Affording a horse through College

[RJC]

[QUOTE=chicagojumper;8637882]
I hate to be Debbie Downer here, but I feel like we might need to adjust our expectations:

1. Pasture board near Chicago is extremely rare

2. Any sort of board near Chicago under $400/month is virtually unheard of

3. Trying to find one of those two (because finding a board situation with both of those qualities is going to be a challenging task) is going to take you at least an hour outside of Chicago. Rush hour traffic can double the commutes, so you will have to plan on a roundtrip commute anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. Getting out of Chicago via the expressways near UIC is a total friggin nightmare all day long, week in and week out. Weekends are just as bad as weekdays. Commuting in Chicago is DAUNTING.

4. With the large commutes, zipcar may not be the best option

I wish I could be more positive, but boarding near Chicago is a difficult task and requires quite a bit of financial and time management compromises. I think it’s important to offer fair warning to you.[/QUOTE]

I grew up in Chicago and over an hour drive out of the city got me to a barn that was $850/month, and that wasn’t the most expensive in the area and about 10 years ago. I didn’t know of any farms that offered pasture board, but I also never looked. I would start looking to the west and southwest of the city. North will be no good.

[Doctor_sOrders]

Why do people even come on here asking for advice they aren’t willing to take? It sounds like most people are genuinely trying to help. You are about to change a lot of factors in your life, some which you have encountered, but not all the factors together.
A lot of people who are offering you advice have been there, done that and you could learn a lot from them.

Hopefully you are less abrasive in person. I survived through college (double major so not many semesters with less than 18 hours) with 2 horses, a part time job and an SO. It worked well most days but there were crunch days (finals, next shift employee didn’t show up, etc.) and the only way I got through them was by asking favors. Having a chip on my shoulder/attitude/lip towards anyone that doesn’t tell me exactly what I want to hear would have meant no one would want to help me out.

And I’m not being a dissenting voice here. I fully support anyone who wants a horse in college and has a decent plan to keep one (looks like you do). But your responses through this thread just worry me. Stuff happens and when it does, you have to work with other people (the barn owner, manager, fellow boarders, class mates for school projects, coemployees, etc.) to resolve that ‘stuff’. You may be very good at conflict resolution and problem solving IRL, but, just based on this thread, it doesn’t seem to be your shining asset.

Also, forum posting 101: when you open up your question to EVERYONE you have to be the accommodating one. If you don’t like a response, read it and move on. If someone asks a question that seems ‘common sense’, either answer it or don’t. Don’t assume everyone should know your life or situation. If you don’t want a bunch of people’s opinion (which is what a forum is) don’t ask!! :lol:

[RodeoFTW]

Okay, thanks mom.

[IPEsq]

I would not budget your time and finances on the basis that the horse will be able to find a reliable, long term lease at the potential new barn. No matter how nice he is.

[enjoytheride]

At the same time, if you give advice and someone doesn’t take it why get so bent out of shape? If the op doesnt want advice then don’t offer it again. Your advice was given freely and nobody owes you.

I agree with not budgeting assuming you get a lease.

[RodeoFTW]

[QUOTE=enjoytheride;8638401]
At the same time, if you give advice and someone doesn’t take it why get so bent out of shape? If the op doesnt want advice then don’t offer it again. Your advice was given freely and nobody owes you.

I agree with not budgeting assuming you get a lease.[/QUOTE]

I’m budgetin as if he stays home, no lease.

I’m still $1300+ under in my expected costs, so I could afford a $500 board and I’ve seen places outside of Chicago just shy of that amount.

I can drive my aunt’s car if zip isn’t available, too. The own three vehicles and a motorcycle.

[Brian]

Sounds like this thread should have been titled… “This is how I’m going to afford my horse while going to college”

BTW…Thank you for your service.

[Doctor_sOrders]

Agree with Brian, on both accounts

[Doctor_sOrders]

enjoytheride, point taken

[Kwill]

Weighing in here. You can do it, but I wouldn’t do it in Chicago, where the commutes are all too long and the board is too expensive. When I lived in Chicago for a short period of time, I didn’t even bring my horses.

Why not go to the University of Illinois, or any of the other colleges downstate where the cost of living is far, far less and board can be had for $250 a month? Expensive board is $450. Vet costs are less. Rent is less (you can get a house for $800 a month). There are zip cars, too.

Just an idea.

[RodeoFTW]

It just affects my BAH. If I live somewhere expensive, I get more money to pay for my rent. Since I do have the option of staying with family in the city for a while (and they own apartment buildings, so my rent with them would be relatively inexpensive compared to the average person), it actually saves me quite a bit of money.

I also love the city (I’m from there originally) and UIC has the program that I want with the benefits for veterans that I need.

Believe me, if it wasn’t for the BAH factor, I’d be trying to go to MSU.

[AMWookey]

[QUOTE=RodeoFTW;8638539]
It just affects my BAH. If I live somewhere expensive, I get more money to pay for my rent. Since I do have the option of staying with family in the city for a while (and they own apartment buildings, so my rent with them would be relatively inexpensive compared to the average person), it actually saves me quite a bit of money.

