I really want my own horse?

-I want my horse more than ANYTHING in the world! I'm sure some of you have known that feeling...

I have been riding for 9 years, I have a bazillion horse books, and I do subscribe and have subscribed to at least 6 different horse magazines. I take every chance that I have to ride and spend time with horses. At the moment I take two lessons a week at two different stable- (one hunter jumper, the other eventing). I was supposed to half lease a horse this summer but that didn't end up working out unfortunetly:(

I know the more horses you ride the better you get, but I just want my own horse. My parents say we don't have enough money, but I'm not sure if that is really the issue. They are also concerned about what we would do with the horse when I go to college.

So basically, my question is, how did you convince your parents to get you a horse? What did you do with your horse when you go to college? And, was getting a horse before college even a good thing to do?

Thanks for any advice!You have not said how long it would be before you started college. This would make a difference as a parent, to me.



If it was under a year then I would say hold off on getting a horse. Simply because many people don't have the expected dream run with a new horse and it could take a year to get them going well.



If it is over a year before you were starting college, then I see no reason why you could not get a horse. A year is a long time and you can achieve many things in that time, then have time to enjoy it.



With college you really only have 4 options. 1. Attend a college that has a horse program and take the horse with you. 2. Attend any college you chose and simply take your horse along and board it separately. There is nothing nicer than going for a ride to clear your head when your stressed. I rode all through my education and always found it helped me.



3. Lease the horse out while your away. It is very viable to do this if your barn would monitor the arrangement and then the horse pays for it's self while your gone. 4. Sell the horse.



You need to sit down and have a clear vision of what your future plans are. If you were planning on being a doctor and in schooling for a number of years then it would be better to just continue lessons for now. If your education plans are shorter you will probably have few problems managing your time to still enjoy your horse.



Present your parents with a list of how horses will help you become a better person and how horses are giving you life skills, that will see you well past these teenager years to become a responsible adult.



They will be impressed with your maturity and possibly more willing to listen to your reasons. Keep in mind the possible financial restraints placed upon your family and other siblings you might have.



If money is an issue for the purchase price, ask if the entire family could put in towards the horse for your next birthday or Christmas present. Cancel all the magazine subscriptions and put the money in a jar (it adds up big time), prove to them it is what you want!



I have grown up with horses and I think they are a fabulous teacher of life. You are gaining great responsibility, discipline and life skills.



Write down a list of what YOU gain/would gain from horses and present it to your parents in a calm and relaxed way, when they are in a good mood.



Skills I have gained from horses include;

Empathy, compassion, responsibility, time management skills, multi tasking,

discipline, good work ethic, ability to see tasks that need to be done,

ability to work on my own - self starter, motivation, ability to follow instructions,

risk management, good judgment, ability to read animals and body language,

problem solving, communication, dealing with the public, negotiation, maturity,

hard work, dedication. I really can keep going. LOL



Any employer would be happy to take on someone who has learned these valuable lessons from real life experience, not theory and text books. Working with horses is not just about mucking stables and riding.



I actually got a job once because in the interview we started talking about horses and he was so impressed with my skills and knowledge for my age. It was a very good job that turned into a management position within 3 years.



I also consider horses are what kept me from getting into trouble when I got older as a teenager. While my friends and class mates were roaming the streets getting into mischief, alcohol and drugs. I was at home riding horses and my close friends were with me doing that. I can honestly say that it was a far greater motivator to me than any other thing in my life. My horses always came first and I was a great self starter because of them.



I know that when my girls first started riding, that I was not keen to spend a fortune on a top pony because I had no idea if they would want to stick with it. Just because I love riding did not automatically mean they would have the passion and dedication required.



Your parents may be concerned that you are approaching an age when you will want to pursue other interests. Very few girls I knew continued riding once they discovered boys and parties. So prove to your parents that you are keen and committed.



If you can manage the financial side of things, having a horse will always be beneficial to you. You have a good attitude to understand your parents concerns. To pursue your dreams, both sides need to be willing to negotiate



I wish you the best of luck in your horse endeavours ;-)You sound very deticated to horses. You could board your horse at a stable like i am doing with my horse, not that i will be going to college any time soon. If that's a bust just wait until you are out of college, you have a job, and a house. I got one for christmas but that is because i did a lot of work for my grandpa for 2 years strieght. It took some time out of my social life but it was worth it! Best of luck to you! :)
When do you go to college?



