# College.. Should I bring my pony ?



## flyinghighleo (Oct 16, 2012)

For the year or two college has been coming up ! I took a year off but this Jan or this coming Sept Im leaving  Im thinking the Hamilton Area ( Ontario) So if you happen to know anyone with a nice stable let me know. 

Does anyone have any experience dealing with this problem ? To bring or not bring the equine friend ? ... Personal stories would be greatly look at !


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

From what I have heard talking to people who have brought horses to college and they recommend not bringing horses for at least the first semester if not first year so you can get used to college, make friends, etc. 

I searched for some barns around there
Golden Gate Equestrian
Schellenberg Stables


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

I brought my horse to university and I would not have been without her. If you're keen to try out a million other university clubs or participate in another sport (as many people do), you might find yourself pressed for time and struggling to squeeze the horse into a busy schedule. But if you're sure that you'll stay dedicated to your horse and have zero desire to try a million new things, then you'll be fine and your trusty equine friend is a wonderful thing to have with you.

I didn't get involved in any other high commitment sports or clubs, but the horse never impacted my social life in a negative way. It didn't stop me from making friends and doing stuff with them. As a grad student, I joined the mountaineering club (the first uni club I ever participated in after nearly seven years of being a student) and I still never had a problem balancing my horse with that, as it's a pretty low commitment club. You can go to their weekend meets and weekly pub night, or not, as often or as little as you want. That sort of club works well with the horse. A club that demanded daily practices and mandatory weekends away might have been a different story.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

One factor that will play in to the notion of taking your horse is how close the facility will be to either your school or residence and time involved just going there and back, never mind time with the horse. You might want to consider leaving the horse where it is the first semester which will give you a better sense of how well this would work out.


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## flyinghighleo (Oct 16, 2012)

Well my thinking is just school and my horse.. im not really in to soccer or other sports! But i like the thought of waiting the first bit to make friends. !

Im worries are I have NEVER kept my horse at another stables. They have always been at my house. Do some people find it hard to trust others with horses equine friends.. ? 

Thank you very much


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## CowboysDream (Nov 12, 2011)

Do you have a car or will you be relying on transit?


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## Tarpan (May 6, 2012)

If you can afford to board your horse then go for it! But wait one semester to get settled in and to REALLY shop around for a good barn. If you find a good place you could always bring your pony up during a school holiday and get him settled in. You may be able to make friends of similar interests more easily if you have him there, too. Perhaps there is a local barn that all the horsey people at the college use?


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I took my horse to my college after two years. My grades stayed up. My social life probably went down because I spent so much time with my horse. I am not so sure that some of the social activities that I was participating in before she came to stay with me were worth doing. My horse no doubt kept me out of a lot of mischief. I guess it depends on whether you want time for mischief.


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## AlottaBitCountry (Aug 11, 2012)

i was dealing with the same decision. i actually chose my college because they have boarding ON CAMPUS! I think thats great, but i think you should probably wait and get settled into school if you choose to bring him/her still, same as im deciding. I want to compete and do school rodeo with him, but im going to wait. 

the other thing is, my boy is pastured all day, no stalls and never has been in a stall. i already down graded him to our 100 acres! his whole life he has had wide open space, i would hate to stall him just to bring him with me to school. im considering looking for somewhere close to campus or the city i will be in that will board my man in a more open area. then again, im protective of him and dont like the idea of what other people do around him or to him while im not there. 

the other thing i was worried about was, at some barns this was a problem, you dont know what they might do to your horse while you arent there. just an example, while an owner of a horse wasnt at the barn, another owner hit her horse in the face with a shovel and broke out all her teeth and caused serious damage. thats horrible! i wouldnt want something to happen to my horse because of someone elses reaction around him or whatever would cause someone to mess with someone elses horse. just an opinion!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

If I were moving my horse to the college stable (or any stable), I would talk to some of the other people that board there and see how things are working out for them. I would also look at the facilities. See if the horses are in good shape. See if things are clean. See if the horses look happy.


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