The horse or our family???

Mojisola

purple.sarah wrote: »

Why are you struggling with such good jobs and salaries? There must be other factors. You could get a lot out of sitting down with your partner and doing a SOA to identify the issues, rather than arguing over the horse. Inflammatory ultimatums like "The horse or our family???" are going to turn every discussion into an argument.

I do hope the OP takes this advice - it's been given by a lot of posters and is the only way forward if he really wants to sort things out.

katy2

"Love me love my horse"

If the OP makes his DP choose he may well lose more than the horse.

We don't have anything like the joint income of the OP, but manage to keep 2 cats, 2 dogs and more than one horse, pay our house rent, bills and the grazing for the nags. I think there is a lot more to sort out in this relationship before the household budget. It wouldn't be the first relationship to fail over a partners failure to understand that if a girl doesn't grow out of ponies/horse at 16, she in all probability never will. I have witnessed quite a few friends marriages fall apart because a husband is jealous of a horse/pony, strange but true !

bugslet

Best of luck with this and I appreciaate that the OP feels hard done by, when his own pleasures in life have to be sacrificed to keep a horse, but I expect to the OP's wife, it's a responsibility that she can't walk away from lightly. I know the market for horses is through the floor at the moment, but even if it wasn't - and I'm guessing what your wife would be thinking - who knows what happens to the animal once it's sold - it could be that that is causing the problem.

Agree with many of the other posters, do an SOA - it sounds like a good income to me!

pelirocco

sazdes wrote: »

My horse is a thoroughbred so needs more food than your average horse!

Monthly costs
Feed - £100 per month (including hay and bedding)
Stabling - £100-200 a month if you clean the stable yourself, up to £400 if you get a stable hand to clean the horse's stable for you

Annual costs
vaccinations £70pa (though many owners don't vaccinate after inital baby vaccinations)
hooves trimming (every 8 weeks) - £220pa
worming every 8 weeks - £80pa

So Des costs £2770 per year (£230 per month)

.... you have one expensive horse! I wouldn't attempt to dissuade her from owning the horse as its an attachment thing, I'd give up all basics for myself in life to keep my horse. Just try to get the budget down to a minimum - it can be done

My daughter pay even less , her Livery includes stabling hay and straw and is less then £100/ month per horse . However we arent in the best area for hacking out and this is reflected in the cost . Still £700 odd per month is in my opinion far too much.

She had to cut down drastically when she got married and had children , she kept on her old horse because she is now in her late 20's ( the horse ) blind in one eye and a head case , so we wouldnt have been able to find her a home , and I help out with the cost . My daughter works 3 jobs has 2 small children her husband works full time , on less jint money they the OP and cans till afford to have hobbies each , one of which is a small pony for grand daughter

pelirocco

At the end of the day , no one should put pets before the financial welfare of their family

Person_one

pelirocco wrote: »

At the end of the day , no one should put pets before the financial welfare of their family

Then nobody would ever have pets, they all cost money that could otherwise be spent on the human family members.

Its clear that there is absolutely no need to give up the horse if the OP is willing to look at the finances and make some changes, I hope he considers this.

Most people actually love their animals, they aren't just a random item lying around the house that you can stick on ebay for a few quid when you're short.

pelirocco

Person_one wrote: »

Then nobody would ever have pets, they all cost money that could otherwise be spent on the human family members.

Its clear that there is absolutely no need to give up the horse if the OP is willing to look at the finances and make some changes, I hope he considers this.

Most people actually love their animals, they aren't just a random item lying around the house that you can stick on ebay for a few quid when you're short.

Thats not what I said at all


I said financial welfare , that doesn't mean people who can afford to shouldn't have pets , but if a time comes that you can not afford the basics then you must not put pets above your children .

I just love how some posters imaginations just run riot , how you jumped from what I said to saying selling pets on ebay for a few quid when you're short is ludicrous

And please read my previous post re keeping horses

Person_one

pelirocco wrote: »

I said financial welfare , that doesn't mean people who can afford to shouldn't have pets , but if a time comes that you can not afford the basics then you must not put pets above your children .

On a household income of nearly 65K, with only one child and minimal childcare costs as one parent only works part time?

I think its your imagination running away with you.

Energize

On such a high household income supporting a horse should be no problem. I don't think anyone on my local livery yard earns that much and they have kids too.

snookey

Getting ready Iv got four cats,a dog,hamster and a parakeet and I dont spend anywhere near 500.00 a month. Im not being critical but just shocked.