Poverty is owning a horse.

[Goblin]

Standard bred, thoroughbred and summit else the girlfriend has recently acquired from her work. Couple of others in livery ATM. Bloody skint bunch of arse.

She doesn't work at the glue factory does she??

[scracha]

She doesn't work at the glue factory does she??

Aww...you nasty Goblin. She works at the race-track.

[Goblin]

Pheeew!!

Well racing horses is something else too. In my yoof I spent time in Te Aroha to check it out as a career. The early mornings, mucking out, feeding, swimming the horses was all ok but the hardest part was actually riding the bloody things! Legs all cramped up like that. I had one bolt on me & thought I was gunna die. This horse had NO brakes! It got the better of me and I chickened out of the horse racing/training scene.

[cowpoos]

well this is going to make a few of you giggle...I used to ride...and still do on the odd occasion...I left my last horse down south when I moved to the wairarapa a few years ago...I started riding while working at a backpackers hostel when I was 13...their was a bunch of chickies that were running horse treks from there and they got me helping...slaving away shoveling shit [mucking out was the proper term I was always reminded]...carting buckets of food around various paddocks,genral slave really...then they got me on them [I could actually some what ride at the time,part of my family are very horsey in,western,polo,dressage,hunting,etc] and I got the bug
Right to the point I was excersising a mad mad mad racehorse [ironicaly called step-a-side??]...who used to scare the shit out of me alot!! good times lol [that and I had the hots for one of the gals ] but yeah...I never competed...thought about doing endurace a few times...would have loved to have given polo a bash but the $$$$ is to rich for my wallet!! and yeah...owned plenty of pleasure hacks over the years since...and occasionly you catch me hanging around various donkey events catching up with friend and family...and for the record the horsey scene is a giggle!!! good people and always a laugh!! much like bikes

[oldrider]

Poverty is definitely owning a horse/horses, when you add up the amount "totally" it is a amazing just how much money and time is involved!

The return you get from working with horses just can not be valued in money terms.

To engage the trust and communication of a horse or horses and feel the love (there is no other word suitable) trust they bestow upon you is unable to be explained unless you have experienced it first hand.

Our daughter has just sold the last one and all our gear has been sold traded or given away, with the last float being delivered to it's new owner today.

We will miss the horses but I really can say we will not miss the expense, the responsibility and the commitment that goes with them.

None of the grandchildren are really into horses so we are all off in their chosen directions (mainly motorbikes) lending them backup and support as required.

New chapters in life but just as expensive or even bloody worse, oh well! Kids! John.

[white belt]

I agree, Povety is owning a horse, and having horses and bikes is even worst! I can't believe that I took up road bikes when I already had an expensive hobbie.

I have two horses, Warrior is nearly 30 years old but still going strong. I used to event him. Cody is a Morgan /TB and I have started endurance with him, though want to do the odd event as well.

I ride heaps in the Woodhill forest if anyone else is keen for a ride sometime and is around this way.

I get the same buzz from road riding that I did from cross country but not prepared to give up either.

[ynot slow]

Grandfather was a trainer,dad was an owner for a while(too many years trackwork early starts),years ago at fielding they both had horses in the same race,dads father jokingly said to him you going to be in front at the straight yep was reply from dad,grandfather replied hope we don't catch ya on the line,stuff me if dads horse hits the front in the straight,about 50 mts from the winning post he spies this huge chestnut flying down the outside and hears his father saying holy shit don't win,dads horse won by a nose,grandfathers second.The best bit was there was a trophy for that race and dad had to make a speech,wish I was there,one of many memories.

Mind you dad is one of the few to have owned,bred,trained and ridden a horse to win,albeit over 40 yrs,all I could wish to do is own,train or breed,most can do that the hardest is riding,not all are 50kg lol.

Still dad and his partner have couple in work doing themselves,gives dad something to do,even do it yourself costs them,they hada win numerous places and won $4500 last season with 2 horses and might have broken even for feed etc,not time taken for racing off work etc.

