Can finally get....?

Question

a horse...but with strings attached.

I need to afford the horse, boarding and vet bills. Tack and such aren't a problem.

Where I live, boarding is around 150 to 250 a month and that includes a stall, food and water AND pasture.

Horses are around 500-3000 $.

I currentally ride at a stable and take lessons. I am not old enough quite yet to get a job. We are having a garage sale soon but I don't think we will get much money...got any ideas other than the usual babysitting, car washing, lawn mowing, dog walking ect?

Answer 1

Not only is it a lot of money, but a lot of time, mucking out stables etc.

Have you considered going halves with a friend. My niece did that (even on the top competition pony), she rode 2 a week and competed and her friend rode other days mid week but wasn't into competing.  They are now in their 20's still great friends and have known one another since they were around 10 years old.

Alternatively have you considered offering to ride someone elses horse. They are often available, some reasons being, Mums having babies, people traveling, busy with exams etc

Good luck

Answer 2

I would suggest saving up at least six months worth of board first.

Horse Boarding prices can fluctuate, and you will want to have extra money if the horse needs Vet visits.

Get the horse money first, and save for board and emergencies.

Make sure you will have enough money every month for this horse.

You can work at the place you want to board for money off, which would help you greatly.

Answer 3

I would ask the boarding stable if you can do some work for them to work off part of your board.  Feeding, mucking out stalls, helping kids tack up for their lessons, cleaning up, cleaning tack, whatever they need done.  A LOT of places will do this.

Answer 4

Try seeing if you can save money on board by mucking out your own horses stall. If you are 14, you can get jobs at some places like Chik-fil-A and golf courses (picking up golf balls). Hope this helps!

Answer 5

Find a horse to lease to curb that hankering for actually owning one. Many barns will exchange board and feed for you doing a little labor for them. Such as mucking out stalls, watering and feeding other boarding horses, exercising and grooming.

IF you are lucky enough to land a deal, you may just find a barn that has a horse that they want to lease out or have someone come and exercise him out for them.

The sad truth is, if you can't afford a horse right now, then you have no business purchasing one. This is how to many horses land in the hands of abusers and slaughter houses. Think before you buy. You may be better off waiting and saving up money and getting a job when you can, rather than indulging in a 4 hoofed friend and end up 2 months down the road needing to find him a new home because you can no longer afford him.

Also, for parents and kids that ask me how they can afford a horse, I tell the parents, if the kid can't drive, it is the parents responsibility to get themselves or the child to the barn to feed, muck, and water the horse. IF the parent is not willing to drive their unlicensed child to the barn, then they have no business owning a horse. Same applies for the child, if you don't have transportation to get you to the barn everyday, then you don't need a horse. AS for you, you aren't even old enough to get a taxable job yet, which if it were any of the kids that ask me at my barn, I would tell them that unless the parents are willing to take on this responsibility than to just stick to the riding lessons on an already trained and safe mount. I don't say it so they keep paying me for lessons, but I say it for the safety of some poor unknowing horse that could potentially end up in a home that simply can't afford his care.

Answer 6

I agree you need to know that you can support the horse before getting it and relising that you cant for jobs i would ask the people who you are going to keep your horse if you can work there for you horse to stay there or something like that