What to do!

[phoebe.and.bonnie]

Hello I've posted before about my mare Bonnie, sorry it may be a little long.

I started at the RVC in September 2010, and she went on loan. She came back off loan at very short notice just after new year and I ran about like a headless chicken for a few days trying to find somewhere for her before I returned to uni. I had hoped to find a field close to home, with the idea that my friend's retired pony could come keep her company there and my mum/my friend could sling her some hay/food/check her daily and then when I returned home at weekends (still got my pub job at home - good pay and free food ) I could poo-pick/prep haynets/feeds etc. for the week to come. Oh and maybe actually ride the beast occasionally!

But that didn't happen and I ended up sending her off to a retirement livery just to ensure she'd get looked after whilst I was away. It's not cheap and tbh I'm barely affording it in combination with my stupid London rent, despite still working as much as I can. But I've visited and she's very happy and settled in her little herd (she's the littlest of the 'big' horses - the rest seem to be massive ex-eventers/showjumpers so she looks a bit out of place!) and the lady who runs the place is good at keeping me updated on her. It sounds pathetic but I just feel so worthless that she doesn't 'need me' any more - at least when she was on loan I still saw her regularly. It was bad enough adjusting to her being on loan, I went through a phase where I literally felt like I had no reason to get up in the morning without having a horse. Now she's further away I feel even more crap about it.

So yeah that's that. But it seems whilst I was doing my headless-chicken-running earlier this year, I posted an awful lot of begging adverts for fields/loaners on the internet. In the past week, I've had two potential loaners enquire about her. And then yesterday I've had someone from the next village offer me a field!

It's 6 acres... currently used for hay for cattle so not fenced. But the guy says he's keen to get into the equestrian market (... maybe he thinks we're all rich? ) so would be willing to fence etc. for me. I've not seen the field but I have a good idea of where it might be so it does also have some natural shelter, but not sure on water supply.

So my idea is that in theory, I could rent that field (probably for considerably less than current livery) and then offer my friend 'free livery' for her pony there in return for her feeding/checking on week days. It would be brilliant as it would be great to have my Bonnie back 'home' - and my little sister's getting to the age where she needs to learn to ride haha. But then there's just all the issue of sourcing hay, getting feed, probably building storage, sorting out water supply, sorting out who would be responsible for waiting for farrier etc. At least where she is all that is taken care of.

All in all this is a pointless post - just so undecided whether to go for the easy expensive route or the potentially-problematic-but-probably-better-for-my-emotional-wellbeing route

Chocolate based treats for reading...

 

[BlairandAzria]

Horses are blimmin expensive pets, even more so if you dont get any enjoyment out of it.

She is your horse, if you can make it work and ensure she is looked after i would always go for having her at home, everytime.

Start to put the feelers out a bit more on this field, find out the exact details from the farmer, talk to your friend, talk to you mum and dad and sister. If all sounds like it could work out then go for it, always follow your gut instinct- its usually right.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

IMO, you need to talk to your friend about it. She would be the one in day-to-day charge, responsible for sourcing hay, waiting for farrier, etc. Then it would depend on how reliable your friend is. If there is any question at all about her reliability, then Bonnie should stay at the retirement livery.