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Indalo
Silver Member
 United Kingdom
298 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 08:19:56 AM
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Hi All
I am interest to hear how people support the ever growing cost of keeping Horses?
I keep my Horses at livery (at a great place)and work based in London as a Consultant to support them and me.
I am particularly interest to hear how those of you who don't work full-time support your interest? If you do work full-time how do you manage to look after your animals. Also any individuals who have found lucrative methods of support through part-time or Home working?
Look forward to hearing your replies.
Indalo
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Edited by - Indalo on 28 Nov 2003 08:21:33 AM
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Eunette
Gold Member
United Kingdom
629 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 11:19:45 AM
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With great difficulty!!
I also work full time and for the last year have kept mine on full livery..because the cost was so much more than renting I had to put my pure bred mare on loan (I was lucky to find wonderful people!) but even now I struggle to keep the one I have. I don't feel he is being fed enough so I sneak up extra hay and feed of an evening - which doesn't keep costs down and now I need a new saddle - which I have no idea how I will buy!
I am now looking at starting my own little business as a side line selling Hadmade cards and crafts..but whether I will be able to make a go of it with time being so limited is another matter!
Any ideas people have about how they manage would be well received!
Torey |
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Gemma
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1802 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 11:44:59 AM
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| I guess I'm just very lucky. I have a reasonably well-paid job that is 5 mins away from home, and my livery fees are nominal as Marigold lives out 24/7/365. However, I run a very battered old car and don't go out much!! |
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DibDob
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
130 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 1:03:40 PM
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I don't work at all and live on Incapacity benefit because I have ME.
I have 2 horses but am very lucky because my mum and dad own a caravan park and I live in one of their houses for free. Also my mum pays for the hay as she has 2 horses aswell and lots of money! I have to pay for shoes, tack, vets, feed etc. and it is hard. I only have front shoes on my horses which halves the cost and if I need new tack I have to save up or have it for Christmas. The feed bill is manageable because I don't have livery costs.
I can tell you of a good way to earn good money though, sing! I am allowed to earn a bit of money with my benefit so I sing in a rock band. I earn the equivalent of £15 an hour when we gig, but we don't very often. However, if you go solo and sing to backing tracks, you can earn £100 for 4 hours work in a pub.
So, I really do sing for my supper!
Debbie |
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t_linington
Gold Member
United Kingdom
815 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 1:35:12 PM
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Can't sing.....but i'm a picky virgo!! So I clean!!! and get paid for it, not the most glam job, but hey, if it pays for charlie, who cares.
My mum helps out, and the rest is just struggling...do i feed the horse or child????? It has come to that in the past when Trev was self-employed, so we fed them and went without ourselves.
Our animals are more important...
Its a lot easier now, would be a lot better if i could find cheaper livery in this area!
Tina.
tina linington |
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Vera
Membership Moderator
United Kingdom
8652 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 1:45:43 PM
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I work Full time AND have a part time job!!!!
My full time job is flexi hours though as as long as my work time is within a certain band width at the end of the month I can work any time between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday - very handy for horses e,g I came to work at 11am today because the farrier came. You can also work time up and have up to three days off a month in addition to normal Annual leave. This sounds wonderful (and is) BUT the pay isn't very good so I also work on Saturdays to boost the money a bit.
I keep my two horses on DIY livery, I rent a yard and have three part liveries but these don't cover my livery costs as I am in an expensive area - average is £30 for DIY a week.
Vera and Dennis
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Valentine Arabians
Gold Member
United Kingdom
586 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 1:54:45 PM
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Hi,
I am extremely lucky, having read everyone's entries, I don't work (except full-time with the herd), but my husband has a very well paid job and he supports the horses. Thankfully, he adores them, but does mutter a lot when a horrendous Vet or Feed bill arrives out of the blue.
When my husband got promotion at work, his Mum and I decided that we couldn't have the horses in livery any more, so started looking for our own property - which we found in Lincolnshire. The distance from London is killing as my husband commutes to work and I feel so sorry for him, but we would never be able to afford a property like this one further South. Fortunately, he has discovered the train....!
I wish you all, the best in the winter days and nights ahead.
