What do you sacrifice to have your horses?

I go to uni in Brighton and commute from south London so that I can keep my horse, I wouldn't have done it in the 1st year (didn't have a horse then) because thats when you make your friends but it isn't too bad really, I do miss the social life but I try to get there for the weekend sometimes, if I have the time and the money. Most of my friends aren't horsey (but even though I love my horse dearly and he is v well looked after I wouldn't really consider myself especially 'horsey') but they're coming round to realise how much of a dedication I make to my horse.
I am more careful with my money, student loan is ok but I do work as well but irregular hours, just got a new job so hopefully will have more of a regular wage now. I get my hair cut and my highlights done but I try to get it done cheaply and I don't get my nails done any more. Clothes are mainly bought from Primark, and I'm more creative with them, but I don't buy as many shoes as I used to! My main weakness is make up though and I spend a lot on that, but I don't smoke and don't really drink unless I go out so I guess I do make sacrifices, my horse does get the best of what I can afford and that was a decision I made before I got him, I don't really save on much when it comes to him.
 
I sacrifice buying designer clothes, having haircuts, going out every weekend and going on holidays to be able to afford my horses.
Most of the time its worth it
 
Huge sacrifices by non-horsey standards, yet nothing at all as life without horses wouldn't be life for me
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Clothes, sleeping in, being able to stay in when it's cold and wet, a healthy and fully funtional body, decent hands/nails, a social life, money.... Wouldn't ever be without my two 'babies' though!!
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Clothes, nice shoes and holidays, and going out. But I dont miss any of it. I would rather spend my time and money with Charlie. If I do go away I find myself worrying about him and missing him.
 
Haircuts
Spending money on clothes/make up/beauty products
Lie ins
holidays
a nice car
going out
a social life
non horsey friends

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I sacrifice time with my OH, time socialising (mainly because of lack of money though) and holidays, as well as little things like shoes and clothes.

Can't be bothered with hair and nails as much.

Share my mum's old punto instead of a nice new car for myself lol.

Put off going to uni for a year.

Going to have to sacrifice a lot of money and time when I'm at uni.

But....I wouldn't have it any other way
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I don't really feel like I sacrifice anything but I do prioritise my horses over many things that none horsey people consider important but as I have horses I don't have the time or the budget to do those none horsey things. (and breathe)!
You can't have everything in life (but you can blooming well try, lol), so you have to make choices.
I have never known life without horses so I never really feel I am missing out on a single thing.
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Not sure I sacrifice anything ,except my sanity, my holiday is time spent with the horses, the OH who after 12 years couldn't stand it any more was no sacrifice at all (although could have been sent to S. for taxidermy if I'd known then she did it).
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I think the sanity was shakey anyway, but have had horses since 15 so difficult to tell!
 
Financially I don't sacrifice anything to pay for keeping a pony. We have our own stable and field so only have to pay for wormer / farrier etc, which comes out of my own pocket, all my OH does is actually purchase the ponies. I sacrifice a great deal in time especially in winter, when i'm often up at some unGodly hour mucking out in the ice and snow whilst everyone else is still in bed. But i enjoy doing it and am more than happy to spend my 'me' time doing these things. I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing my children enjoy their ponies.
 
TBTH not much at the moment. I go out and I buy what I want. However, this could probably change once the yard is open. For a start lie-ins will be a thing of the past, and money won't be spent as liberally as before
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Just got the 2 neds on DIY livery about half an hour's drive from where I live - worth it as it's a fabulous, happy yard. I think I just sacrifice free time - every afternoon, 7 days a week in the winter. But hey, I love it so it doesn't feel a sacrifice, more of a privilege!
 
Firstly I would never be without my horses. I recently went down to 2 neds, and within a fortnight got back up to 4 - and started riding 3 others for a friend
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However, this has meant that I have sacrificed sleep, money, beer time (
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), OH and I try to fit in as many hours of overtime I can to pay for neddies; haven't been on holiday for 4 years. All my time off from work is spent with the horses.

But I love them all - and would be completely lost without them.

Speaking of which - what DO non horsey people do in their spare time???? And how do they manage to spend all their money?? Don't they realise that they could all be so rich when they don't have anything to do with horses?


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hmm, biggest thing is my dignity
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Seriously though, first thing to go was holidays, then socialising, clothes (apart from cheapest Asda and market stuff) hairdresser (mum can cut my simple style ok, I use clippers on OH) takeaways, we drive an old banger.

All this and I can't even ride at the minute
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My teenage daughter still gets clothes (reduced though) and her hair done properly but she gave up pocket money for her boys keep and doesn't go shopping with her friends on the weekend.

We really, really need a 4x4 in the summer as daughter is wanting to take pony away to college with her and he has to come home in the holidays and if she does at the weekends but at the moment with everything going up and up I just have no idea how we are going to manage it as every penny we save ends up going back on the horses!
 
Forgot to add embarrassment when I pop in to Asda most evenings on way home to buy tea in my smelly mucking out gear, with pony slobber all over my coat and seeing posh (ok not so posh it's only Asda's lol) people edge away at the till....
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