[Trudes]

I was a horse mad kid, got chucked on many a station hack growing up in Gisborne, got given an old nag when I was 10, worked at an RDA for 4 years during school holidays and then my dad figured he could make some money out of my love and got me a three year old Appaloosa to train, which was cool, and he was lovely. Sold him when I was 16, when I discovered boys and the horse was costing me every cent I would rather be spending on piss.
Gave up riding for a few years then decided a job change could take me back to my first love and worked at a riding school here in Welly for about a year where I was meant to be trained as a riding instructor, but the boss was too taken up in her own bull-shit to teach me, so I left.
Still ride occasionally, but will have to wait until I can afford the whole horsey thing again before I get back to it, but I do miss it, it's like bikes, once its in your blood, it's always there.

[Dooly]

We have 6 of the suckas.
Fortunately we have 20 acres so theres plenty of grass for them.
But when there is'nt as much grass you spend heaps on dry feed & hay etc.
Anytime you call a vet out it seems to be 2-300 for minor things.
The missus and her friend only seem to ride 2 of them, the ex working stock horses, while the others, thoroughbreds just munch away all day.

Then theres the things like horsefloats and gear. Man we must have some bucks in gear. Dunno why she has to have 3 saddles!!! Plus all the cover and ropes, bridles etc etc.
They bust covers regularly and always need repairing.
Then you have to have a decent vehicle to tow the float.
And our driveway is steep so it has to have plenty of grunt.
My 2 Toyota Hiluxs 2wd wont pull the float with the nags in up the top of our driveway, so I brought the missus a SS Comodore a short while back, decent 5.7 Chevy power.
All's well I thought.

Now she's doing treks which involves a bit of driving on shingle roads to get there, so now according to her we need a 4WD.
She turns up with a new Nissan Navara 4wd yesterday for a demo and for tonight, and we're testing a Ford Ranger 4wd over the weekend.
So once again it looks like the bank account will be crucified for the sake of bloody horses!

And heres me with just my little old motorbike...............ahh, things ya do for ya sheilas!

(I actually do like the nags, just keep qiuet about it around her, and maybe might ride one soon, if I can figure out how to drive it.)

[Swoop]

I have a simple policy with horses.
I do not get on their back and expect them to carry me, and the opposite also applies.

I guess there is much less of a "bolt-on aftermarket parts" market.

[Goblin]

Cool! There's a few of us then.
Poos, you are full of surprises! We had only a handful of boys in our pony club.no pun intended. One went and worked for the Sultan of Brunei, training his Polo ponies.

Trudes...I can relate, I miss them sometimes too. Just the smell of a horse takes me back.

Good luck with the new vehicle purchase Dooly! Definitely do give it a go....they're easy to drive if you're relaxed.

[Stroker Girl]

Better put my hand up to. I've owned horses since I was 11 and was so pony mad it just about drove my parents crazy! Bought my first pony when I was 11 yrs (strawberry roan ) . Was lucky that the seller allowed me to pay him off working at a local trekking business where I helped out after school and in the weekends.

Trained and onsold a few horses since but have had Sea (see pic) since I was 14 yrs. He's now 27 yrs but still going good for his age. He's a part bred Arab and got character plus. You can put a kid on his back and he plod along like an old nag but get someone with experience and all the dirty tricks come out

[Finn]

I love horse, they're delicious. Seriously, it's a common meat in Europe and it doesn't taste that bad. I think at one stage, McDonalds in Sweden used to make horse burgers.

[Stroker Girl]

My cousin used to take bus loads of asian tourists on rides. When they started heading home, the horses would take off and there'd be asians falling off everywhere. What a job eh! Pity it was slave labour.

Had to laugh when I read this. I use to do the same job at a tourist farm in Auckland. Use to always amaze me what the asian women would dress in for riding. Most wore white stockings, high heels, suits with short skirts. Crazy!

I had the same thing happen to me with a group once, when all the horses decided to bolt home halfway through the ride. I managed to grab the reins of one horse who had a kid on but the rest just took off right up this steep winding track. It was bloody chaos, the people were screaming and the horses going full gallop! I had to watch the whole thing from the bottom of the hill just praying they wouldn't fall off down the steep banks. Amazing when I managed to catch up they were a bit shaken but keen to keep going! I think they thought it was part of the experience Alls well that ends well!

[The Pastor]

horses are cool. just like clint east wood.