What/how much do your teenagers pay towards their horses?

I had a pony from before I could walk, it was a rescue pony my non-horsey dad brought cheaply from a man keeping it in a poor state in his back garden because he felt sorry for it. My Mum went mental apparently! He was kept free at a local riding school in exchange for using him as much as they liked, he also was on their sharer scheme. My dad also provided the stable with feed at cost as he had a pet shop. I got very limited riding as he was always tired from so much work! He was only 11.2hh and quite old, he was swapped when I was about 10 with a pony from a family friend, new pony was 13hh and little sod, after several months at riding school he wouldn't settle and I was asked to leave as they couldn't use him in the school. Moved to a yard a friend recommended. My parents were separated by this point so Mum paid livery which was £10 a week and vet bills, Dad brought hay feed and bedding. I used to muck out fellow liveries horses in exchange for lifts to yard in winter and lifts to show in summer. I got a paper round, did odd jobs, baby sat etc as had to pay for all my own tack, worming, show entries, farrier etc myself! I sold pony at 13 and brought a 15.2hh Tbx who was far too much for me but great fun! At 16 I moved out to live my with OH (who 11 years later is my finance), horse went out on loan for about 3 years while I was at college and then found a job. We brought a house as soon as I was 18 and horse came back the following summer as just missed him too much.
 
At the age of 16 I got my first own horse and I paid for everything. Now at 17 I still pay for everything for my mare. My parents pay for things every now and then but in my opinion I wouldn't have it any other way. I think it's good for late teens to be the full payer. I realise how much it costs to own a horse.
 
I shared when I was 14, paid for it by having a weekend job at a riding school and a paper round. At 15 I got a horse on loan for a year, again covered by the two jobs.
Mum and dad would have helped out but I wanted to prove I could manage it myself (so they would allow me to buy my own). They always said they were really impressed that I did it all without financial help, though if they hadn't helped out with the occasional lift to the yard in winter I would have struggled!
Bought my own as I had just started college, so just turned 16, from savings. Asked for new rugs etc at birthdays and christmas times!
My kids are only young, if they choose to follow the same path I would like to support them but would be a good work ethic for them to put towards partial costs.
 
My parents pay for insurance and stable fees but I pay for hay, straw, vet bills, EDT, lesson, hard feed etc etc. Mine is a TB so with the amount it costs me to keep her I am grateful for any contribution from my parents! I am 17, work part time (Saturdays, Wednesdays and extras) and I am in full time education.

I personally believe at 16+ they should take responsibility, get a job and pay as much as possible.
 
I have to say that I am surprised that so many parents feel that it is worth compromising their teenagers' education by expecting them to contribute earnings (as opposed to birthday money etc) to the upkeep of horses/ponies that those parents have bought/agreed to the purchase of. My parents bought a horse for sis and I to share when I was 19 and still in full-time education. They felt that he was their responsibility, as we were and, although I did have a Saturday
/holiday job, I used my earnings for clothes etc.
 
I wasn't allowed a horse until I could pay for it myself, hence why Ned is my first horse!
When I was younger, I resented the fact I couldn't have one and didn't understand, but now I thank my parents :) I think it's made me 100% more appreciative of Ned and how lucky I am!
 
It's not that the parents are compromising the child's education. It's the simple reality that if you want a horse and you are capable and old enough of paying for it then you should. We can't rely on everyone else. I'm extremely grateful that my parents have made me pay for everything for my horse. I know a lot about finances, budgeting and how to manage money. It's a life lesson that is so important to learn- if you want it then you've got to put the effort in yourself.
 
I definitely think that older teenagers who can, should be paying themselves. Partly because for some it's either that or no horse/riding at all because their family can't afford to cover it. Partly because, when you pay for it yourself, it's a commitment. You see the money that goes into it and you want to make the most of that. Have seen a couple of instances where teenagers have gotten everything horse paid for, with the result the horse hasn't been used properly because it's "there anyway". If you pay yourself you either have to be fully committed or you have to make the choice to quit.
 
How do the teenagers who've paid for it all cope with sudden huge vets bills? I worked out that it cost, on average, £250/month for a horse on our (small, private) yard if you didn't have lessons or compete and the horse required no special feed/ supplements. Just hay, food, livery, shoes.

Which works out at doing 15 hours a week on national minimum wage if you're u18. And means if anything goes wrong and you need to sort a vet bill you won't have a reserve. How do people fit that round full time education, and still have time to just enjoy their childhood?
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I have to say that I am surprised that so many parents feel that it is worth compromising their teenagers' education by expecting them to contribute earnings (as opposed to birthday money etc) to the upkeep of horses/ponies that those parents have bought/agreed to the purchase of. My parents bought a horse for sis and I to share when I was 19 and still in full-time education. They felt that he was their responsibility, as we were and, although I did have a Saturday
/holiday job, I used my earnings for clothes etc.
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Education comes in many forms, and learning to hold down a job and manage money is just as valuable ( I'd argue more so) than some school subjects.

That said, my parents did pay me what I would have earnt in the pub, in order that I stayed in to revise in the few weeks running up to my GCSEs ans A levels
 
Lolo said:
How do the teenagers who've paid for it all cope with sudden huge vets bills? I worked out that it cost, on average, £250/month for a horse on our (small, private) yard if you didn't have lessons or compete and the horse required no special feed/ supplements. Just hay, food, livery, shoes.

