What to do next?!!

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DellaMoon

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Might be a bit long, sorry!

I sold my mare two weeks ago now because I had no transport. She was a real busy mare who needed to be out and about regularly or she got a bit full of it so it wasn't fair keeping her. I also had some debts from uni that were making keeping a horse quite difficult.

So, now she's gone, I've paid off my debt and actually have money in my bank account!! I'm getting married this year and my family think it's best that I wait for another horse until after the wedding. In theory this is the best option but I'm worried that i'll become so unbearable without a horse that there will be no wedding! So here are my possible options:

1) Don't get a horse until september, miss the whole summer. become unbearable, wedding gets called off and I end up with no money, no horse, no husband!!

2) Find a really cheap project so I can afford to buy a trailer. Work on the project, compete a bit then sell it on to make a bit of money to be able to afford a decent young competition horse.

3) Buy a reasonably cheap unbacked rising 3 year old potential competition horse, save money that would have been used competing so I can buy a trailer next year. Compete it as a 4yr old having worked on it this summer, give it the winter off then start again next year.


I'm getting quite a bit of riding at the moment for friends, I've even got the chance to maybe go out and about on a couple this year. It's the day to day caring for a horse that I miss so badly. I don't know what to do with myself and am getting quite grumpy as a result. I think I'm swinging towards option 3. I can then do all the ground work myself but I won't be totally tied up with a horse this year when there are wedding plans to be made. It seems more like a happy medium that might just keep my family and fiance on my side!

Please help me make my mind up!! Or suggest any other options I've not thought of?

Tea and milk chocolate digestives if you got this far!!!
Thank you
 
I'd be waiting until waaay after the wedding. Enjoy the spare cash, and save up for something that you'll really enjoy.
 
Have you ever considered sharing one? then you would get to do all the day to day stuff as well as riding and you wont have as much commitment?
 
I've considered loaning but I get the most out of having something I can work on and see an improvement. I'd hate to improve a horse, give it back and see it going downhill again. I'm afraid I see it as a bit of an investment!
 
2 weeks, hahahaha! That didn't take long did it? You're obviously an addict! This time of year and the way things are at the mo I'm sure you could find a rising 3 year old and buy a trailer too. There are some real bargains to be had especially if you're willing to travel a bit and don't need something with top breeding. I'd go and get something soon before prices go up in spring and OH walks!
 
I am another one to advocar a share. There are a lot of lovely horses and their owners looking for sharers to lighten their workload. That way you can work on a horse and see the improvement as well as getting whole days where you can spend quality time with your OH!
Not to mention with the money you are saving each month from paying maybe half of what you would on your own you can buy a lovely horse and a box in the future when you add the money you got from your other horse!
 
Option 3, I lost my horse November 1st, everyone thought I was mad to replace him as winter was upon us, but knew I would be so miserable without my daily fix! I work in an office and the whole winter thing is becoming a nightmare, especially as I have not ridden since goodness knows when. Good luck with everythin
grin.gif
 
I was going to suggest looking for a horse to share too.

You will have a busy (and quite possible expensive) year with a wedding to organise and would probably not be able to devote the time to either a youngster or project horse.

If you buy a cheap horse it could quite possibly have problems that you may or may not be able to resolve. Either way you could end up with a horse that could be difficult to sell on.

Why not put the livery money you are saving into a separate account and use that to buy a trailer in the future.
 
Oooh, I've divided the people! Sharer isn't really an option, again I want to reap the rewards for my hard work and my horse addiction is well and truly centred on the livery yard behind my house. My best friend has her horse there and a big part of my enjoyment is the social side around the horse. To keep my spot in a fairly popular but small yard I have to keep paying for DIY. I've got the best field and have invested in sorting my stable so really don't want to let that go.

Thankfully since writing the OP my OH quite out the blue said he thinks I need to look for another horse! I'm clearly unbearable already!!! So it looks like option 3 is looking promising. I've got enough money and time to find a real quality youngster that I can turn into my dream eventer! So next task for you is horse shopping!!!!!

Thank you so much for your replies.
 
I suggest that you take up as many offers of riding for other people as you can, and keep off from buying a horse until after your wedding, that way you can save up for something really lovely. And you won't have to worry about finding someone to look after a horse while you're wrapped up in wedding things.

The year we got married I fell off 8 weeks before and damaged a nerve in my hand. The doctors told me it would take about a month to come right. The week before we got married it still wasn't right and the neurologist told me that I couldn't ride on honeymoon as it would invalidate my insurance... we were going on horseback safari.

despite much tears and several bottles of wine OH and I decided that we'd find something else to do at short notice, and because he works in the travel industry we actually got a bl@@dy good deal on a fab safari through someone he used to work with.

what i'm trying to say, is that not having a horse for a little while might not be a bad thing...
 
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