wondering what you would do...

[Sofi P]

Background:
I have a horse (Ruud) on full loan from a good friend, the idea was that she would be with me for the summer and she would be sold towards the end of the summer. Anyway, as time went on my friend decided she didnt want to sell after all so we agreed that she would go home as it got darker in the evenings because I work full time and have no help so didnt really fancy the long winter of early starts and long days! Plus I'm on a tight budget and keep is more expensive in the winter (although not drastically more as she was stabled over night through the summer anyway and should continue the same through winter)

In the mean time my friend has been loaning another horse that she loves and wants to keep on loan. Plus she has bought a 3yo. So faced with the prospect of having 3 horses to pay for on livery my friend has been considering loaning Ruud to her college (she's starting a BSc this month having already done her HND there a couple of years ago). She rang me last night saying that she needs to come collect Ruud this weekend if she stands any chance of being able to loan her to the college because they need to assess her first. Or if she stays any longer with me then I need to commit to keeping her for at least most of the winter. She's not emotionally blackmailing me or anything and I've told her I'll get back to her shortly once I've had a think about it.

This wouldnt have been a problem had my job not recently become a little unstable, I'm hoping things arent as bad as I first thought but there's a chance I could loose my job in the next month. I've already started applying elsewhere of course and I'm fairly confident of finding something, but it might mean a pay drop or a gap between employment.

So my head says let Ruud go home because she's a luxury that I might not be able to afford should I end up unemployed for a month or so.

But my heart says keep her because I love having her, I've made loads of friends at my yard who have offered to help out over winter with turn out etc while I'm working and as long as I remain employed I can afford it.

I've pretty much made my decision but, if you've made it this far, I'm wondering what you would do in the same situation?

 

[Trewsers]

If it were me personally I'd keep her! I know you say that your job may be in trouble, but you'll get something else I'm sure. Are there any ways you can trim back to accommodate her financially? Because I have waited 30 years to get my own horse, perhaps I am a little biased, but you only live once etc and I wouldn't want to let her go. And, if you say people on the yard are willing to help thats a good thing too - seems a shame to let her go? Others will probably say I am talking out of my rear - but thats just my opinion.
Good luck whatever you decide to do - its not easy when its you that has to make the decision and its ok me saying you can make it work financially. (I'd rather cut back on things like nights out, make up and clothes etc).

 

[Quickstep]

Send her home! Ultimately it's her owner's decision what happens to her. IF she's suitable as a college horse then that outcome would suit her owner and you (you had already decided you didn't want her over the winter, the intention never was for you to have her over the winter, and now there are your job concerns to factor in too). If she isn't suitable for the college, then her owner has a bit more time to sort out what is going to happen to her.

 

[beating_hooves]

Send her back. Its not as if you are losing her forever, your friend will only be loaning her to the college. Just think if you keep her and then become unemployed over the winter, you'll have difficulty paying the expenses and I'm sure your friend will then be a little annoyed at having to take her back mid-winter when she gave you the opportunity beforehand, when she planned to loan her to the college which will no longer be possible.

 

[HJ]

Id keep her and your friend if you could get a sharer to help you out, with time and money, you could ask a sharer to pay you £20 a week (I don't know where you live but here that's your stable rent for the month)

Would your friend not be able to help you out, I wouldn't want my horse going in to a college environment, its too similar to riding school IMO.

Does the horse benefit from 1-2-1? If so how will she cope with that lifestyle?

 

[katie11]

id send her back tbh.... job situation being as it is, its not worth the risk....

(if jobs were ok etc id keep her though...) :s

 

[cinammontoast]

If you're not too attached, then perhpas return her. If you're very attached, ask the owner if you can advertise for a sharer or half loan with someone else (worked out super well for me and a friend).

 

[Sofi P]

Well as I said I'd already pretty much made up my mind so I spoke to my friend yesterday and she's staying! At least for the time being... We had a laugh about how neither of us were being particularly sensible and she made sure I hadnt felt pressured into the situation (which I hadnt). She also offered to help out with costs should I end up unemployed briefly and we're going to continue with the current arrangement whereby she still pays for shoes, insurance and vets etc.

As soon as I told everyone at the yard and saw their excitment at us staying I knew I'd made the right decision. Just going to have to work on my dad to pay for skiing this year... I'm 22, have a full time job and STILL get an allowance off my dad, I love it!

 

[Ace87]

YAY! Am very pleased for you, what a great dad you have btw can I share him? lol. Oh and great arrangement with the owner too, lucky you!

 

[dex]

I'm glad you kept her! I would of done the same also!
I love skiing to, hope you get to go!!!

 

[Sofi P]

YAY! Am very pleased for you, what a great dad you have btw can I share him? lol. Oh and great arrangement with the owner too, lucky you!

haha, he's not all that great! I have to put up with constant abuse about being a 'financial failure' as he so kindly describes it but as long as the money keeps coming I'll gladly suffer the abuse! I think he's just glad I have a career job and I'm still sort of on a training wage so when I pointed out that my disposable income had actually gone down since leaving uni he agreed to make up the shortfall - this involved the production of a spreadsheet detailing my income and outgoings, and a business case as to why I was a worthwhile investment for the future!

I'm glad you kept her! I would of done the same also!
I love skiing to, hope you get to go!!!

I'm going to snowboard instead this year hopefully, just to show my brothers that I can do it too, but I've been having lessons and I find it so hard after years of riding teaching me to keep my weight back and then having to keep it forwards when snowboarding!