After seeing this I had to reply. We are currently looking to purchase a more competitive mount (other horse had to be retired because of soundness issues) for our daughter. It makes this decision to purchase another horse that will be competitive on the national circuit even harder almost to the point where we are contemplating calling it quits. That decision will be discussed further if we haven't found something as the show season approaches and if, the economy continues to decline.  We live in Canada and must look within our borders for a horse. Its unfortunate because there are so many horses available in the States but with the exchange rate plus having the horse shipped to us its just too costly. If the horse was at least in our area we could go pick him up ourselves. We do not have an unlimited budget or sponsors as some competitors do so trying to find the best horse available according to your budget is challenging, time consuming and frustrating.

As for tack we try to buy used where possible and take extra good care of it to make it last. We don't run out because there's something new on the market and we have to have it.

We have altered our lifestyle greatly and cut back on many other things (trips and everything else you can think of) to allow our daughter this opportunity. Its very difficult when you have more than one child to be fair to all of them but you have to. We don't want our other daughter to feel left out or ignored and end us resenting us as we are often gone to competitions, we don't get to spend alot of time with her, but, she is older has her own car and a part-time job so she is pretty busy on weekends when competitions usually run. This year however we were planning on travelling more so costs would increase substantially (hotels + extra gas + meals) but now with the economy the way it is we will more than likely stay close to home and compete at the shows in our area that can be done in a day. Needless to say she will not get the exposure we were hoping for her.

 One last thing, fortunately where we are stabled (private farm) she can ride all year round, we only pay costs associated with owning your own horse (farrier, vet and feed) as for hay that's taken care of by the owner, we help out around the farm, help with the hay when its time to be cut baled and stored in the loft, look after the owners horse's and the farm when they go on vacation. as far as board goes we pay.....nothing

I am in the same boat as all of you people.  We really never had any money before this down turn in our economy.  It is kind of like when I ask my mom about how their family did in the depression.  She said that they were  already so poor they couldn't tell the difference.  My big investment was in land.  I bought this little acreage here in Iowa, in 1980 and have been blessed to keep it through all of my difficulties.  Divorce, being a single mom for several years and then marring a man with 6 kids, 5 at home.  That was added to my 3 and a step son.  We have had to sell all the horses but my one daughters old one ( who is going to be 30 in June).  She had to buy her food and pay for her expences durring thoes years.  We have had huge bills to pay and have had huge student loans to pay.  We pay more for the one student loan we have left than for the house payment.  We worked hard at finding good horses for us.  We never have much to spend though so we have to get cheep ones at sales.  About 3 1/2 years ago we found a QH/Arab at a sale that my husband just felt he needed to buy.  She is a great trail horse and a good companion mare.  We have never bred her but she loves the other mares foals and takes care of them at weaning time so they don't get too stessed.  She is not timid but not much of a fighter.  She is my husbands first horse.  Not the first he has ever ridden but the first he has ever owned. We are without children for the first time sence 1976 for me and 1974 for my husband.  The youngest one went into the army in Oct.  Things have inproved slightly sence we have no children to buy for on a daily bases but they always call and need something.  We buy very little for ouselves so we can keep the horses.  He and I have 2 adult horses and a colt.  My grown daughter has 4 at my place.  They provide the feed and some help arround here.  We are very thankfull we still have jobs.  And it seems we should be thankfull that we live in a state that produces a lot of hay as we only pay 3.75 for a square bale of grass or grass mixed with clover or alfafla.  I thought that was a lot until I started reading some of these posts. 

 Doing the same as most everyone....not buying clothes for myself, getting my hair cut only once in a great while, not eating out very much at all, don't have cable (using Netflix), things like this. I did have to buy some new equipment for my mule (I've only had her for a few months), but I did my shopping on Ebay, and also purchased a few items from my friend's tack shop where there is a consignment section. Even bought myself a new winter coat in the consignment area for $15! The owner of my new boarding barn also lets me borrow equipment. I can do without some things in order for Ruby and my cats to be healthy and happy. I believe in living simply, anyway.

There is always a way to make things work! Best wishes to us all during these crazy times : )

Well I guess some would call us nutty for giving up so much to keep our horses, but I would rather have them than a lot of of things that people seem to think are important.  Stonepony:  How about if we trade hay bills?  Lol!

Indy Carol:

There is always a way to make things work! Best wishes to us all during these crazy times : )

Thanks Indy Carol, same to you! 

p.s. I love mules!

