Miserable time of year

[*toHorse&Away*]

It gets worse each year since I restarted riding.

Spring comes, the days get longer, I get another year older, and there still seems to be no chance of ever getting a horse - even a loan / share is out of the question.

In the old days there was time but no money - now I have a bit more money but with commuting (and end to end its about a 12/13 hour day) there is no time....

I mean - would it really be worth getting a horse if I just saw him at the weekend. I know next to nothing about horsecare/ stable managment other than avid reading. No practical experience so how would I ever get the grounding to feel comfortable and fair on the horse, and know enough about him to understand if he was ailing or not feeling right???
How would I bond with my horse if he had to be on full livery....

Sorry, bit of a moan - I suppose I am the only one who can sort it out - but how when there are ever increasing bills to be paid?

Its awful - does anyone else feel like this?

[teabiscuit]

unless a person is lucky enough to winthe lottery, keeping horses is always a huge compromise

there's always something to feel guilty over, cos you can never afford to keep and ride them liek they say in the books... i guess baby books are the same :o misleading

they are a huge comitment of your time and money and i think only the individual concerned can say whether or not they're able to make the sacrifices

its a b8gger, more power to you though for putting so much thought into it
xx

[NoviceNic]

I have a friend who only hacks out once a week and schools once a week. Her horse is on working livery which costs £50 per week. After every Spring/Summers day hack out in company she sighs and says that even if she only rides once a week its all worth it. :D

Do you have lessons? Could you speak to the YO about weekend loaning one of their old faithfuls..? I was offered my first RS horse for £20 pw loan...

[*toHorse&Away*]

Aw! Thanks guys

NN - I don't think our stable does working liveries although..........maybe the right offer, who knows? I suppose I could ask - I mean if they make a similar or same amount of money would they mind?????????????????? There are loads of lovely people at the stables who I know would help me

I should say also I am not just a summer rider - the nicer weather obviously makes thing more pleasant but I have travelled up the stables with my hands red raw freezing on bike like the rest of you. Its just I am a once a week rider and I wish it was more........nmakes it worse coming on here cos so many of ooyu have your own lovely horses you adore..............

I just feel like by the time I can make this dream reality I will be too old and knackered to appreciate it!!!:rolleyes:

[Peanut]

Only you know what you can afford, but I do think there are ways of making it work if you want to.

I'm a commuter too and during the winter months only see my horse in daylight at the weekend. However I keep her at a yard with good lighting so I can school in the evenings if I want to, and we also spend many a happy hour together in the field by torch light. She is on DIY livery which means that I have to get up at 4.45 am to feed etc before work but I'm happy to do that if it means I can have a horse.

I certainly don't have a lot of money but I can afford to meet my horse's needs - and that's really all a horse asks for financially.

I think you should pursue the loan idea to see if you really are prepared to make the necessary sacrifices for owning a horse. I'm sure there must be one out there for you.

Good luck and keep your chin up. Let us know what you decide. :)

[cazrider]

Difficult one. But it can be done. I'm very much in the same position as you.
If it helps, this is what I do:

I don't see Sennie nearly as much as I'd like to as I'm away with work a lot, usually two or three nights a week. I have a sharer who does two days a week (well I do when I can find one:rolleyes: ) and i ride Friday and the weekend. I do ride during the week when I'm working from home.

I have him on DIY livery with very flexible services. In practice that means I do him at the weekend, but as a rule during the week he's fed, turned out, mucked out and brought in by the yard, and I feed and finish off. If I'm away they will feed and finish him off for me. They are also happy to do that at the last minute if I find I have an extra meeting I need to attend.

It costs me about £140 a month for stable, field, hay and wormer (to the yard), and approx £100 a month for the services. on top of that is farriering, extra food insurance, bedding and all the other stuff you "have" to have. So more than most as I'm just not there to do it, but it is possible. That's in Winter. In Summer when he's out much more that goes down a lot.

Is it worth it? Oh yes. When you're tired and stressed, how wonderful it is to hear the nicker of your horse who's so pleased to see you, and tack up and ride across the farm. Even after a 12 hour day you can still have a lovely grooming sesion or ride in a floodlit school. It's the best destresser I know!

You learn very quickly believe me. And the bond is there. I mean, there's always days off and holidays. And could you work from home now and then so you finish nearer?