I also love the city (I’m from there originally) and UIC has the program that I want with the benefits for veterans that I need.

Believe me, if it wasn’t for the BAH factor, I’d be trying to go to MSU.[/QUOTE]

Are you positive, completely positive that you won’t have to provide proof of what you are paying?

I.e. in Canada, we get extra for certain areas. That is free and clear. However, recommendation is never to base your budget off it as it could go away.

For college or if you are posted away from your spouse you get another amount. It’s use it or lose it.

You may be better off finding a different college where the cost of living is cheaper. I would do a budget analysis once you find some options of renting in each location, the BAH you will get, and the cost for your horse and other things.

[RodeoFTW]

Thanks for the advice, but I think I know more about how my veterans benefits work to manage my own college plans, okay?

[Denali6298]

I totally get what enjoytheride is saying and not sure if or why offense is taken to rodeo not taking all the advice. That being said, I think people keep offering the “common sense” financial advice because the plans for owning this horse involve other people. Someone to lease it, living with relatives, borrowing their car.

AMWookey asked a valid question and the snark in the answer was a little much. I don’t assume you are financially wise because you saved 10k being deployed. That’s normal. You will get this horse. You will figure it out. Good luck with it.

[RodeoFTW]

Depends on your sense of normal. I saw people blow that same amount on hookers in Thailand. I’m going to assume now that you’ve been deployed before? Because sand box deployment is different from ship deployment, and I didn’t save all my money while at sea, I did it while I was on shore because there was a whole lot less for me to spend on when I wasn’t traveling.

But no, I don’t think her question was really appropriate. It was borderline insulting.

I will. Thank you.

[Denali6298]

No kidding it’s different. You make more as a ground pounder! Brush that chip off your shoulder. People ask questions and make suggestions based on their experiences. I don’t think it was meant as an insult to your intelligence. But again your plans,
including plan A, involve more than just you so it makes people throw out what ifs no matter how unlikely. It will all work out. Enjoy your new horse!

[AMWookey]

[QUOTE=RodeoFTW;8638586]
Thanks for the advice, but I think I know more about how my veterans benefits work to manage my own college plans, okay?[/QUOTE]

As a serving member in the Canadian forces I was asking a simple question that I know causes issues with our own.

Agreed. You have a chip.

[RodeoFTW]

It’s always involved more than me, though. I bought my first horse while deployed. Didn’t even see him, but it all worked out. He wasn’t ill, injured, no serious vices, and most of his issues relate to his neglect, which is being worked through and understood by the staff who handle him everyday.

Most people would never advise to do something like that (buy a horse from an internet ad at a feedlot) but I did and it worked out.

So I’m going to make my discussions based off of my experience. I appreciate intelligent advise and recommendations, but asking if I understand how BAH works (from someone from Canada???) was a bit much.

Would you like it if I questioned you on if you knew how to wear your uniform properly?

Obviously since you live it everyday, you’d know.

[RodeoFTW]

[QUOTE=AMWookey;8638709]
As a serving member in the Canadian forces I was asking a simple question that I know causes issues with our own.

Agreed. You have a chip.[/QUOTE]

Well, Canadian Forces aren’t like the American Armed Forces. Let me just state the obvious first.

Second, BAH is a housing allowance that goes directly to the service member. They don’t know where you live and what kind of money you might be making while you go to school. It’s a paycheck you get regardless if you need it or not depending on the location of the school you are going to. So expensive areas like Chicago or Seattle can get you as much as $2k+ a month, while someplace rural might only get you $1.2k.

Again, they don’t ask nor do they care what your rent actually is.

And you make bad assumptions about people and their personal finances based off of very little actual knowledge on the subject.

I’m not even asking for advice anymore. I know what my plans are and what I need to do.

[AMWookey]

[QUOTE=RodeoFTW;8638724]
Well, Canadian Forces aren’t like the American Armed Forces. Let me just state the obvious first.

Second, BAH is a housing allowance that goes directly to the service member. They don’t know where you live and what kind of money you might be making while you go to school. It’s a paycheck you get regardless if you need it or not depending on the location of the school you are going to. So expensive areas like Chicago or Seattle can get you as much as $2k+ a month, while someplace rural might only get you $1.2k.

Again, they don’t ask nor do they care what your rent actually is.

And you make bad assumptions about people and their personal finances based off of very little actual knowledge on the subject.

I’m not even asking for advice anymore. I know what my plans are and what I need to do.[/QUOTE]

I honestly was not trying to insult you. I didn’t know the difference so I asked.

We have something called a pld here for people living places where it cost more. It can change in less then a year. Same with separation expense. 3 years ago I would have made an extra 700$ a month being posted separately from my husband. There were people that abused the system and it went away in less then 6 mths. Now I lose money.

So I asked if you were sure. If you get a contract or if you get the money paid in full. Because government and veteran affairs can change when a government changes and you have an election coming up.

My suggestion was to look at it outside of that before commitments were made, to make sure you could afford it either way. It sucks bUT it is reality.

As for the caf not being the us military. …got it. We have better pay and veterans affairs. So I think my other considerations for you to think of were perfectly fair and I was in no way insulting. You were.