My worst fear : Dad, can I have a pony?

[whee]

Yea, my worst fear. My daughter asking me this question:

Dad, can I have a pony?

I hate horses! They are too expensive and eat too much, and they live for 50 years.

[Evelyn]

And they take alot of care and time. Vet visits are expensive.
If you have money to hire someone to care for you horse, fine.
But a horse is not a good 'pet' for any small child unless the family already has horses and it is part of their pre-existing life style.

[whee]

Well said Evelyn.

[Evelyn]

I would tell my kid to build a barn first, then I'd think about getting him/her a pony.

[=^..^=]

Do what we did
get your daughter SOMEONE ELSE's PONY!!

we have stables next door there is about 6 horses there, because we live right near 2 race tracks (harness and field)

One of theracehorses next door tore a muscle and so we allowed them to use our huge backyard to place the horse while it recoevered.

Our daughter got to see the horse everyday
they had to feed and MOST IMPORTANTLY - they had to clean the shit up!

So it was like having a horse for free.

the only took it away 2 days ago.
I hope another horse gets injured

[hoe_vender]

I have a pony they are overrated

[LadyMischief]

My children will all have horses!

[whee]

Originally posted by =^..^=
Do what we did
get your daughter SOMEONE ELSE's PONY!!

Exelente! I'll go figure an evil and clever plan to be prepaired when or if the time come!

[hilly]

She probably means she wants a crap

[http]

Should she ever really, really want a pony I would have to obey I guess

[Lord Helpus]

First, let me offer my best wishes to you, whee. If she's anything like I was as a child, she won't give up until she has one. Good luck handling what may well become a lifelong obsession for your kid. Somehow my parents managed to do it gracefully.

I was a horse show professional before I was an adult biz person, and let me tell you - the horse show biz is even more fraught with shady deals, drugs, cheating, skimming, shaving, underage sex, you name it - than I have found in the adult biz. Aside from that though, through having my own horses from childhood, working for various farms, and in short learning about the industry inside and out, I learned a lot about responsibility, hard work, business, and money. Perhaps she will be satisfied with a pet pony in the backyard, but more likely than not she will eventually be drawn to the lure of the show circuit. Good luck! And ICQ me if you ever need some advice or support

ICQ#125667290

[Living For Today]

Yep. Pay for someone to look after it etc. and give her riding lessons once a week or something.

[Basic_man]

Mouhahaha, OWN3D !!!

[Slick]

I used to have a horse, but the damn thing kept sniffing my hair which really pissed me off

[riosluts]

how much is a pony anyways. also dont you have to live on a farm to own one

[emthree]

Stop spoiling your children where they go to the extent of crying for a horse


What the fuck is a kid going to do with a horse/pony anyway?
Fucking TV and hype glorifies shit too much, I see they have camel rides now....maybe soon kids will begin crying for a camel.

BTW: I'm just cranky tonight

[Nbritte]

I got my daughter a filly last fall she has been wanting one for years and been riding sence she was 5. They are not a lot of work but you still have to mess with them at least an hour a day. Just for fun this is what you can expect to spend.
300-800 for a horse
500-1200 for a registered quarter horse or paint
300-500 for a kid saddle (figure on buying a bigger one later)
100 bridle
25-50 to have its hoves trimed after it loses its baby hoves
25-50 to have it shoed
100-200 on hay a year
150 a year for grain
50-100 grass seed after then kill all the grass when the ground it soggy during spring.
50-100 fertilizer
40-60 for 2 halters if it is a colt when you get it less if it is full grown
150 odds and ends like lead ropes, lung lines, blankets, combs, brushes ect.
180 for DNA test if you want to register the horse as a quarter horse or paint
if you want to see her horse here it is
Horse

[bufferover]

Gee whee buy her pony doll and thell her that it real one

[Honeyslut]

I can vouch that having a pony then a horse for 9 years of age til I was 21 kept me out of trouble ! 4-h is a good thing for a kid !

[Babagirls]

Do what my dad did; Buy her a My Little Pony and tell her to shut up

[Sarah_Jayne]

my mom found someone she knew with a horse and said that if I was willing to clean out the stable everyday for six months I could have a horse. No horse.

[kowntafit]

my mom found someone she knew with a horse and said that if I was willing to clean out the stable everyday for six months I could have a horse. No horse.

