What do you do for a living?

[Summit]

I worked from 16-46. had to work at 16 to start paying for my pony and take over the financial burden from my parents. always supported myself and had horses. I’m now happily not working and living in Somerset

 

[EventingMum]

Generally speaking, other people's horses pay for the basic keep of any I have in that I own a riding school and livery yard so most costs get absorbed. Additional costs, especially when my son was competing at a reasonable level were funded by my profits and OH's income as he works separately, we spent our free time travelling to competitions instead of fancy holidays and had a nice lorry rather than fancy cars.

 

[blitznbobs]

I am a doctor and also legally qualified . I worked in a and e for 15 years but branched our into the legal profession about 10 years ago . In the last 2 years I’ve done less and less medicine and have recently branched out into developing a property portfolio so I have more time to play ponies.

 

[catembi]

I am head of conduct risk for a big insurer. I have always had horses...grandfather was a farmer...so pony from v young. I worked from during uni onwards and clawed my way up the career ladder by hard work and passing lots of professional exams. I am a Fellow of my industry body and have a first degree, masters and in the final admin rubber stamping phase of a doctorate. No children, house with land by the age of 34 due to also clawing my way up the property ladder. I have worked two jobs once or twice to make ends meet. I now have a bigger house with more land and 4 horses. It really has been very hard work at times, but it’s my passion 😄

I also never go on holiday and still need to be very frugal 😮

 

[BSL2]

I'm a Drs receptionist, and have a fantastic supportive husband, who loves sailing, so understands my horsey passion.

 

[Trinket12]

I have only just had the opportunity to have horse time the last few years. I’m a corporate recruiter, and my horse is on full livery. I can mainly afford it because we don’t have kids!

 

[Dave's Mam]

I only got my first "Own" pony a few years ago. I am on DiY .
I'm a Facilities Management Consultant & have a very supportive husband & we don't have kids.

 

[IamMe]

I have 2 part time jobs one of which is a night shift so good money, I started riding at 4 yo, got my first pony at 10 yo, I'm 36 yo now and I've never had a break either

 

[spotty_pony]

I work with horses and live on a shoestring to afford mine but I wouldn't be without them. I am now almost 30 though and am
Considering a career change as I'd like to be able to afford them more easily and be able to to enjoy them more.

 

[Bambelina]

I’m a nursery supervisor....not exactly a big bucks paying job lol, and long 50 hr weeks. although thankfully a fiancé with a great job in IT. (Though would never ask him for a single penny towards my mare!!)
About half of my ‘pony’ friends still have horses or are at least still riding. I gave up for a few years when I sold my childhood pony to go to uni. Really helped me focus on my studies (read: helped me have more time to party lol)
Will be going on maternity leave in December. Horse will be on full DIY but in a large field having 9 ish months off, so really will just have to hay when needed, so that will help financially.
It’s funny how we just ‘make it happen’!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I didn't have ponies as a kid but was pony mad. I went to college to do a diploma in horse care and then worked on a couple of yards. Then gave up horses and went in to retail, worked with animals (I have various qualifications related to this)then I ran my own specialist aquatics store and came back to horses. Then I had my daughter who was severely disabled...I was diagnosed with several long term health issues and had to sell up the shop and become her full time carer. She passed away 5 years ago and now (much to alot of people's disgust) I (mainly) manage on disability money. It's hard but I'm lucky to be able to keep costs down considerably as the horses are on cheap grass livery in my village. I'd like to able to work properly but most employers won't touch me with my problems

 

[JJS]

I didn't take a break and just worked throughout to afford them. I probably did live at home with my parents for longer than my contemporaries though which cushioned me in the early years and I went to a local uni and lived at home.

This is how I managed it too. I got my first horse aged 18 and have had them continuously ever since (I’m now 28). I went freelance at 22, largely so I could fit my job around the horses, and have always gone without other things so I could keep them. Luckily, I work in an industry where self-employment is an option, otherwise I’m not sure that I could manage three of them (I had four until I lost one of my boys in January).

 

[atropa]

I work in various aspects of the science industry, am a Virologist by trade and have worked in contract testing and vaccine production in the past but now moved over to the QA side of things for a medical devices firm. I also do a couple of other money making bits and bobs on the side. Didn't have horses when I was younger so no idea if I'd have been able to keep one going through uni and the start of my career or not.
Now have three (although one on loan) and also enjoy reasonably luxurious holidays but go without things like new clothes, makeup, beauty treatments etc coz I'm just not interested.

 

[Michen]

I work in sales for a tech company. Worked two jobs from the age of 13 to pay for my horse, then sold him when I went to uni and got another as soon as I started working again.

