Okay, here's the story. My best friend is getting a new horse. Her old horse has a kind of lame shoulder but her and her family are working to get it better by putting her in a smaller pen. Anyway, since Snickers(the horse) is kind of lame (but her shoulder is getting better) they need to rid of her because they cannot afford to take care of the new horse, snickers, and the other 2 they have. Her mom and her are pushing me to talk to my parents about taking her. I know this horse pretty well. Her shoulder will recover. She is only about 5! I really want to, but I do not think my dad will say yes. I REALLY want this horse, and know about riding and care and all that. I have looked prices up. And the thing is, they will give the horse to me for free!! I have calculated how much it would cost for a year of hay and oats. I just don't how else to convince him. Please help!!
And sorry it was kinda long! =]
And sorry it was kinda long! =]
OH EM GEE U LUCKY GIRL! You are lucky you have a friend that owns horses. Btw,just start working really hard on school and chores and stuff,say nice things to him,tell him that you love him,help him around the house and stuff,then after a few days of doing this(especially when he is in a good mood) just go up to him(maybe have this talk with him at dinner) and tell him ur friends story,but tell him not to say anything until you are done telling the story and speaking,tell him that you will work extra hard on everything,treat this horse like it's ur own flesh and blood,tell him you will help out,obey him and try and do anything he says,tell him to at least let you try and keep it,and if he doesn't like how you take care of it or it doesn't work out then tell him you guys can sell it after that,tell him how much you want the horse and love it! GOOD LUCK girlie,I really hope you get the horse!!
answer mine PLEASE?!
answer mine PLEASE?!
The best thing to convince him is to show him that you are responsible and willing to take care of the horse for however long it will take. You should show him that you can take care of your horse and you can handle what ever it is the horse will need. Good luck with the horse! You are so lucky to be getting it for free! :)
just show him that your responsible enough to care for this horse from exersize to the maintince but other than that i dont know how you could convince him if he is not willing to do this plus horses require loads of care and can get pretty costly. but show him the price for the oats and hay for the year.
Before asking him just do things you wouldn't normally do and be more responsible. Then when you do tell him make sure he knows that you're going to be doing the work, not him, because my dad was always like well I don't want to take care of it. You just have to make him really hear you out and not just say no and then change the subject. Hope I helped!
You really have to have a long talk with him and explain the situation and how good of an opportunity this is for you to learn responsibility. and ask your mom to be in the conversation too.
i will tell you how to convince him in a second but first a warning pleas read it
first
this horse is 5 and has a lame shoulder ? this means she did not step on a rock and is lame for a day or two this is a larger problem, befour you EVEN think of getting this you need to get a vet out to check it, and make sure that she will recover fully, just because she is 5 dose not mean that she will be 100% sound and do NOT go on your friends word that she will recover... people lie
second
her mom should know better then asking you to convince your parents to buy you this LAME horse she should be talking to them not messing around getting you to
third
why is she giving her to you free ? maybe because she wont get better? also why cant they afford to keep there horse that "will get better" but they can afford a new one ???
fourth
do you have a riding background ? as in do you take lessons ? have you ever taken lessons do you know what you are doing ? the worst thing in the world is a green rider and a green horse at 5 she will still be semi green even if someone rides her as she is young.
now for the convincing... i would show him that you are responsible by taking care of your other pets cleaning your room and helping out with the house work ect and don't be like DADDY I WANT A HORSE be kind and polite and if he says no don't freak just ask him a little bit later ( not that day maybe that week or month) show him you are responsible get ready for school on time and go to bed on time start taking riding lessons to show him you are serous also if you cant take lessons as they are to expensive then you should not be buying a horse as their are 10 times more expensive NOT saying that you cant afford it but that is just a gauge.
