Calling all frugal horse folk! Help!

**hollyhill** · 11-25-2005, 07:26 PM

A bit of background. My neighbour has 5 horses and has befriended my Dd (14). She allows my Dd to ride as much as she wants (usually about 10 hours per week) in exchange for stable work. My Dd has had this arrangemet for almost 2 years now. My neighbour has no children and is very wealthy and has given Dd many expensive horseriding assesories for gifts.

Well she just phoned and said she found a horse for Dd! It is a 5 yr.old 3/4 thourogh bred 1/4 quarter horse, black bay. He is partially broke and with training would make a great 3 day eventer.
My neighbour has offered to buy and board the horse free of charge. Help with traing etc. Supply saddles etc. All she askes for in exchange is that Dd takes care of the horses when she is away (Dd already does this). She has not told Dd because we all know what she would say.

I know some horse people and I am going to run this by them too.
But I am just wondering if there are any frugal horse people who could give me some advise..... I just don't know what to think!

**Darlene** · 11-25-2005, 08:24 PM

I'm not horse folk but it seems to me they think your dd is a responsible and caring horsewoman in her own right. For them to trust her to care and nurture their horses speaks volumes. What a nice thing to do is what I think from my little corner of the world without a horse in sight.

**Missy** · 11-25-2005, 08:54 PM

Sounds to me like they must trust in her abilities if they are entrusting their own horses to her while they're away. I know nothing about horses, but favesis here would be someone I'd point you to

**hollyhill** · 11-25-2005, 09:09 PM

Yes, Darlene and Missy she is a very capable horse woman and rider. She is also very mature for 14. I know it is a VERY generous gift.
But I am very worried about it all. I mean I know nothing about horses or the horse world and so I don't feel capable of making an informed decision. I know horses are VERY expensive to keep up, but my neighbours have offered to take over the cost for as long as we live here. Very GENEROUS! The horse is owned by a vet who raised this horse and is a friend of my neighbours. My neighbour said she will care for it free of charge if it ever needs care!!! And it has no foot problems etc.

So I am a bit overwhelmed. I know responsibility for an animal like a horse is an incredible experience for anybody, especially a teen. But I am still very nervous.

**favesis37** · 11-26-2005, 01:54 PM

the only thing i can say is throughbreds can be real high strung, is this horse off the track? the quarter horse in him might counteract the high strungness( is that a word?) i think it is a awesome gift, and it sounds like your daughter is capable of handling it. good luck and let us know what you decide

**hollyhill** · 11-26-2005, 04:03 PM

No, Kim he is not from the track.
He is from our neighbours vet who bred and raised him. But she gets very attached to her babies and is very selective who gets one. She obviously doesn't do it for the money LOL. But he has had only minimal training so far.

**favesis37** · 11-26-2005, 05:05 PM

go for it! after reading your post i went down to see my horse, she was a rescue , 23 years old and jsut the sweetest thing ever.
seh has been so good for me when i am down, i am a firm believer in the fact that everyone needs a horse! lol

**canadian gardener** · 11-26-2005, 06:02 PM

As soon as I see dd or hear from her, I will ask her to post in. Dd had the opportunity to lease a horse, from the lady who she has gotten lessons from in trade for shovelling stables.

At the time dd turned it down, altho she really wanted it, when we looked at the responsibility and our ability to afford vet bills etc.

The situation with your opportunity, is quite different.

The vet will care for it free of charge if it needs something or gets sick. The neighbors will feed it, and stable it. Those are your main costs.

The Costs we considered.

Saddle, bit bridle and all those other riding equipment things which your dd probably already owns, ours does. so no problem there.

Vets for routine care and maintenance and catastrophic care-- illness or foot/tendon problems. This was a sticking point for us.

Shoes from the blacksmith

Hay-- Depends on the annual cost in the area. Ours was reasonable, we are in hay producing country.

Feed-- the protein feed like oats etc Can be costly

Access costs to stables for protection from weather (keeping feet dry etc) Dd would have been responsible for this although we would have had it at a discount.

Access costs to pasture to stretch legs, run around a bit and nibble fresh greens. As stables.

Time to care for horse, and gasoline and wear and tear on dd's already old car (which since has gone to the great garage to rust in peace)

That last was something rather big for us, as dd's car was older, and although good on gas, it's expensive for her to get out to the ranch where the lady lives.

She was working for minimum wage or just above at Tim Hortons at the time, and going to college full time. So time and money were tight.

Again, very different from your situation.

What we ended up with, was dd continued to love and care for that horse when she was out at the ranch anyways, and this took the pressure off the owner as the ranch owner teaches riding, and teaches at the college plus runs her ranch which adds up to a very busy lady.

I'll get dd to answer in

**hollyhill** · 11-26-2005, 06:35 PM

Margery, it is just such an odd situation. I mean, I barely can put food on the table never mind feed a horse. And yet our neighbour is making this incredably generous offer to our daughter. And to pay all the bills!
And yes Dd has the tack LOL, she decorates her room with it LOL. I keep worrying about all the what ifs.....and the worst case scenarios. But really this is just too good to pass up!
And yes Kim, I think a young person can grow so much being responsible for an animal like a horse. Horses also seem to make a person very "grounded" KWIM. My SiL is a horse person and she says her horse is her therapy.
But Dh and I are not horsey at all and all we think about is the bottom line.
But Dd is a young adult and who are we to say what is reasonable or not, or even what is in her future.
What a situation! To be given a gift like this when we can't even pay our bills!!!!!

**dwallyfam** · 11-26-2005, 06:55 PM

Hollyhill

Consider this a ROAK. Obviously your neighbors think the world of your family. Don't pass this up. Even though you are thinking this is probably to good to be true and something will happen. Just let it happen and bless your stars it did.

**canadian gardener** · 11-26-2005, 07:11 PM

ROFL hollyhill, my dd decorated her room in early horse tack too. Plastering all the nail holes was something when she left this summer.

She had bits, bridles, assorted leather and metal oddments that I couldn't name, all in with horse posters, horse books, vet books on the specialized care of horses, cowboy hats, English gear (she does western and English) all jammed into this little room that is 8 1/2 feet by 7 feet plus a little jog for the door. And her bed, plus a bookcase and a dresser.

And she wondered why we couldn't fix her room up till after she left.

It sounds like a terrific opportunity.

**hollyhill** · 11-26-2005, 08:29 PM

I 've got my SiL on it now. She is going to contact naeighbour and vet and get details on the horse. So I will hear back from her tomorrow.
I still have not told Dd. I want to know EVERYTHING before I do. But I feel very nervous. And I know once I tell Dd all concentration for music and anything else will be gone for awhile

, so I better make Christmas break has begun!!!!!!!

**hollyhill** · 11-26-2005, 08:33 PM

I mean better make SURE Christmas break has begun.

I am a worried typer right now because any time Dd walks in the room I try and hide the screen LOL. I think she suspects something. LOL

**hollyhill** · 11-28-2005, 03:04 PM

Well, this is still weighing very big on our minds but we had SiL talk with our neighnor and she will be visiting the horse next weekend. She will see how much training needs to be done and how friendly he is etc. I will keep you posted. Dd still doesn't know. We want to have all the details in place first. But I am just about busting trying to keep it all in!