My job can be stressful but it allows me to have (within reason) what I want, but I don't take it for granted as sales is always a risky job and you really are only as good as your last number. I don't really have any desire to be higher up than I am now, as I don't think the added pressure would be worth the extra ££.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I didn’t have my own horse from when I went to University until I was 31. I got a degree and a Masters and had some crappy jobs until I started what was my career job in Environmental Regulation when I was 27. In that time I shared a few different horses or rode at a riding school.

After some unhappy relationships I never married or had children and I’ve been a one income household for most of my adult years. Being completely honest although I’ve a decent career it’s only moderate pay for the qualifications and experience and the only way I’m able to afford horses and have a home is because my mother left me her house a modest terrace. Without that I’d be struggling to buy a one bedroom flat in this area. Although it’s mortgaged because it’s needed a lot of work it’s manageable.

My life revolves around the horses and animals but I like being free from controlling relationships but financially on one income it’s tight.

 

[Scotsbadboy]

I had ponies growing up and then took about twenty years out before getting back into horses. I work in Facilities Management and last year landed my most senior role which now pays for my hobby and anything else i want. We made a couple of good investment property moves over the years so we now live in a barn conversion with some land and stables at home. We work hard, dont have kids and can afford the nicer things in life because of our life choices and hard work.

*I think that was a diplomatic way of saying your quids in if you dont have the burden of children*

 

[scruffyponies]

Can confirm that children are definitely more expensive than a horse habit.

 

[freckles22uk]

I make horse hair and pet keepsakes (and human ones) I did fund the horses by just painting pet portraits for years, But added keepsakes to wha to do. Keeps me busy all week and earns a decent living

 

[MarvelVillis]

I bought my first horse last year when I was 25. I was desperate for a pony when I was growing up but my mum couldn't afford it, but I did have lessons every fortnight. I didn't go to uni but I joined the Civil Service in my early twenties and worked my way up the ladder - to a point when I got my last promotion I decided to take the plunge and buy my first horse. Myself and my partner are buying a 3 bed detached (moving from a 1 bed flat) and we're definitely going to feel the squeeze but can still comfortably afford to keep my gelding. I've just come to the conclusion we won't be going on holiday for a few years to come

 

[pinkypug1]

I’ve had horses since parents bought my 1st at 11. Had her until 17 went to college then bought my own again at 20 and have had horses ever since and all through uni/training. Now At 38, married, 2 kids and work full time as a senior social worker. I have 2 horses (One in foal) and 2 ponies. Ride when I can but dabbling in breeding and enjoying that. Also planing to start a small alpaca herd. Luckily we have A 100 acres (most rented out to various farmers) but I have kept 15 Acres for myself for now to do with as I please so keeps costs down.

 

[Ben2684]

Had a break when leaving home and suddenly having to fend for myself without the help from parents. Have been on various ‘cheap’ yards and made it work through my twenties but through more luck than judgement career has gone well and now have my horse on full livery minutes away from him which gives me the freedom to be flexible due to the needs of my role. I manage support packages delivering nearly 10,000 hours a week on a support living basis across Hampshire-managing on call duties whilst being a horse owner can be draining as I need to be available for a large proportion of my time but somehow I make it work

 

[ycbm]

I've done retail management, retrained, human resources, local authority admin, fire authority admin, retrained, analyst programmer, marketing analyst, marketing systems consultant and now I'm retired. I bought my first horse 40 years ago and aside for a year when I lived abroad, have had one, two or five ever since. DiY when money was short, full livery when time was short, then at home for nearly 30 years.
.

 

[alexomahony]

I rode at a riding school and loaned as a child and luckily worked from aged 14 at a super hunt/SJ yard which help me learn to ride properly. This is where I met my first horse, whom I didn't actually buy until a few years after - he came in as a project and I fell in love! (The one in my avatar) I bought him when I was 23 if I remember rightly.

My second horse was quite similar, I'd been to uni and come back, bought Maldwyn with a 'foot in the door' job at a large local company whilst keeping a second job in a nightclub for many years. Whilst Maldwyn was living at a local DIY yard, a fellow livery and old friend was having trouble with her spooky Connie and asked me to ride him a bit to help sell him on... you guessed it, fell in love and he stayed with me! I kept them both at said yard for a few years with help of a loaner.

Quickly moved into the team I'd hoped to join and now moved into the Marketing team. My salary is very modest but I've moved the horses onto a cheaper DIY yard with better turnout to suit Maldwyn but the lack of facilities will make life tricky through winter, though otherwise I cannot fault the yard. The ponies are happy and to me, that's all that matters. The cost of the yard means I no longer need a loaner for Sky and also allows me the funds to keep my 4x4 so I can box up and hire arenas/clinics etc regularly.