Liz Downes |
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razgold
Platinum Member
USA
1576 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 2:36:44 PM
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well I have 9 horses and 2 part time jobs to support them and me. Life is very hard at times and things have to be kept on a shoe string. But my horses are my life and they are fed before I am and so far we have managed. I had an ex who never liked my horses so he would never help me to feed them or muck out etc. When I sell a horse it's a bonus at that pays for their feed etc.
Now I'm on my own the prospect of me keeping my horses and living in this country with them is very bleak. So that's why I'm off to America. I've met a super bloke over there who adores both me and my horses which is a god send. I can't take all my horses with me unfortunatly but I will be taking at least 5 of them.
Over there we will all have a better life style with sunshine all the year round. Only 2 months mucking out in the winter!!!!! All I have to do is look out for the spiders, snakes and scorpions!
Sue.
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k brown
Gold Member
United Kingdom
810 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 3:06:46 PM
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I am a full time mum but husband works hard! I do bits of teaching and schooling freelance , judging local shows at weekends and have just taken to selling on ebay! I can probably make about 30.00 per week on there which pays for shavings etc. We also dont go out and sometimes have to shop in Aldi(oh no!) kirsty
one day your a rooster the next a feather duster. |
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pat day
Moderator
United Kingdom
5324 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 3:35:40 PM
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When I worked full time, it was quality control for M.S.
My husband wanted me to finish work and I wouldnt, so he bribed me with a horse . So he knows its his fault now that we have three
It hasnt always been this way, when we married in 1973, my brother gave us £5 to last us until we could collect our wages the following week.
I do love dog training,and before moving to here, I ran three classes which paid for my horses, and could buy surprises for us.We are a bit isolated here, so now John foots the bill.
But must add he has no idea what they cost
Regards Pat |
Edited by - pat day on 28 Nov 2003 3:37:43 PM |
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Michelle
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3197 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 3:41:04 PM
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I have a full time job in investment banking in London. I have 4 horses and one on loan to me but I am having to cut down the numbers! My boyfriend is an estate agent and he works local to where we live. At the moment we have loads of debt and no life!
It costs me £1300 a month to keep all horse related things running and that cost has to be brought down so I have to sell some nags.
I always thought that they were more important but just recently I have realised that eating is more important (although I needed to loose a few pounds anyway). Plus I don't want to work in banking anymore because it's full of backstabbers and arselickers (excuse french) - I plan to go into property developing in the new year and be my own boss (zero stress or fear of redundancy in the hands of someone else!).
If I didn't work from 7 - 5 and then have to do all my nags which are at DIY livery I would get a second job just to pay off some of my bills - but am too exhausted!
My dad always says to his friends 'never buy your daughter a horse, they eat £50 notes' - and that was when he was paying for the one horse I had when I was at school!!
Michelle
IIsis Arabians |
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Tab
Silver Member
United Kingdom
255 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 3:48:35 PM
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I have 3 ponies (4 until recently). My car packed up completely a few weeks ago, so last week I spoilt myself with a 'new' one. It's 13 years old! There are not many luxuries in our house - no DVD player, no Sky TV or posh mobile phones. But I think having ponies more than makes up for these things. I think it comes down to priorities.
Michelle |
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Eunette
Gold Member
United Kingdom
629 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 3:55:52 PM
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I think anyone who has horses struggle..I also think everyone would agree that we wouldn't swap it for the world.
Kirsty:What type of things do you sell on ebay..I wonder if I could sell old Cd's and things on there? I can't sing either..unless very drunk..I then believe I have the best voice in the world!!
I feel like I can keep on top on the basic costs but then farrier and vets bills seem to come at the wrong time and all savings get lost!
Having no where to ride doesn't help but summer won't be that long now!
I guess we all have to keep buying that ticket and keep our fingers crossed! |
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white bryony
Gold Member
United Kingdom
778 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 5:26:51 PM
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i work full time but on split shifts during the week,and work weekends,but i get all school hols off as i work at one,and still get very good pay when im not there,
i have 3 horses,and a new car,but live at home still,so that bits cheaper,i do find it difficult and do need to find another job to fit in with the one ive got,my mum does help me out,im in debt too,i dont go out,if i do its once in a blue moon,im always knackered but keep going,depite all this my horses welfare comes first [as im sure everyone elses is here]
Emma
 
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Emancy
Gold Member
United Kingdom
1147 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 5:29:24 PM
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We own 3 horses at the moment plus a mare on loan) and the two mares are in foal. We are constantly worried about money but just can't help ourselves with buying horses or breeding more (although the 2 foals due in the new year will be the 1st we've bred ourselves).
