In response to Whitestripe's entry , I am posting my own recent thought process in a different area.
My friends have all bought horses this year. Seems odd given the economy- but that made these "golden" oppertunities.
One friend paid $225,000 for 2 horses. The owner was divorcing and was behind on her horse bills- so she sold her 2 imported horses at a "bargain basement" price. My friend snatched the 2 up even though she was planning to first sell her current horse before buying a horse (not 2). So now she has 3 horses. And she is suffering. The bills have gotten much higher than she was expecting and she cannot sell her original horse (horse went lame at about the time the 2 new horses were shipped in).
My other friend got a horse from a racing farm that was "going out of business" and foreclosing. The owner told the barn staff to "get rid of the horses". In order to save the horses from the slaughterhouse- the barn staff spread the word that the horses are free and need to be gone within a few weeks. My friend heard about it and picked herself up a horse for free. Forget that she didnt need another horse- cant ride this horse- and a thoroughbred was not what she wanted for her next horse.
I want a horse. I love horses. But I cant afford it. They are expensive! I talked with another friend of mine who wants a horse but has resisted the impulse so far- and I concluded I would want $15,000 in the bank before I got a horse. The money would be set aside for "horse emergencies" and that amount would cover a few years of basic basics for a horse in the event that I lost my job- and I couldnt afford the horse. My friends- they do not plan for the cushions.
I know my thoroughbred friend lives paycheck to paycheck. I know my other friend relies on her boyfriend to pay for her horses. I cant help but shake my head at how risky they are being...but they get to wake up and ride a horse everyday. As my friend put it "if I worried about the consequenses of every purchase I made, I would never buy anything."
how much money should you have before buying a horse?
September 22nd, 2009 at 04:43 pm
September 22nd, 2009 at 04:53 pm 1253638400
My maternal grandparents had promised to get my sister and I a pony when we were kids.
I am nowhere near being a kid any longer and I am still waiting on my pony! LOL
I guess good luck to me with that one seeing as my maternal grandparents are now deceased.
I did tell my sister that we should have put a claim against the estate towards monies owed to us in lieu of a/the pony. ;-)
September 22nd, 2009 at 04:54 pm 1253638488
September 22nd, 2009 at 05:52 pm 1253641932
September 22nd, 2009 at 06:32 pm 1253644346
September 22nd, 2009 at 08:08 pm 1253650092
September 22nd, 2009 at 09:48 pm 1253656082
i would have no idea where to start with money for a horse. the closest i could compare is a dog
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:57 pm 1253660245
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:03 pm 1253660596
http://www.pmurescue.org/
September 23rd, 2009 at 03:23 am 1253676211
September 23rd, 2009 at 05:24 am 1253683499
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm 1253710348
V expensive to keep in Ireland tho....if you don't have your land...
emm maybe when my Net Worth hits 100k, I'll be confident going for it.....
September 24th, 2009 at 03:54 am 1253764452
But yes, they are expensive - especially if you have to board them.