Dreams
Angela S
I was recently reading on one of the unschooling lists I am on about a
family's dream. (Sorry if this is a cross post for some of you but I am so
excited I want to tell everyone!) The family didn't have a lot of money but
somehow, they found a way to help their children follow their dream of
having horses. It was very inspiring.
Sometimes I read accounts like that and think, yeah but, we couldn't do
that. We can't afford it and I really don't know horses well enough. Well,
I got to thinking about the road blocks and realized that it really is all a
matter of prioritizing and having faith. (Barbara Sher gets a little credit
here too. I heard her speak at the Live and Learn Unschooling Conference.)
What are my priorities and can we find a way to make our girl's dreams come
true?
My girls have the same dream, to own a horse or pony. They will only be
little once and wouldn't it be awesome if we could attain their dream of
owning a horse while they are still at home? (They are 8 and 9.75)
They've talked about it since they started riding two years ago.
Incessantly. I talked with a neighbor the other day who has a horse and she
said she wanted one all her life and didn't get one until she was 60. Would
my kids be 60 before they got their first horse? Or could we find a way to
have one much sooner than that?
One part of the road block in horse ownership is my fear of all that can go
wrong with horses. But boarding a horse somewhere at a barn where I trust
the owner's judgment takes care of part of that fear and I can get over the
rest. Another part of the road block, I thought, would be my dh. He grew
up on a farm with lots of mandatory chores and he sees animals pretty much
as only a chore. It is sad, but he gets very little pleasure from any
animals. He also doesn't want us to be tied down so that we can't vacation
when we want to. He does, however, realize just how much joy the girls get
from horses. I have been saying for the last year though, that if we ever
got a horse, I would board it somewhere so we could still vacation easily
and ride all winter in an indoor ring. But boarding is expensive. Another
road block.
Anyway, this fall I got to thinking that we should sell our half of a small
camp we own because we don't use it and it's always costing us money in
repairs and taxes. Dh's sister's family owns the other half so we would
need to either sell it to them or to another of dh's sibling. Dh didn't
think anyone would want to buy us out, but we asked anyway. His brother is
interested. :0) It won't give us a windfall, by any means, but it will
help us to pay off some loans and we would have a smaller monthly overhead.
I was just going to enjoy having fewer bills, but well, after reading about
that family, I got to thinking that if we paid off a loan or two with the
money, we would be able to afford board for a horse. I spoke to the barn
owner and asked her if we shoveled stalls regularly, would she reduce the
board. She agreed and we almost have the details worked out. She will give
us a really good deal if we shovel stalls regularly.
Anyway, we don't have the actual cash yet but we are excited. It just so
happens that we heard about a pony that is for sale that sounds like it just
might fit the bill. Of course, until we see it and ride it, we won't know
for sure. I am waiting for a phone call so we can go see it. I am so
excited. This may not be THE pony and it may take some time to find just
the right horse or pony, but our dreams are on their way to becoming a
reality.
Isn't that exciting?
Angela ~ Maine
game-enthusiast@...
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
family's dream. (Sorry if this is a cross post for some of you but I am so
excited I want to tell everyone!) The family didn't have a lot of money but
somehow, they found a way to help their children follow their dream of
having horses. It was very inspiring.
Sometimes I read accounts like that and think, yeah but, we couldn't do
that. We can't afford it and I really don't know horses well enough. Well,
I got to thinking about the road blocks and realized that it really is all a
matter of prioritizing and having faith. (Barbara Sher gets a little credit
here too. I heard her speak at the Live and Learn Unschooling Conference.)
What are my priorities and can we find a way to make our girl's dreams come
true?
My girls have the same dream, to own a horse or pony. They will only be
little once and wouldn't it be awesome if we could attain their dream of
owning a horse while they are still at home? (They are 8 and 9.75)
They've talked about it since they started riding two years ago.
Incessantly. I talked with a neighbor the other day who has a horse and she
said she wanted one all her life and didn't get one until she was 60. Would
my kids be 60 before they got their first horse? Or could we find a way to
have one much sooner than that?
