Affording a horse through College

[RodeoFTW]

So you’re saying you have $15k ready at hand for colic surgery on your own horses?

Most people never have that much just sitting around, student or not. That’s kind of a ridiculous requirement to expect anyone to be able to afford.

I also already have a horse/equine thing so this isn’t my first rodeo per say. Just never had dealt with school on top of horse ownership. It kind of came of as a condescending thing to ask when most people who own horses don’t have that kind of money to fork over (but hey, that doesn’t mean they should never own them).

I, for one, would put a horse down if something happened. I’m not going to put myself into debt taking care of a pasture ornament and I don’t think going through dangerous surgery is fair to the horse.

[OverandOnward]

Where did you read that I have $15k on hand in case of colic surgery? :D:D:D No reason to respond so defensively to a basic care question.

I said “have a plan”. You do have one, according to your post above. You’ve already decided what you are NOT going to do, so you are prepared for what that means. That’s fine, that’s a plan. :yes:

I have known financially-constrained owners who were blindsided by a health problem (including chronic lameness), even an emergency, because they just didn’t consider it as part of their horse-keeping plan. You are asking how to afford a horse through college, and veterinary issues are an important part of anyone’s plan for keeping a horse. That’s all.

Since you asked … My horse care plan does not include an idle $15k (I wish !!!). :winkgrin: Over the years my horse-health-issue plan has varied, based on the horse and my personal situation. At various times it has included a combination of insurance, Care Credit and credit card open balance. Like you, I know what I will and will not do in terms of treatment. I have had to make some hard calls more than one time over the years of horse ownership (in the middle of the night, in emotionally stressful situations, for a suffering horse needing an urgent decision one way or the other).

Currently, I will not be taking the horse I own now to surgery, should that come up, based on a number of factors. I’ve already decided what conditions will mean a peaceful good-bye, and what I will be willing to treat.

[Prime_Time_Rider]

I have a college student who boards her horse with me. She works part-time as a nanny to pay for her horse’s board, shoes and vet expenses. She still has time to ride and go to school. I worked part-time in college as well, so it is definitely doable so long as you stay organized (which coming out of the military I would assume you are) and don’t overload yourself taking 18 plus hours a semester.

[findeight]

Can you just lease this horse until you are sure the situation is going to work out for you and the horse? Going from a life as a stalled at least part of the time and staying in regular work show horse to a life out 24/7, probably in a group being ridden infrequently on an irregular scedule depending on zip car availability (and weather if there’s no indoor)? Might not work for this particular horse. At all. Particularly if you can’t keep a close eye on things, like 4 or 5 visits a week.

Or maybe plan on leaving it at home and leasing it to trainer so it can stay in regular work? I’m also uncomfortable about why the owner is looking for this kind of deal. Maybe there’s details not shared and maybe the trainer is counting on this to get a school horse out if it but…it does sound a little too good to be true to somebody whose seen all kinds of these deals for decades. Most aren’t what they were supposed to be.

[RodeoFTW]

I did say I was going to leave it at home until I was settled at school. And the horse is a fat arab, he only goes in at night, so pasture board would be fine.

I’d still expect to get a pre-purchase exam on him.

Leasing a horse does not solve the problem of rehoming the horse I already have.

[IPEsq]

If you are thinking of taking on 1 or 2 jobs outside of your course work, I would continue to leave the horse at home and leased out there in the program that you know.

[RodeoFTW]

I only plan on working 20-25 hours per week at a second job.

Thank you, that is definitely something I’m considering. If he stayed in MI, I’m almost guaranteed at least one lease from him, which takes care of about half his stall board.

[atlatl]

My only concern would be your ability to maintain any required grades to keep your GI Bill benefits intact. Well, that and the consideration that grades do matter in my field so I can only assume they do in other fields as well. Make sure you have enough time to commit to your studies. Depending on your field and frankly your aptitude, school may be much more time consuming than you think right now.

Good luck!

[RodeoFTW]

Uhhh I already said here several times I wouldn’t bring the horse with me if I couldn’t handle my course load. I don’t know why you’d think I’d allow myself to fail out of school and my GI Bill. >_>

I’ve also already done some college before, so I know how to manage course work but thanks I guess.

[findeight]

My other concern is with a low cost boarding arrangement in an expensive area. Some are just fine but they aren’t full service and unless you can be there almost daily, are often not a good choice. Things can get pretty far south if they go bad before you become aware of anything being amiss.

Just something to consider given the lifestyle change the horse will be making. Never assume they will do as well as they are when you buy them if you move them to a completely different situation.

You have to excuse some of us who are much older and made some of these mistakes ourselves as well as watched many others make them. It influences the opinions we share.

