# horse and college?



## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

Well college is next fall and I'm worried that I won't have enough time to spend with Sonny while I juggle college and work...while trying to add him in also. I need to work to afford him so work is a must.

For all the people who are in college with horses or went to college while owning a horse, how did you manage to be at the barn enough while still giving your horse the love, excersize, and time/care that he/she needs?

I'm sooo worried that I won't have that much time to spend with Sonny.

I've been thinking of for the first month seeing how much time I actually will have...but I doubt I"ll have much...and if I'm correct and don't have much time, then trying to find someone to do a particual lease to give Sonny some excersize...but then again I don't like the idea of letting someone else ride Sonny. I'm not trying to be selfish and keep him all to myself, but I"m just worried that all the time and work I'd put into Sonny will leave if I let someone else ride him...plus my requirements would be a hhuuuuuge list. 

Selling Sonny is NOT an option at all...and I know I'll be able to get up to visit him at least twice a week on weekends and possibly more depending on my work schedual.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

I am actually in college at the moment, work full time and have my guys. Basically, I prioritize. Horses are number one (not according to my parents, but to me  ) 

When I started my job, there was one stipulation: I will work until feed time, then I leave - I go in early to make up the extra time.

With school: I do evening classes - usually one class MW, one class T,Th and two classes on Friday mornings. The late classes during the week let me get my rides in :wink: 

It's definitely not easy, but you can do it -- and good for you for not opting the easy way out...i can't stand to see ads for horses when "owner is off to college"...ugh.


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I hate seeing ads also saying have to sell because of college. Sometimes it is not possibly to give your horse attention while at college and I guess the person thinks that they aren't giving the horse as much attention as he/she deserves...but I find that most college kids (the ones who sold their horse before college) had enough spare time to at least go up twice a week to take care of the horse.

I honestly don't think Sonny will mind if I don't ride him every single week. I'd of course bring him up, lunge him around a bit, and give him some loves and grooming...

It's not like Sonny is on my property so I don't have to worry about getting up early and feeding him.

I was actually thinking night classes would be good, or on-line classes...that way if worse comes to worse I can go some classes on the weekends also. 

Just trying to get ideas of how I can easily juggle things.

Yes Sonny is my first priority and if worse comes to worse, I'll drop out of college (yes I did say I'd drop out)....horses are my life and I've talked to one lady who does horse training, etc and she said that she'd rather have a person who has had hands on experience training horses and taking care of horses than someone who spent 4 years at a college learning how to do it. So more than likely I could always get a job with her...and then hopefully be able to afford another horse and buy one from her (she breeds Morgans  ).

How many hours do you work, kickshaw? Right now I"m working 22.5 hours and though I am getting enough to support Sonny, I'm not sure if I could work that much go to college, and have time for Sonny.

There are girls that would definately help exersize Sonny for me, but I'd really only want them to ride him once a week during a lesson so the trainer can make sure nothing bad happens to Sonny.

*mumbles*I don't want to go to college anyways :x


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## buckaroo2010 (Nov 7, 2007)

Yeah Im also rele worried about it cause the college i want to go to is 150 miles away from home :shock: :?


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Since I'm in the 'old folks' category (college was 30 years ago for me), I'm sure you'll take this with a grain of salt, but please take it as input.

If you can live/survive with little money, little sleep, and no free time, you'll be fine doing college and being with your horse. The key is managing your time and money. It's not hard, you just need to be self disciplined.

WRT experience over college, you want BOTH, not one or the other. You can read about people graduating from college that can't find jobs all day long (and it's true), but if you have college and experience, you'll be in the front of the pack...guaranteed. If you know any 'old farmer/rancher families' like I do, you know that the 'old man' with perhaps a high school education dreams of his kids (that have all the farm experience growing up) going to college and going into agriculture, vet school, or farrier school. The more you know, the less you have to pay others to do.


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## kickshaw (May 7, 2008)

SonnyWimps, I work a 40 hour work week. I really don't think that it will come to the point where you need to drop out of college, but the going might get tough. The good thing is, college is not like high school; you can take one class at a time if that's all your schedule allows, or you can take as many as 6 (that's the limit where I go)

While it is good that there is someone there who would be willing to employ you if you did not have a college education, there are many more who would scoop you up in a heart beat if you had a college education and horse experience 8) 

I think it is important to 1) find a college that is not far from your pony (or a place to keep said pony that is close to your school) 2) find a job that will allow flexibility in your schedule 3) organize your classes to where you allow time for riding and 4) go ahead and commit to finishing school - you don't want to be 40 or 50 and have to break your back doing day-to-day barn chores! 

Also unlike highschool, your summers free are a lot longer at college when compared to highschool...more time for riding!

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to answer


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

I'm just thinking of going to a community college for the first 2 years...the CC is probably 45 minutes away from my house...they do offer on-line classes though which is nice. The stables is about 15-20 minutes away from my house in the opposite direction.

I know my mom said that possibly, after doing the two years at the CC, we might move closer to a college that I"m thinking of attending and then buy some property up there...enough to keep Sonny and possibly another horse or two there.

I can survive on a minimum ammount of sleep...but not so little where I only have maybe 2 hours of sleep a night. 

