Are you financially stable enough to be a horse owner?

[GatoGordo]

That'll teach Hank. Tell him to buy a Kia Pet next time.

[BelladonnaLily]

You must understand, all of this is second-hand information. I believe the camper shell was given to him before they parted ways. Unless, of course, they are getting back together and Betty kept this from us! Could it be true? I'm unsure of when Hank's birthday was, so we'll just hope it was quite a while ago.

I'd like to think, however, that since this last "indiscretion", Betty would never consider taking Hank back.

[xegeba]

Actually Bella, I've got it on good information that Hank was last seen in a COROLLA...

[BelladonnaLily]

Seriously, he should only be so lucky...

[horse_poor]

i thought he was seen in a jag at the last sighting

******************************
molly
**proud member of the calendar- CBW FOR LIFE !!**
http://community.webshots.com/user/mavw1971
www.oasisequestrian.com

[RHdobes]

Let's see...

My two cats---scheduled for euthenization.

Five of my seven dogs---scheduled for euthenization.

Two of my dogs would have been used for puppy mill/backyard breeding.

When I got my second horse, I was married, and my husband and I were making GOOD money. He decided to leave, and my income went down 60%.

Prior to owning two horses, I lost my job and paid for my only horse's board by selling my plasma for 2 1/2 years.

I bought a "new" car two years ago. It was 10 years old at the time. My previous three cars were older than that.

All my pets are either spayed or neutered. My dogs get their shots and licenses. Myy horse gets his shots and trimming; my previous horse had teeth pulled, floated, etc.

I buy my clothes and furniture at second-hand stores. I shop at discount grocery stores. I eat out once a week (fast food priced).

The new wallpaper in my kitchen cost $1.00 per roll (found at Goodwill). The paint in my living room, $2.00 per quart. I got polyurethene (spelling) and stain for $2.00 per quart, and I will be refinishing my hardwood floors myself.

Most of my dogs have maybe a year or two at most to live. Would I go to extremes to save them in an emergency? No. Do I love them? Yes, very much. My dog trainer spent $3500 on her dog when he suffered a stroke. He is alive, but his back legs are useless. Still, tonight he was chasing a large ball all around the training building while in his "wheelchair."

Something catastrophic could happen to ANY of my animals, myself, or a family member. Under what I have available to myself, I will do my best. I refuse to believe or be badgered into thinking that I am a bad owner simply because I might have to make a decision that another would not.

[Nikita]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BelladonnaLily:
I actually heard Hank is in the slammer. His CHEVY broke down (yes, again ) <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Are you on cheap drugs? Obviously that was a FORD Hank was driving.
And I'm glad to hear those Canadian gnomes made it ok.

Back to the main topic....
Can I answer this after I get my 'two in the same week' emergency vet foaling bills?

"My husband said it was him or the horses ... I miss him sometimes."

[horse_poor]

who said anything about canadian gnomes?

i heard they were illegal gnome aliens from the country of minnie-soda......uh, not that i would know anything about it

they saw the photo shots of the gnomes as part of a x country course and jump course on the no lunging thread and immediately became jealous and headed down to make their fame and fortune as supergnomes.....

******************************
molly
**proud member of the calendar- CBW FOR LIFE !!**
http://community.webshots.com/user/mavw1971
www.oasisequestrian.com

[Nikita]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by horse_poor:
who said anything about canadian gnomes?

i heard they were illegal gnome aliens from the country of minnie-soda......uh, not that i would know anything about it <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Uh, I don't know anything either. Nope not me. Those bags of milk were just to cushion them so they wouldn't bump into each other on those potholy country roads. And I think those bags of milk were bought in Erie, PA or Mississippi or something. Yeah, that was it..... Mississippi. I mean, Hank wouldn't want to be associated with chipped gnomes now would he?

"My husband said it was him or the horses ... I miss him sometimes."

[horse_poor]

actually nik i heard they were packed with ears of corn so they musta originated in iowa, conveniently right across the border from minnie-soda

but like i said i know nothing, absolutley NOTHING about it

however i did notice a bunch of gnome passport photocopies in aeros stall this evening when i went to tuck him in for the night..he was hurridly trying to stash them under his princess di scrapbook when i walked in.....

******************************
molly
**proud member of the calendar- CBW FOR LIFE !!**
http://community.webshots.com/user/mavw1971
www.oasisequestrian.com

[Smigget]

My family avoids debt at all costs, although we did take the plunge when my dad bought an apartment complex for us to live off of when he discovered he was about to be laid off. That way off living has rubbed off on all five of us kids. When I was 14, I begged and pleaded to buy a horse, and my dad hemmed and hawed. I proposed leasing, and he said yes, if I paid all the bills other than shoes, and even then, I had to pay for the extra amount when he went lame and needed extra shoes.

