When I chose to move out of my parents farm, because my boyfriend of now 16 years was wondering when the heck I was going to move out, I found a farm that was close to the new to me home, so my drive was short, board was decently priced at the time, and picked up a weekend barn mucking job.
I was managing, but then got a raise that gifted me the option to give up my weekend job and enjoy my weekends again. Fast forward to 2022, with excessive inflation, my barn situation needed to change as everything in this area is going up for sale, my BO chose to put the farm up for sale. I am type A, and need to be in control and organized, I didn’t want to wait to be told to leave.
I am beyond lucky my bf can carry this home on his own, while I toss money at my hobby. He’s too understanding that it eats me alive. With the inflation, my current raise was of no help. My vehicle of 8 years now costs $180 to fill at 600km a tank. Thankful my office is in COVID panic still that we are hybrid, one week at the office and one week at home, which helps a little
I am struggling. I thought I was going to be able to show this season (yes privilege) but I’m starting to wonder. Is this still privilege, yes, but its also still a struggle to enjoy something that wasn’t a struggle to afford before. My horse is 19, who is going to want a 19 year old? He is also my partner, I do not look at him as an investment. I’ve owned him since he was 4. Been with him as long as I’ve been with my boyfriend.
Is this all still a choice, yes. Finding board at a decent cost is hard. Unless you drive further, well sure, but gas being the cost it is now, is it really beneficial? Seems to be better to spend the hours at home or at the farm then in the vehicle driving.
I am in Ontario, Canada. Anything with acreage is well over $1 Million to purchase, that is 1.5 hours from the main city Toronto. You find a shack, that’s still 45 from my work, which is 1.5 hours from Toronto, that has an abandoned home, with 10acres so the horse could come home, but there is glass in the soil, garbage all over, because renters didn’t care. I’d be ok if glass wasn’t the issue… That’s $554,000 for either a teardown or serious renovation, that is probably still going to have a bidding war. Then where do you live while this happens. Probably my parents basement.
I understand horses are a luxury. But I also ask myself, if I didn’t have a horse, what would I do. Seriously, what would I do? I would probably eat a lot and be super depressed. I don’t have an interest in another hobby. There are places to still make choices, but I see it from the perspective as, this is all we have and don’t want to lose the one thing that makes us happy. I feel that. This is something that is more than a hobby, I literally sleep thinking about horses and when I’m awake I think about them. I am not going to offer rides on other horses for cost, as I have no time during the week for that, plus, I don’t want to ride poorly behaved horses that are trying to dump you. I am 34 and would like to not be broken.
I am contemplating going back to weekend work. I was hoping I could manage without working 7 days a week. Office job during the week, trying to fit in barn time after work, hanging with your SO, and even just trying to see a friend, working a weekend SUCKS. I would rather not, plus add driving time and cost as a factor, I need to find a barn that pays alright that makes it worth the drive. Its all very frustrating.
It would be a gift to have help, and it would be a gift to look at horses as an investment, but that is not my nature.