Horses are expensive, and their care is VERY expensive. If you think your parents can afford it, research exactly how much it costs, and lay it out for them. Then they will be in a position to decide.



You could lease the horse out during college, but be aware that most people don't have a lot of time to ride the first few years after college. I think most people see them before they go to college.
If you parents can't afford it then they can't. Unless you're going to pay for it just listen to them. Money might well be the issue, so you can't just get a horse if you don't have the money to. You should loan/lease one first, it's much cheaper.

College isn't a problem for me. Many colleges in England are like school, start at a certain time and finish at a certain time..So it's just gonna' be like school for me so I wont have to change anything.
My parents were hesitant about buying a horse because of expensive she was. I startred with a lease, and after doing really well in school they somehow had enough $ to get her (?). Anyway, a horse is a REALLY big investment, and if your parents cant afford a horse, then raise money yourself or get a rescue horse. Leasing is a good idea too.



Oh, and. Ecause I have a pony, by the time I go to university I will prob have outgrown her. Selling her or leasing her will be my options, so try those.
Well I haven't gone to collage yet, so I cant answer that question.

How did I convince my parents to get me a horse? I DIDNT. I dreamed and saved, and dreamed and saved, and dreamed and saved some more, until I was able to buy one myself. At age ten I was able to buy a dog, with the money from her first litter I payed off my debt to my parents for her vet bills and stuff and with the leftover I bought a horse. I payed for his feed and farrier and such with the next few litters. Now I'm living my dream!
If your parents don't have the money then not even the best argument in the world is going to convince them to get you a horse.



Go to college, get a good education, then get a good job, settle down, and get your horse.
Are you kidding? Your parents can't afford it. You have to be delusional to think that "money is not the issue."



You want a horse? YOU get a job and YOU pay for it. Quit expecting your parents to do it for you. They CAN'T.
Your parents are telling you they do not have the money, LISTEN TO THEM. Don't assume they are just saying that, horses cost A LOT. And you must know that from being around horses for 9 years, so why are you questioning them?
I'm sorry but you cannot have your parents empty their pockets for you.

Wait till you are done with college and have a job, and then maybe it would be affordable.
i would lease the horse when you go to collage
Okay so you have 4 years till college? That's 4 years of owning a horse. You could have him for less than 4 years or more.



Okay so who said that the parents have to pay for the horse? Why not help out with them? :) You've ridden for 9 years? Okay so at your barn why can't you go up to people and help them with things. Like holding the horses for the vet/farrier. Take care of other people's horses. Get a fun job at the barn, if the barn owners (at each barn) will pay you. Even walk dogs! Even if you get paid $60 a month that's still good!



The fact that you've been riding for 9 years pretty well tells me that you have experience with horses. And that you know your stuff pretty well. Maybe you could ask a local vet and see if he/she needs help with things such as "can you hand me the bla,bla,bla" or "go and write down whats happening in my journal-thingy" you see where I'm going with this? I'm assuming your either 14 or 15 so you aren't old enough to apply for internship, but you could always reach out a helping hand. You could even do the same with the farrier. Maybe even go out to a vet clinic and help out there! Like mop floors, clean the cages/stalls there, ETC.



Okay so lets now say you have a job. Now you can try and show your way though about having a horse. So what you should do is make a 'plan'.



So write out on Microsoft Word or some sort of thing and that little document could be all about horses. So you will tell them how you would spend time with the horse, how you would help pay for the horse, ETC. Introduce them to your idea. They don't have to answer right away. Give them a couple months.



Plus, why buy? People always forget about leasing. I would first lease a horse. Because lets say your parents do agree to give you a horse. And you can't afford it anymore. What happens then? You'll have to go through the troubles of selling it. Which can take a day, or it can take 4 years. You never know. So if you lease a horse, and can't afford it anymore you can just stop leasing it. With no trouble at all. Lease him/her for about 2 years, see how things go, and if they go great then you can buy him/her.



