What did you do with your horse when you went to Uni? (long...)

i bought a horse at end of first year

but i live at home (on purpose) so i can save money up for when i move out and so i can have a horse too

i work, uni, have a horse, dog and a social life (ish......) ;)

if you want something bad enough you make it work :)
 
I'm facing a similar problem...Am starting a Business Economics degree come October 2011 hopefully. I've decided that I'm staying local which will give me chance and time to get to my horse and have time to ride and such. I'm also in the fortunate position where various family members can ride and keep him fit for me if I am short of time. I am quite a social bunny, but If it means getting up at 4am every morning to muck out then I'm more than happy to do so. If you are determined I'm sure you can make it work - but if not then its just going to become a burden. You appear to have a year to go though so plenty of time to make up your mind! :D xx
 
skewby said:
Mine had the good grace to need shot just before I went.
Click to expand...

Same.

But if he hadn't it was planned that he would live out semi-retirement with my mum hacking and my sister occasionally taking him to some mini-SJ stuff to keep him cocky and happy (he was a horse who lived to compete). But I am very lucky in that my mum is amazing and my sister is a far better rider than I will ever be so I had that option.

Riding at uni can be done quite easily. At my uni, it's 350 to join the equestrian society and then £20 per lesson. You're expected to have the lessons if you're on the team, I think, and the lessons are every week or so... If you can drive and don't mind ferrying people you can get the lessons cheaper.

How about you join the equestrian team, and put Dante on grass livery/ find someone who has a nice field and needs a companion pony and let him chill whilst you're at uni. You don't have the lessons on your own horse I don't think, so if you did join any teams it would be a lot more expensive for you.

And for people being annoying- I completely agree! But there will be thousands and thousands of people in your year (not all on your course, obvs!) and there will be so many people similar to you. I've always stuck out a tad for being teetotal. Here, no one knows/ cares.
 
I put my old boy out on loan - sadly he passed away before I had even started my course. Whilst I was at uni (on a lecture and lab heavy course - we did 9-5 4 days and 9-12 one day) I still had time to ride a friends horse twice a week, hold down a part time job and had a social life.

If you want it you will make it work. I have a friend on my yard and she has 2 horses on DIY, works part time, and does uni. It can be done.

From what you have said you don't seem overly convinced about uni. Perhaps you really need to think about what you want in the future and work backwards from there.
 
I took mine, I went to Oxford Brookes and cars were banned from my halls of residence that I was in, but I took it and hid it in a side street - a lot of us did! TBH I don't feel that he did detract from my uni life as I have not always been the most confident and I met more permanent friends through him than from uni - I think I only really talk to one or two now from uni. I also think he saved me from going down the route of laying in bed all day and spending my money on drink/drugs. I had a major bout of depression in my second year and it was having to get up to do Murphy that saved me.
 
Sol said:
I'll move Dante to your house, go to Uni near you, and we can take turns seeing to the horses? :p
Click to expand...

Sounds fab, BUT, there are 2 main problems with this plan:

1. All 3 stables are filled
2. We have no more land for him to graze on. He can have the garden and share the dogs' kennel if he likes?

:D
 
I'm in my final year and commute to a local (30mins) uni and live with my OH. My horses are just down the road from our house. It's worked out great for me- I love horsey kisses both ends of the day- keeps me sane! I didn't have any desire to live in halls or for the uni lifestyle- don't regret my decision at all! Much prefer having my horses, OH and home comforts!
It all depends on what you want from your time at uni. Don't feel like you should know for definite what you want to do- I always felt pressure for being so unsure of what I wanted and only decided at the very last moment to go for the course and uni I did. Good luck in whatever you decide!
 
I have applied this time round and I am going to sell mine, there will be Dad's two left at home but I already have 2 up for sale and I will advertise my other two at the end of the summer. There is no way I would have the time or money to keep it up for 8 years without even considering the logistics.
 
I'll be going to uni in Sept/Oct 2011 hopefully.
I'm being lazy and staying at home, going to a local university and keeping my horse where she is.

PM -How come it would be 8 years or am I missing something obvious?
 
rudolph bum13 said:
PM -How come it would be 8 years or am I missing something obvious?
Click to expand...

