How can I convince my mom and dad to let me get a horse???

Question

I have always loved horses since I was 3. I want one so bad but I can not have one because my mom and dad won't let me. I do not understand it because they have a barn up the road where I live and they have FREE bording for horses. HELP!!!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT DO DO!!

Answer 1

Have you asked them what their reasons are for not wanting you to have a horse? It could actually be financial, there is much more expense in keeping a horse other than boarding. You didn't say how old you are, maybe they don't feel that you are either old enough or responsible enough to take care of a horse. Do you do well in school and do you assume some of the responsibility of chores around the house without being asked? Maybe they want to see some more maturity in you before allowing you to have a horse. Communicate with them, maybe you will find out the steps that you need to take to get one.

Answer 2

Horses are expensive. I have one and his food is $4.00 for a bale of hay (one horse goes through about 300 a year - $1,200) and $10 for a bag of grain ($200 a year). Remember all the physical labor that goes into it too. Carrying 50 pound bags of grain, unloading 300 bales of hay, cleaning his stall every day. Even if you have a free place to live and a horse is given to you for free - it'll cost you.

Remember that you need a saddle ($300 is the cheapest I've found), a bridle ($100), saddle pad ($50), bit ($20), brushes ($20), feed tub and water buckets ($30), his feet need to be trimmed and reshod once every month and a half ($200 every six weeks), twice yearly vet examinations (if he doesn't get hurt) ($400 a year), dewormer ($60 a year), blankets for winter/rain ($200 each, and you need at least 3 - $600) .... there's more, but you get the idea.

It sucks, but horses are the most expensive pet you could possibly own. Get a job at a horse barn, learning what you can, and save up. If you can prove you can pitch in money, maybe they'll agree to it. For what they'll spend on your horse in five years they could buy you a car.

Answer 3

You just have to prove to them your "responsible". Manage your time well and keep good grades. If you do well in school and don't have any distractions like friends or some other activity. Have a conversation with them. tell them, " I'm proud of my school work and have put a lot of effort into doing so well. But, now that I've achieved that and can easily mantain good grades, I feel like I don't have much else to take care of. A horse would give me something else to do. I've figured out that I could easily fit in the time for taking complete care of my horse, even with my academics. I realize that I need to exercise my horse daily, groom it, and feed it. (although you should have a stable hand at the barn to feed it for you). I really do think I'm ready."
that'll let them know you've considered everything you need to do for your horse. plus, help your mom out. (i.e. unload the groceries for her, make your bed, set the table, etc.)
PS: this little speech is more likey to have some positive effect if u do it after showing them a good report card, good test grade, project grade, you get the idea...

Answer 4

Get involved by taking lessons if you can, and inquire about working for them. Its possible that a barn will "hire" you to do barn work in exchange for riding priveledges.

Buying and keeping horses is insanely expensive. You can plan for it all you want and budget wisely but no matter how carefully you do it, you will require much more money than you can imagine. Horses need more maintenance than a car does and unexpected illness and injury cost a lot. I'm sure your parents want you to have what you want but must be careful about how the money is spent.

Take the initiative and try to work for your lessons and barn time. Your dedication will prove to your parents and yourself that you have what it takes to be a horse parent. Its not easy but horses are worth the hard work...not for the riding, but for the unconditional love they give.

Answer 5

hey i have been working my butt off in a stable for 5 freaking summers, and i have been riding since i was 5, don't expect much just because you decided all the sudden you want a pretty little pony. And if your parents spoil you enough that you get it ill be glad because you'll realize that you don't want to spend that much time with your horse and you`ll be miserable. So i guess what im saying is unless you have actually been around horses over 3 years id say don't bother. i know i sounded mean but some ones got to tell ya.

Answer 6

Although you've probably already heard this time and time again, a horse is a HUGE responibility and commitment, let alone the money. Do you have lots of horse knownledge? I've been wanting a horse for about 8 years, and I know that it wouldn't of been possible when I was younger. So I would just ask your parents Why. Then talk about, maybe you know present them a booklet or something about the pros and cons, then maybe they'll reconsider.