One part of the road block in horse ownership is my fear of all that can go
wrong with horses. But boarding a horse somewhere at a barn where I trust
the owner's judgment takes care of part of that fear and I can get over the
rest. Another part of the road block, I thought, would be my dh. He grew
up on a farm with lots of mandatory chores and he sees animals pretty much
as only a chore. It is sad, but he gets very little pleasure from any
animals. He also doesn't want us to be tied down so that we can't vacation
when we want to. He does, however, realize just how much joy the girls get
from horses. I have been saying for the last year though, that if we ever
got a horse, I would board it somewhere so we could still vacation easily
and ride all winter in an indoor ring. But boarding is expensive. Another
road block.
Anyway, this fall I got to thinking that we should sell our half of a small
camp we own because we don't use it and it's always costing us money in
repairs and taxes. Dh's sister's family owns the other half so we would
need to either sell it to them or to another of dh's sibling. Dh didn't
think anyone would want to buy us out, but we asked anyway. His brother is
interested. :0) It won't give us a windfall, by any means, but it will
help us to pay off some loans and we would have a smaller monthly overhead.
I was just going to enjoy having fewer bills, but well, after reading about
that family, I got to thinking that if we paid off a loan or two with the
money, we would be able to afford board for a horse. I spoke to the barn
owner and asked her if we shoveled stalls regularly, would she reduce the
board. She agreed and we almost have the details worked out. She will give
us a really good deal if we shovel stalls regularly.
Anyway, we don't have the actual cash yet but we are excited. It just so
happens that we heard about a pony that is for sale that sounds like it just
might fit the bill. Of course, until we see it and ride it, we won't know
for sure. I am waiting for a phone call so we can go see it. I am so
excited. This may not be THE pony and it may take some time to find just
the right horse or pony, but our dreams are on their way to becoming a
reality.
Isn't that exciting?
Angela ~ Maine
game-enthusiast@...
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Andy Holly Clarke
that is so cool
i have always wanted a horse too.
the idea about shoveling out stalls to help reduce cost was great.
my husband recently brought up the idea of owning a horse because he knows
that i have always wanted one. my kids are still very young, but i know dh
is open to the idea and if/when we get ahead financially, we'll see...
thanks for the inspiration
holly
i have always wanted a horse too.
the idea about shoveling out stalls to help reduce cost was great.
my husband recently brought up the idea of owning a horse because he knows
that i have always wanted one. my kids are still very young, but i know dh
is open to the idea and if/when we get ahead financially, we'll see...
thanks for the inspiration
holly
----- Original Message -----
From: "Angela S" <game-enthusiast@...>
To: "Angela S" <game-enthusiast@...>
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 12:23 PM
Subject: [UnschoolingDiscussion] Dreams
>
>
>
> I was recently reading on one of the unschooling lists I am on about a
> family's dream. (Sorry if this is a cross post for some of you but I am
so
> excited I want to tell everyone!) The family didn't have a lot of money
but
> somehow, they found a way to help their children follow their dream of
> having horses. It was very inspiring.
>
>
>
> Sometimes I read accounts like that and think, yeah but, we couldn't do
> that. We can't afford it and I really don't know horses well enough.
Well,
> I got to thinking about the road blocks and realized that it really is all
a
> matter of prioritizing and having faith. (Barbara Sher gets a little
credit
> here too. I heard her speak at the Live and Learn Unschooling
Conference.)
> What are my priorities and can we find a way to make our girl's dreams
come
> true?
>
>
>
> My girls have the same dream, to own a horse or pony. They will only be
> little once and wouldn't it be awesome if we could attain their dream of
> owning a horse while they are still at home? (They are 8 and 9.75)
> They've talked about it since they started riding two years ago.
> Incessantly. I talked with a neighbor the other day who has a horse and
she
> said she wanted one all her life and didn't get one until she was 60.
Would
> my kids be 60 before they got their first horse? Or could we find a way
to
> have one much sooner than that?