[Peanut]

Is it worth it? Oh yes. When you're tired and stressed, how wonderful it is to hear the nicker of your horse who's so pleased to see you, and tack up and ride across the farm. Even after a 12 hour day you can still have a lovely grooming sesion or ride in a floodlit school. It's the best destresser I know!



I couldn't agree with you more. :)

[*toHorse&Away*]

ONG Yes! I am so sure it guys - I get choked when I get off the chaps at my one hour a week lesson (how soppy am I?) and they have been so good. I untack them and give big cuddles and snogs and it is just so nice being around them.

In fact he only time in a week I am not thinking or dreaming about work issues is when I am at the stables. I just don't want it to be good for me and not good for the horse in that they don't know who is "mummy"

I do understand there are a few of you good people in difficult situations............

[cazrider]

THand A, I didnt say all that to dump on you. Just to show you that it can be done and it is worth it.

Also I'd say Sennie definitely knows who's mum (he doesn't snog everyone, which is just as well:rolleyes: )and has a very nice life which is good for him too.:)

And you're not at all soppy... just normal.

[*toHorse&Away*]

Cazrider - bless you - I can't help it though - I love them all. I love all anmials. I save mice and birds from my evils cats (louder bells in order) I think I need to retire early, win the lottery and set up a home for horses and ponies!!!

Actually maybe if all of us in NR clubbed up we could do that between us!!!:D

[NoviceNic]

What you need to do is make owning or sharing a horse happen. I mean get involved at the yard more. Ask around YO and owners and see if there is a horse available that would suit you. Look at all the figures and the time needed to support the horse and HAVE A GO...:D I think that the share option may be a good start of getting you on the Horse Ladder so to speak.

I used to feel the same way as yourself. Except I could only afford 1/2hr lesson each week. The minute I got off I knew it was 7 days before I got back on again. :( So I got more involved with horsey people. And hey presto 6 months later I owned a pony for my daughter to ride. I wanted to see if I could commit time and financially to a horse so I figured the best way was to own a pony. Then gradually I increased 1 to 2 and bought my own. Its a bit like having kids really, just can never afford them until you have got one. ;)

[Mimi + Me]

Oh don't ever give up hope of owning your own, not while there's still breath in your body!

I shared a lovely mare for five years before I bought Mimi and it really is the next best thing to owning your own. Before that I used to ride weekly at my local RS and the worst part was dismounting at the end of our hack, and I used to really hate it if one of the staff would take the horse off me, because I always wanted to be involved more and untack/tack up etc.

I work three days a week in an office which gives me four days to spend with my horse but sometimes I even complain that that's not enough - I guess some of us are never satisfied are we :o.

In fact I work three days at my livery yard now just to be able to afford to keep Mimi there and although it's bl**dy hard work and sometimes I'm just so busy looking after everyone else's horses I hardly have any time left for my own.

A couple of days ago someone said to me don't I get fed up having so little time for Mimi but I thought about it long and hard and said "it would be nice to have more time with her but at the end of the day I'm really lucky to have my own horse, I really feel blessed having my own after so many years of longing so no, I'm not going to complain"

Could you not cut your working hours down at all to give you more time? Even if you did only see your horse at weekends the time you'd spend together would still be complete quality time, wouldn't it?

[Whatanejit]

I agree with Peanut and Cazrider - you can do it if you really want to.

I started with Part livery while OH and I went went to Stage 1 Stable Managment weekly lessons for 12 weeks, got our RI to school him twice a week - half the lessons were really ground work and behaviour training.

The thought of DIY was a nightmare but now I wouldn't look back.

An account of my day.

0500hrs - alarm goes off - shower, tea, dressed, hair dryed.
0610hrs - in car and off to stables (only 3 min drive so I am lucky)
0615hrs - change rug, tie up outside and feed - while he eats I skip out, change water and put a few slices of hay out for when he comes in
0645hrs (ish) - turn him out and back to car where I change boots and take off large jacket that protects my clothes while mucking out.

Depending on my work commitments I catch either the 0704hrs, the 0718hrs or the 0734hrs to Waterloo.

In normal weeks I will be back at the stables by 1830hrs and might not get home till 2030hrs - brilliant way to spend your time.