Has the economy and high gas prices curtailed your equine activities?

Question

How as it impacted you and what do you see happening in the future if things don't change?

Answer 1

it has been extremely difficult for many of us, our company is cutting hours, i have been trying to keep up with the payments on my bills. i am trying not to go on a depression stage but its very difficult not to have any money to spend with you kids, we have not been able to go out because we can't waste on activities that are not needed. But on the other hand my husband is going for his masters, it has been a great sacrifice with all the family, i hope all this ends really soon. thank you for listenning

Answer 2

I don't show anymore...so that didn't change...

But I no longer hook up the trailer to go ride in a different place.

Tack is cared for and 'eyeballed' for any problems so it can be repaired quickly and at home...instead of running to the tack store for a new headstall or such.

Hay and feed is carefully fed with an eye to 'no loss or waste.'  Feed in buckets, that are in troughs to catch any dumping.  VERY large troughs off the ground to catch most hay and so it can't blow away or get trampled.

Learned to trim my horse's hooves myself.

Actually parked my dually and let the insurance and tags go on it...can't afford to drive it.   Makes a good 'feed storage and tack storage right by the house!

I've seriously been considering training our gelding for harness.  If I just knew where to start!!  Town is only 3 miles away.  If I can just figure out how to get across the river bridges safely!

The horse may come back as a mode of transportation...at least in the small rural communities.  We already have horses tied in the grocery parking lot, the post office, and the fast food drive ins.

*Think I'd look silly heading to church on Sunday on the back of a horse???*

**EDIT...LBent...even if it's just sitting on your property??  Ewww, that's not fair!  It's not on the road!  Maybe I could convince them it's a garden ornament!  Ya know...put flower pots all over it.

American...I wear jeans to church, so it wouldn't be as funny as trying to dismount wearing a dress and heels!!!  LOL!

Answer 3

I have to scream OOUUCCHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Haveing a ranch in WY & living in Vegas, yeah it hurts every time I have to go up there!!!!!! I have a Diesel truck & that is more per gallon! Go figure the waste from the unleaded gas.....  But I get ave 28 miles per gallon!!!! My moms truck gets ave of 8 miles per gallon, so I get 20 more miles per gallon than a reg gas truck. I have to save to drive to my moms in Ca which is 4 hours away.....  Me & my little one would go cruse around to look at the BIG houses of rich people!!! Some awsome houses here in Vegas, a lot of custom homes!! But not much anymore, that cost too much..... It is sad! I don't know what is going to happen, I hope for it to be bright..... Hay prices are crazy, too!!!! It sure is hard!!!! I am thinking I may have to get a part time job.  But what can we do??? Not too much but whine about it! LOL

*****edit*******

No B.B. I don't!!!! I think it is a great idea!!!!!! LOL I sure know the Lord won't mind! LOL

***edit***

B.B.

LOL Darn that would be a site!!! & I'd pay to see! LOL

Answer 4

I just moved my horses to a property based in the mountains. So lucky for me i drive 15mins to the property and saddle up and off i go.! But my down fall is my buddy's have to float to get to where i am and it costs them $45 AUD in petrol just to ride with me. So we have limited our rides to once or twice a month. Still an expensive ride. I hope they can still afford it by the end of the year.

Answer 5

if things don't change then I won't be going to many horse shows:(((((

Answer 6

For sure, i used to be able to go out riding at least 6 days a week, now I'm only able to make it out there 4 or 5, on a good week. Horse shows have been cut back for a lot of people. Just the general costs of owning a horse are more now. :/

Answer 7

You bet it has!

I have made a commitment to refrain from anything other than local trail riding. Of course I don't like it, but I have to keep a positive outlook because I am very fortunate to not be in a position of having to cull my herd or worse!

We have good trails close by and hopefully the economy will improve and gas will fall back to being less costly than gold.

The downside of this is that I have lost a few boarders because of the lagging job market. One of them was a very committed and talented young rider who was a victim of layoffs and could no longer afford to keep her horses. I feel bad for her, but  I would rather see a horse sell at auction that starve from neglect or abandonment. Not that she would ever do such a thing, but lets not kid ourselves...these things happen more often that we would like to admit.

