horses

REALLY

 

horses, you may want a horse, but the upkeep is expensive. If you cannot afford to buy one, you probably cannot afford to keep one. You need to provide the right food, as well as afford a farrier every 4-6 weeks (at least $50 each time), veterinary work, as the horse gets older make sure the teeth are floated regularly, make sure you have insect protection in the summer and warmth in the winter. You will need grooming supplies, a halter, lead, bridle, and saddle and blanket at the least. You will need to go out there EVERY day to groom, clean hooves, and exercise the animal if you are going to be a responsible owner.

After you have the tack and other permanent supplies you need, figure a minimum of a hundred dollars a month per horse for simple upkeep.

That is not to mention the hours involved -- figure a minimum of two a day, sleet, snow, rain, heat, -- no matter.

I've raised horses. I helped my kids do rescue work with horses. We are setting up a three stall barn right now to continue rescue work. You know where a lot of the horses who need rescue work come from? From families who got a horse for their son or daughter, who then lost interest or moved away to college or whatever a year or two later and no one really paid much attention to the animal after that.

I suggest you take a summer job on a ranch or something before you try for a horse of your own. It's not a romantic thing. It's a sweat-filled, expensive, time and money-consuming thing. It's mucking out stalls and sometimes getting accidently stepped on. It's falling off and hurting for days and going in anyway to take care of the animals. It's fighting thrush in the hooves and picking stones out. In short, it is a giant, giant babysitting job first and foremost. No vacations from it unless you are willing to pay someone to take your place for a week or so.

Please, please work with someone else's animals for a number of months first so you can learn enough and hurt enough from the constant work to decide whether or not this is really something you want to take on. How will you earn the money for upkeep? How will you have time for your homework? How will you have time to help out around the house? Think of these things and talk about them honestly with your parents.

 

Lady what my sister meant is that we cant get a horse for over $500. We have a place with alot of food. We can keep the horse for $30 a month plus we have been around horses all our life!

 

You have a place with pasture, I think. That is not 'a lot of food.' Horses need more quality food than that. They are not cattle.

Nor can you get a farrier for $30 a month. Do you trim the horse's hooves yourself? What about innoculations and worming?

It is nice to see you standing up for your sister, but your rudeness to me is not indicative of a very good character. You may have been AROUND horses 'all your lives', but both of you might spend a little more time with your studies, especially in English, rather than thinking you can spend only $30 a month and keep a horse in good and healthy shape.

I have raised and trained horses for far too long to believe that $30 a month, in any part of our country, will keep a horse in good condition.

 

They will pay for all that? And what will you do in return, for them?

 

[ September 10, 2005, 08:17 PM: Message edited by: SaggyWoman ]

 

Helen is right, a horse is a big responsibility and a big expense. Horses can live twenty years and more, so before you get one you ought to be sure that you'll be able to provide a home for it for a good long time. I know at your age it is going to be your parents' responsibility, and I'm kind of surprised they're considering buying one at all considering the situation.

I've talked to a lot of young people regarding pet purchases and my advice is always pretty much the same. If you are a minor and want to get an animal, you need to plan to take care of it properly for its lifetime. Just because you want to get an animal doesn't mean your parents want to be saddled with taking care of it long-term. Within 5-10 years your and your sister may be moving out or going to college--who will take care of the horse then? Neither of you will have the money or property to afford a horse for some years after becoming independent.

Additionally, your parents may not be willing or able to pay unexpected bills. I got a "free" kitten last year (found in a parking lot--after taking it to the vet multiple times for shots and parasite treatments its initial cost was over $100) and it unexpectedly broke its leg. Fortunately we were able to afford paying for surgery, but it was $1000. Ouch. The only other alternative was putting it to sleep. Are your parents going to be willing to lay out multiple hundreds of dollars for vet care if there is an emergency with your horse? Can you justify asking them to do that? What if the expense is too large?

Because your parents don't seem interested in getting a horse, because you don't have enough money to care for it without depending on your neighbor donating money and labor (which may place your ownership in question legally. . .), and because neither you nor your sister will be able to take care of the horse long-term, I'd suggest not getting a horse for now. I know it is something that you really want to do, but I don't think it would be best for the animal. If you two are that interested in horses there are opportunities to work with horses and even to get a college degree in animal husbandry specializing in horses, if that's what you're interested in.

Please think about it and talk it over with your parents.

[ September 10, 2005, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: SaggyWoman ]

 

It would be far better to pay for time to ride a horse than for someone who does not have the knowledge and experience to properly exercise and care for one. My parents rented some pasture to a man who owned some horses. It was quite a job for him to exercise his horses and transport them when it was needed.

One could also get a job at a stable and take care of horses that are some of the best.

 

[ September 10, 2005, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: SaggyWoman ]

 

Ok i am not really like this its just that i hate to have my sister picked on. SO I AM SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!

 

They are just offering advice because they have been there before..they aren't trying to criticize you. I thought having a dog would be fun...it's tons of work and has cost a lot because she has been sick. I can't really go anywhere, not even to my best friends house to spend the night, without making sure she's taken care of. I couldn't imagine having a horse. All they were saying is that 20 years is a long time to take care of an animal...by the time you are 31 you will have a full time job and tons of other resposibilities.