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Should I get a horse ...

3K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  Sphi 
#1 ·
Logic says I should not get a horse. I am a university student. In July I am moving to Oxfordshire to start a year's work placement, then I am returning to Bath for my final year of university, and then - who knows.

But recently I've had the opportunity to take care of and ride some horses and I'm loving it. The thing is, I have no idea if I'd be able to handle it in mid-winter or when I got bored, so to speak - I'm not a full-on horse-mad person. This suggests to me that a fixed-term loan would be a better option, for maybe three or six months. And I should wait until I'm settled in my new home and job. But grrrr, it's so hard to think about this >< I'm tying myself up in knots.
 
#2 ·
If you think you're going to get bored, then I dont suggest getting a horse at all. If you horses are truly an interest to you, then I suggest saving up for it, or waiting until you can afford instead of taking out a loan.

Wait until you are done school and settled before you look at the expense of a horse.

Cheers.
 
#3 ·
A horse isn't a plaything, riding and working with horses is a great option, but unless you're completely sure, then do not get a horse. The amount of time it takes to care for a horse and the amount of money it takes can really turn a person off if they're not really into it- you might find yourself hating something you had previously loved. Not to mention, what're you going to do with it while you're away?
If I were you, I'd continue to ride other people's horses, take lessons or lease (much less expensive than horse ownership!) and see how you feel about it after your schooling is done.

Have you been riding for awhile, or is this a recent hobby?
 
#5 ·
I can afford a horse. By loan I mean I wouldn't buy a horse but instead borrow one and look after it; I believe in America the term lease is more common. Financially I am in a secure position for both purchase and maintenance of a horse for now and the foreseeable future. I would still be able to afford to take care of a horse while at university for my final year. I would absolutely not be considering looking after a horse if I did not know I could handle the expenses comfortably.

This is my third year riding; I take lessons during the summers when I'm home from university. However, I am finding the experience of looking after and riding friends' horses much, much more rewarding than taking lessons. In comparison, lessons seem short, fleeting and boring. I enjoy catching a horse, working with them for more than half an hour, looking after them for more than the short time I am on their back. Yesterday I learned how to worm a horse and I'm spending a lot of time with a yearling filly who's improving every day I work with her. In comparison, lessons seem so very limiting, as I would turn up, get on, ride, get off, and only occasionally get to groom and untack the horse I rode. Not to mention riding horses that aren't dead-sided lazy schoolmasters is a totally different experience and I'm learning much faster with horses that are responsive to me!

However, the situation I'm currently in is something of a lucky fluke - family friends and my dad's work colleagues - and so it will not continue when I move in July. As I know no one in the area and am new to Oxfordshire, I do not have any contacts or local knowledge to facilitate loaning or anything else.

In terms of 'getting bored' - I enjoy horse riding. I enjoy working with horses. To be honest, I'm surprised at my current commitment; I willingly get up very early to see to the horses when I have no opportunity to ride them. I know that owning a horse is a long commitment and I feel that if I own a horse, they are my responsibility until a) they move on to a new, good home, or b) they die, either through euthanasia or after a well-earned retirement. I do not think I will come to dislike the commitment, but I do not know as I have not been in such a situation.

Logically I can always talk myself out of this decision, as no suitable loaning opportunity has presented itself to me. But it's tough, given just how much I enjoy my time with the horses, to always just say, "Okay, this isn't going to work." I do not make emotion-based decisions and I'm not about to just rush out and buy a horse on a whim, but I'm unsure how far I can go in exploring the possibilities. >< I always thoroughly investigate EVERYTHING before I do it, hence why I would enjoy a leasing situation, but it's just so frustrating to be stuck in limbo, wanting to pursue this, knowing it's a possibility, but having nothing going on to really shift me one way or the other.
 
#8 ·
In terms of 'getting bored' - I enjoy horse riding. I enjoy working with horses. To be honest, I'm surprised at my current commitment; I willingly get up very early to see to the horses when I have no opportunity to ride them. I know that owning a horse is a long commitment and I feel that if I own a horse, they are my responsibility until a) they move on to a new, good home, or b) they die, either through euthanasia or after a well-earned retirement. I do not think I will come to dislike the commitment, but I do not know as I have not been in such a situation.

Logically I can always talk myself out of this decision, as no suitable loaning opportunity has presented itself to me. But it's tough, given just how much I enjoy my time with the horses, to always just say, "Okay, this isn't going to work." I do not make emotion-based decisions and I'm not about to just rush out and buy a horse on a whim, but I'm unsure how far I can go in exploring the possibilities. >< I always thoroughly investigate EVERYTHING before I do it, hence why I would enjoy a leasing situation, but it's just so frustrating to be stuck in limbo, wanting to pursue this, knowing it's a possibility, but having nothing going on to really shift me one way or the other.
The parts in bold, to me, indicate that through your own words you are not ready to own a horse. Not to say that you don't love horses, and love working with them, but the horse I currently own now was almost 11 years in the making....I had been wanting a horse consistently since I was 8 or 9 years old, and like you I enjoyed the work that went with them; when I went to summer camp I came home all gritty and nasty, but my mother said she knew from the look on my face that I was in love. I'm about to turn 20 now, and even though all of the ups and downs I've had with my current horse, where I may feel like selling him, I would never want to get out of horses.