We live in a rented property and don't even have carpet yet although we've been here for a year and a half! I work as a Sales Manager in a very small software company - there's only 6 of us. There's alot of pressure involved as I'm basically responsible for getting in the money to keep the business running and people in jobs! It's a pretty good salary for around here (probably not by anyone in the South's standard) and I get commission which is a great bonus when it happens - we're having a quiet period atm so no bonus! Luckily I have built up a very good relationship with my bosses too as they have horses, and work is only a 15 minute drive so work is not a chore. Mark is a builder and is also friends with his boss. He's a very hard worker and is out in all weathers. He's currently working 7 days a week so I do the horses on the weekend and we both do them in the evening, going straight up to the stables after work till 9 - 9.30pm them coming home for dinner then up again at 5.45 am as Mark starts work at 6.30am.
We have the horses on DIY which is very reasonable and there's an indoor menage so it's good in the Winter although it's very bleak and extremely cold. Since we brought the mares in though, we've been having to by a giant haylage bale a week plus two sacks of feed and a giant straw bale every fortnight (that's about £90 per week including livery).
We're also having to cut down atm and have recently gelded our 4 year old colt to sell as a ridden horse - but we're umming and arrhhing about that too!! We know that we may need to make room for a possible foal to keep - although one with definitely have to go plus we've realised we don't have time for each other!
I've been contemplating starting painting again to earn some more money. I'm an art graduate with an 'A' level in art, a degree in textile design and a BTEC diploma in art and design and I don't use it so I'm think about advertising for commission work in the near future - it's just finding time to do it that's the problem.
Claire Sharp
Emancy Arabians
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susan hobson
Silver Member
United Kingdom
367 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 6:36:08 PM
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Hi,
I am very lucky, I only work part time Mon to Sat and my husband helps with the ponies, as he likes to drive one of them.
My stables were built by my husband, they are not posh ones but very well built plus feed room (the smaller stable and feed were once a chicken shed)but converted by hubby (he is very good with his hands).
I only rent the land and I can only have the stables if I use part of the land for growing veg's, it's only the size of a postage stamp but I only pay £60 a year for it, we are hoping to buy it in the future, it will take a long time to save the money though.
As my husband dosen't earn a lot we are still on a shoe string and have to go without a lot of things. But we are happy bunnies and share a lot with the ponies.
susan. |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 7:35:14 PM
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I must have keep costs down to a minimum. I am very, very lucky in my area as I have a farm business tenancy on almost 9 acres, paid at a true agricultural rent.
I had had years of livery yards and landlords putting up rent by huge chunks, insisting you bought hay off the yard, that wasn't fit to eat, at a premium price, so I do appreciate what I've got, concrete in summer and lake in winter. LOL
I had also bought - thanks to parents - half an acre close to home, so I knew no matter how unreasonable the landlords / livery became I had somewhere to put the horses for the cost of buying feedstuff.
Consequently so far I've been able to work part time and still keep them, but don't have any luxuries, and resemble a scarecrow most of the time! Horses get more spent on them than I spend on myself, as we probably all do, and we probably will continue to do so.
I might need to think about reducing numbers though to get some little extras for the grandchildren. Anyone want a horse? |
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k brown
Gold Member
United Kingdom
810 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 10:39:43 PM
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Eunette, anything goes on ebay! the kinky er the better!! I have sold records, soft toys and books from the charity shop for a good profit. Its not big money, but that can be done!! It pays a small wage. kirsty.
