what do you/would you sacrifice to keep your horses?

[MitchyInge]

am getting a bit at comments I've had recently about struggling in some areas whilst still having horses - although it will all come right at the end of the month (hopefully )

anyway it got me thinking about what I would live without, if it came to it, or how bad things would have to be for how long before I'd consider parting with them permanently (or putting out on loan probably) and I wondered about the rest of you - what would you or do you go without in order to keep yours?

Get rid of horses?! Mmmm let me think. Don't know tbh. Had horses for so many years now that I think they just become part of the outgoings without too much thought given to it. Would be like selling part of the family. Did give up Blue Chip for a few months as part of a cost cutting exercise but have fallen off the wagon this week.

Doesn't bear thinking about does it. Reaching a point where you really had to get rid of them.

THERE YOU ARE!

no it's a horrible thing to think about seriously

but people don't say 'well send one of the children to live with a relative then' if you have temporary cash flow problems

but more importantly have you taken any dodgy sounding photographs lately?

No too blardy cold to chase him round trying to get a decent photo! It's on my list still. Dear 82yo mum is definitely in shock.

Korma - I did CAT you re the CD but didn't hear anything back? Let me know if you still want me to send it to you.

Presumably the only people telling you to get rid are non-horsey?

giving up blue chip seems a bit extreme

yes, non-horsey - horsey people are more likely to say 'swap cortaflex for glucosamine' or similar

it's not that I can't afford them as such, it's just the feast or famine nature of self-employment - that or my feckless approach to finances generally - everyone else is allowed to grumble about the cost of living though

I know it was. Like I said, I've cracked this week and got my fix.

Ah yes thought as much. It's an easy fix (understandably I think) to a non-horsey person. We know that it would be like trying to decide to do without sleep or food. Impossible.

giving up smoking also seems a bit extreme but I think I would

well I would roll my own anyway

Korma, I'll look out for it tomorrow. Didn't chase you up before in case you thought I was stalker type person.

You will have to make arrangements for an hour's lie down in a darkened room once a day. Nigh on impossible I think Pixel and I found it. BUT will say - fingers crossed, touch wood, blah - it's working! Along with my wonderful instructor I have to add.

Give up smoking

I used to work in an office where I used to get lots of comments about how I must be getting paid too much etc because I had a horse. Everyone but me smoked like chimneys and when I worked out how much they were spending on cigarettes - literally setting fire to their money - they shut up about my horse.

I've been made redundant twice but I've always managed to hang on to my horses, didn't really consider anything else tbh. I suppose I'm used to having to do without other things to keep them, things that are normal to me because that's how I've lived my life for so long, but for which other people might possibly consider themselves deprived. For example I've always had old cars, only been abroad a couple of times, never had designer clothes or belonged to a gym or had a beauty treatment or smoked or gone clubbing or had any new furniture that didn't come from Argos. The horses have always been kept on a budget, at DIY yards, and I've had extra jobs as and when needed, such as paper rounds, saturday jobs, outwork, cleaning, gardening, babysitting, even dogsitting! My mum is the same. When she lost her job she cleaned the yard owner's house to pay for her stable.

Owls is it really working? That's fantastic. I've been fed up because it has just been non-stop rain here and I haven't had a chance to do anything with dhorse. I took him out a couple of weeks ago and we got caught in a hailstorm. We had to shelter behind a tall hedge (on the pavement) and then he spooked at reflections all the way home. Last week I thought I'd lunge him and he was ok until he heard another horse going past on the road and he just exploded. If I hadn't been using two reins in a bid to stop him coming in on the circle and I'd never have held him. So I've been building it all up in my mind that he was going to be a nightmare what with not being ridden for so long and the crisp cold weather and everything and felt I was back to square one.

Today my instructor (still using a crutch) announced that she is allowed to ride again, just walk and trot so I got her to ride him. Well what can I say, he was an absolute angel, didn't put a single foot wrong even when the primary school kids all came rushing over to the railings shouting "horse" at the tops of their voices. I actually feel much better now and am looking forward to getting on him and trying to crack this terror nerves thing. Need some decent weather though, can't do anything if there is ice on the roads.

i have given up being self employed which i love and taken a proper job and am gogin to do one extra sunday a month to allow us to keep noddy ( for those following my pony saga that was first pony bouhgt and now back wiht us after spell at expensive schooling yard) aswell as perdy ( second pony bought who not exactly proving herself either at present).

I have given up having any help at all in the house. (I'm not an idle cow, We both work full time with long commutes) Kids are supposed to do lots to help and that way the pony's livery is justified.

As a result my house is filthy and I look like a bag lady most of the time! I wouldn't be without him though but god, it's hard in the winter isn't it!

Grandson, who gave up riding after first canter because he was scared, is riding again now and loving his lessons, so it's only a matter of time till we have to have another pony. Not sure how to convince DH we can afford it!

Our clothes & shoes come from hand-me-downs, charity shops but mostly car boot sales....but no-one knows!! Occasionally get new stuff for Christmas, birthdays, etc which is a real treat but we'd all rather have the ponies. Always been on DIY livery, mix shredded paper with shavings to make it go further & (sadly!!) sit in front of TV whilst shredding paper by hand (saves using electric shredder!!).

UMMM tricky , know i cannot afford to keep 2 little monsters i have so must sell one , then older dd needs own pony...luckily i am in profession were extra work easy to come by. Would probably move to smaller house, have given up new clothes/cds /stuff etc anyway for 2010 and am giving up one sunday every 3 weeks to work to pay livery. would not give up the jirls private school though , that comes before anything else.

I MUST give up the blue chip, yet somehow spent £80 on one bag plus cortaflex again today

am a sucker, probably

Didn't have a clue how much Blue Chip is as we've never used it so had a quick google to be nosey. £40 it was, is that how much you pay?

Get rid of the horses?!? [faints]
I would rather sell the house & downsize and get a job rather than give up my addiction horses.

I don't think non-horsey people understand frankly.

I was fascinated to read this thread. I'm non-horsey but have had a big disagreement with very horsey sis about having prominent coloured fillings because she can't afford white ones but owns 2 horses. Its MAD! But everyone needs a passion and I wish I knew what mine was.

Re the fillings, how much do they charge round your way? I paid I think 45 quid for a white replacement filling last year, as opposed to 15 for silver. Now if I could buy a horse for that 30 quid, fine, but I'm not holding my breath...