Excellent idea. I think that's a winner. Chances are you won't ever hear of it again after a few weeks, compared to years of nagging otherwise.

[Vitasoy]

heh reminds me of a simpson episode

[dunefield]

Get her like 10 dolls of those My little pony things... that'd cheer her up...

[SureFire]

Originally posted by Lord Helpus
First, let me offer my best wishes to you, whee. If she's anything like I was as a child, she won't give up until she has one. Good luck handling what may well become a lifelong obsession for your kid. Somehow my parents managed to do it gracefully.

I was a horse show professional before I was an adult biz person, and let me tell you - the horse show biz is even more fraught with shady deals, drugs, cheating, skimming, shaving, underage sex, you name it - than I have found in the adult biz. Aside from that though, through having my own horses from childhood, working for various farms, and in short learning about the industry inside and out, I learned a lot about responsibility, hard work, business, and money. Perhaps she will be satisfied with a pet pony in the backyard, but more likely than not she will eventually be drawn to the lure of the show circuit. Good luck! And ICQ me if you ever need some advice or support

ICQ#125667290

Really? Never in my horse showing days did the judges acted perverted.

[PersianKitty]

When my oldest son was 6 or 7, he begged and begged for a horse. I told him he could not believe the work involved with keeping one. I found a local stable willing to let him learn what was involved. He volunteered there under supervision for several days. Mucked out stalls, brushed, etc. It wasn't long before he decided that a horse was best if he could visit and ride from time to time and not have to take care of. Ended the begging completely.

[Lord Helpus]

Originally posted by Nbritte
I got my daughter a filly last fall she has been wanting one for years and been riding sence she was 5. They are not a lot of work but you still have to mess with them at least an hour a day. Just for fun this is what you can expect to spend.
300-800 for a horse
500-1200 for a registered quarter horse or paint
300-500 for a kid saddle (figure on buying a bigger one later)
100 bridle
25-50 to have its hoves trimed after it loses its baby hoves
25-50 to have it shoed
100-200 on hay a year
150 a year for grain
50-100 grass seed after then kill all the grass when the ground it soggy during spring.
50-100 fertilizer
40-60 for 2 halters if it is a colt when you get it less if it is full grown
150 odds and ends like lead ropes, lung lines, blankets, combs, brushes ect.
180 for DNA test if you want to register the horse as a quarter horse or paint
if you want to see her horse here it is
Horse

I don't doubt that Nbritte is paying this (Kentucky bluegrass probably keeps down her feed bills...), but it seems awfully low to me. Assuming you have a place of your own and don't have to board the pony, here is what I pay per month per horse to keep my horses living like kings:

Grain - $50+/month
Hay - $75-100/month
Bedding - $60/month
Farrier (trim/shoes) - $100 every 4-6 weeks
Worming - $15 every 8 weeks
Vaccinations - $200/year

If you are boarding, depending on the part of the country, expect to pay between $350 and $2000 per month. The last show barn I worked at charged $1500/month, just for board.

That's very conservative and doesn't take into account any lessons/training, which your daughter would need, nor any vet bills which are pretty much unavoidable no matter how careful you are. And good luck finding a sound, kid-safe horse for $300-$800, it will probably be closer to a few thousand.

Like the other people on here, I recommend taking her to a local barn where she can try working in exchange for some lessons. That way you see if she's serious without having to spend big $. I I ended up with a horse and a full time job at 12 (left school at 16 to ride on the show circuit) but most kids unless they're really serious will quit after a day or 2 of cleaning stalls.

[Lord Helpus]

Originally posted by SureFire

Really? Never in my horse showing days did the judges acted perverted.

Really? Did you show on the rated hunter/jumper circuit? Not necessarily the judges, but the trainers, riders, grooms, etc etc. the whole insulated, perversely wealthy crew, in my experience! And don't get me started on the killing horses for insurance payouts scandal...

[jhauser]

Just think of all the joy that a horse will bring into your daughters life... and then when shes sick of doing the chores think of how much joy the horse will bring into your life. Every child tells their parents they will take care of the pet...

[Firehorse]

As soon as we can find 50 acres or more where we want to build then we will have horses again.

