Re: Are you being hit by the credit crunch?

To me "Credit crunch" is getting advertised more then it usually is to be fairly honest with you.I don't know why people here hyped up a thing way too much. Its not only with credit crunch but in sports as well (you take football, rugby, cricket and recently Tennis as well, all of the sports BBC specially hype up things way too much). I remember I was watching breakfast the other day and the host said "if murray wins from Federrer then he is british and if he loses from him he is scottish"..What rubbish!

Credit crunch is hitting those people who had invested in share market quite heavily, for example, the steel giant Laxmi Mittal (from 24.4Billion dollars to 2.4 billion dollars).

People who has hard cash in hand they are doing pretty well, like  the owner of Topman etc.

So you can see there are different ways or I should say areas where you can avoid this "crunch".

If I owned 20 odd horses and had pretty bad times then I would have sell them But will never abandoned them. Abandoning them would not make you feel any good instead you'll be more worried about the horses whom you spent soo much time, effort and money over period of time.

I'd say, strong people are hanging on there and weak people are trying ways to run away.

Regards

Jehanzeb

Re: Are you being hit by the credit crunch?

I was talking to some of the others at the yard about this, and all of us said we'd sell our houses before we'd sell our horses!!!  One woman said she'd sell her kid before her mare!!

I work in an industry that is likely to be hit if things get really bad (travel industry) so I have to think about the prospect of job losses or salary cuts!!  But one thing is certain my horse and my dogs will be fine, I might live off baked beans but they'll continue to live exactly as they always have.

I have sourced a field in my village if things do get really bad. Myself and another owner have agreed we'll take it on (field owner only wants tiny amount of money to rent it) just in case we have to leave the yard if it gets to expensive. As much as I'd hate to leave the facilities, I know Kane will cope living in a field (he has done for the last 4 years before I moved to 'proper' livery) and at least he'll have food and water, and it will save me petrol money and livery costs.  

Re: Are you being hit by the credit crunch?

I'm certainly feeling it at the moment.  With Ben on box rest he's getting through lots more bedding and hay than he usually does.  Additionally, our savings are with Icesave, the Icelandic bank that has gone bust!  AND the insurance company after three months have still not decided if they are going to pay out for his treatment - the weekly bandage changes are slowly bankrupting me!

However, I feel far better off than somebody at our yard.  First of all she lost her second job which paid for her horse.  Now she has lost her main job and so her horse has to go.  The only fortunate part is that there is a stud quite close by who are taking her on loan for a few years as a brood mare but are also going to do some schooling with her.  She's only four now so she'll still be young when she gets back to her mum.  Also, the yard taking her on loan have said that her owner can go and see her as often as she wants.  Hopefully it will all turn out okay for her, she needs a break.

Re: Are you being hit by the credit crunch?

Hi everyone

It's interesting what you are all saying about things getting tricky out there and it makes me very sad for those who are suffering trying to keep their horses. I can't imagine what I would do if I lost my job - try to find another one and keep my horse I suppose - but it isn't always as easy at that!

Well done to those of you who are looking at fields to rent etc as I think that's a really good idea for anyone else in trouble who hasn't thought of it already. Horses were made to live out after all, and you can beg, borrow or ebay some really good thick rugs until times get better.

So finger's crossed for all of us (and I include myself in this!!) that we can keep our horses and manage to get through what I hope will only be a blip in the economic landscape!

Lol Justinexx

Re: Are you being hit by the credit crunch?

Sadly  have been hit pretty hard by the credit crunch - I have had to sell my beautiful horse so that I can afford to go to work! I work in the centre of Bristol but live on the outskirts - travel in and then parking costs me over £200 a month - that's on the cheapest option I can find! I would never abandon my horse, which is why she is for sale.

I find it totally inexcusable to abandon any living creature - we take them on to care and provide for them - if this cannot be achieved then we must review the situation and act in the best interests of teh animal in question, be it a horse or a hamster!