I paid $150 a month for board, bought grain, paid two large (for me at least) vet bills when the horse went badly lame in all four feet, and when he needed his teeth floated. I paid for his shots, his medication for his feet, his new saddle (the one he came with didn't fit me), his special shoeing and eventually sadly realized that I could no longer afford to keep him if I wanted to go to college, so gave him back. (he was promptly sold to a VERY well to do owner)

I want another horse, but know I couldn't keep one even if a horse was offered to me for free. My goal is to buy ONE horse when I'm done with school, and can afford it 100% without wincing at the bills (if that is possible). Until then I plan to take as many lessons as I can afford, and perhaps lease.

I'm right now at that teen stage where I want to buy new clothes, etc, but I've decided to put horses first, so bought the new riding boots instead. I’m kind of torn, actually! I want the horses, and I want the other things. Right now, I think it will be the horses, and hand-me-downs from my older sisters!

~~~~~~
Member of the Lurker's Clique and the Non-GPA Clique

"we all have to fight our own tendencies and precoceived ideas to excell at something. " - slc

[teal tea]

Maybe the question should be "Are you willing to pay for expensive treatment for your pets, whether they are a dog or a horse?" So far my 7 lb Yorkie has been my most expensive pet. I remember telling someone how much I've paid over the years for her various ailments. This person, who is in better financial conditions, said there was no way she would pay that amount for a dog and the dog would have been put to sleep. Now that was disgusting.

I've also seen various people put up their pets for adoption b/c they are moving. I don't really understand this w/ the small animals. Horses, on the other hand, are more expensive, so I can leave some leeway. W/ the horses, many individuals who have the money, have said they would not relocate their horse b/c the expense would not be worth it. I am by no means wealthy but you can bet that if I had to move out of state, my OTTB would be coming w/ me. It's also very common for wealthy people to divest themselves of their equines b/c their kid has outgrown them. Many times, they don't care where the horse will end up.

I do think you should have some money put away for emergencies or some type of plan that would allow you to cope w/ the unexpected. But to say you have to make x amount of dollars in order to own a pet and be a responsible pet owner is ridiculous, narrow minded, and elitist. Just my opinion.

[shiloh]

Well, chalk up another one who shouldn't have a horse. I, too, live from paycheck to paycheck. I don't buy clothes or rent videos. I don't party with my friends and I certainly can't go out to lunch or dinner with them. I spend a little (a damn little) over $100 a month on groceries. My big splurge - I get basic Directv. My car is falling apart and I have bills up the yin-yang. Yet, I have 4 cats and a horse. Well, kill me now!

If I got rid of my 30 yr old horse and my cats what the HELL would I do? Go to work, go home, go to work, go home. Gee what fun! I would exist and that is IT. Not LIVE - EXIST. How dare anyone presume they have the right to tell me what I should and should not do with my money. My pets and my horse are my escape from the hell that is my miserable life. I ride my horse down the road and there's my cruise to Hawaii. I come home at night and I'm not all alone in an empty house.

I may not have a lot of money but by hook or crook I will do whatever I have to to get money to see to it that my animals are cared for in time of illness or crisis.

Am I angry? You betcha! That anyone would presume to not only tell me how to spend my money, but would assume that because I have precious little of it, that I am (or would be) a bad owner. I don't judge those who have the money to buy everything and more, please don't judge me. You can have all the money in the world and still be a neglectful and stupid owner.

[BluesRamblerBar]

Here, here shiloh! Amen to that!

~Blue

Momma always said,"Honey, you ain't a real cowgirl 'till you fall off 'least 10 times."

Proud member of the: "Re-Rider's" Clique and the Sunniflax Clique

[shiloh]

Oh, and BTW, lest anyone forget I do believe there's a little piece of paper called the Constitution and it mentions something about "life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness" for all and nowhere is a dollar amount mentioned.

[Spot]

Count me in among the people who has horses and cats and if any of the little darlings need medical attention - they get it, and no - we dont have a secret stash of money just lying there waiting to be spent on medical bills - they need it, we manage to do it.
That simple ...

I think that Betty would take Hank back at the drop of a hat, to be honest.
Before any of you get on her case, remember these little facts.

1. Betty is getting on in years. She carries a lot of baggage and "issues" from previous relationships. How many guys out there are looking for a "Betty" rather than some younger, blonde bimbo???

2. She works at Union Gas for God's sakes, taking appointments for people needing their air conditioners and furnaces serviced. Just how much do you think THAT pays??? She needs the security of another pay cheque in the household.

3. She has learned to accept Hank's gnome fetish and figures that it could be far worse with other guys and their fetishes. I mean really - just how bad could it GET with inanimate gnomes that just sit there with their shovels and spades and look at you ???

I think that we might well see a Betty and Hank reunion in the near future, to be perfectly honest. Betty didnt say much - just a few slipped comments here and there, but I think it is imminent

Talking about affording things. Years back, when I was young and stupid and living at home, I wanted a Porsche Turbo in the worst way (I know, I know ... dont even say it) so I went out and test drove a bunch of them, fell in love with them, and decided to buy one that was a few years old.