I AM NOT trying to discourage you from your dream of getting a horse but you need to take these things into account and maybe because you are so close to the situation you can not see that the circumstances are a little fishy ... i know you love your friend and you think that they would never hurt you but just weight till high school ( assuming you are not in it ) girls are mean plane and simple also your friend may not even be involved in it but her parents seam to want rid of it. all in all you do not want to take on a first horse that already has health issues you really need to think about this long and hard and PLEAS get a vet in to check ( not there vet a diff one and go with him/her)
wouldn't you rather getting a horse that is perfectly health with a little more EXP that is more your level?? i would take a trainer with you when you buy a horse and a vet so you know that you are not getting a raw deal as PEOPLE LIE and if your horse ends up more hurt then they lead on you are stuck with THOUSAND dollar vet bills and a useless horse
i personally think that you should wait till you find the right horse for you and take a few lessons so you can get the hang of it ALSO i would not jump into ownership right away try part boarding or leasing first it gives you the responsibility EXP and less cost then owning but is still expensive
i really hope you take my warning into account and i KNOW it is not what you want to hear believe me but then it also really sucks when you get a horse that is permanently lame (my mom did it )
good luck with what ever you decide and safe + happy riding
<3 Danny
ALSO i am not trying to kill your dreams of ever having a horse i just really don't want you to make a mistake and i am not saying your friends are bad people just be careful =]
first
this horse is 5 and has a lame shoulder ? this means she did not step on a rock and is lame for a day or two this is a larger problem, befour you EVEN think of getting this you need to get a vet out to check it, and make sure that she will recover fully, just because she is 5 dose not mean that she will be 100% sound and do NOT go on your friends word that she will recover... people lie
second
her mom should know better then asking you to convince your parents to buy you this LAME horse she should be talking to them not messing around getting you to
third
why is she giving her to you free ? maybe because she wont get better? also why cant they afford to keep there horse that "will get better" but they can afford a new one ???
fourth
do you have a riding background ? as in do you take lessons ? have you ever taken lessons do you know what you are doing ? the worst thing in the world is a green rider and a green horse at 5 she will still be semi green even if someone rides her as she is young.
now for the convincing... i would show him that you are responsible by taking care of your other pets cleaning your room and helping out with the house work ect and don't be like DADDY I WANT A HORSE be kind and polite and if he says no don't freak just ask him a little bit later ( not that day maybe that week or month) show him you are responsible get ready for school on time and go to bed on time start taking riding lessons to show him you are serous also if you cant take lessons as they are to expensive then you should not be buying a horse as their are 10 times more expensive NOT saying that you cant afford it but that is just a gauge.
I AM NOT trying to discourage you from your dream of getting a horse but you need to take these things into account and maybe because you are so close to the situation you can not see that the circumstances are a little fishy ... i know you love your friend and you think that they would never hurt you but just weight till high school ( assuming you are not in it ) girls are mean plane and simple also your friend may not even be involved in it but her parents seam to want rid of it. all in all you do not want to take on a first horse that already has health issues you really need to think about this long and hard and PLEAS get a vet in to check ( not there vet a diff one and go with him/her)
wouldn't you rather getting a horse that is perfectly health with a little more EXP that is more your level?? i would take a trainer with you when you buy a horse and a vet so you know that you are not getting a raw deal as PEOPLE LIE and if your horse ends up more hurt then they lead on you are stuck with THOUSAND dollar vet bills and a useless horse
i personally think that you should wait till you find the right horse for you and take a few lessons so you can get the hang of it ALSO i would not jump into ownership right away try part boarding or leasing first it gives you the responsibility EXP and less cost then owning but is still expensive
i really hope you take my warning into account and i KNOW it is not what you want to hear believe me but then it also really sucks when you get a horse that is permanently lame (my mom did it )
good luck with what ever you decide and safe + happy riding
<3 Danny
ALSO i am not trying to kill your dreams of ever having a horse i just really don't want you to make a mistake and i am not saying your friends are bad people just be careful =]
years of horse EXP
owner of horses + some LARGE vet bills ...
=]
owner of horses + some LARGE vet bills ...
=]
You are definitely on the right track! I'm sure you will get that horse easier than I got mine, but here's how I did it. First of all, I had been taking barrel racing lessons for a year, so knew a lot about horses. My trainer found a horse that she said would be perfect for me. I did the calculations, and showed it to my dad and he said no. The second time I went to him, I told him about how I would die without this horse, adn that we should at least go see it. So I got him to come with me to see it, and from the moment I got on her back, I knew we were meant for each other. My trainer said that we had connected so my dad was finally persuaded. I was thinking that if you haven't already shown your dad the horse you should and maybe it will be magic like me. The reason I said it would be easier for you is that your soon to be horse is free and mine cost $50,000.00.................Hope this helps!