However I would also suggest having your parents make a little 'account' or 'slot' just for the horse (money wise). Like one slot would be paying for the boarding, then vet, farrier, ETC. And then have a little 'slot' for the Emergency fund. And that would only be for if something major happens to your horse and there isn't enough money for the vet/boarding/farrier slot.



Okay so theres my idea. Try doing something that you and your parents can agree on! :)



Have fun! Go into your books and read a little more on horses. Learn more, there are good things to know in the horse world!



P.S. Don't listen to Fennic Fox, that was really really rude. >.>
I'll tell you my story :)

When I was 7 I started riding lessons because I absolutely LOVED horses and wanted one of my own, I actually got my lessons for free since I helped out at the barn so I pretty much just worked for my lessons since my parents said they couldn't pay for it. I did lessons at that barn for about a year and then I stopped for a while because my mom couldn't drive me when she got a new job. Then I found a nice barn that was on the bus route so when I was about 11 I would take the bus to the barn everyday to help with the horses, after a while I started doing weekly lessons in exchange for working at the barn. When I was 12 I found a totally amazing 5 year old Arabian mare. I fell in love with her as soon as I saw her ad. I called the owner and met her at the barn. That Arab sure had spirit! She was very spooky and I had a hard time riding her but still I wanted to do the full lease. I worked at the barn and did lot's of babysitting so I had money for the full lease with this mare. She got moved to the barn near my house and I would bike there everyday to see her. I would ride her every second day and she began to trust me. No matter what the weather was I would get on my bike and bike out the barn. In the winter I we would gallop out in the snow. I have been thrown off that mare so many times, I have broken bones and got hurt bad but NEVER did I give up on her. We worked through it all and now she won't spook unless I get scared. And she doesn't throw me off anymore. It's like we are one, when she is nervous I know something is wrong and when I get scared she knows something is wrong. We could read each other perfectly. She was my best friend and I loved her so much. For my 13th birthday I asked my mom if I could buy the mare. My mom said we couldn't afford it so I just continued the lease. I started baby sitting, pet sitting, dog walking and working more at the barn so I could earn money to buy her. I had $2000 by my 14th birthday and finally got to do a lease to own!! In another year the mare will by my horse. But you know what? My mom will not pay one penny on that mare... I have a job now and am able to afford the costs of her and if she does something like run through a fence my mom will not py for it, I will.

I know how much you want a horse but your parents cannot pay for it. When hey say they can't afford it, they mean it. You need to get a job and get the money on your own. If you earn the money then your parents have no reason not to let you get a horse!

Good luck :)
I didn't say anything when I got my first horse. I was 16 and had 2 part time jobs, and worked my *** off to keep him. They really had no say considering I boarded him at a local barn, fed him 2x a day, got his feet trimmed, kept his tack clean, and of course spoiled him with lots of treats. It helped a lot that I started entering local barrel racing competitions and earning some cash that way, too. Good luck, horses are a lot of hard work - in the sweltering heat of the summers and chilling to your bones winters - but it's worth the reward.
Hey quit writing a story about me that is my life too but i m taking my horse to collage With me my life evolves around horses and if you love them a lot and your life job is with them then go to a special collage and bring your horse and yes they are lots of money buying the horse and tack is easy but the hay and grain in EXPENSIVE i have owned three horses so i know what it is like lol but now i want another one because i was under the age of 7 that i had them all now i want a big fast horse that i can bond with

Edit: don't listen to Fennec Fox they are just rude i blocked them so the can't answer my questions anymore
I can appreciate your wanting to own a horse. I dreamed of owning a horse all my life and finally got one when in my early 40s!



You may be tired of hearing this but horses are a HUGE responsibility and are VERY expensive to care for, not to mention the cost to purchase a well-broke horse. Perhaps you need to educate yourself more on what is involved in owning a horse. Your parents have a very good point and it sounds as if they are supportive of your interest, since it sounds as if you have had access to riding horses for some time. Perhaps you need to focus on the positive and enjoy riding horses owned by others. Horse buying is a big step. Go to college and enjoy the new things you will be exposed to there. Save up your money and plan for the day you will have your own home and will be able to own your own horse. It is a valid dream and will come true when the time is right for you.