What would you do?

[bella127]

I'm currently trying to decide what to do with Freddie and would appreciate your input!

A quick bit of background: I've had Freddie for 7 years, he's awesome. In March 2008 we moved to a pub in a village about 45 minutes away from where we used to live - Freddie moved with us into the field attached to the pub. He was fine there, until I went to University in September 2008. He quickly got bored and was jumping out and generally being stupid and dangerous. My lovely friend stepped in and offered to take him on for me.

So, Freddie went off to Somerset to live with her and she has been amazing, really taken the best possible care of him and he has come on in leaps and bounds (literally) - I could not be happier. Obviously I miss him etc, but its the best place for him really. As part of this agreement we pay £20 a week for his grass livery (even though he actually has a stable ha!) and his insurance.

However, my friend now has some personal issues which means she is going to move yards. This new yard costs £140pcm, which obviously we would have to pay. I have also now finished Uni and am back living at the pub.

SO!
Here's the question!

What do I do with Freddie now?

Option A is to let him move along with my friend, and pay the extra money (think it works out at £33 a week rather than £20). Now my mum is currently paying for Freddie's livery so it will ultimately be her decision.. its whether shes happy to carry on paying more money.

Option B is to bring him home. I would need to find a suitable yard (laminitic houdini..) within a reasonable distance as I don't drive, and it would need to be relatively cheap too. At the moment I have all the time in the world but am searching for a full time job - which would give me money, but really eat into my time.

My life is still all a bit up in the air at the moment whilst I try to figure out what I'm doing post-Uni.. but I do desperately miss my pony!

So, what would you do? Leave him with friend for now whilst sorting life out; or bring him home?

[BEX101]

Are you back at the pub full time now? If he was ok at the pub before you went away it sounds like you could both manage back at the pub.
The other option is "how much does the loaner want to keep hold of him?" She's lucky that you've been paying the bills but most loaners stump up themselves so would she be interested enough to take him on properly?

[ROWEY!]

I agree with Bex, most full loaners pay all costs and so I think you've been very reasonable even if it started as her doing you a favour. If she is willing to stump up the extra £13 a week herself then I'd say let her keep him while you sort out all the post-uni things however if not then maybe you should consider taking him back. After all, with a full time job you should be able to pay for him to be on part-livery if you haven't got enough time and this way you'll get to see your pony and all that. Have a think as to how much you want him back and whether you are capable of taking him on currently time- and money-wise

[bella127]

She's got him as a favour to me really - he had to go ASAP and she very kindly offered to take him. What I'm essentially getting is competition livery for £20 a week ha, which is very reasonable in my eyes! I know Tina can't afford to have him herself, much as she'd love to - she already has her own boy and her son's pony to pay for - he was literally there as a favour.

Since he left the pub Bex we've let the field go back to the brewery, sold our field shelter etc and with him having had a laminitis attack previously I'd rather him not live out - easier to manage his weight. Plus I would love a school, sensible hacking, jumps etc so the pub would no longer be an option - plus we are only here for one more year.

I think I'm erring towards bringing him back home, but I would need to find a suitable yard and I think round here it could end up costing me a small fortune!! He would need to go on part livery as there's no way I could get up twice a day (the job I'm looking at is a 2hr commute from home, eek!).

Ahh decisions are hard!!

[ROWEY!]

Ah fair enough.. Maybe you could let her move him until you settle down, find a nice yard and sort your job out and then when you definitely have enough money and can work out things like if you have enough time without ending up having a mental breakdown from not having enough time to sleep then you can bring him home? Or is it an 'either-or' kind of situation?

[My Crazy Clan]

Bring him back and advertise for a buddy so he can stay at the pub field with you.

[Barry G]

Keeping a horse is an expensive business - in both money and time.

Many folks think the money is the big issue - it is not really - it is the 24/7 care.

You first work out what you can afford - in money and time.

Then you sit down with your friend and you have a heart to heart.

Then you put yourself in the head of the horse and work out what is best for the horse.

Whatever you decide, my guess is that it will be a compromise. But that's life.

[bella127]

I think that may be what we end up doing - moving with T for a bit, then he can come home once things are a bit more settled. It will untimately be my mum's decision I guess as she is the one with the funds as of now ha. Bless T, she has been so awesome for me - even offering me to have him home for the summer and then him going back to her during term time, which was lovely but not practical as I think it'd unsettle him.

Will talk with madre tomorrow and see what she fancies, and have started preliminarily looking into livery yards around this way.

[lil_legs]

If you move him home it is going to cost you more than £33 a week. So for now I would be tempted to leave him with your friend until you have got a job secured and then look at yards to bring him home.

Money wise you are better off him staying with your friend, and time wise the same because you need to get yourself into a routine with work and if you go for the job you are looking at, you need to figure out if realistically you have time for a horse, a 2hr commute is a long time and that leaves 4hrs in a car, driving is probably going to be more tiring than the actual job.

I would get your life in order and then sort out your boy. If your mum is the one paying for him then I would imagine if he came home she would still be the one paying??

If this is the case then obviously it wouild be alot cheaper for her for him to stay with your friend.