If you've never had a horse before, don't do it unless it's a really calm horse. You should start with an older horse as your first horse, or things will be hard at first. Don't regard this as a favor for your friend. Seriously consider the responsiblities, if you've ridden the horse before, how the ride went, and how the horse is when you aren't riding it. Any additude from your first horse is going to make things tough, and without the right training, can end very badly. You will need someone to assist you with learning about owning a horse for at least the first year. Seriously consider all that the board will cost, the farrier, the veterinary check-ups you might need, and more. Food is not the problem when it comes to prices. Horse feed for a holw year is something like 300$, for me. Though I don't use oats, so it'll probably be more. Don't worry about my horse, she doesn't do much work so she really doesn't need oats. I give her some here and there though lol.
You can't even believe the trouble I've had with my first horse, Corby. She's 9 years old, and was a gift from. I love her very much, but I wasn't prepared to own her! Luckily I had people helping me, or I would've had to get rid of her, no joke. Good luck.
As much as I hate to say it, Danny is right, Tess- taking on a horse like Snickers is a BAD IDEA, no matter how much you care for her. The fact that your friend wants to get rid of her is a red flag, and so is the fact that they say they can't afford to feed her, but yet can afford to buy another horse instead. Something's not right here- and I think you are being LIED TO, just as Danny does. Putting the mare in a smaller pen isn't going to accomplish much of anything in the way of helping her recover, assuming she's actually going to- and I have to wonder why they are doing that, and who told them they should. Also, about this shoulder injury- what kind of injury is it, and what's the prognosis? You need to get that information from YOUR OWN VET, BEFORE you agree to take Snickers home, Tess. It costs JUST AS MUCH to feed and house a horse which can't be ridden as it does to care for one which is healthy, and right now, it doesn't sound to me as if Snickers can be ridden. How do you KNOW that this condition of hers ISN'T chronic, Tess?
Another thing you need to think about before you act or say anything to your dad is this: Snickers is only 5- she's barely old enough to have started real work under saddle, and here she is with an injury which may turn out to be permanent. Somehow, I DOUBT your dad is going to be impressed with the idea of your getting a horse which is basically worthless- he'll most likely view this as an unnecessary expense, no matter how much you argue or try to convince him otherwise. Feed, hay, and vet bills all cost MONEY, Tess, and it doesn't grow on trees. Your dad doesn't owe you a living, and neither does the rest of the world- and you need to realize this. That's part of growing up and becoming a mature, responsible adult. If you really want to give Snickers a home, why don't you start working on ways to save money so you can afford to keep her yourself? You say you live out in a small Idaho town- well, surely there must be ways for you to earn money for the horse's care. The school year is nearly over with, and summer is coming on- and you should be able to get jobs doing things like babysitting and the like. If you are older and have a license, you may be able to get a job at a local ranch in the area, taking care of the horses there. Cleaning stalls might not sound glamourous or fun, but I think that you will want to do it if it means you can have Snickers at home with you. After all, she'll be counting on you.
Above all, though, you are going to need to show your dad that you are responsible enough and know enough to be able to take care of Snickers, and that you aren't going to be lazy about it. Your dad SHOULDN'T have to remind you to do things like feed her and clean her stall- that should be automatic with you. You also NEED TO LISTEN when he tells you to do something, whether you agree with it or not, and be RESPECTFUL of his point of view. He's a lot older than you are, and has had much more experience than you, after all- and that alone makes him worthy of respect. Get a report from your own vet about Snickers' health, and use this when you talk to your dad. If you can show him that you really know your stuff and are serious about this, you'll have won half the battle. Deal with problems as they arise- don't put things off. No WHINING or complaining- that's always a turn off to parents, because it indicates a lack of emotional maturity on your part, Tess.
Good luck- I hope I have helped. I hope Snickers gets better.
Another thing you need to think about before you act or say anything to your dad is this: Snickers is only 5- she's barely old enough to have started real work under saddle, and here she is with an injury which may turn out to be permanent. Somehow, I DOUBT your dad is going to be impressed with the idea of your getting a horse which is basically worthless- he'll most likely view this as an unnecessary expense, no matter how much you argue or try to convince him otherwise. Feed, hay, and vet bills all cost MONEY, Tess, and it doesn't grow on trees. Your dad doesn't owe you a living, and neither does the rest of the world- and you need to realize this. That's part of growing up and becoming a mature, responsible adult. If you really want to give Snickers a home, why don't you start working on ways to save money so you can afford to keep her yourself? You say you live out in a small Idaho town- well, surely there must be ways for you to earn money for the horse's care. The school year is nearly over with, and summer is coming on- and you should be able to get jobs doing things like babysitting and the like. If you are older and have a license, you may be able to get a job at a local ranch in the area, taking care of the horses there. Cleaning stalls might not sound glamourous or fun, but I think that you will want to do it if it means you can have Snickers at home with you. After all, she'll be counting on you.