[VeriSexy]

Originally posted by sarah_webinc
my mom found someone she knew with a horse and said that if I was willing to clean out the stable everyday for six months I could have a horse. No horse.

Very cool idea, make her clean the horse poop for 6 months and have her regret it

[Diabolical Cord]

I never understood the infatuation with ponies.

[TheLegacy]

Originally posted by PersianKitty
When my oldest son was 6 or 7, he begged and begged for a horse. I told him he could not believe the work involved with keeping one. I found a local stable willing to let him learn what was involved. He volunteered there under supervision for several days. Mucked out stalls, brushed, etc. It wasn't long before he decided that a horse was best if he could visit and ride from time to time and not have to take care of. Ended the begging completely.

exactly what I would do - kids have no idea of money or responsiblity only dreams. by showing them what it takes to own a horse they learn for the future that sometimes just wanting is better than having.

[pornguy]

My horse just had a major injury, and we had to give her to a woman in Sarasota that has a massive ranch and the money for her care.

We had a bad thunder storm, and she went through our electrical fence and then through the neighbors barb fence. She sustained 41 lacerations on her neck and sides, as well as peeling the skin and muscle off of one front and one rear leg. She is able to walk without limping, and will recover, but she needs 3 visits from the vet a week, at 490$ each. That does not include the shots and pain meds, and the wound dressing that I was doing. Plus the hours of walking to build her legs back up.

The really sad thing is that she was a winning throughbred.
Her name is Bob's Hail Mary.

The people that took her will have her fixed in about 5 months, and will be breeding her. We will visit from time to time, and are very upset from loosing her, but we will go on. But a child would be devistated to see the damage that she suffered..

I know that it is a big difference between a pony and a horse that it 17.5 hands tall and 2k lbs, but no matter what, they are more work than you can imagine.

[Lykos]

Originally posted by whee


I hate horses! They are too expensive and eat too much, and they live for 50 years.

Hahaha

[radical]

Originally posted by Slick
I used to have a horse, but the damn thing kept sniffing my hair which really pissed me off

lol

[armyofme]

Originally posted by whee
Yea, my worst fear. My daughter asking me this question:

Dad, can I have a pony?

I hate horses! They are too expensive and eat too much, and they live for 50 years.

for the record...horses don't live 50 years, maybe into their 30s max, but ive never ever heard of a horse hitting 35+. my horse only lived to be 33 before he died of cancer.

horses are great if you want your kids to learn responsibility, but they definitely have to be ready for it, those shovels of horseshit are heavy!

vet bills suck, i got lucky, both my parents are vets.

[armyofme]

Originally posted by Lord Helpus
First, let me offer my best wishes to you, whee. If she's anything like I was as a child, she won't give up until she has one. Good luck handling what may well become a lifelong obsession for your kid. Somehow my parents managed to do it gracefully.

I was a horse show professional before I was an adult biz person, and let me tell you - the horse show biz is even more fraught with shady deals, drugs, cheating, skimming, shaving, underage sex, you name it - than I have found in the adult biz. Aside from that though, through having my own horses from childhood, working for various farms, and in short learning about the industry inside and out, I learned a lot about responsibility, hard work, business, and money. Perhaps she will be satisfied with a pet pony in the backyard, but more likely than not she will eventually be drawn to the lure of the show circuit. Good luck! And ICQ me if you ever need some advice or support

ICQ#125667290

I must agree, currently I'm riding in the IHSA for my school, and even that is full of shady crap. People with a lot of money + horses = sluts, pervs, liars, you-name-it.

call me a cynic

[LadyMischief]

Originally posted by Honeyslut
I can vouch that having a pony then a horse for 9 years of age til I was 21 kept me out of trouble ! 4-h is a good thing for a kid !

Ditto on that one! Mucking out stalls and working in the arena kept me out of the boy's reach for a long time!

[wild-cat]

lol a good one

[iFliPcEss]

I shud asked my dad to give me a pony, but for sure, he will give me a pony made of woods ( ) i still got a pic riding on that pony toy when I was a little kid. And from the price and maintenance of getting a horse it seems only few "blessed" people can afford to have one.

[C-Bass]

Buy her a Great Dane, and tell her its a "special" kind of pony

[Brat]

Originally posted by Spotter_03
Buy her a Great Dane, and tell her its a "special" kind of pony

hahah
good idea