My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

To think that having two horses at livery is actually a luxury.....?

234 replies

Marigoldfetish · 17/11/2012 11:22

I know this is going to get me flamed etc. but I really don't care well I do a bit else I wouldn't have namechanged

I live near a large family of 8, the children range from 14 years to 18 months. The parents are lovely people, I often have a chat to them about the kids as they have some issues with their teenage girl pretty much the same as mine.

Recently the mum told me they have got two of their children horses, and my children could go and have a ride if they wanted, they are going to be kept at livery stables up the road.

The family's sole income is benefits - I know this as the mum is quite open about this, and that they don't want to work as a) they couldn't earn what the get in benefits and b) she wants her OH at home to help with the kids. Without being too specific so as not to out them or me, one of the parents gets a higher benefit allowance for depression (so the mum has told me). To be honest, fair play to them - if they have made that as a lifestyle choice and their kids are well looked after and happy, and they are only getting what they are entitled to.

I realise this will attract the usual suspects and talk of goats, plasma screens and the like, but..... somebody please tell me, in the name of my sanity, that I am not being unreasonable to think that benefits are not provided for somebody to keep two bloody horses at livery????

OP posts:
Report
cozietoesie · 17/11/2012 11:24

I'm having a deja vu.

Report
Vivalebeaver · 17/11/2012 11:24

Maybe she's friends with the livery yard owner and they don't pay full livery?

Maybe the livery yard use them to give lessons on and they get free livery?

Maybe they are the only thing that helps her with her depression?

Report
Sparklingbrook · 17/11/2012 11:24

Ooh I don't know what to make of that. I know keeping horses costs ££££s and they are allowed to spend money on whatever they want. I am just surprised the money isn't needed for something else I suppose. Confused

Report
Sparklingbrook · 17/11/2012 11:26

From my limited horsey knowledge it is possible to do deals with stables where they can use the horse for lessons and that reduces your costs.

Report
OpheliaPayneAgain · 17/11/2012 11:27

One of the parents has depression? the horses are for the children? I fail to see how that helps a parent with depression.

flame me<

It always amazes me with all these people on the sick, how their cocks and wombs continue functioning, habitually, whilst the rest of us subsidise them.

flame me again

Report
Marigoldfetish · 17/11/2012 11:29

I'm not saying she SHOULDN'T have horses, and yes, they may help her with her depression, that is besides the point I am making, when I say that surely benefits are not intended for this.

She said that in the summer, livery will be £40 a week for both horses as they will be outside, rising to £70 a week in winter when they are stabled (they will do the mucking out etc, she said this is called DIY livery), I don't know much about horses so I don't know if this is a reduced rate or not.

OP posts:
Report
Marigoldfetish · 17/11/2012 11:32

Also, my point was I am not against her using benefits as a lifestyle choice, their children are being well bought up and all have great aspirations which hopefully will eventually lead to them having employment and paying taxes. I am just saying that whilst most of the country is struggling to buy food and clothes, fill the car with fuel, pay heating prices, it does seem wrong that someone on benefits can afford to buy and keep two horses!

OP posts:
Report
Northernlurker · 17/11/2012 11:34

This isn't going to end well.............



Look OP - benefits are given for people who have no other income. If you dwell on the how or the why or the is it fair you will a) darken your soul with bitterness and b) be really, really boring.

So you know people who have 8 children and a couple of horses and who live on benefits. YOUR life chances (assuming you are not entirely dependant on benefits ) are VASTLY greater than theirs.

Take your children for a pony ride and dwell only on that which it is profitable to dwell on.

Report
Vivalebeaver · 17/11/2012 11:36

Well I was curious as to how much money this family would get.

So I went on some benefits checker thingy.

Assuming he's on long term sick benefit, assuming she claims a carer's allowance for him which I believe is quite possible and estimating monthly rent of £700 (stab in the dark) they would get £39082,27p a year which is £749.52 a week

Report
Sparklingbrook · 17/11/2012 11:36

Thanks for being the voice of reason NL. I'm out, as they say on Dragon's Den.

Report
Vivalebeaver · 17/11/2012 11:36

Whether thats good, bad ,or necessary I have no idea. I imagine that feeding and clothing 8 kids is expensive.

Report
mellowcat · 17/11/2012 11:38

It's a lot of money but I don't think anyone has the right to tell anyone else how to spend their money or even voice an opinion really. Once it's been given to them in benefits or earnings it's theirs to do what they like with, naive I know but in my view any further thoughts on the matter lead to resentment and a whole host of other emotions and quite frankly, life's too short!

