Beside school, homework, and chores I have to do to get $ for my horse so i can feed him, I really don't have alot of time to spend w/my horse. Before school, it's to dark to play w/him (I have no barn). Then after schooll it's about 6:30 after homework, dinner, etc. Then I'm so tired I just wanna fall asleep, then I'll take my shower and go to bed. I'm so sick of not having any time with him!!!!! The only time I get to ride him is on the weekends, (but sometimes I don't, cause I'm so pooped I'll just sleep the whole Saturday, then sunday is church and "family day"!!!!! lol Any suggestions of what I should do, school always gets in the way!!!!!!! :(
2007-10-16 00:47:09 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Horses
selling him is not a option, sorry but I couldn't live w'myself, my horse is my pride and joy. And he doesn't feel neglected, I give him what he needs, I just don't have lots of time to ride him anymore! Your making me feel like I'm a jerk.......
2007-10-16 00:57:29 · update #1
What is wrong with some of you people? Your so harsh, I'm just a kid in 8th grade! (to Joel D, how pay for my horse is that dewormer is only 6.00 every two months, a round bale is only 30.00 in MI and it lasts him a month, trimming my horse's feet very two months is only 25.00, he doesn't need shoes, and not every horse needs grain, but he goes through 2 bags which cost 10.00 each every month. the vet bills only cost my 65.00 each year. there is a way that I can pay cheaper then you people do. and i can pay for my horse fine, thank you, it's none of your buiness) ( for kristine or whatever your name is, I'm not neglecting my horse! I just don't have time to ride!! God you serousily almost made me cry!!!!! yes, i'm super senseitive :)) for the other peole that were nice, thanks, especially the one with the goat idea! (Sorry that I blew up at you guys, it's only some people that get on my nerves! lol)
2007-10-16 09:39:51 · update #2
Have you thought about advertising for a half lease? Someone else can lease him and take on some of the chores of taking care of him and pay you so you won't have to work so hard to get money to take care of him. He is essentially earning the money for you!
Make sure you get a contract signed stipulating exactly when their time with the horse will be, what the chores are that they will need to do and how much they will be paying you. I would also set up an interview and watch the person handling your horse and riding him so that you know he will be in good hands.
You might not want to share him but it is a bonifide option for the school year. He will get ridden and you will get a little respite. When summer rolls around you will have even more time with him.
Good luck!
2007-10-16 01:41:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 10⤊ 0⤋
A horse is a lot of work to keep it up properly. My family has five and I'm the one that has to take care of them most of the time. As long as your horse is getting good care then not being able to ride him is more of a problem for you than him. Your putting all the effort and work into something that you don't get to enjoy and if you don't ride him very often then he can get some bad habits that take time and long hours in the saddle to fix. If your still living with your family and going to school I'm not really sure how your getting the money to properly take care of a horse. I mean around here, good feed is like $6.50 a bag that will last one horse around three or four days in the winter when they need to be feed twice a day and longer in the summer, but not by much if your riding, because they have to be on a working diet. Hay is up to $5.50 a bale for square bales if you can even find them with the weather being as hot and dry as it has. It's up near $100 dollars a horse for yearly vet bills and I thinks it's about $40 for a trim all around every 8 weeks or so. So I'm not really sure how your paying for it. Also, if you can't build him a little single stall barn, which could be done for a couple of hundred dollars ( e-mail me if you want to know how), then he deffinatly needs a winter blanket for nights if it gets really cold and for days if it's snowing. I also know that you said you didn't want to sell your horse and if it's just a matter of you not riding then it's not a problem, but if you can't properly care for any animal that you have and provide for it's basic needs then you need to sit down and think if it's selfish or not to keep the animal when there is a chance that it could get hurt, sick, undernourished, etc... just because you love it. As much as it hurts, getting rid of him may be the best thing. Though, like I said, if you can make sure you get his basics taken care of then not riding him is not a problem.
2007-10-16 11:37:35 · answer #2 · answered by Dalton 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
And then you get old and work and family take up all your time!
I'm wondering if you are eating right. If you aren't that's probably why you don't have the energy you should and why your sleeping all Saturday. That's not normal.
Since there is no way your going to find more than 24 hours in a day you need to figure a way to have more energy to use those hours!
Eat enough protein, cut out some of the sugar, get 8 hours of sleep a night and drink lots of water. If that doesn't help you might want to check with your doctor.
Then you can try what I do. Find a timer. Put 15 minutes or so on the timer and head out to see your horse. You can do anything for 15 minutes even if you're tired. You might find that the 15 minutes spent with him will give you the umph to spend even more time. My problem is just getting out there. There is always something else I'm supposed to be doing, usually for somebody else. So, I set my timer and out I go and sometimes I don't come back in for hours!
2007-10-16 10:41:07 · answer #3 · answered by Everbely 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
If your horse is properly cared for, well-fed but not fat, getting regular hoof trimming and vaccinations and dewormings, then there's no reason you should feel like you need to ride him. Your horse would probably prefer that you didn't!
My biggest concern would be if he's alone- if he's not got any other horses or a goat or something for company, and you never do anything with him, then that's not good. If he's all alone, get him a goat for company.
But if he's at a barn with other horses or a companion animal like a goat, then don't worry about it. Make time when you can to ride or spend time with him, and keep taking good care of him.
I have gone as long as 6 months without riding my horse, because I was so busy with school and family and stuff like that, especially during the winter when it gets dark so early. It didn't hurt her a bit!
