# Dreaming!



## Sparkle71 (8 January 2017)

Just had my first lesson after the Christmas/new year break on a new horse at the stables. I've fallen in love with her! The instructor said she is "green " but after a few months of schooling she will probably move on because she's such a lovely horse! I was just wondering how much it costs roughly monthly to own a horse and if horses are used at the stables for lessons does this make it cheaper? It is just a dream but I thought it was worth asking! &#128522;


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## Exploding Chestnuts (8 January 2017)

Sparkle71 said:



			Just had my first lesson after the Christmas/new year break on a new horse at the stables. I've fallen in love with her! The instructor said she is "green " but after a few months of schooling she will probably move on because she's such a lovely horse! I was just wondering how much it costs roughly monthly to own a horse and if horses are used at the stables for lessons does this make it cheaper? It is just a dream but I thought it was worth asking! &#65533;&#65533;
		
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It cost an awful lot, if you have to ask it is too much!
A green horse should not be used in a RS with a green owner, best to ask this Q of the RS manager, as you are obviously keen to learn, but its an expensive hobby. I have never let my shortage of £££££££££££ stand in the way of my ambitions!


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## Sparkle71 (8 January 2017)

I think she meant "green " as in not used as a riding school horse but I thought I might get responses like this - I guess I've just got a bit over excited after not riding for a few weeks &#55357;&#56842;


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## concorde (9 January 2017)

Ask your riding school how much they charge for full livery and working livery.
( working livery is where the school uses your horse. Be VERY careful if you consider this )
We can't guess how much your local livery costs are. I can tell you owning a horse is like standing outside letting your money blow away in the wind !
If it is your dream go ahead and investigate costs.
Let us know how you get on.


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## Exploding Chestnuts (9 January 2017)

Sparkle71 said:



			I think she meant "green " as in not used as a riding school horse but I thought I might get responses like this - I guess I've just got a bit over excited after not riding for a few weeks &#65533;&#65533;
		
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Green means the horse has a lot to learn, and in order to be a useful riding school horse, a lot of work , ie instruction is needed. A skilled rider teaches a green horse, a schoolmaster horse teaches the rider, by responding to the aids applied in a predictable manner, ie change of gait when light aids are applied.
Highly trained horses like Vallegro are not suitable for riding school horses as they are very sensitive to the aids. The learner rider is rather "clumsy", so needs a horse which is sensible, and capable of forgiving mistakes from the rider.


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## chestnut cob (9 January 2017)

A green horse and a green (novice) owner do not make a good combination....  by all means go ahead and investigate the costs but bear in mind you will also have to buy the horse from the RS, who will then have to replace her so I can't imagine she will be cheap.
If you want to buy your own then definitely look into it but honestly, look for something older that has been there and done it.  People will tell you stories about how they bought a green horse as a novice and it worked out OK in the end, but to give the horse the best start in life and the best education, you need to know what you're doing.  I did it... I bought a v green 6yo when I had no clue what I was doing and it was pretty awful for years!  After a number of years additional experience after selling that one, I then bought a 5yo.  I had an excellent support network in place, liveried with a friend who is an experienced, decent-level eventer and BHSAI, spent a small fortune on training and still found it hard going.  Taking a young horse and turning it into a well rounded, confident and well schooled adult horse is hard work.  I've owned that horse for 5 years now and it's a testament to his good nature that he's turned out so well as I made so many mistakes, even as an experienced rider/ owner with a lot qualified support.  There are so many things I'd do differently now if I did it all over again.


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## Irishdiamond (17 January 2017)

Ahh I know the feeling!  Firstly ask your RS about livery costs, DIY, working,full etc costs vary greatly from place to place. If you ride her again and still love her.. why not consider asking could you part loan her first then full loan? Jumping into buying is never a wise idea especially before you realize the costs. Over here in northern Ireland DIY can vary usually £25+ a week for hay/stable meaning you have to go up twice a day 7 days a week. Then you've bedding,hard Feed, farrier, wormer tack etc sharing is definitely the best option first unless you've tons of money and even so, it'll be better to loan and get to know her before making a decision.

Usually horses on working livery do get a discount but I don't think it's that much and you've the risk that she'll be used when you want to ride along with other riders riding her. Although if you can only ride once or twice week then working livery means she would be getting out more so it honestly depends on your situation


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## Red-1 (17 January 2017)

I do know that if you ride one and fall in love then it is worth looking into!

There have been threads on here about cost of keeping, and some people seem to keep one for £2000 a year,  ut when I added my costs up one year it was over £10,000, although that was for a competition horse and included the costs of a lorry.

Don't forget insurance, which can be £100 a month, shoes at £80 a month, as well as new tack, lessons, livery etc. Of course, some people do not have insurance (or shoes come to that) but they would be on my list to consider (you need 3rd party at least, and if your horse is ill, insurance means you are not stung for many thousands just when you are upset already). . 

Working livery would be a great idea to start with.


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