[enjoytheride]

I managed my course load, working a part time job, and riding 3 - 5 days a week all the way through college, plus I showed on my IHSA team. It’s all about the severity of the classes and your yearning desire for a social life.

[RodeoFTW]

I have like no desire to have a social life. Sounds bad, I know. But I got five years enough of it, including one year on a ship never being able to get away from the depression and drinking culture of being deployed.

I just want to go to school and enjoy some horse time with a horse that I actually own and can be proud of.

[atlatl]

[QUOTE=RodeoFTW;8636986]
Uhhh I already said here several times I wouldn’t bring the horse with me if I couldn’t handle my course load. I don’t know why you’d think I’d allow myself to fail out of school and my GI Bill. >_>

I’ve also already done some college before, so I know how to manage course work but thanks I guess.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm, I see nothing in your OP about waiting to see it you can handle your course load before bringing the horse with you. I see you asking people who have been in this situation for advice.

You remind me of one of my nephews who was on scholarship and was sure that he knew enough to be able to work full time and still keep his grades up. He asked me what I thought, and I said my only concern would be that his grades would drop and he’d lose his scholarship. He didn’t know why I’d think he would let that happen. Guess what; it happened. However, he still got through undergrad and graduate school and is very successful.

Having already done “some college” before is different from being a full-time student in a degree program. You aren’t going to know if you can handle the course load until you try to do it. So, I’ll modify my comment to be more along the lines of leave the horse where it is for the first semester and then decide.

You’re welcome, I guess.

[findeight]

That’s fair. Just make sure it’s a horse that can adapt to the lower cost pasture board situation and infrequent riding since you won’t have a car for daily or at least several times a week visits to the barn to keep an eye on it.

I rode thru college but the horse was one I’d owned for several years and at a not fancy but close to full care facility close to the school. I worked too, 25-30 hrs a week. You can manage all that…but I had a car and was at the barn at least 3 days a week.

[RodeoFTW]

Uhhh I said several times in the first page I was going to leave the horse behind at home and have him be leased until I could handle my schedule and check out some boarding stables until I found something I liked. This thread isn’t even that long, so I’m not sure how you missed that.

College is hard, but somehow thousands of people still manage to graduate with part-time jobs and a social life in tact.

And if I can finish five years of active duty, this isn’t going to be anymore stressful than that was (because HOLY CRAP there’s nothing like being forward deployed, being a student just does not compare), just a different kind of stressful.

[QUOTE=findeight;8637253]
That’s fair. Just make sure it’s a horse that can adapt to the pasture board situation and infrequent riding since you won’t have a car for daily visits to the barn or be able to select a full service option.[/QUOTE]

Thank you.

I might be able to find a reasonable full service barn, it just might not be very close to the city. Trade offs.

[atlatl]

[QUOTE=RodeoFTW;8637231]
I have like no desire to have a social life. Sounds bad, I know. But I got five years enough of it, including one year on a ship never being able to get away from the depression and drinking culture of being deployed.

I just want to go to school and enjoy some horse time with a horse that I actually own and can be proud of.[/QUOTE]

I get the desire to get away from the deployed “culture.” DH is a SWO.

Be proud of yourself; you deserve it. Just enjoy any horse time.

[IPEsq]

My comment on leaving the horse at home was based on your comments that you may only be riding once a week, coupled with what F8 has noted about more affordable boarding options (although I have run into situations where I felt I needed to be at the barn daily paying at the top end of the area’s price range). So, “full service” may not be exactly the full service you (or the horse) is expecting. If you are thinking you are only going to be at the barn once or twice a week, IMO, that is not enough to move the horse there and out of a program that you seem to be comfortable with in MI. Yes, the Arab may do better than the pony who needs daily attention from you, but it still might not be the best choice to bring the horse with you to school.

[RodeoFTW]

Not every horse needs to be ridden every day though. Or even every other day.

I’ll wait and see about what my options will be when I move. If I can get him half-leased again at a new boarding barn, then getting full board would not be an issue, nor would coming out only twice a week. If it’s going to be too expensive (which I doubt, because there are ways to move around money and budget), he can stay at home where he is now.

I won’t know until fall, anyways.

[enjoytheride]

You will be fine. You seem to have a good solid plan, know what you’re getting into, and have options. Some people just need to be negative nellies and I don’t see any reason to doom and gloom someone with a head on their shoulders.

[RodeoFTW]

Danke.

I think it’ll work out well. I’m going to try and see the horse (Veri) this weekend. His owner adores my emotionally troubled little pony, so it’s just a really good deal to jump on. In case you’re curious, this is the pedigree and picture of the horse in question.

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/msu+veritas

http://postimg.org/image/lk1c4xl1d/ from 2011
http://postimg.org/image/vsghowlvl/ more recent

And my pony now, Mr. Darcy.

http://postimg.org/image/7zbxrxk1t/