What are the benefits of owning a horse

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So, vet check allowing, I’m on the brink of buying a horse for my 13 Yr old. She’s been riding since she was 4, not because we’re horsey just because she was born obsessed! Over the years I’ve come to the realisation that sadly, this is not a phase! She’s driven, totally committed and is very single minded about her need to improve. It’s not just riding them , it’s everything about them, mucking them out, feeding them, just looking at them. It’s insatiable 😂 I have two other kids who just aren’t the same, never have been and just don’t really care, so I have no idea where this has come from but it’s there and it’s not going away 😂

It’s been something we’ve considered for awhile now. I’ve looked and looked for a loan or part loan but finding the right one in the right place at her age has been impossible. The money’s there. She left an independent school last year, choosing a state school instead and is settled and thriving there. I’ve got a livery place and know about horse care to a degree as we had rescues growing up on a farm. I know very little about riding though as they were all retired or non riders.

I’m a natural catastrophiser so have already considered, in depth, in the middle of numerous sleepless nights why this is a shockingly, awful idea 😂

So my question is, why is it a good idea? What are the benefits ? Could some good come out of this? Isn’t it better than sitting in your room on TikTok? xxx

Its def better than tiktok, it gives her a focus in her teenage years - she will have to prioritise her horse, grasp this with both hands! 🤣

However vets bills are no joke and horses have a crazy knack of constantly throwing up problems!!

Yes it is better than being on the Internet and allows her time to spend outside in nature. Having a horse of your own allows for a very special bond to develop between horse and carer/ rider. Your daughter, life allowing, will be able to organise to ride when she likes and have the opportunity to compete or bring horse away. Main thing I forsee though is won't be long until transport is desired for trips out. If the livery yard does competitions or there is a rideable venue nearby that might help reduce need for transport. Have you thought about joining the local pony club branch? Then camp etc would be an option. I would say be careful not to get too 'sporty' a pony or anything that looks a bit tense and worried. Do you have an instructor or friend to help choose? Best of luck it can be absolutely lovely but does take over your life so how the pony will fit into family life is very important. Is there any way your daughter would be able to get to the yard herself now or in the future? That would help you I think

Much better than tiktok, it will get her outdoors in the fresh air (not so nice over winter in the dark and cold though!). It's also a big responsibility but in a good way.

Personally having a horse has really helped me through the worst times in my life.. the yard is my happy place and just being there is a good way to relax when you've had a stressful day. It's hard work but I'd say so worth it. You're doing the right thing!

The advantages are as others have said- you will get access to a pony she can ride anytime she wants and do lots of fun things with (such as PC and day rides) that you wouldn't get with a riding school pony. She will be (hopefully) kept out of trouble to an extent and she may make friends on the yard. She will learn lots of amazing life skills such as responsibility, determination and commitment.

However, buying a pony for a child is a bit like buying them a dog. At the end of the day the buck will stop with you and you will probably find that it's you doing a lot of the day to day care and you will be the decision maker. You will ultimately need to decide what it's fed, what it's routine is, which trailer to buy, when to call a vet etc. you should also think about what you would do if/when she loses interest. All the horsey teenagers I know as adults now gave up their pony in their teens or when they went to uni. Will you keep the pony as a pet or will you look for a loan for it for example? If you're doing full livery, will your daughter be getting as much exposure to horse care and the benefits of it as you might hope? Who will be taking her to rides in the evening and at weekends? Are you ok with the inevitable impact this will have on your other two? I would also check things about the yard such as whether there are other teenagers with ponies and what the riding and hacking is like- im guessing you wouldn't want her hacking on a road on her own for example.

It becomes the focus of their lives and if they start to get competitive it's very expensive and time consuming. Dd is already worried about upcoming mocks and the need to keep her horse fit. It takes every spare penny we have and we haven't been on holiday for years - if you have a livery place this is easier but obviously more expensive than keeping them at home.

However nothing beats 'going to do them' on a crisp sunny morning, after that first moment when you check that they are sound and happy then you can relax.

All of my dcs have cried into their ponies manes over something or other over the years. They can be great comforters.

I'm extremely close to dd because of the horses. These last few years have been the hardest in my life for many reasons and yet I'll never forget these horse years we spent together.

Ours weren't 'horsey' but had a friend who was very much that wat. It seemed to be all consuming taking up most of her time (and lots of her parents cash). But she loved her horse and it certainly seemed like a safe environment for a young girl (well as safe as anywhere). It can be dangerous though, they're big beasts so she needs to have all the appropriate kit and training.

Yes I would add the advantage of bonding with your DD. If you're the one doing the pony stuff with her and taking her out at weekends it could lead to a lovely closeness.

This is very nosy of me but when you say "every spare penny" what do you actually spend on yours and what's that amount like as a proportion of your salary (I'm not a horse owner just a loaner but I hope to be an owner at some point so I'm always interested in the financial side)

It is a good idea for the following:

• outdoors all weathers all year round rather then being stuck in bedroom oj a screen
• teaches kids about responsibility ie horse needs doing 365 days a year even on Xmas day. Horse needs come before your own
• teenage years are the highest risk for girls giving up exercise
• you have control over the horse: it's routine/feed/tack etc that you just don't have with a share/part loan

Would echo what others have said with regards to:

• get your DD to join pony club
• brush up on your own horse/stable management including recognising + treating minor ailments and when to call the vet
• look at are there any other kids her age she can ride with
• is she fully aware of road safety when riding?
• what is the hacking like?
• don't underestimate the time and money, how will you mitigate the impact on your other DC?