>
>
>
> One part of the road block in horse ownership is my fear of all that can
go
> wrong with horses. But boarding a horse somewhere at a barn where I
trust
> the owner's judgment takes care of part of that fear and I can get over
the
> rest. Another part of the road block, I thought, would be my dh. He grew
> up on a farm with lots of mandatory chores and he sees animals pretty much
> as only a chore. It is sad, but he gets very little pleasure from any
> animals. He also doesn't want us to be tied down so that we can't
vacation
> when we want to. He does, however, realize just how much joy the girls
get
> from horses. I have been saying for the last year though, that if we
ever
> got a horse, I would board it somewhere so we could still vacation easily
> and ride all winter in an indoor ring. But boarding is expensive. Another
> road block.
>
>
>
> Anyway, this fall I got to thinking that we should sell our half of a
small
> camp we own because we don't use it and it's always costing us money in
> repairs and taxes. Dh's sister's family owns the other half so we would
> need to either sell it to them or to another of dh's sibling. Dh didn't
> think anyone would want to buy us out, but we asked anyway. His brother
is
> interested. :0) It won't give us a windfall, by any means, but it will
> help us to pay off some loans and we would have a smaller monthly
overhead.
> I was just going to enjoy having fewer bills, but well, after reading
about
> that family, I got to thinking that if we paid off a loan or two with the
> money, we would be able to afford board for a horse. I spoke to the barn
> owner and asked her if we shoveled stalls regularly, would she reduce the
> board. She agreed and we almost have the details worked out. She will
give
> us a really good deal if we shovel stalls regularly.
>
>
>
> Anyway, we don't have the actual cash yet but we are excited. It just so
> happens that we heard about a pony that is for sale that sounds like it
just
> might fit the bill. Of course, until we see it and ride it, we won't know
> for sure. I am waiting for a phone call so we can go see it. I am so
> excited. This may not be THE pony and it may take some time to find just
> the right horse or pony, but our dreams are on their way to becoming a
> reality.
>
>
>
> Isn't that exciting?
>
>
>
>
>
> Angela ~ Maine
>
> game-enthusiast@...
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> "List Posting Policies" are provided in the files area of this group.
>
> Visit the Unschooling website and message boards:
http://www.unschooling.com
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
NB Garrett
Does the stable also give riding lessons? My friends boards their horse at
the stable where the daughter takes lessons and they get a reduced boarding
fee for letting the stable owners use the horse for other people's lessons.
It's really win-win since the horse gets more exercise and attention that
way. Maybe you could do something similar?
NB
the stable where the daughter takes lessons and they get a reduced boarding
fee for letting the stable owners use the horse for other people's lessons.
It's really win-win since the horse gets more exercise and attention that
way. Maybe you could do something similar?
NB
[email protected]
In a message dated 10/5/2004 11:18:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
nbgarrett@... writes:
Does the stable also give riding lessons? My friends boards their horse at
the stable where the daughter takes lessons and they get a reduced boarding
fee for letting the stable owners use the horse for other people's lessons.
It's really win-win since the horse gets more exercise and attention that
way. Maybe you could do something similar?<<<<
Or leasing. I leased a sweet gelding from a girl who had left for college,
couldn't take him with her, and wasn't ready to sell him yet. I kept him one
year and paid for all his expenses: board, smithy, vet, etc. Basically, I got a
free horse for a year, she didn't have to sell him, and he stayed fit.
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
nbgarrett@... writes:
Does the stable also give riding lessons? My friends boards their horse at
the stable where the daughter takes lessons and they get a reduced boarding
fee for letting the stable owners use the horse for other people's lessons.
It's really win-win since the horse gets more exercise and attention that
way. Maybe you could do something similar?<<<<
Or leasing. I leased a sweet gelding from a girl who had left for college,
couldn't take him with her, and wasn't ready to sell him yet. I kept him one
year and paid for all his expenses: board, smithy, vet, etc. Basically, I got a
free horse for a year, she didn't have to sell him, and he stayed fit.