Above all, though, you are going to need to show your dad that you are responsible enough and know enough to be able to take care of Snickers, and that you aren't going to be lazy about it. Your dad SHOULDN'T have to remind you to do things like feed her and clean her stall- that should be automatic with you. You also NEED TO LISTEN when he tells you to do something, whether you agree with it or not, and be RESPECTFUL of his point of view. He's a lot older than you are, and has had much more experience than you, after all- and that alone makes him worthy of respect. Get a report from your own vet about Snickers' health, and use this when you talk to your dad. If you can show him that you really know your stuff and are serious about this, you'll have won half the battle. Deal with problems as they arise- don't put things off. No WHINING or complaining- that's always a turn off to parents, because it indicates a lack of emotional maturity on your part, Tess.
Good luck- I hope I have helped. I hope Snickers gets better.
I'm a horse owner, a horse professional with 22 years' experience, including several years as an instructor.
I am 17 and just talked my stepdad on sunday to let me get a horse and trust me it took alot, but i know have a mare that i am training all on my own, what i did was he already knew how responsible i am, so that was easer, but you should do good in school gradually work him up, start talking about the horse and what condition it is in and stuff like that and give that a few days then work up a little more and say i really wish i could own this horse and it will be givin to me for free then dont bug him for a day or so then ask can i please get this horse and i promise it will be ridable again (dependng weather will be or not just example) and talk smoothly. DO NOT GO RIGHT OUT AND ASK OTHER WISE HE WILL SAY NO!! good luck
you have to look from your dad's point of view. where will you keep it? how about the vet fees? it will cost more if the horse has shoulder issues. theres deworming, and shots, a farrier fees, and tack and other equipment. if you have other horses, then it shouldnt be too huge of a problem, but if its your first horse then its a big commitment. if you cant keep it at your house, then there is boarding fees, and cleaning fees. plus you have to be 100% commited (which you sound like you are) is the horse sound? can you ride it no problem? is it fully broken, green broke, green? once you figure EVERYTHING out...then ask your dad, but ask him in a gradual way? idk, dont be like "HEY dad, can i have this horse?" ya feel me?
From the moment I was able to talk I asked my mum about getting a pony. When I was 8 she finally agreed to let me take lessons. I used to go during the week and look after the horses as well as ride on my own in between lessons. My mum had also had horses most of her life. She knew that I was up to the challenge of looking after a horse of my own.
I am now 21 and still have never owned my own horse.
Sometimes, you just can't convince your parents, for whatever reason. They may feel the struggle of the recession and not want to have the financial responsibility of a pony who, for now, you can't ride. They may know about just how much work it takes to look after one, and feel they don't have the time to help you look after it. Maybe they just don't like the fact that it's lame, and would rather you had a pony with no health problems.
Show them that you know what you are doing by getting them to see you handling the horse. Show them the feed prices, and let them know that you'll do more chores around the house (maybe even do more chores to show how serious you are) and if you're not getting riding lessons, ask if you could have some so they can see how much you love it. If they feel they are up to the responsibility of owning a horse, and feel that you are in it for the long run eventually they'll realise that they probably couldn't do anything to make you happier.
It may take time, and you have to have patience with them. Good luck in getting them to agree.
I am now 21 and still have never owned my own horse.
Sometimes, you just can't convince your parents, for whatever reason. They may feel the struggle of the recession and not want to have the financial responsibility of a pony who, for now, you can't ride. They may know about just how much work it takes to look after one, and feel they don't have the time to help you look after it. Maybe they just don't like the fact that it's lame, and would rather you had a pony with no health problems.
Show them that you know what you are doing by getting them to see you handling the horse. Show them the feed prices, and let them know that you'll do more chores around the house (maybe even do more chores to show how serious you are) and if you're not getting riding lessons, ask if you could have some so they can see how much you love it. If they feel they are up to the responsibility of owning a horse, and feel that you are in it for the long run eventually they'll realise that they probably couldn't do anything to make you happier.
It may take time, and you have to have patience with them. Good luck in getting them to agree.
Personal Experience.