Thanks Indy Carol, same to you! 

p.s. I love mules!        -txspots

Thanks, txspots! I'm happy to find another mule fan : )

In an effort to promote our breeding and sell horses, we've actually increased expenses on some things! Most horses are now on ground flax seed for anti-inflammatory purposes and coat. We bid all major expenses like vaccines, supplements and medications. The only thing we've decreased is our daily dewormer usage. We take the herd off for two to three months  during winter months and administer paste dewormers (also bid). We've increased the "manpower" of training time so that our horses are better than those looked at by potential buyers. This is a tough market right now and all effort needs to be expended to compete. All shows and clinics are reviewed, compared for value and price and then scheduled in advance. Doing all of this is time consuming, but has paid off because we are still selling horses. Just don't ask how many blenders we've burned out grinding our own flax seed!

I have always wanted to have a business with horses.  I wanted to train and to breed but money will not allow me to get decent fences and stalls and areanas etc.  Now I would still like to do a little training but mostly just ride and enjoy my horses.

Good people, as I read these posts tears come to my eyes. On Janaury 7 I shipped my two beloved Spanish Barbs to another SB enthusiast in AZ. I have a unregisterered QH filly to find a home for yet. She is 4, and has excellent ground manners but has not yet been started under saddle. The economic downturn has meant that my 20 acre horse property in western MT has not had people looking at it, let alone making offers to buy. It is on the market due to divorce and me moving back home for a better job. Without the MT property selling, I have no equity to buy another small horse property here in SD to be able to keep my animals with me. So for now, I must give them up. I am grateful that I have not had to follow the "euthanasia track", which before Christmas seemed like a very real possibility.

I am working out some trades for labor with my boarding facility; giving away gates, fencing materials, and labor to help pay my bill. Hay here is running $4.50-$5.00 for a square bale. My heart goes out to those of you living in places where prices are 4 times as high!

As horse enthusiasts, we have a very strange passion - some even call it an illness. It is expensive, but oh, so worthwhile. Hang tough everyone. Please be mindful of your breedings. Don't produce animals that will have no chance of having good homes. Help others as much as you are able. I am so grateful for those who have reached out to me in these dark days.

I hope you get to the light at the end of this tunnel very soon! Best of luck to you in days ahead.

Hang in there and dont  give up.

SpanishBarbs:  I am so sorry about your situation, and I hope things get better for you real soon.  I hope and pray I don't have to give up my horses, I cannot imagine not having them.  It's wonderful that you found someone to take your Spanish Barbs and I hope they have a great home in AZ.  My prayers go out to you re selling your property and finding a good job, etc. so you can have a horse in your life always.  You are right; it is a strange passion similar to an addiction, actually.  Take care, and God Bless!

Lynda

SpanishBarbs, I am so sorry to hear of your hardships. I can't even imagine what it must be like for you to have to give up your babies. Bless you for being strong enough to do what's best for your horses, instead of selfishly hanging on to them when you can't care for them. What you are doing is the toughest, kindest thing that you could do. I'm sure there will be another lucky horse in your future. When you get to your new home, maybe take some lessons, make some friends @ the farm, etc. If people get to know you and see how much you care for horses, you just might luck out. That's how I got my current guy - I was taking care of a friend's two horses, and another girl @ the barn saw what good care I gave them. When her father told her she had to sell one of her 3 horses, she gave one to me because she knew that I would provide him with the best care possible. Again, I really do feel for you. Hang in there. It will get better.

Frizzle:

txspots:

lazy-daze-paint:

And I was lucky enough to have gotten involved with my trainer/barefoot trimmer/equine physical therapist who lets me work everything off.

excuuuuze me?    (JK!)

LOL! Now, that's quite an...erm...exchange of services. *wink, wink* (Again, totally JK!) Thanks for the chuckle! 

Ya, but she has become a great friend of mine and has helped me and my horse SO much. I have been building her website for her and I go to her place once a week and do chores and stuff. If you want to check out the website it is www.deehowe.net it is not finished though. Alot of the information are from articles that she wrote several years ago that we still have to update and some of the pages have no articles at all, but we have been working on it as much as we can and trying to get it finished hopfully by the end of Febuary is the goal.

Thanks Everybody, TTYL,

If anyone here lives in Eastern NC, I would be interested in splitting a load of Timothy hay from PA. to save some money...

Here, small bales of timothy run from $10-15 at the feed store and the cheaper ones only weight about 35lbs.  We split a truckload with some other folks earlier in the year, and we go 70-80lb bales delivered for about $10.50 ea.

Twice as much hay!!!

spanishbarbs:

As horse enthusiasts, we have a very strange passion - some even call it an illness. It is expensive, but oh, so worthwhile. Hang tough everyone. Please be mindful of your breedings. Don't produce animals that will have no chance of having good homes. Help others as much as you are able. I am so grateful for those who have reached out to me in these dark days.