Changing for good...a new start!

Baldybear

No probs NoOneAround didnt event think you were being rude, after 17 years of having a hoss called Baldy nothing phases me

My new hossie is called phoenix but she went through a grumpy phase so I started calling her grumpy and it has stuck, she doesnt recognise her proper name, but call out grumpy and she raises an ear and ambles over :rotfl:

Baldybear

Good morning

Ex came round last night to pick up a few more bits. Had a brief discussion re the house and we disagreed re the value, got a bit wound up as he was being difficult and taking an unrealistic stance. It makes me even more determined to buy him out and be rid of completely. Went on a bit of a sorry for myself for hour or so whilst doing hossie, but read something about fear and it struck a chord with me so decided to be pro-active instead. The only way I can get out of this situation is with more money, so I sat down and listed 4 items on ebay, then got bored but did a few comps online, always worth a punt

Looked this morning and 2 items have bids on already, only 99p so far, but listing for 7 days so may go up but it will all help. May see if I can do some more tonight

NSD, dinner from the freezer later and lunch bought in.

Have open fire at home, have loads of leftover wood so will be able to use for heating this year to help cut down bills. Need to get chimney swept before use, have booked for this weekend £48. That takes out my misc budget this month but at least I have the money without having to find elsewhere

NoOneAround

Baldybear wrote: »

No probs NoOneAround didnt event think you were being rude, after 17 years of having a hoss called Baldy nothing phases me

My new hossie is called phoenix but she went through a grumpy phase so I started calling her grumpy and it has stuck, she doesnt recognise her proper name, but call out grumpy and she raises an ear and ambles over :rotfl:

Great names!
Not a hossie person myself but lots of our friends are and as we are quite rural. I love them though - House backs onto paddocks and the kids grew up looking over the fence - wanted them to learn to ride but a very expensive hobby and couldn't fit in the time as they did a lot of music and drama things etc

PinkPoppies

I admire your determination to keep your horse and as an ex horse owner I can totally understand why it is so important to you.

That said, £300 is quite a shortfall each month, and your horse is costing you more than that each month covering the basics for her- are things like the farrier, horse insurance etc included? What is your contingency plan for any more unexpected vet bills?

From the outside looking in, the obvious thing to do would be to sell/loan her until you are in a better position financially... but as I say, I DO understand why you won't consider it- she is your baby and a huge part of your life.

Is she broken to ride now? If so, have you considered getting a sharer to help with costs and the work? Grass livery to keep costs down that way? Is the £50pm training absolutely essential at the moment?

Sorry, probably not questions you want to hear, and they are meant kindly, but looking at your SOA, even once you have the debts paid off and don't have the minimum payments totalling £160pm you are still going to have a shortfall?

Really hope you can find a way to make it all work, she (and you!) sound lovely. Fingers tightly crossed, *subscribing* x

LAM2011

Hiya BB


I have no advice that you don't already know. I know from my past experience how hard it is trying to find the extra pennies. I was lucky enough to be able to hang on to my horses through the debt busting.


I do agree that perhaps letting the training go for now might be an idea - I am sure you can manage to continue what trainer has started over the winter and pick it back up again in the spring.


Also think a lodger would be a great idea and company for you too if the right person?
We get old pallets which OH chops up for wood for our log burner (along with other old wood people are chucking!) do you have a builders yard nearby that you could ask for any scraps?


Goodluck with everything I know how much you want to hang on to your house. x

Baldybear

PinkPoppies wrote: »

I admire your determination to keep your horse and as an ex horse owner I can totally understand why it is so important to you.

That said, £300 is quite a shortfall each month, and your horse is costing you more than that each month covering the basics for her- are things like the farrier, horse insurance etc included? What is your contingency plan for any more unexpected vet bills?

At the moment dont have any contigency, just really living day to day, all expenses are found somehow through ebay, cutting down, using extras made instead of putting to debt.

From the outside looking in, the obvious thing to do would be to sell/loan her until you are in a better position financially... but as I say, I DO understand why you won't consider it- she is your baby and a huge part of your life.

Is she broken to ride now? If so, have you considered getting a sharer to help with costs and the work? Grass livery to keep costs down that way? Is the £50pm training absolutely essential at the moment?

She is just starting to be broken to ride. Training I believe essential was doing every week but have cut down to fortnightly, for that get 2 hour sessions and my trainer rides her, she is just learning to trot on her own She was bought as unhandled youngster so has improved loads. Sharer a possibility, but looking at local pages there is so many horses advertised that one who isnt even properly rideable yet will not attract many. Unfortunately no grass livery really, could go to old place at £65pcm but no school, electric, just a field so not really practical and is half hour round commute so would add up in fuel. Unfortunately the £182 is the chepeast local, this is just DIY, hardly anyone does this and most only do part livery which is extortionate. Am lucky only 10 min walk away so fuel costs minimum.

Sorry, probably not questions you want to hear, and they are meant kindly, but looking at your SOA, even once you have the debts paid off and don't have the minimum payments totalling £160pm you are still going to have a shortfall?

The plan is to be able to take on mortgage and then with a mortgage of £100k rather than £150k my payments would be a lot lower and then would SOA would tie up. If I can get a lodger in meantime would balance better.

Really hope you can find a way to make it all work, she (and you!) sound lovely. Fingers tightly crossed, *subscribing* x

Many thanks for your reply, have put my comments above in red, it sounds like I am being difficult, but am trying not to be, will do anything to keep my hossie, she really would be the last resort. I dont do much else, dont drink/smoke, socialising is usually friends BBQs and the like so not a lot spent. She is my escape from the world

Baldybear

LAM2011 wrote: »

Hiya BB


I have no advice that you don't already know. I know from my past experience how hard it is trying to find the extra pennies. I was lucky enough to be able to hang on to my horses through the debt busting.


I do agree that perhaps letting the training go for now might be an idea - I am sure you can manage to continue what trainer has started over the winter and pick it back up again in the spring.


Also think a lodger would be a great idea and company for you too if the right person?
We get old pallets which OH chops up for wood for our log burner (along with other old wood people are chucking!) do you have a builders yard nearby that you could ask for any scraps?


Goodluck with everything I know how much you want to hang on to your house. x

Many thanks for your comments

Have enough old wood to easily last me through this winter, but thanks for your ideas, work in construction and know our sites have always got loads of scraps to get rid of so a quick drive to one of those would keep me going if I run short.

Baldybear

Thinking about all the above apart from last month which was a write off I have not got any further into debt for ages, I have been good and made inroads, so I know I can do it I just need to keep going

Baldybear

Good morning, thank goodness its friday, feels like its been a long week.

Few more bids on ebay items so looking good, didnt manage to put anymore on there but will aim to do some at the weekend to take full advantage of the 20 free listings.

Notified of small quidco payout so hope that should reach by Monday so first overpayment to CC since new mindset

PinkPoppies

Baldybear wrote: »

Many thanks for your reply, have put my comments above in red, it sounds like I am being difficult, but am trying not to be, will do anything to keep my hossie, she really would be the last resort. I dont do much else, dont drink/smoke, socialising is usually friends BBQs and the like so not a lot spent. She is my escape from the world

Oh no, I don't think it sounds like you are being difficult at all! I can relate to your situation a lot. Sounds as though you are doing a great job under tricky circumstances.

As Dorey would say... "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." x