Approximately how much should I save up for a horse?

I have nothing against TBs, they can be wonderful horses, but if I have to raise funds myself then having a potentially hard keeper could be a downside.

Well then.

My mom saw me browsing horses on the internet a little while ago. I wasn't seriously looking, just browsing to see what I like and if I can find a decent amount of horses with what I want (yep!). She asks what I'm doing, and I tell her. She sighs. So I say "Is there even a chance of me getting a horse?" Flat out "no." That hurt a bit. She says, "We're not paying for a horse." I say, "What if I do?" Another sigh. She says, "You can buy a horse yourself....When you're 25." I ask why I can't buy it now if I can pay for it. She says, "You're 16. You're going to college in two years. You don't need a horse. We (my parents) don't want to pay for a horse."
So I feel pretty bad. I understand her point of view and I'm not going to throw a fit, as her argument makes sense. What's bugging me is that she doesn't understand WHY I want my own horse. Yes, I know it will be hard work. Yes, I know it will be even harder work when I go to college. But there are things I could get from this that I cannot get in any other way. Anyone who owns a horse can tell you that.
One thing I don't understand is how she expects me to be able to buy a horse fresh out of college. Okay, so I'm finally living on my own off my own expenses. My mom knows very well how incredibly hard it is to make ends meet at that point in your life. How the heck does she think I'll be able to buy a horse then, of all times? Financially doesn't it make more sense to get a horse now and then just worry about regular fees then as opposed to all the extra fees that come with BUYING a horse? And paying for college isn't the problem. My parents put away a nice college fund for both my brother and I. He went to a college with a tuition of about 50,000 a year, and the college fund is paying for all four years in full. I have my own fund of equal or greater size, and most of the colleges I like are much cheaper than that.

I'm sorry, I'm probably being ridiculous. A 16 year old girl, living in suburbia, 30 minutes from the barn where I ride, and I want to buy a horse...I should just stop dreaming and think logically.

Well your in a similar boat as me, except im 21. My parents pay all of my other bills/college so they arent about to buy me a horse and pay board. They may help a little with extra small things but that's it. Maybe you should just do what I do and spend as much time as you can at the barn, riding, hanging out, I got a job there on the weekends, taking lessons..etc. You learn so much and get your horsey fix in. Yeah it sucks that I can't have a horse but I am lucky to be able to ride my BO's horses and work and be around them so its all good. I would also rather get the horse I want and not struggle paying for it then to just buy any old one and struggle with money, so when I get a job as a RN I will be able to fullfill my dream. : )...just have patience my friend..you will grow up soon enough : )

Regan, your post really made me happy, until I realized one of the reasons I want to have my own horse....
Right now, summer is the best time in the world for me. I get to lease all summer and when I do the horse I lease improves soooo much and it makes me so happy. Because I can do what I want and not have my own lessons, the horse can grow instead of doing the same stupid things over and over.
I actually learn more from doing things on my own. My barn is...Well...Not the greatest. The instructor tends to say "Okay trot" then talk on the phone until we walk. This isn't the case in the winter, but in all other seasons she teaches. I WISH I could have a great instructor and a great barn, but alas, I'm going to have to deal with what I have. I sort of hoped by owning my own horse I would have freedoms I wouldn't otherwise have like skipping that day's lesson to go on a trail ride or work on some dressage moves by myself. I originally thought I could just do this by leasing, but after watching some leasers I realized they are allowed to do this...But only once in a blue moon. Generally it's reserved for when they're having a bad day and want to ride but don't want to work. People who own horses are allowed to do whatever they want and ride whenever they want.
Really all I can do right now is save my money and learn to manage my time better, in hopes that my mom will see that I really can do this. (Even though even if she saw it she still wouldn't let me get a horse...) I just feel like I would greatly benefit from it.
Am I being ridiculous? Is it incredibly ridiculous that I feel like my dream of having my own horse will never come true?

Funny thing about owning horses. No matter how much money you have, it's never quite enough LOL.

I only read the title, and don't have time to read all the posts but...I work my butt off with odd jobs so I always have a couple hundred on the side for emergency vet bills. Really came in handy when my mare coliced and had to be put down.

Its not rediculous at all to dream and really want one, believe me I know how you feel. Sometimes I get a tinge of jealousy when I have worked at the barn all morning and some younge girl comes walking in to their sweet little horse and all..i want one so bad, believe me I do. My boyfriend knows it too : p..i just know right now in college it would be TOO hard financially and not fair to the horse. And I sometimes feel like it will never come true but I just have to keep my head up and believe that it will. That sounds so cheesey lol but when you can actually do it right, you will feel alot better. Wait until you get to college, you will realize how broke you will be..lol.

Oh, I know. My brother calls for transfers to his bank account almost twice a month. GET A JOB! Lol. Its just annoying because I KNOW money isn't the issue...Its time. If I paid for all the initial costs of a horse, I'm almost certain my parents would be willing to pay for most other things (other than material things) until I started living on my own outside of college. I think I should just wait it out. Its just HARD.

Oh I know its hard! And it sucks! It sucks always having to find an extra horse to ride and asking if I can ride..etc..but then I guess im lucky I get to : )