t sound too bizarre or the wrong reason to be considering a horse of my own.
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Having horses has got me through some very long days. If nothing else the routine will get you out of bed! And get yourself on a nice yard where you will have to see and chat to people. It can make a huge difference if you are going through a lonely spell in life.
 
Kunoichi73 said:
I can't keep it at home and I know I wouldn't enjoy having to get up early every morning to go and see it. I also think that I would end up disliking having to go every evening to look after it. Particularly in the winter when riding opportunities could be seriously limited.
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If you can find the right yard that isn't actually mandatory - I'm on assisted DIY so someone else feeds and checks my horse for me first thing in the morning. I stop in after work to change rugs, poo pick, and ride. Weekends are for trips out, fence repairing, etc. We have stables but don't use them much, as it's better for the horses and easier for us for them to be out 24/7.

I also have a partner, a full time job, other animals, and a manically busy non-horse life - so it can be done. But I completely agree with the people who have said it's best to wait until you really do have enough genuinely spare cash for every bill not to be a struggle. Trying to keep a horse on a shoestring would be unimaginably stressful.

ETA - and yes riding is more limited in winter, but who wants to ride in the peeing rain anyway? Not me :rolleyes:
 
Widgeon said:
If you can find the right yard that isn't actually mandatory - I'm on assisted DIY so someone else feeds and checks my horse for me first thing in the morning. I stop in after work to change rugs, poo pick, and ride. Weekends are for trips out, fence repairing, etc. We have stables but don't use them much, as it's better for the horses and easier for us for them to be out 24/7.

I also have a partner, a full time job, other animals, and a manically busy non-horse life - so it can be done. But I completely agree with the people who have said it's best to wait until you really do have enough genuinely spare cash for every bill not to be a struggle. Trying to keep a horse on a shoestring would be unimaginably stressful.

ETA - and yes riding is more limited in winter, but who wants to ride in the peeing rain anyway? Not me :rolleyes:
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I think, for me, it's also a lot of other things. I could afford a horse, but I'd have to give up expensive holidays, I'd want to buy a lorry or new car and trailer to go and do things with the horse, I'd have to reduce/give up other hobbies etc. So, at least at the moment, I'm happy enough being a RS rider doing the occasional riding holiday. It's not perfect but for the time being it'll do. I do envy people who have their own though!
 
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