I guess if worse comes to worse, I could always just go up to the barn after college and just do my home work and studies in Sonny's pasture with him...or I could do it in the arena while I have a friend ride him for excersize.

Only problem with the classes is that my mom is paranoid that I'll fall off of Sonny and get seriously hurt so she wants me to still be covered on the health insurance...well to be covered I need to be a full time college student...which I believe is 8 credits......I think...not even 50% sure on that.


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

Have you thought about going to a college where you could bring Sonny with you? What are you planning on studying? Sounds like horses are your life and passion, majoring in equine studies may be right up your alley! And places that have equine studies often have places to keep your horse on campus. Just a thought. 

I unfortunately was one of the people who had to sell my horse when I left for college. It was a completely non-negotiable thing with my parents.  But she stayed in the barn and the most precious little girl bought her and would stop by the barn just to give her carrots. So it worked out well. i wouldn't shut off the idea of half leasing him out to someone who might meet your criteria. You never know what great kid is wanting a horse! And if they pay for half his bills, help keep him exercised, it could work out to be a great deal for you. Plus, it would just be temporary. 

College was SO FUN for me! It was some of the best 4 years of my life. I learned so much, made the best friends, and had an absolute blast. 

just some things to think about!


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## SonnyWimps (Feb 22, 2008)

upnover said:


> Have you thought about going to a college where you could bring Sonny with you? What are you planning on studying? Sounds like horses are your life and passion, majoring in equine studies may be right up your alley! And places that have equine studies often have places to keep your horse on campus. Just a thought.
> 
> I unfortunately was one of the people who had to sell my horse when I left for college. It was a completely non-negotiable thing with my parents.  But she stayed in the barn and the most precious little girl bought her and would stop by the barn just to give her carrots. So it worked out well. i wouldn't shut off the idea of half leasing him out to someone who might meet your criteria. You never know what great kid is wanting a horse! And if they pay for half his bills, help keep him exercised, it could work out to be a great deal for you. Plus, it would just be temporary.
> 
> ...


I am planning on doing Equine Science as a major, but my mom wants me to start out at a smallerish college, like a Community College to see if it's something I'm going to stick to (I don't know why though cause there are no horse related classes at a CC so I'd have no fun classes to take  )

Don't most colleges keep the horses in a stall all the time? I cannot do that to Sonny...he hates stalls...he tolerates one while I tack him up, but the minute I'm out of his sight he weaves and calls, etc. I don't want him to wear down his hooves 

Yeah, but the problem is I'd want someone to take at least a lesson once a month with my trainer, etc. I guess it'll be harder for me than for Sonny to be leased out...I worry that someone's going to ruin him, etc...or do things that I don't want them to do to him (I don't like jumping him...I jumped with him once and that was free lunging him over some just to get photos...and I wouldn't particually want anyone to jump him). 

I'm sure my mom would perfer me to sell Sonny before I go to college, but I"m not...I refuse to and I told her that flat out. I pay for all of Sonny's bills anyways so she can't argue.


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## KinnAFinn35 (Apr 25, 2008)

i think a lot of it depends on the college you go to and your major. 
I go to college an hour away from home and I'm blessed to have a mom and dad who take care of all of my animals and also who will pay for them...2 horses, a pet steer, 4 sheep, a bunny and my mom takes care of our 3 cats. All of the barn animals are mine (I'm the only one who rides, shows etc) and my dad likes taking care of them for me thankfully. 
Anyway, I'm studying Pre-Med right now and my classes are incredibly hard....I'm not at a school that focuses on that kind of major..it's an engineering school more than anything..but it's kind of small so they don't have a wide range of classes or many different professors for a class. Not much option needless to say. 
But I didn't want to go far from home. I wanted to stay close to my family and pets for a while. 
Due to all the tough classes and stuff I'm stuck here at my apartment studying almost allll the time. I get home for a weekend once in a while but in the winter I'm not able to ride as I don't have an indoor arena and we get A LOT of snow. 
Then in the summer I stay up here to work to pay for school and my apartment and with gas at 3.99 up here last night I cant afford to go home everyday after work to ride..It's sad..but thats how it is. My horses get worked when I can get there and they do fine. I have an 8 year old who is doing awesome. I had him almost completely trained when he was 4 but then I tore my ACL and had it repaired and couldn't ride for almost a year after the healing and then going through winter. Soo he got a little wild when I tried to ride after that. I've just been working him when I can and he's surprisingly making GREAT progress! I worked with him last week and he was awesome  
So, it can be done. It might be hard but it'll all work out.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I went to a community college and I got a job working at a stables. Eventually I even moved Pistol (I only had one horse at the time) to that stables. I will say though... I didn't have much spending money. I had an already paid for car and my parents covered my college so what little money I made, pretty much went into my horse food and gas.... not much else... but I think it was worth it... if that helps you any.....


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

It can be very challenging. This fall I will be in school, working and having 2 yearlings to work with.

Prioritize what is most important and balance out the rest. Go see your horse on certain days and balance out work so that you don't over stress yourself.

Good Luck!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

are you going to do a full course load or part time? You know... You can always do an online school too, depending on what your goal is....


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