Horse but no car..?

[ameliajane]

Does anyone own a horse but not drive?
Would love to start to think about owning but i don't drive and horse would be kept at livery so would have to use bike/buses to get there. Is this practical in the real world (as opposed to my fantasy world...), does anyone else do it?
:)

[Remmy]

About six years ago - I did have a horse and a car but couldn't afford to run the car as well so just cycled everywhere. It's amazing what 12 miles a day can do - I'd never been so fit in my life!

[nat17]

Its not impossible, I didnt used to drive but had my horses 2 miles away.

Like Remmy said, I too have never been so fit. The horses were at the bottom of a very large hill, my house was at the top 1 mile and along another inclined 1 mile. No buses go that route back, only there!

If they were in at night I would walk down there, turn out, walk home. Then again at night.. luckily they lived out mostly but were in for a month over night during some bad weather:)

You can do it, but it does require alot of commitment and takes more time.

A back up plan for emergencies is needed though, you must be able to get there quickly if your horse was ill etc:)

[lobeliaoverhill]

when I had my first horse [nearly 30 years ago] I didn't have a car, I used to walk - in all weathers - to get to the yard to see her. I used to take a change of clothes in my bag in case I got soaked :)

[Sofi P]

A lady at my yard doesnt drive, she also doesnt work. All our horses are stabled over night year round so she leaves a haynet and feed outside her stable for someone to give to her horse before she gets the bus over about mid day. She then stays at the yard until late afternoon and gets the bus back.

I know it certainly wouldnt work for me not driving as I live 5 miles from the yard and work a further 20 miles away so there's no way I'd have time to do everything if I used public transport. But if this isnt an issue for you then I dont see why it would be a problem.

[kayjayhorses]

I wasn't old enough to drive when I had my 1st pony and I used to bike to the yard after school everyday - did me the world of good, like the others have said I was so fit.

[TEmily]

I bused it to my first loan horse 4 days a week for 4 years. It was a bit embarrasing sitting next to a poor old biddy on the bus smelling of poo and sweaty horse, but otherwise ok!

I was only at school though so not as long hours as working.

[ameliajane]

Bus journey would be 30 minutes although if i add in getting to bus stop, waiting for bus and walk at other end it would take quite a bit longer - and then back again.
On the plus side I work shifts so would be able to get to stables for at least a couple of hours most days either morning or mid-afternoon/evening and if i work one double shift i would have an extra day off - giving me 3 full days to spend at stables.
Just wondered how it would be in the winter and whether the constant back and forth on buses would wear a bit thin. I've never heard of anyone doing this before.
I'm impressed with the 12 mile cycling Remmy (round trip, i assume), i'll have to go and work out the distance.
:)

[jennywren07]

i got my first pony at 14 and had to bike 20mins each way before and after school to do her, i think my mum gave me a life about 5 times in 2 years when it was too icy for me to bike safely. It can be done if your determind :)

[Brkr]

I used to cycle about 8 miles a day to see loan horse.
Sometimes 16 miles if i'd forgotten bits i'd got for him :D:D

Still cycle same distance only two days a week though. :)

[melmo1313]

I don't drive and go to my share horse twice a week. Takes me 2 buses and a 20 minute walk one way ... about an hour each way on a good day. A girl who used to board there did that every day!

Shifts are good for horses though ... I also work them ... only issue seems to be Sundays where the buses are abysmal! It does wear thin when you realise that you could drive it in 15/20 minutes ...

[ameliajane]

So it isn't impossible then!

And i measured the distance to the nearest livery and it's only 6.5 miles! So it's also cycle-able.

Over the first hurdle...

:)

[babyzoe]

Heya i have a horse on loan at a livery yard and i dont drive i bike there and back :D

[Miriam]

I dont drive and lucky that my horses are 20mins walk away or 5 mins by bus

[babyzoe]

same here :D

[Dark Storm]

I don't drive:) never even learnt:rolleyes: my oh takes me up everyday (since last oct, before then, I used to walk 2 miles to get to them):D

[notpoodle]

i had mine for nearly five years without a car :) had to get public tranpsort to the yard or cycle :) i worked about an hour away on train and bus as well which wasn't always easy. also tricky to buy feed and shavings and things .... but, it is possible :) and you save a lot of money!!

[twigs]

I dont drive, and would like too, but hate the thought of the cost, Id rather have a horse on grass or DIY
Id have to get a bus into the CC then one to the RS would take an hour, but no walking
can be done if you have time to spare, wouldnt like to do it if I was on a busy schedule
my RS sells hay/haylage and feed, also bedding so wouldnt need a car for that, just the weather to consider
good luck for whatever you decide:D

[ameliajane]

Thanks for the replies - judging by the number it's not as mad a notion as i thought.

Wouldn't be doing a great deal with the horse, mostly hacking i expect and i'm fairly light so a native type pony kept at grass, if possible, or part livery was what i had in mind.

Tried to learn to drive 3 times and hated it and having a car works out so expensive i would then probably struggle to afford pony's upkeep.

I don't have too many other commitments either.

Thanks again - you've given me hope...

One day i may even be that smelly person sitting next to you on the bus... :)

[Native Lover]

I kept my fell on livery 6 miles from where i lived previously and bused and walked to the yard everyday.She was on part livery at the time and they did the evening feed for me and brought her in.On really nice days i used to get off a few stops further away and walk i was a size 12 then now a size 16 :(

Luckily it included hay and shavings and another livery used to pick me up a bag of pony nuts when i needed them.

I cannot drive,my OH takes me now to the yard we rent.

I would much rather have a horse than a car anyday :D

Best of luck if you thinking about it, think how much fitter you will be ;-)