I budget £500 per month for mine:
Every month: DIY livery, bedding, feed, insurance, lessons, supplements
Every 6 weeks: shoeing
Every 3 months: physio, saddle fitting
Twice a year: dentist
Ad hoc: tack, equipment, competition fees

Obviously livery costs differ so much but 7K per year covers it.

Horses expand to fill the amount of money you can get.

Dd competes at a high level so membership, entry fees, a good trainer, course hire adds about 400 a month onto costs. That's obviously not including things like our excellent farrier every 6 weeks, proper horse dentist every 6 months, top quality hay, regular tack checks (and we don't have very expensive tack either), horse physio every few months.

Insurance for two is 250 a month!

We have two. Which is a massive luxury but both have been with us for 8 years and they love each other. I should have sold one of them three years ago if I'm honest, but dd loves him and he's an easy chap to have around

Such a perilously expensive hobby but so addictive!!!

It's lovely having your own however have you thought about what you'll do when she's outgrown this one? So many people just move their horses on like a commodity once they're no longer able to do their 'job' which I find sad.

Finances are a huge aspect of horse ownership, vet bills can be huge and unexpected. Personally whilst she's young I'd loan.

It's a complete way of life. I've met some lovely people through it too. Dd will be off to uni in 2.5 years then we'll have to loan ours out and it will break our hearts.

I'm 40 and my dad still says "it's just a phase"
He was horrified when I rode after spinal surgery. I was "what am I meant to do, give up?!" No you're ok

Lol!

Dd had major surgery a few years ago and I remember the physio talking about not riding for a year and dd and I just nodding slowly thinking, nope.

This is all great advice. Thanks you x

I'm budgeting a minimum of £7000 a year but there’s more if needs be. We were paying £16,000 a year in school fees just for her until a year ago. The reason for her being in private school was that she’s dyslexic and it worked well in prep but not at secondary. Her current State school are brilliant with her though and she’s making progress and is very happy there. Her dyslexia affects her self esteem though and horses seem to be the tonic for that.

We’ve got the option of either diy livery ( 25 minutes away) with access to loads of hacking and an arena to hire down the road although it’s not the nicest road! We were going to jump at this. However, the horse we’ve found is currently on a really lovely yard. The seller says she’s a pleasure to have around and would jump at the chance to keep her there if that’s what we wanted. Part livery, 5 days a week with all food / bedding/ turning in and out / rugging works out about £2000 -£3000 more a year than the DIY. However, in the DIY yard she’d be on a strip of land with other horses around but not with her . She’d have her own stable but a companion horse isn’t a given there unless I get another one! There are only 9 other horses there. In the current yard she’d have a companion in with her. So potentially it doesn’t work out cheaper if I end up with two horses 😂 On her current yard there’s a fantastic arena on site, XC, local hacking. It’s very rural and quiet around there. It’s very, very secure. The owner buys, sells and breeds sports horses as well as offering all types of livery. She seems to be very well connected. Most importantly she’s absolutely lovely, honest, genuine, calm and completely fine with me asking her ridiculous questions etc. My daughter really clicked with her. She gave her a mini lesson and said she can teach too or knows instructors who would come and teach on site.

I’m very tempted to keep her where she is. The only issue is that it’s 40 minutes away , although only 15 minutes from DD’s school. However, she travels that far 2/3 times a week to her current riding stables anyway. I feel like the horse would potentially be a lot happier there and that DD would have some great opportunities there.

If she loses interest the horse is sold or at least long term loaned. I’ve made this very clear to her and she’s in agreement with that too because she recognises that it’s a great horse that deserves to be ridden. It would be such a waste.

Sounds great OP. Tbh all the things you've listed, the rugging, the feeding and the bringing in and out (Yes even the mucking out!) are some of my favourite bits tbh, but I will admit it would be lovely to have a month off wbry now and again!!

It was the best thing I ever did with my daughters now late 20's.
Resilience, out in all weathers regardless, it not being all about them, we have made some wonderful friends because of the ponies.
She needs to be fully committed as do you to supporting her.
Yes it costs a lot, but actually any serious hobby would, eg costs with football, kit, match tickets etc. same could be said of dancing and competitions.

I have no regrets, it's been wonderful for us.

Yeah, I can completely see her being there every night after school doing it anyway tbh but I guess it’s the safety net and what ifs, especially with us being pretty inexperienced.

I am no horsey person (ridden once in 40 years) but even I can see the benefits of a horse over tik tok!

fresh air, exercise, companionship of the animal, learning responsibility, making friends at the stables, an outlet from the pressure of school, learning / honing a skill, and joy. I would imagine joy is the best thing!

With what you've said about both yards I'd go with the current yard. And I'm a DIY lover. With DIY you will inevitably need other liveries to cover or you will be crawling there when sick and be totally tied. Which I'd fine if it's a good bunch but can be a disaster.

Sounds great! I was a pony mad kid and now am still riding nearly 60 with 3 horses at home. The current yard sounds good. Not doing mornings in winter will be a benefit and she has knowledgeable help. I would also never keep a horse alone if I could avoid it. They like company. Good luck with your horse!

My daughter is 13 and she competes in BJSA. We have a pony (and up until recently had two). The benefits are:

She's turned into a super teen. Very resilient, confident, very fit, has a huge circle of friends that she always hangs out with at the yard every day after school and all day on weekends. None of them have any anxiety or obvious mental health issues that so many teens seem to struggle with. They're outside in all weathers. She's very independent as they often go off to overnight competitions with just their coach camping in the horse lorry. 😂 It's also a source of income for her as she earns money mucking out (goes to the yard at 7:30am on a Sunday to work). I'm very proud of her.

BUT I have to disappoint you - she's still on TikTok 🥶just with her pony.