Answer 8

I consider the price of gas to the show. I haul with my 4-H leader (big 4 horse trailer) then we all save on money then pay her 15-20 dollars to get to the local fairgrounds. We fill the truck with hay and not just get 5 or 6 bales at a time. Go to the mill while we're in town even is we don't need it yet then store it in the barn. Some of my fellow 4-Hers ride there horses to the show, workout, or trail ride then if they need anything when there friends and family come they can bring it and save gas because they were already planing on coming.

Answer 9

Equine activities?  Well, can't say it is effecting them at all.  We don't show, so not missing anything there & we have plenty of space to ride in, so we don't have to trailer anywhere.  Husband did get rid of his tundra pickup, I drive a Rav4 & we still have a diesel pick up for big loads that need to be hauled.  My husband has been driving my vehicle which means I stay home when he is at work. With school being out I have plenty to do anyway & I do it in fits & starts.....

We will be using our 3 empty stalls in the barn for hay storage, & with prices on hay getting worse, we have started saving to buy our winter store of grass & alfalfa.  With the 3 empty stalls, we will be able to put up more grass than usual to suppliment the few butcher steers we keep.

Up here regular unlead is running at $4.40 it was $3.14 this time last year.  Diesel is running $4.94 it was $2.96 this time last year.

Something has to change.  We cannot depend on ANY politician to lower the fuel prices.  We do need to reduce our dependence on oil products.  I don't mean foreign oil or domestic oil I mean ALL oil products.  Without the demand, the prices will drop.  Right now, oil companies know that no matter what they ask per barrel, SOMEONE in the world will pay it.  Unfortunately, our politicians keep tacking on fees & taxes to pad their own pockets which raises the price at the pump.

Answer 10

It makes me anal about how much feed and hay I buy now. I like to stock up on it so I don't have to make to many trips to buy it. Also it means less horse shows. Also farms calls are more expensive for the vet and the price for the farrier doing hooves went up too... Its crazy.

Answer 11

Instead of driving to the store, I'm serriously considering taking my horse.  I figure so long as I can walk there, she can too.

Answer 12

Yes. Unfortunately I have to say it's kinda made some of my horse shows hard to go to. I've seen SERIOUS lack of activity in a lot of the dressage shows I've been going to. However, I just save up more money and get my butt over to those I can go to. I plan on taking more horses and working more at horse shows to get more bang for my buck, considering it costs some 100-300 dollars just to go to shows and if I already have to haul one horse, I might as well be showing 3 and really working my tail off.

Answer 13

At least one hay grower in Tn. has adapted his equipment from gas to MULE power and is cutting and baling hay by mule teams!

  I'd love to have my horses broke to harness and go grocery shopping by buggy.   If I lived farther out in the country, it'd all be by horseback or buggy!

I don't show, so that's not a problem.  Can't you just see Wal-Mart's BUGGY parking lot ?   Or Publix, Winn-Dixie?   Too cool.

>><< B.B., you're fortunate to be able to park your dually.  In Fl., they'd be all over you. It must be tagged & insured...

Answer 14

Sure has.  It has hurt my business too.   I intended on hitting the circuit hard this year, lol.  I haven't hauled to one yet.  Everything close by, or remotely close that I never used to hesitate traveling to is being forgotten about.  what used to cost 20-40 dollars in fuel is now doubled.  120 bucks to fill up and to know that will be gone by the time i get home is insane.   also wanted to go to world this year, lol.    What would I be looking at just to get there now days.......   more than the vacation money I used to spend to go and enjoy myself for a week.   I don't know, hay prices doubled, fuel this way.  Getting tougher and tougher to own, sold out half my herd and still looking at it like.... more have to go.  Its just silly, there they stand waiting to go but, i cannot justify the cost for an afternoon and 15-18 seconds in the arena!    Just waiting for a couple scheduled in my town where i can still haul for 5 bucks, lol.