To qualify as an architect I would have to do a minimum of 3 years, 2 more at uni and then 2 years in a professional practice (would have to be away from home still as I live in the middle of nowhere) and exams, but I am planning to do a 4 years masters to start with so it would be 8 for me :).
 
I guess you have to decide if you:

- want the full uni experience without the time/financial commitements of a horse
- would enjoy having the horse as part of uni life eg if its a particularly horsey uni with teams etc
- would have lots of free time to fit the horse in around studying and partying away :D

Somehow I managed to keep my horse on full livery for the 5 years I was at uni. It was a very non horsey uni (London!) and even coming home to ride at weekends used to annoy me at times as there would be so much other stuff going on. It was always a dilemma whether to trek home to ride or go on a great night out. Looking back I'm glad I didn't sacrifice uni life as that's a one off opportunity where you make lifelong friends, and horses will always be there after you've finished. The main difference being you'll have more money to buy even better ones :)
 
rudolph bum13 said:
An architect? Sounds impressive, will you be hit with all the increased fees at the end of your masters then?

Much better than my "mickey mouse" degree ;)
Click to expand...

If things stay like they are I think my fees are frozen as it is 3 parts of the same professional qualification but I'm not counting on it with all these cuts atm!

You're applying for geography aren't you (def not a mickey mouse degree!) - have you just applied to the one uni or a few local ones?
 
ChloeC418 said:
Sounds fab, BUT, there are 2 main problems with this plan:

1. All 3 stables are filled
2. We have no more land for him to graze on. He can have the garden and share the dogs' kennel if he likes?

:D
Click to expand...

1. You have a spare room :p I'm sure he'd love it!
2. He can eat biscuits and chips, dw! :D

The temptation of persuading my dad that a gap year would be ok though is... high. I'd love to go to a dressage yard as a working pupil and take Dan with me... and eventually become a dressage instructor, somehow! It's a bit of a fantasy though :o
 
Sounds like everyone has their own way of sorting it tbh! Plan at the minute is to get Dan schooled as well as possible, and see how things look towards this summer. If I don't think he's going to be my 'forever' horse (or even going to get much further) then I'll begin looking for a home for him... or if I do feel like he's 'my' horse, but lacks the potential, he can go live in a field :p
And in the mean time.... I shall just look at Uni's and see what I think :eek: Bit of a vague plan!
 
Pingy Moose said:
If things stay like they are I think my fees are frozen as it is 3 parts of the same professional qualification but I'm not counting on it with all these cuts atm!

You're applying for geography aren't you (def not a mickey mouse degree!) - have you just applied to the one uni or a few local ones?
Click to expand...

Applied to 3 local ones - 2 choices are environmental science and the others geography.

That's good news about the fees - fingers crossed for you!
 
This thread has really interested me, as I am also unsure what to do when I go to University. Ideally, I'd love to take him with me, but not sure we could afford the tuition fee's as well as part-livery. Now the fee's have increased, really makes me think twice about going, which is a shame as beforehand I would've deffinately gone, but the thought of coming out with £40,000 debt before even having a worth-while job, deposit for first house and horse on livery makes me feel sick. Did your parents pay for your horses keep whilst you were at Uni everyone else?
 
Jayde87 said:
This thread has really interested me, as I am also unsure what to do when I go to University. Ideally, I'd love to take him with me, but not sure we could afford the tuition fee's as well as part-livery. Now the fee's have increased, really makes me think twice about going, which is a shame as beforehand I would've deffinately gone, but the thought of coming out with £40,000 debt before even having a worth-while job, deposit for first house and horse on livery makes me feel sick. Did your parents pay for your horses keep whilst you were at Uni everyone else?
Click to expand...

I wish!!! (lol better be careful as mum reads this :-p)

I completely support my own horse and have done since I came to Uni. I keep him on DIY and work 25 hours a week now, and it's totally worth It.