Money is tight, but I'm 32 and happily living with my Mum (we get on really well and it works for us!) don't like going on holiday, don't buy many clothes or make up/treatments etc the horses are my life and I've no intention of changing that! Probably helps that I don't want children though!

 

[simsy6]

Such an interesting thread! So many different professions and stories throughout the replies.

I work in marketing/communications for a major international law firm in the City, which sounds like it would be well-paid but isn't lol! I make just enough to have a bit of everything I need (very modest by City salary standards), although I can't help but dream of all the horsey things I could do with the bonuses the lawyers at my firm get (it's unbelievable). However, I'm very lucky to now live with my boyfriend at his house in the countryside so am rent free for the first time in my adult life.

Because of this, I've been able to take a lesson once a week at a riding school in the area which charges £50 a lesson which would usually be so overbudget for me, but because of what I'm saving in rent/commuting it's okay (and the extra cost is worth it, as I really like the school). Other than that, I don't have my own horse or share one, but my boyfriend owns a lot of land so eventually when I hopefully make more money I would love to buy a horse and just keep it with his ponies (they're feral grazing ponies). Also hoping to just luck into a good sharing situation, but have held off mainly bc I'd love to find a horse really close by to where I live (I literally live next to five livery stables) so I wouldn't need to ask my boyfriend to drive me around even more than he already does.

Growing up, I came from a very non-horsey family in Texas, but we had 10 acres of empty land, so my parents allowed me to have a retired pony in need of a field and thus the obsession began. From there, I took riding lessons throughout childhood and worked at stables to pay for the board of a very green horse (the Arab mare in my profile pic) my parents got me when I was a teen. I ended up being given a retired racing thoroughbred by the owner of the stables (I basically made him my project and we were a perfect match) and we had a perfect couple of years before he sadly died of colic. Since then, I haven't had anywhere near the amount of money I would need to own a horse, I've shared one in England but didn't pay, plus I've lived in three countries and moved loads of times!

 

[MrsCentaur]

I’m the Estate Manager for an UHNW Family. The pay is decent, but I’m also funding a mortgage, a stay-at-home wife, two sets of twins and a toddler, as well as fertility treatment every year or two when the smallest gains some independence and I inevitably end up broody. 🤣 I think that I could just about keep a horse on full livery if I gave up all of the lovely things that I like to buy, but it would require a great deal of family sacrifice and I’m not sure that I’m ready to ask that of them yet. And we would probably have to stop having babies.

Instead I ride two/three times a week at a riding school that is attached to a Connemara stud, and the owner is the only person who has referred to me as a ‘girl’ in the past ten years. I’m enjoying getting a feel for what sort of rider I am and the type of horse that suits me in a fairly controlled, but also highly personalised, environment. I do plan to buy a horse eventually, perhaps even next year as we’ve run out of frozen embryos, but I want to be a little more established as an equestrienne first and perhaps for the children to either feel ready to join in or less eager for me to spend every moment that I’m not working escorting them about the place on another ‘adventure’ - I am told that comes as they grow!

I grew up in an unhorsy family where riding was just something that girls did - like ballet, gymnastics, elocution, chamber choir, fencing and chess. I think they were a little surprised by my passion! I never did get a pony, though I did own a horse for a time, briefly and unsuccessfully, as a young adult after my grandparents wrote me a cheque to buy a car. 🤣

 

[SWE]

I worked from 16-46. had to work at 16 to start paying for my pony and take over the financial burden from my parents. always supported myself and had horses. I’m now happily not working and living in Somerset

How did you manage to retire so young if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Simbapony]

I work as Team Lead for a Tech Support department at a software development company. Im a 35 year old single mum of a wonderful 8 year old daughter. I bought her a pony this year and then myself as having had horses up until she was about 2 , ive missed it. Immensely. I don't get much of her dad, I just work bloody hard and make it happen. I manage to pay the mortgage and live a fairly nice life I would say

 

[Marigold4]

Trained as a solicitor but now teach law and other things. Good pay, long holidays and normally home by 5. Perfect job to fit with keeping the neds.

 

[throughtheforest]

I have average GCSEs, had a baby aged 18 then went on to do a degree in Law and a Master's in Social Work. I've been a Child Protection Social Worker for 2 years and just looking at a complete career change. Although the money is OK the job is soul destroying at times. I've owned horses since I was 10 and have bought 2 over the past year.
I'm looking at being a claims assessor in the insurance industry.

 

[Cheval Gal]

I work for the local authority. I have all the flexibility I could wish for but finances is another matter 😂