A Levels and Horses

[Assumptaann]

Do A Levels and horses mix? My daughter's share pony is being sold by the owner at very short notice. At the moment she rides 3 times a week including a lesson. So twice during the week and once at the weekend. The horse is on full livery, so the time is used on grooming, tacking up and riding. She hasn't does many shows in this horse, because, bless him, he just wasn't up to it, but he is a lovely boy. My dd 16, has just got her GCSE mock results, which weren't as good as expected, not all her own fault, some of it definately was, but some was down to friendship issues, she has now moved groups and this is fine. Our predicament is that, she would love her own horse. One which would be good enough already to compete with, and of course continue to have lessons and generally ride etc., but she also has to hit the ground running in September with her A Levels, not to mention time studying and revising for GCSEs which have to result in good grades to be accepted into her choice of sixth form. Do any of your children do A Levels and own and compete and ride? She knows that if we do go with buying a horse, that it will only be for the two years until university. Should we even buy?or just go for full loan, which I know is difficult to sort unless the horse can move yards. Please advise. Thank you

[Greyhorses]

I had a horse through A levels, university and then during full time work. It was certainly doable and I really enjoyed being able to ride at the end of a stressful day. Competing was no problem for me either and I rode daily. I think it depends what sort of person you are as I didn't find A levels stressful or hard but I know people who did.

I would say university was harder though as I wanted to go out with friends and have a social life and 6am show mornings were difficult with a hangover

[Quoteunquote]

Ask will she be able to be self disciplined enough to put in all the extra work involved, it is doable, but she cannot justifiably rob her future self of gateways.

She needs to hit the ground running now to get a head start not wait until September, use her lunch hours to do homework, prioritize work over socialising, so she can do herself justice as an owner and student.

We have the conflict over the amount of time the DC can train, I allow them to train only if maximum effort is being put into school work and that is reflected in grades.

DD reads course work on the bus and does a lot of homework at break and lunch, so she usually ahead, the best way is always to do any homework on the day it's given, and do ten minutes on each subject a day, even if there is no homework.

[Assumptaann]

Thank you for that. Greyhorses, I think she will find A levels challenging if she leaves it to the last minute like she has her GCSEs! The yard is a 15 minute drive away too, which all adds to the time.

Quote, she says of course she will work, of course this and of course that, and I hope she does. I have told her that a good education will lead to a good job, then she can definately have her own horse if she so wishes. It a bit like give a man a fish.....

I don't want to get a horse whether be it bought or a full loan and have to give it back or sell it after a number of months!

[Floralnomad]

I had horses whilst doing my GCEs and A levels ( as did my sister) , infact we had 3 at that time between us all on DIY , stabled at night all year ,it was a lot of work but perfectly doable . Can you afford to keep the horse on Full livery or would you be looking to do more yourselves ? We moved ours to full livery when I was pregnant with dc1 because it was easier to part with cash than find the time to look after them properly ourselves .

[Assumptaann]

Time wise, and with the yard not being across the road, for the time being it will have to be full livery. It's not cheap though £465 a month, or is this normal?

[Floralnomad]

That's extremely reasonable for full livery , do you have extra costs on top or is that everything ?

[Callthemodwife]

Would you really buy a horse and sell after two years? She'll be away at uni but back for long breaks at Christmas, Easter and over the summer - it will seems compelling argument to keep the horse for just another 3/4 years! And the longer you keep it, the harder it will be to part with, several of my friends still have old boys now (in our 30s) who are a huge drain on them/their families after they competed in their teens, hung on to them through uni and then couldn't or didn't want to sell them on. Unless you are 100% sure you will be able to harden your heart and sell on a beloved family pet, or you would like a horse for yourself as well, I'd say try and find yourself a good loan.

[Assumptaann]

Hi Flora, not that I know of. It's the usual shoes, dentist, worming etc., after that. I'm new to all this really. The yard owners are really helpful with it all as in regards guidance, help and all that.

Callthemodwife, you could well be right!, on all accounts!

[Floralnomad]

Full livery doesn't usually include shoes so that makes it even better value .

[notquiteruralbliss]

I would look for a nice horse to loan for 2 years. People often put them on loan when DCs go off to uni. With loans (as opposed to shares) it is quite usual for horses to move yards.

[willowcatkin111]

You could buy and have a sharer?

[fortuneandglory]

dd has a horse at home (in fact we have 4 for our sins) and she is about to take her GCSEs.

Its been frustrating not to be able to train and compete as much as she would have liked but we are looking forward to the summer when she is starting BE.

Her friend is currently studying for A levels and also owns her own horse and events. She says there is time for horses, A levels and socialising, but not all at once . I would have thought it would be much easier at livery. dd is normally expected to muck out and check/groom/ride her horse daily.

[Samba1]

Hiya,
I'd say it depends on your a levels. I did all sciences trying to get into med school. I had to work all day on a Saturday to pay for driving lessons and had an hour and a half commute into college and there was no spare time at all.
I then went on to do an intensive degree in pharmacy for 4 years. I had lost my childhood welshy before GCSE's and had riding lessons and hacks instead. It worked out cheaper, was more flexible around exams ect and got my then boyfriend now husband involved in riding.
I really enjoyed the stress relief from riding but would have found it a huge burden at uni and would mean I'd have missed out on the social side of it all.
Sorry to be negative but wanted to share my experience.

Wishing you all the best in your decision!