I was working at a ski/tennis shop at the time, and was clearing $565.00 a month in salary. (I remember this like it was yesterday ... )
The monthly payments on the car were $557.00 and I thought - GREAT! - I can do this. I can live on $7.00 a month, because I live at home and the food, etc is paid for. Dad was paying the fuel bills and the insurance, so I didnt have to worry about that.
I figured since it was a Porsche, it would NEVER break down ... ... little did I know, so I went out and signed on the dotted line and had a blast with that car and lived on $7.00 a month for a year or so !

Then came the reality of new tires for that sucker ($550.00 each x 4!!!), a new exhaust system ($4000.00+), it needed something done in the engine compartment (about $6000.00) and a brake job (another $2000.00 - $3000.00). I nearly died and I couldnt bamboozle Dad into paying for it either.
And somehow, no matter how many months I saved my $7.00 a month for, I couldnt quite come up with the dollar amounts I needed to get the work done on it.

Stupid 18 year old kid, huh?!

"Spot"

[BelladonnaLily]

Spot, BELIEVE me. I can relate. This is why I am now the cheapskate that I am when it concerns car buying and drive a Corolla. Hubby has been after me for 6 months to buy ANYTHING. I learned my lesson young, with a new car. My payments were $316/mo plus insurance, gas, etc. I lived in a $250/mo apartment (at 18) and cleared exactly $888/month. Started waiting tables at night but wound up spending it all on beer money partying with friends. Took 3 months and I was living back home with mommy and daddy. I am in better shape than I was at 18, and I can probably afford within reason what I want, but I still have that hang-up left from those early days of stupidity...

And so then it IS possible Betty bought Hank that camper shell for his birthday. Ah ha!

[Sky Meadows]

[Quote] Teal Tea said: I've also seen various people put up their pets for adoption b/c they are moving. I don't really understand this w/ the small animals. Horses, on the other hand, are more expensive, so I can leave some leeway. W/ the horses, many individuals who have the money, have said they would not relocate their horse b/c the expense would not be worth it. [End Of Quote]

I can completely see why someone with dogs would need to give them away or put them up for adoption when they have to move. Of course, it really depends on the circumstances.

If they are moving because they bought a house somewhere else, then no, I couldn't see them parting with their animals.

However, if they are moving and have no plan as to where they are moving to(house wise), then I can see why they would.

I moved accross the united states, from California to Maryland, in a small pickup truck with an extended cab (GMC Sonoma), about 7-8 months pregnant, with my 3 dogs, and my now husband. The three dogs were in the extended cab portion, with pillows laid out everywhere for them to lay on. I was not going to, nor will I ever give them away or put them up for adoption; however, when we got to Maryland/Virginia, we lived in a hotel for 3 months BECAUSE I had 3 dogs.

Try finding a decent place to stay (hotel wise), that accepts pets for more than a week...and more than one pet at that. Take into account that most places that do accept pets charge about $10.00 per night, per pet on top of the room charge. We were lucky in that we found a place that would accept my 3 dogs for however long we needed to stay, that didn't charge a pet fee.

Trying to find a place to rent that accepts an animal OTHER than a cat is extremely difficult, and the ones that do have a measely limit of 15-20lbs, and only allow one pet, most of the time.
Not exactly the easiest thing with one 42lb dog, one 36lb dog and another 15lb dog.

And we lucked out that a realtor was offering a place he just bought a while back, for us to rent. Otherwise, right now, we'd still be living in a hotel.
No, I take that back, by now I'm sure we would have opted to buy a house with no land whatsoever, just to be out of a hotel, instead of looking to buy a place with some land, like we are now doing.

Now, living in a hotel was far from cheap, think $320 per WEEK. Take that, after paying over $1,000 to ship my horse out here from CA, on top of that paying her $275.00 board bill every month, plus her farrier bill, and also paying a truck payment every month, etc...the expenses added up very very quickly. My little girl (now 2 months old), lived in a hotel for the first week or two of her life. Living in a hotel, a little one roomed place with a bathroom, with 3 dogs, a baby and a husband, is NOT ideal, and MOST people would give away their pet(s) before ever trying to put themselves in a position like that. We managed, and made do with what we had...but I wouldn't recommend it. If I had to do it all over again, I would, only because I'm not the type who could give away my animals, they are a part of my family.

This isn't a take pity on me post, I'm just trying to better help explain why some people might give away their pets when they have to move.

Teri
Future Photographer
Owns 3 Dogs & One Horse

[Nikita]

I didn't think horse_poor could handle the truth about Hank & Betty so I waited before posting this picture. Now that lots of people are awake and can assist horse_poor through the trauma of it all, here is a picture of Hank & Betty on vacation.

Spot is correct (gotta be a first time for everything right? ) Betty DID take Hank back, IS putting up with his gnome fetish and is even supporting him. It's tough being as old as Betty and Spot.



"My husband said it was him or the horses ... I miss him sometimes."

[horse_poor]

nah it isnt true

it was just a photo opp "for better gnomes and gardens"---betty is trying to break into the supermodel gig------AGAIN

******************************
molly
**proud member of the calendar- CBW FOR LIFE !!**
http://community.webshots.com/user/mavw1971
www.oasisequestrian.com