So many horses are abused, neglected, starving, and homeless... I think it's teriffic that you're dedicated to providing a good home for your horse, even when you don't have time to spend with him! You will have time to spend with him when spring arrives and the days lengthen, plus holidays, weekends, summer vacation, etc...
I kept my first horse through 7 years of going to school, getting married, moving, working, and just generally being very busy- now that I have time to ride regularly, I'm very glad I never sold her. You will be, too.
2007-10-16 08:25:47 · answer #4 · answered by Painter's Polka Dots 2 · 9⤊ 1⤋
I completely understand how you feel. I'm currently in graduate school and my horses stay at my parents place - a 7 1/2 hour drive away. We've decided that it would be best for them if we sold them because they aren't getting the attention they deserve. I'm not telling you to sell the horse because I know how awful this can be. I guess try to find time to ride. And you should only feel sorry that YOU are getting shorted time with your horse...I kinda doubt he minds not being ridden. Good luck!
2007-10-16 15:16:52 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Sound like you are doing a great job taking care of your horse. You miss the time to ride him and we all would. But he knows you love him. I'm sure you find the time to brush him down and hug his lovely face and talk to him about all your problems and ask about his problems. Yea!
Another animal for a pet for him would be nice. Goats are very active little creatures and could be great company. Give them some large balls to play with. I used to play kick ball with my App. She didn't get ridden much but she got lots of love and hugs and she loved kick the ball.
Keep doing a what you are doing. Fortunately horses live nice long lives and someday your schedule will not be so busy and you can have more time to ride.
2007-10-19 18:43:57 · answer #6 · answered by Lyn B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not let people get you down.Alot of riders feel they can not spend enough time riding their horses.school is important right now.You can spend more time in the summer riding him.As long as he gets feed,watered,mucked,turnedout and not sitting in his stall all day,I do not see a problem.You are not the only one in this situation-so don't let people make you feel bad,as longs as he gets above plus regular vet checks,shots,deworming and farrier vists you are not neglecting your horse,by not riding him every day!
I have to make time to ride my mare,I have two kids,with work full time,plus kids and husband and after school activites I can not go to the barn and ride everyday-it is just not possible,does that mean I am a bad owner or lover her less-hell-no.
I bet from alot of adults you will get the same answers where with famiy and other duties we just can not ride everyday.
my mare is full boarded at a boarding barn where she is turned out everyday,and gets the best care,so in no way is she neglected and I ride as often as I can.
like I said,don't down yourself-you are not the only one with this issue.Don't sell your horse!you would regret it.
2007-10-16 19:13:45 · answer #7 · answered by *cowgirlofarabians* 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree school and homework are time consuming and it makes it even harder having horses trust me i know i have five. I go to school at 8:00 but takes me an hour to get showered and stuff so without horses i would get up at 7:00, but i make time for them and get up at 6:00 sometimes earlier, i can see your predicament with the darkness thing, but just work through it, if your horses are on your own land then i don't see the problem. On winter mornings its dark but i take a flash light out and i have got solar lights around the grooming area and fence edge, they're not that expensive and they do help, on a morning i groom them all then let them go back in the field as they have no stables. I finish school at 2:30 get home for 3:00 and i have brought all the horses in by quater past. I usually ride three or two of the horses a day each for half an hour, then i groom them down then put them out to pasture, the latest i finish is 5:30 then have until 10:30 to do the rest of my school stuff. On weekends i get up at seven and ride them all, sometimes with help and i finish up for 10:00 am. so i really don't see what your complaining about if you want to spend time with your horse then do it, if you think you don't have enough time then make time, drag your self out of bed and organise yourself its the only way and if you can't do that buy an alarm. Apart from that i can't help you if you say you can't ride your horse because basically your just too lazy then i just think why did you get a horse in the first place, i know they're time consuming, but horses are a way of life not part of it, just make an effort please. It is hard to find time to ride horses but its the bond between man and animal that makes it worth while, as long as your horse is happy and healty and think it's o.k. to let him be a grazer until you finish school, but horses are social animals and because hes on his own he will want alot of your attention, you may not know it but he probably loves being around you.
2007-10-16 12:31:22 · answer #8 · answered by totallyhaflingers 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i was in the same situation alst year. it WILL get better. make the most of your saturdays! lol. get up at the crack of dawn ((**gasp**)) and go on a long ride! i've done it and its so worth not staying out late so i can get up and ride. the homework will eventually end. i dealt with this for a year and a half. but i hung with it. now i'm able to ride nearly everyday! i'm in 9th grade and the homework is zero and studying.. well i don't. i understand if you do needd to study and stuff... remember... there's nothing wrong with getting up an hour or so earlier to do homework or study if it makes it so you were able to ride the afternoon before! i've done it! its worth it! hope this helps! since owning a horse... i've become a morning person to the extreme. on sunday's i'm stilll in the same situation... so i'll get up at 6 am and go ride. come inside gat a shower and get dressed and all and be ready to go by 9:15 am. you have to want to ride sooo bad to get to this point! lol. but again... its so worth it!!!
2007-10-17 16:55:55 · answer #9 · answered by gurlhorse1 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
keep your horse sounds like you love him and even if you cant ride all the time you can still have a lil time with him some horses never get rode and thats not neglect he might care less if you rode him or not lol good luck in school and with horse ( maybe your family can get interested in horses ) then make a family outing of it on sundays after church
2007-10-17 02:23:24 · answer #10 · answered by ♥FANCYS_MAMMA♥ 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