Which works out at doing 15 hours a week on national minimum wage if you're u18. And means if anything goes wrong and you need to sort a vet bill you won't have a reserve. How do people fit that round full time education, and still have time to just enjoy their childhood?
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Think these are good points!

Personally, unexpected vet bills never came up for me. I do know I had the security of my mom who would have, in an emergency, been able and willing to bail me out. I also had insurance. I would probably have been expected to maybe pitch in a little from savings or birthday gifts or do a payment plan to pay her back if and when I could.

I also think the running costs of keeping a horse per month varies hugely with the set-up each person has. I couldn't pick the livery option I most wanted (no arena etc.) but the costs were manageable for me on my minimal wages.

I think there there's a will there's a way! Had my motivation dropped I would probably have called it quits.

And horseback riding was my childhood so no need to fit it around anything else! ;-)
 
I was a teenager not all that long ago... I got my first horse at 16, only when I could convince my parents that I could afford him myself. I earned his livery by working at the yard (they and a riding school) as well as my lessons, and worked two nights a week for the Council at the local youth nights, which paid my farriery bills. I didn't compete, and thankfully mum and dad got on board enough to pay my insurance, and buy me new jodhs and things when required, and probably would have covered any unexpected vet bills not paid direct by insurance as well if had been required.

I then got a horse whilst at uni, who I paid for entirely myself - bought him, had him on working livery, and worked part time to afford him. Had him until I was no longer a teenager.

I've probably had more assistance with my horse as an adult that as a teenager. I left my job to start my own business last year - mum and dad offered to have me home to live, and pay for my horse, in order to let me get started up. Everything they have paid (including rent) has been noted in a book for me to repay later, but I've certainly had a lot more help with current one that either of the previous ones.
 
Lolo said:
How do the teenagers who've paid for it all cope with sudden huge vets bills? I worked out that it cost, on average, £250/month for a horse on our (small, private) yard if you didn't have lessons or compete and the horse required no special feed/ supplements. Just hay, food, livery, shoes.

Which works out at doing 15 hours a week on national minimum wage if you're u18. And means if anything goes wrong and you need to sort a vet bill you won't have a reserve. How do people fit that round full time education, and still have time to just enjoy their childhood?
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In my case up until the age of 16/17 I had shares and contributed the £10 a week (my pocket money) plus chores to the owner. I worked about 8 hours a week and that earnt me around £25, which went towards pony club clinics. I begged/exchanged favours for lifts!

I got a full loan when I was 17, worked probably around 12 hours a week earning about £4ph from memory. So in all had around £60 a week. Horse was on grass livery at £15 a week, only had front shoes and was generally cheap to keep.
Insurance premiums were rolled into my birthday present.
 
im 21, live at home go to uni 3 days a week in term time i have three jobs, and pay for all three of my horses we live on a farm so luckily no livery bills, but still pay for lessons which i have most weeks, all my diesel to go places, BE membership, competition fees, all tack everything for them food etc, hunt membership. I am lucky that my parents do pay for the horses insurance so if its a big vets bill then it has to go under the insurance. i am very lucky to be able to have the horses at home but i work very hard as i want the best for them and it gives me the enjoyment. Once i leave uni next year i will have to look to sell one, one will stay at home as he is retired and i hope to be able to keep one wherever i go for a job.
 
I never had a vet bill issue with either of the horses I had while I was a teenager. Luckily. That's not the case anymore!
I don't think it compromised my education, plus being responsible for a living creature rather than spending all my wages in new look or boots (other retailers available) certainly taught me about budgeting. It's my passion, always has been, always will be part of my life.
 
Dad paid the £10 per week livery, I had a part time job to pay for the rest. My Dad also paid for insurance, but the only vet bill I occurred was when he tried to escape his paddock one day and took the back of his knee off. The vet charged the grand sum of £20 which he got there and then. It made me appreciate what I had, and showed me that I had to earn what I wanted, and oh how I wish I could go back 20 years and have a indestructible cob x trotter!
 
Hexx said:
I didn't get my first horse until I was 33.

All through my teenage years I worked at the local riding school at weekends and holidays - my parents paid for one riding lesson per week, and then the rest I earned in free rides. As "Helpers" we looked after the ponies at the School - about 30 of them. This included catching, grooming, mucking out, tacking up/untacking, tack cleaning, sweeping (lots of sweeping!) and lots of other chores.

Free rides were hard to come by for the first few years - but once I got established and trusted, I was given horses to bring back into work, and also the RS's owner's hunter to fitten up every summer, and lots of escorting hacks.

I wish I had a horse when I was younger, but learned a lot at the RS, and it made me appreciate getting my own in later life.
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This sounds very similiar to me except it was a small yard where I learnt to ride but really wasn't a typical RS as lessons were only held at weekends. The quality of the teaching was fab. I got a really good grounding and some the things drummed in to me then are still engrained! I was very lucky that I got to ride a lot of her really nice dressage horses (as well as the ponies that she taught local kids at weekends) and got chance to compete etc....

My parents paid for a weekly lesson initially but the rest was up to me.
 
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