one day your a rooster the next a feather duster. |
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Lisa
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2611 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 10:40:22 PM
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| I work full time and I am currently used to seeing the outlines of my horses in the dark or rumaging round with a torch when I get to the yard after work but hopefully not too many more weeks before daylight returns! I keep two horses on DIY livery at a yard about 5 miles away from where I live but I am able to walk to work so thats a bonus unless it's raining! I too have a load of useless qualifications and I have only been working full time from around April this year, before that I worked part time more hours in the summer then less to virtually non existant in the winter! So at least I now have a regular income and can start saving for a lorry which I've had on my wish list since forever! I manage to keep my horses and my car so I shouldn't grumble. Still could do with winning the lottery though! |
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honey
Platinum Member
N. Ireland
2634 Posts |
Posted - 28 Nov 2003 : 11:57:05 PM
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Well my sister and I have always had to pay for are horsey things our selfs, since 13. My family have no interest in the horses. we first got a dog, thats 5 years ago, and had no problems supporting it, doing just odd jobs for people. We would buy like 3 months dog food in advance. Well father brought us a horse before he died. well since then we have brought one every year since then, and it always ended up on the 6th of september (my mothers birthday ) so have three, and one in foal. At uni, and have a part time job in my aunts bakery. Thats great as we get to say when we want to work. Live at home, don't smoke or drink, so no real out goings a part from the horses, and £30 house keep. We have managed really well, and have all the horses haylage and shavings brought til next december. the yard is a privately rented yard, which we share with roy. He owns three, but his horses are ours and our horses are his kind a thing, which is a real help. He takes us every where we want to go, and splits everything fifty fifty, though he would pay the biggest majority of the rent. we pay £10 a week at the moment as we have a diy livery in at the moment. Are biggest expense would be hard feed, though now the two horses are almost up to proper weight the feeding costs have came down. are next highest expense must be the vet. Between two of the horses, they are always needing something done and from jan til recently are vet was up nearly every week, though we do get handsome discounts. Though one big saving would have to be the farrier. I can shoe the horses my self, so we only need to get the black smith when the shoes are thin (as he puts on real hard wearing shoes), so I dress them as necessary, and the mare in foal, she needs hers done every two weeks, so the expense would be too much. We are able to buy everything needed for the horses, and we would save up for are saddles ect. we are planning to get a good job after uni, and put money away each week between us then in a few years hoping to get a mortgage on a small farm. We are also doing exams with the bhs, and are hoping to become qualified instructers. We break, and school horses for people. we do a lot of odd jobs to, and at the moment have spent the last week doing avon[xx(. We are actually scared to add up are weekly outgoings, on the horses, and my mother nearly died when we spent £1300 on two saddles on tuesday, horses are an expensive hobby, and when you are out competeting it is more costly than keeping the horses them selfs.
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khira
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
182 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 12:26:01 AM
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hello everyone
Yeah time of year is here again when the bills fly threw the roof!!! I have my mare and foal on DIY and my mare is in foal so will have 3 next year. Stables cost £15 each per week with winter turnout so not to bad as they are out most of the day which saves straw. They get adlib haylage and the best feed. I'm a full time student at uni and work part time 15 hrs a week. I bought my mare with student loans and also paid stud fee with it for this years stud fee to Psynergy. Must admit dad helps me if really stuck but I must say I never worry about money. If i'm honest with myself I am very irresponsible when it comes to cash cos i always look to the bright side and think i'l get it from somewhere. Well must work though cos my horses are spoilt and live life of luxury!!!! You get lost in their bed of straw and they get the best feed and haylage. They need for nothing. Maybe its cos i'm only 20 but the way I see it - i'd spend my last penny on my horses and they are the ones that make me happy. I dont care where my next wage comes in but i suppose I dont have a house etc to pay for to. The horses may cost a fortune but the love, happiness and joy they bring me are priceless. I'l go to the stables and people tell me my horses start to go crazy before i've even pulled my motorbike up on the yard - they do this for nobody else - they see me in the field and they'l gallop towards me shouting hello's - they do this for nobody else. At the end of the day they are now part of the family and they are just another mouth to feed in the house hold. I always say I will go without before they do. Sorry to bore everyone.
Nic |
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Serin
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
1792 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 06:50:10 AM
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Well i have 4 horses at the moment , have 2 children 6 and 11 .....
I support my horses by Freelance teaching and schooling ...... I dont have a boss and pick my own hours , around the horses and home , I work as many or as little hours as i choose . I am very lucky as my hubby has very well paid job and supports me playing my little pony all day every day !!!
I keep my horses at livery which i really hate , well i rent stables on a converted farm , only 5 other owners there so not big and commercial ! I have just brought a house which is being gutted to re sell so i can buy land ( lucky as my Dad owns a building firm so will then build a house and stables ..... more than prepared to live in a mob home while building work happens )
I struugle same as everyone else with a horse does ..... they have good quality feed and bedding ...... Stubben and Albion tack and yet my jods are holey and i look like a scruffy tramp !! wouldnt change it .......