Answer 7

We looked into buying a horse this year, and we changed our minds because the cost of taking care of a horse the way it deserves to be taken care of is astronomical. Trust me on this. I am married, we have no children, and we could have horses if we want to, but it's not something worth doing unless you're totally committed to every aspect of owning them. When you are an adult you can have a horse, and maybe you will have your own property too. I agree with your parents on this, because even though I love horses too, the practical side tells a much different story. Your dream will come true one day, but I think this is one dream you'll have to make come true for yourself.

Answer 8

Sometimes it's not a matter of CONVINCING. I want a horse too, but I can convince all I want but I still can't get one. Why? They are too expensive. I realize you have free board but do you have to pay for feed?? Worming?? Oh, and you have to pay for new shoes, dentist visits, and what if your horse suffers a severe injury? That's about $5000. Sometimes our parents want to get us a horse but they just can't. I'm sure they want to get you one, but they may not be able to afford it, like my parents.


Or, they may feel you need to prove responsibility. So, work out a method with your parents to show how responsible you are. You may need to prove that you can care for such a huge animal. Maybe get like a hamster or something, then prove your responsibility with it. If they feel that you can take care of an animal well, you may have won your ticket to a new pony (if money is not the issue)

I hope this helps!! Good luck!

Answer 9

I know you do not want to hear this but are you making the money? are you working hard days to support a family? i dont think so. Its your parents money. If they say no its a no.

Although maybe ask for a lesson. Take a lesson and take them to the lesson. Maybe have your instructor put them on a horse? Show them how good of a rider and how much you enjoy the horse.

Make sure while your taking a lesson you do everything from mucking out the stall to cooling down tacking up etc. insist you must do everything and do it with a smile on your face. theres nothing more a parent wants to see than something they enjoy most.

Answer 10

As others have said, buying a horse and stabling it are only on the first rung of the financial ladder. Feed, tack, grooming kit, outdoor wear, insurance, vets bills (both routine and emergency), shoeing are all essentials and all cost a lot of money combined. Have you thought about whether your parents can afford thousands of dollars a year extra? I assume you're a teenager - likely they're thinking about saving some money for when you go to college or when you move out and want your own place - a horse, for them, isn't a top priority compared with those things. If you have brothers and sisters, probably your parents think it wouldn't be fair for you to be bought a horse and for them to get nothing, especially if money is tight.
Sometimes, however much parents want for their children to have their dreams, real life in the real world means it just isn't possible.

Loving horses isn't the same as loving work - and horses are work work work before you get to the fun parts. Do you have the time and commitment to care for a horse? Will you be up at the barn before school every day, even on dark, freezing cold winter mornings - to feed, muck out, check for injuries or ill-health, excercise if necessary? Riding on a summer day is great - cleaning up smelly manure in the pouring rain isn't. And there after school every day as well to do the same? If the stabling for the horse is free, that means you'll have to do ALL the work yourself - unlike livery or arrangements where you pay for care or allow your horse to be used as a lesson horse in return for others taking part in the care, free or very low cost boarding involves you doing everything for your horse yourself. That kind of extra workload, combined with the time you need to dedicate to school, homework etc might not be feasible for you. If your friends aren't riders, are you willing to say goodbye to spending your weekends with them, willing to turn down slumber parties, because you have your horse to look after? What about when you go away on vacation: if your barn arrangement means that you do all the work, who looks after your horse when you and your family go away?

Owning any animal, but particularly a horse, isn't just about forseeable costs and times, but ones which come up completely unexpectedly. What if the free barn closes down? What if your horse becomes ill and you're not knowledgable enough to recognise it? What if your horse has behavioural problems? You don't sound as though you have any experience of any kind with horses - what makes you think you have enough knowledge to deal with illness, training, even the basics of horse care without the support you might get at a paid barn.

If I were you I'd take all the other advice given here and look into taking riding lessons and volunteering at a lesson school or farm for at least a year before you even consider buying a horse. It might turn out to be the option you like best - you'l have all the fun of riding for a few hours once or twice a week, and of working with ponies or animals, but with the bonus of being able to give them back at the end of the day when you're tired.