Three years of riding on lesson horses is not a lot of riding experience, especially considering the high demand for dead broke horses, which you wouldn't undoubtedly have to purchase in order to move along in your riding career....then maybe sometime next year you would be able to move up to a slightly more spirited horse with a little more "go", but maybe not.

To be honest, both of your posts sound to me as if you want someone to convince you to buy a horse so you can get what you want, not convince you NOT to buy a horse. Your repeated use of the word "logic" also says that you're not even sure what you want
 
#7 ·
Problem is, leasing a horse would be much easier to arrange now, when I can ask my friends with horses for advice, contacts, anyone they know with a horse I could lease, and when I move to Oxfordshire those opportunities would dry up. But logic says I should not be introducing a horse into my life when I am also moving and starting a new job. Every single choice seems to have tied arguments for an against, instead of a clear swing one way.
 
#9 · (Edited)
A horse isn't like a dog. You can't buy one for pennies, keep it on a small loan, and pick stalls or mend fences when you "have time". It's a huge responsibility, one that most people don't take upon themselves without a real interest in them. Maybe you can lease one to see if you would really like horse ownership? Granted, no one likes mucking stalls in the 90-degree heat, but is all that worth it to you if you can have a horse? Maybe find someone who would offer a cheap lease if you did the work for the horse, just so you can get an idea of what all is involved. If you like it, maybe keep the lease horse--it's certainly less responsibility then owning one outright, plus if you ever needed to sell up, it's not your responsibility to find a home for the horse.

Just read your previous post, how would leasing a horse be too much to set up when you think buying isn't? It sounds like what JSB said, you want us to convince you to get a horse, not to do what you know is right.
 
#10 ·
I would just lease a horse. It doesnt sound like your a true-blood horse addict that lives and breathes horses. You might say you're up to owning a horse and taking care of them but its a 24/7 job even when you're sick. Chores never seem to end(but maybe thats because I work at 2 barns, a cow barn, and a big stable)and there's a lot of dirty and hard work that most "normal" people couldnt handle. I've been working at stables since I was 7 or so just so I could be around horses and maybe earn a free ride. I had to raise half the money for my first horse and I've paid for the other 2 that have come after her by myself and all of the bills and feed are my responsibilty. That means giving up time with friends, money for clothes shopping(which I hate), going out, etc.
 
#11 ·
I am not asking you guys to convince me to buy a horse. I just needed to talk about how frustrating it can be, how things do pull you in different directions and how strange it feels when your wild dreams get an element of plausibility. Surely you understand that? We've all had moments when 'what if' becomes possible, and needed to talk about them with others. My friends are utterly uninterested in hearing about how owning a horse means spending five hours fixing fencing (as I did today) or going out at 8 am in the pouring rain (as I did yesterday) to check on a bunch of horses and get one in, dry and ready to be ridden by someone else. I'd hoped to be able to just chat about it with you guys.

A horse is a massive commitment, and I am absolutely not the kind of person to walk into that until I am utterly certain I can meet it. I use the word logic not to say 'I want to do this but I know I shouldn't', but because logic says that if two choices are evenly balanced, stick with the status quo.

The reason why I would prefer a lease to owning a horse, is that a lease gives me a trial option: I would look after a horse for a fixed time period, and if at the end of that period I felt I was not enjoying it as much as I expected, or that it was not suitable for me, I could end the lease without the horse being stuck in limbo; it would always be in a good home. The horse would not be in any danger of being stuck in a home with someone who did not enjoy meeting its needs.

I admit I have not been around horses since I was a small girl like many of you, but that should not mean I am not capable of understanding the work and lifelong responsibilities involved. Not all of us had the opportunity to get into the equine world when we were children, and it's not shameful to be bitten by the horse bug in your twenties instead of when you're eight. I have been bitten hard, and getting to spend time actually caring for horses is a fantastic experience that has me up early in the morning and out late at night, and I'm even enjoying the really horrible tasks. I managed to find a really horrible mucking out task satisfying. I know you guys can empathise with that!

I'm not going to run before I can walk. But it does seem that my experiences are showing me I might enjoy the responsibilities of horse ownership and one day be in a good position to own one.

It's very different growing to love horses at an older age; when you're a child you don't need to think about the financial and time commitments it involves, because you're only young and you have your parents guiding you and signing off on any decisions. You get to dream, and dream big! Please don't rob me of having some of the fun of dreaming just because I'm feeling the excitement at an age when I'm also aware that it'll suck money away and I have to go take care of the grumpy, smelly horse when it's cold and wet and miserable and I've had a bad day at work already! :)
 
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#12 ·
I would continue lessons. Your posts really feel like you KNOW the answer is that you should not form a commitment to a horse at this time but you are asking us for affirmation. A horse is not like a cat or a dog. You can't feed and water them and expect them to be content with that. If you don't ride them, they lose what they've learned. If you don't spend time with them, they become bored and lonely. With your situation, I would continue lessons and that's pretty much it. A lease isn't any better for you right now IMHO.
 
#13 ·
A horse is a big commitment but to me it sounds like you're ready for it, from what I've read in this thread. A lease of course is always better to start with but I wouldn't completely rule out the option of buying a horse. It sounds to me like you've given this a lot of thought and are prepared to take on the challenge. If it's a dream of yours to own a horse—go for it! From what you tell us, it sounds like you'd be a great horse owner. Just my opinion. :)
 
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