I must stop enabling.

I received an email containing the following statement the other day:

I hate to see practices that put riding out of the financial range of so many people.

I keep thinking about this, and I have to say that I soundly disagree. I'll echo the often-repeated phrase from FHOTD, "Owning a horse is a luxury, not a right."

I've been mulling this statement over for the past few days and then today a few minor things happened and taken together, it's all really made me regret the way I've tried to make this sport easier for some of my clients. I have always tried really hard to give clients less expensive options, such as having relaxed training requirements for the horses and showing requirements for the riders and allowing them to work off or trade services for portions of their bills. I think it's backfired though, and now I have people expecting that I will pave the way for cheaper horse ownership for them, no matter what the circumstances are.

The vodka and I would now like to make some points.

• I founded this program with the intention that it would be pretty low pressure and I'm not going to force anyone into competing if it is beyond their financial means or comfort level. If you are going to show, however, it is going to be expensive. It just is. Don't expect me to let you go to shows with low-quality clothes or tack because not only are you representing yourself in the ring, you are representing my program. I can work with you to help you find quality used things if the cost of new items is prohibitive, but if even that is beyond you, you're in the wrong sport.
• If you buy a horse, there will be expenses you don't expect. I can list out for you the prices of vaccines and dental visits and hoof trims and other routine needs, but do not be surprised (or indignant!) if you buy a horse and it turns out that he needs supplements, or chiropractic care, or extra feed, or whatever. I cringe when people balk at paying for a minor extra expense because it always makes me wonder what will happen if a real emergency comes up. A vet bill in the thousand-dollar range is not unheard of. Plan for it.
• If you choose not to buy a horse, that's fine too. I have a barn full of horses and likely there will be one that works well for you to take lessons on or take to some shows. It is unfair, however, to decide that owning a horse is too expensive for you but expect to use my valuable horses as if they are your own. If you are taking lessons or showing one of my school horses, there will be limits on how high you may jump or how many shows you may do. I have to protect my investment in my school horses -- you might be shocked to find how much it would cost to replace them. The lesson horses are the most valuable animals in the barn.
  
• There are going to be disappointments. I can do my very best to pick a horse for you and we can get a pre-purchase exam and do everything right but things might still go wrong. Whether we have bought a $4,000 horse or a $40,000 horse, he might only be a day away from major illness or permanent injury. If this happens you make a decision and move on. Yes, it might get very expensive (refer to second bullet point). Yes, you might have to get another horse if you want to continue to compete (refer to third bullet point). My horse died. If your horse is still breathing, f-ing get over it.

Now, more vodka.