~Kelly
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Angela S
Thanks for the ideas everyone. We know about leasing and it's an option we
might consider, although my girls don't part well with animals they love, so
it might have to be lease to buy. The idea of falling in love with a horse,
then sending him off at the end of the lease sounds painful. Around here
there are a lot of winter leases and then the horse goes back to a riding
camp for the summer. There are private leases that often last as long as
the lessee is interested. If something like that fell into our lap, it
would be wonderful.
Also, the stable we will board at does give lessons. That's where my girls
take lessons. With two horse loving girls sharing one horse already, I think
that adding lessons onto it would be too much for the horse. I suspect
they'll ride often and that is why we want to buy at this point, so they can
ride as often as they like. Weekly lessons just aren't enough for their
tastes. The pony we looked at yesterday isn't going to be the one. There
are some unscrupulous people out there sometimes. But we'll keep looking
and I know we'll find a good match one day.
Angela ~ Maine
* game-enthusiast@....
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
might consider, although my girls don't part well with animals they love, so
it might have to be lease to buy. The idea of falling in love with a horse,
then sending him off at the end of the lease sounds painful. Around here
there are a lot of winter leases and then the horse goes back to a riding
camp for the summer. There are private leases that often last as long as
the lessee is interested. If something like that fell into our lap, it
would be wonderful.
Also, the stable we will board at does give lessons. That's where my girls
take lessons. With two horse loving girls sharing one horse already, I think
that adding lessons onto it would be too much for the horse. I suspect
they'll ride often and that is why we want to buy at this point, so they can
ride as often as they like. Weekly lessons just aren't enough for their
tastes. The pony we looked at yesterday isn't going to be the one. There
are some unscrupulous people out there sometimes. But we'll keep looking
and I know we'll find a good match one day.
Angela ~ Maine
* game-enthusiast@....
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Emile Snyder
I know almost nothing about what it might cost to buy a horse or pony
these days, but at the local harvest festival the BLM had a booth with
information about adopting a wild horse or burro. They apparently
capture a certain number each year to keep populations in check, and
have a process where the public can adopt them.
Looks like min. fee of $125, avg. $185 for a horse, some requirements
and things. No idea how much competition there is. See
http://www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov/requirements.htm for more info.
-emile
these days, but at the local harvest festival the BLM had a booth with
information about adopting a wild horse or burro. They apparently
capture a certain number each year to keep populations in check, and
have a process where the public can adopt them.
Looks like min. fee of $125, avg. $185 for a horse, some requirements
and things. No idea how much competition there is. See
http://www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov/requirements.htm for more info.
-emile
On Wed, 2004-10-06 at 15:19, Angela S wrote:
> Thanks for the ideas everyone. We know about leasing and it's an option we
> might consider, although my girls don't part well with animals they love, so
> it might have to be lease to buy. The idea of falling in love with a horse,
> then sending him off at the end of the lease sounds painful. Around here
> there are a lot of winter leases and then the horse goes back to a riding
> camp for the summer. There are private leases that often last as long as
> the lessee is interested. If something like that fell into our lap, it
> would be wonderful.
Angela S
The cost of the actual horse isn't the biggest expense. The require regular
visits by a farrier for foot trimming and shoes (if they need them) and if
you end up with vet bills, they can grow quickly. It's important to keep
that in mind and be able to pay if necessary. Also, since we aren't keeping
it at our house, boarding can be expensive, anywhere from $230 a month on
up, around here. Working at the barn makes it much more affordable though.
Angela ~ Maine
game-enthusiast@...
*
I know almost nothing about what it might cost to buy a horse or pony
these days.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
visits by a farrier for foot trimming and shoes (if they need them) and if
you end up with vet bills, they can grow quickly. It's important to keep
that in mind and be able to pay if necessary. Also, since we aren't keeping
it at our house, boarding can be expensive, anywhere from $230 a month on
up, around here. Working at the barn makes it much more affordable though.
Angela ~ Maine
game-enthusiast@...
*
I know almost nothing about what it might cost to buy a horse or pony
these days.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]