Best way to get your parents into buying you a horse?

• I rlly want my own horse! I love my lesson horse and the horse i share with my buddie but rlly. I NEED MY OWN HORSE! ive been begging since pre-k! all of my buddies have one..but me! ...show more

• Answer:

  Hey, pal, I have a newsflash for you: Your parents are under NO OBLIGATION WHATSOEVER to buy you a horse, no matter how much you whine and beg. And the more you nag them about it, the LESS interested they will be in cooperating. Begging and whining is for little KIDS, pal, and if you want to get anyone interested in helping you, you need to GROW UP and start acting like a responsible ADULT instead of a spoiled two year old who's having a temper tantrum. The world DOESN'T OWE YOU, or anyone else, A LIVING- and it's WAY PAST TIME you understood this. Horses are EXPENSIVE- and I don't just mean the purchase price. That's just the tip of the iceberg. The real costs are in the upkeep- horses cost a lot of money to feed and care for properly. They aren't like your bike, pal- you can't just simply plop a horse down in the yard after a ride and leave it to sit for the next 3 weeks. A horse needs shelter, good food, and regular visits from the vet and the farrier in order to stay healthy. Horses also need regular vaccinations, just like people, and they need companionship. It's neither normal nor healthy for a horse to live alone for long periods of time, and those that do often develop serious medical or behavioral issues just because they are lonely. In addition, horse ownership requires HUGE TIME commitments. Horses are creatures of habit, just as people are, and must be fed on time, every time. They need regular exercise, and if they are kept in a stall, that stall needs to be CLEANED DAILY, and picked out at least once or twice in addition to this. You don't sound to me as if you have a clue about what kind of responsibilities are involved in horse ownership- and I also suspect that I am not the only one who realizes this. Your PARENTS undoubtedly have grasped this too- hence their reluctance to buy a horse for you. They aren't stupid, pal. If you want a horse that badly, then find ways to get one yourself. Save your allowance money if you get an allowance. Babysit kids in your neighborhood. In the summer, see if you can get jobs mowing your neighbors' lawns and watering their flowerbeds and gardens. You can also ask around and see if any of your neighbors need someone to house sit or pet sit for them while they are out of town over Christmas and New Year's. House sitting is a GREAT WAY to earn money with relatively little effort on your part- and it doesn't take a lot of time, either. Most folks generally are glad to have someone responsible around to keep an eye on things while they're away- this takes the worry out of vacations and makes them the relaxing events they're supposed to be. Offer to walk your neighbors' dogs and take of their cats and other pets, too. Dog walking is fun, and it's also a great way to earn money for a horse. If you can show your parents you're responsible about money and about your own behavior and attitude, they may be more inclined to help you get a horse. Have you ever considered LEASING a horse first? That would give you riding time without the financial commitment that horse ownership brings. You've said you're fond of your lesson horse- well, why don't you ask your instructor if he's available for lease next time you're at the barn? You can also ask about possibly working there for pocket money- almost all barns are happy to have someone who's willing to clean stalls and do grunt work. That will not only show your parents you're responsible, it will allow YOU to learn some of the ins and outs of horse care and stable management. And it goes without saying that you need to start busting your rear end in school. That means NO GRADES UNDER a B in ANY SUBJECT, either now or in the future. Do your homework, study and get good grades on your exams, and see if you can make the honor roll a few times. Keep your nose clean and stay out of trouble. That means no late hours, no wild parties, no drugs, no alcohol or tobacco, and NO SEX. It also means that you treat your parents as you yourself want to be treated- with respect. If you can manage all of this, then you may stand a chance of being able to change your parents' minds. Think about it.