Can I do this...?

[Harrysdoneit]

Ok so.....I am currently loaning a lovely pony 3 days a week. He is wonderful and I'm really enjoying everything from learning more about having my own horse to riding him. However, as always it's not perfect......I'm really a happy hacker at heart and dont want to spend hours in the school but where he's located the hacking is really limited. Literally one ride round the farm which is 45 mins tops and one ride out across a meadow and round some quiet lanes but nothing very exciting. Tonnes of hacking locally but you need transport to get there which is so frustrating! I've been out with a few lovely people who have trailers which has been great but obviously am then limited to waiting for someone to be going out who I can jump in with. I'm currently paying about £60 a week and I'm wondering if I could maybe just get my own horse and keep him somewhere with better off road hacking..... how much more than £60 a week would it realistically be if I kept him DIY livery? it's about £30 a week for a stable round here but what are my main other costs going to be? Also I'm so new to the whole thing i worry that I just dont know enough about anything to have my own but then everyone has to start somewhere dont they?!

I don’t mean this harshly, but do you have the knowledge to be on DIY?
How is your eye for lameness? would you be ok with a horse that is unsettled for a week or two in his new home? Do you know much about feeding/hoof care etc etc?

Cost wise, a lot more than £30 a week!

If you are on shavings an additional £10 a week to cover that.
Hay prices vary but only seem to go up and your horse will need several KGs a day
Set up costs with rugs/tack will be not far off a grand on top of buying the horse. You will find yourself paying for saddle fitters as the horse changes shape.
Feed will depend on how much your horse needs
Shoes are about £80 every 4-6 weeks.
Vaccinations as you’ve probably seen have been discussed everywhere and now you’re looking at 6 monthly. Cost of this will depend if the vet does a no call out fee day in your area.
Worming will depend on what your yards program is

Then it’s keeping money aside for someone to look after the horse when you’re away, and the dreaded vet bills

Basically it’s expensive!

Horses extremely expensive. You have to pay livery fees, food, farrier, dentist, routine vet costs, lessons, tack and insurance just for a start. If anything goes wrong and your horse is injured you still have to pay all this and don't get to ride. If you buy the wrong horse you still have to pay all this, you can't ride and you have to pay someone else to ride your horse and sort it out.

Finding the right yard is complicated. Cost comes into it first of all, but also turn out, secure stables, facilities, safety, helpful owner, nice liveries, etc. Maybe this year is the best there is considering other compromises. Are there any better yards near you? What does the pony's owner think? Would they consider moving the pony to another yard?

You might be better off reaching an agreement with someone else on the yard to hire a self drive box between you once a week.

Horses are always far, far, far, far more expensive to keep than you think!

Hiring a box a couple of times a month is, by comparison, a drop in the ocean......

That's a good idea, box hire once a week would be good. I dont think his owner would want to move yards really. Thanks all!