And I wouldn't worry about the fees, what you will gain at Uni is worth it, personally, I wouldn't hesitate if I was looking to go to Uni in the future
 
Same problem, only got my boy at the beggining of the summer, having been stabled with us initially then sold on, then again to me, and and in the 2 months he was away he lost a huge amount of weight and became uncontrolable virtually wild on the ground and ridden, he's pretty sensitive, he bolts and bucks unless it is me or my instructor (typical exracer) but my parents want me t go to uni in the states... ahhhhhhhhhh no solution...
 
lydia_markwick said:
Same problem, only got my boy at the beggining of the summer, having been stabled with us initially then sold on, then again to me, and and in the 2 months he was away he lost a huge amount of weight and became uncontrolable virtually wild on the ground and ridden, he's pretty sensitive, he bolts and bucks unless it is me or my instructor (typical exracer) but my parents want me t go to uni in the states... ahhhhhhhhhh no solution...
Click to expand...

Ok... My question first is where do YOU want to go?

I wanted to study in Germany, but decided my horse was more important for me.

Tho if you want to study in the States damn well go for it!!! I would be jealous :-p
 
I'm also having to make this decision soon...
It's horrible to have to think about. Think I've decided to keep my horses at their present yard as they are very happy there as am I, and it would be a shame to move them. I hope to go to a Uni not too far away so hopefully will be able to come home once a week to see them, and in the meantime have someone share them to keep them fit and help with costs. My parents will also help, and mum likely to hack out my two twice a week. Thinking of taking them with me but not sure I could stand the constant worries of moving them home for holidays and then finding a space back at the Uni-yard, plus they would be very time-consuming. I've figured it's only for 3 years, I've got the rest of my life with them and it would be a shame to move them from somewhere we're all so happy at.
 
I am in my first year at uni, studying law. I am at the "local" university but I live in halls. I have to agree with everyone who says that in order to get the very most out of university you HAVE to live with the other students!

This is coming from a girl that comes from a small village with nobody my own age there, I lived for my loan pony, every waking hour I could I spent at the yard and when I finally went home, I used to spend my time working towards BHS stage one or on here.

Now I am the first year representative for the law society which means I am THE person that the 250 people who the law school have taken in this year can approach. I might even apply to be the social secretary next year which is an even more important role.

Anyway, I digress... as I say, my pony was loaned from someone else. Fortunately I kept her at the same yard as her owner kept her other horse, so when I had to give her back the day before I went to uni she stayed exactly where she was.

I think really my situation is perfect. When I come home (and as the train journey is only 30 mins it means I can come home in the morning and go back in the evening) she is there ready and waiting for me, as her owner decided that she didn't want anyone else to loan her (because they might not meet her standards ;) ) So I have a full time horse when I am home and when I am at uni I can rest assured that she is safe and well cared for.

I miss her loads and loads when I am at uni, but it makes it 100x better when I come home and see her stood with her head over the gate, ears pricked greeting me!

I joined the riding club, I paid £25 to join and my lessons are £14 each! (Not to brag or anything but for that I get an hour at Bishop Burton!! In my group there are generally 3 of us!) It means I can keep up to date with my riding and also gives me the opportunity to ride different horses which I definitely wouldn't have got if I stayed at home!

The girl that lives next to me in the halls actually has her own horse as well, her situation was very very similar to mine and we immediately made friends. She too goes riding with the club once a week. The riding club is full of horsey people as well, so you will find there are loads and loads of people that have similar interests and hobbies to you.

I decided that with my course I would wait and see what the workload was like before I did this but I am considering going to nearby DIY livery yard and putting up posters or something asking if anyone is looking for a share.

This is how I am surviving without a horse to look after every day. I appreciate that this is a very very different situation to the rest of you. But it does show that even if you live and breathe for your pony, you CAN honestly survive without seeing them every day.

Hope this helps :)
 
Havent read other replies, but will add my two penneth!

I commuted from home to Uni, and used my student loan to pay for my travel and for DIY livery for Ellie. I missed out totally on 'the uni experience', but that was my choice - I have no regrets at all. The hardest thing was the commuting time - two and a half hours each way. But I got used to it, and was able to do a lot of work on the train :)

It depends what your priorities are. For me, it was my horse. If I'd had to sell her to go to Uni, well then I wouldn't have gone to Uni! But instead I found a way to make it work :)

Good luck with whatever you decide :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top