I have had My riding mare since i was 15 so i have had to work to keep her , i had to start on paper round money , then YTS !! then 3 bar jobs, danced in a club !! (with clothes) and training to do BHSAI , been married ,divorced , single parent ,worked nights in Asda then taught all day .... mucked out for people , you would do any thing , I have done the lot to keep my horses especially Dusty who is my first ..... Its been hard but only people who havent got the heart or love resent it !! the rest of us know how to make meals for ourselves out of nothing because of our horses bills !!! |
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Lisa
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2611 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 09:27:21 AM
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| Someone mentioned competing - how expensive is that! Entry Fees, Diesel, Stabling, Feed, Tack, not to mention everything else! Do we all do it for the love of it or is there anyone out there who has won a major title and reaped the rewards e.g. stud fees or sold the horse for lots more than they paid? |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 10:02:05 AM
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We did a bit of showing with our colt, on the basis that it was part of the fun and his education. He did OK for us being amateurs and shown by a teenage boy who had never done it before, third at a "C" show and above more seasoned competitors.
It has not 'paid off' in terms of selling his stock, despite the fact that the only 2 shown have won at county level / 2nd at "C" show. Our stallion does not have enough foals as we find it hard to take visiting mares, and only breed occasionally. You need to sell to competitive homes if you want to get them known. Its a bit of a vicious circle, until you are known....
I have taken less than they cost me to try to get the best homes, I don't know how long I can be philanthropic! Hopefully I have 2 foals due next year, and if circumstance are right would like to show as youngsters, but realistically if they are colts they should be sold as foals. Probably quite cheap if I find the right homes.
No success story here then! |
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SueB
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 10:48:26 AM
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Dear Honey, I love the mop and your horse is super,...... love coloureds!
Before I married I worked full time to pay for my horses, after I married, for some reason, my horses have always been expected to pay for themselves! and they (nearly) do.
My husband is lovely, but as he was born a Jewish calculator, (not his fault), it is hard to hide the really big purchase, or the fact that I have 'given' a horse away, as he calls it!..So, if anyone wants tips on how to survive, please ask me!
However, I have found the longer you are married, the easier it is to get your own way, so now I do put my foot down and just send hubby out to work to finance our horses.....tough life being male!!!
Sue..x
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Alyssa
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
123 Posts |
Posted - 29 Nov 2003 : 3:44:53 PM
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Hi all,
I have two horses which I keep in DIY livery about 5 miles from my house (I still live at home so no rent!) I work in Newmarket which is a further 17 miles from the yard as a lab tech for the Animal Health Trust. For my age (21) and qualifications (virtually none-just "A"levels!) it is a fairly well paid job, but for some reason I always seem to be on the edge of my overdraft limit!!!?? My typical day runs something like this-up at 5:30, showered, dressed, make packed luch and pack work clothes into a bag (very important!) Get to yard about 6:45 (hopefully) groom and turn out whoever is not being ridden, groom and tack up who is being ridden-out on horse by 7:30 (by latest-hopefully!) Quick trot round lanes for about 40 minutes, untack, "chuck" horse out, fill haynets (worst invention ever, and I hate it if I haven't done this before going to work. All I do is soak it then tip it out again so I don't know why I bother really) Get changed for work in tack room, drive 20 minutes to work observing speed limit all the way of course. By the time I get to work I stink, feel shattered and have almost already done a full days work. But because I have ridden, that leaves all my mucking out for when I get back. They are deep littered so I skip out poohs, tittivate bed and add extra straw, then muck out properly at weekend. This is a godsend as it means that I can ride, but I still don't get home until 7:30pm at the earliest. I don't go out, have no social life, my Thoroughbred eats me out of house and home, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm lucky if I get out competeing more than once per month (with my 30 year old trailer which I bought with a bonus given to me after 12 months work in the hell that was FMD testing) but today for example I have had a half days hunting in the torrential rain and have come home very muddy, very wet, but glowing from the inside out. My mum thinks I'm mad, my boss thinks I'm mad, my friends think I'm mad but to be honest I couldn't be happier (well, maybe if I won the lottery....)
Sorry to go on, but it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who's knee deep in mud after a full days work and having withdrawn their last tenner from the cash point at lunchtime!!
Gemma
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