Report
OpheliaPayneAgain · 17/11/2012 11:39

This is one of those lifestyle choice benefits thread. No said anything about people who lose their jobs, develop degenerative illnesses etc. Just thought I'd make that clear.

I have big issues with anyone who decides to breed like a rabbit as a work avoidance technique and expect me to pay for them

flame me some more

Report
Santasinmypudenda · 17/11/2012 11:41

Hasnt this been posted before a year or so ago?

Report
InNeedOfBrandy · 17/11/2012 11:42

It isn't for anybody else to say what benefits can be used for.

But we all know/know of a large family with fuck loads of children an a seemingly good lifestyle. My ex's dad married a woman and between them they had 13 children living at home 2 had extra money due to ADHD. They would go out and buy a £700 dog at the drop of a hat. But having said that the money they get for dc will dwindle as the dc get older and they will be back living on their giros at £60 pw in a few years and I have pity for anyone who chooses to live that way.

Report
BloominMarvellous · 17/11/2012 11:42

It doesn't seem fair when a working family struggle to put fuel in the car and have to sacrifice eating out, days out, holiday etc.

But maybe they sacrifice a lot if have the livery. Maybe that's their one hobby and don't have holidays or eat out?

I for one wouldn't want 8 kids so cannot be jealous or bitter when I'm making a choice just the same as they are.

Report
piprabbit · 17/11/2012 11:43

Of course having two horses at livery is a luxury, regardless of where the income to pays for it comes from. Having any horses is a luxury.

Too many unknowns for me to comment on the rest of it though.

Report
Marigoldfetish · 17/11/2012 11:44

They have six kids, the family are 8 inc parents. i have already said she is open that they are on benefits as a lifestyle choice, which actually doesn't bother me. As I said its not a nameless statistic but someone who I know and like. Hr life chances are up to her but as I mentioned all the kids do well at school and have great aspirations.

I am not interested in pony rides, or keeping a horse. I had to look up livery to see what it meant. I just think that a horse is a very expensive thing to keep, never mind two and I do think that whoever created the welfare state - I am sure a much more intelligent MNer will be able to enlighten me as to who it was - did not intend it to be used for livery stables!

OP posts:
Report
cozietoesie · 17/11/2012 11:45

You thought so as well, Santas?

Report
BloominMarvellous · 17/11/2012 11:45

InNeedOfBrandy is right, it isn't a long term solution, when their children leave home they won't get anything and will struggle to find work because they haven't been in work for years.

Report
Santasinmypudenda · 17/11/2012 11:46

Yup and its OP's first post....

Report
Marigoldfetish · 17/11/2012 11:48

This is the first time I have posted this, and I am well aware anyone posting about benefits usually gets harangued and flamed by the same set of people. I am a regular poster who has namechanged, but I genuinely feel so gobsmacked by this I wanted to see what other people's opinion were.

OP posts:
Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

ImperialStateKnickers · 17/11/2012 11:49

Santa she did say she'd nc-ed right at the beginning.

Report
BloominMarvellous · 17/11/2012 11:50

I feel it's wrong but won't judge anybody for making that choice as if they are entitled to it they have every right to claim it.

Report
Vivalebeaver · 17/11/2012 11:51

Its hard isn't it. I can see both sides of the argument.

I've seen threads on here saying that people who are on benefits shouldn't be expected to suffer, etc just becasue they're on benefits and I agree with that.

But I don't think that people on benefits should be able to afford holidays in Spain, horses, etc. And I don't see what's wrong with thinking that. I can't afford horses and me and dh work hard. I never had holidays as a kid, my parents were both teachers and still couldn't afford holidays.

But then I have friends who are on benefits and life for them is a struggle. Struggle to put adequate food on the table and to clothe the kids. So I wouldn't want to see normal benefits cut.

But it is wrong if people are choosing not to work as they think they'll get more money on benefits and I think that for those with lots of children then thats sometimes the case. I do know a couple who don't work, he has a "bad back" and she's paid a carers allowance for to look afetr him. Didn't stop him been on a trampoline the other weekend. But he's not worked in 15 years.

I've no problem with someone who is genuinely ill, has a bad back, etc to get benefits but shirkers like this annoy me. When you read in the paper about how the NHS can't afford this drug and that drug to save peoples' lives its not right.

But I don't know how it can be stopped.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.