Is it just me who gets this feeling?

No!! I completely get what you're saying, and think it all the time! And it's not just that, but (I'm not saying people shouldn't have grooms) kids who own their own horses and they think that they do all this work or something, but they don't even take care of it! One girl I know, she always brags about having her own horse and she's jumping 3'3" (I'm catch riding PONIES. Seriously!?) on her 16.3hh horse that would jump the whole course without a rider! And what really gets on my nerves is she's kind of sensitive, so my trainer knows not to push her too hard, so my trainer's like, "Good insertnamehere, aka Bobita! Okay heels down, Great!" And I'm over here riding a 2'6" course on a pony that likes to spazz out and she's yelling at me?! I know my trainer likes me a lot and she only yells at me because she knows I can handle it, but I'm like COME ON! If you can't handle it, than don't ride!!

Another thing that drives me nuts is (same person here) her horse is 14 years old, bomb proof, but every once in a while if he sees a new banner, for instance, he'll side step a little and then be okay. Bobita makes a huge deal about it though, and she thinks she's this magnificent rider, when I'm over here jumping (not bragging, but) nearly perfect courses on a pony no one else could sit on!!

Okay, I'm done. Anyone else want to rant?(;

I get worried.

In my mind I start to blame the media. They make owning a horse look so fun and inexpensive.

I used to be one of the kids until I got my first horse. I don't regret it at all, but I sure wish I was more experienced!

I've now turned my father into a horse wanting freak. He begs my mother to let him get a horse.

Unfortunately, my mom declines.

However, children (and their parents too) often don't understand how much it is to take care of a horse. My dad knew, as he was raised on horseback, but my mom didn't. She's now asking me why her teeth need to be floated, why her feet needs to be trimmed, and why she needs grain. My father is much more willing participant to give me the money for the vet bills and whatnot.

However, my mom is beginning to understand and I've sent her on a couple emergency grain/brush/fly spray run. There is a tractor supply 5 miles from my barn!

I got off topic again... sorry.

I know a kid (she's 11) and her mom told her she could have a horse. She is just now learning to canter.

She has to have a horse UNDER $200 so they can afford the rest of the equiptment.

She's picked out a horse, a unbroke, 17 hand, 3 year old thoroughbred mare.

The girl is terrified of horses that aren't completely sane 100% of the time.

I tried to talk both her and her mother out of it and they gave me the cold shoulder. The mom even dared to bring up the subject of me training my friends horse from a wild mare.

I explained to her that i've been riding since I was 7 and wasn't scared or timid.

I fear for both this horse and girl.

I'm 23, work with horses for a living, and still don't own a horse. I just get too fearful about what could happen if I switch stable jobs or decide to leave the horse industry. Not to mention the costs. It makes me a little envious, that they can be that naive. I would love to have that kind of fantasy again, where the major cost of owning a horse would be buying it. Instead I just take care of other peoples horses, and I'm never out of a horse to ride, though sometimes I still want to own one.

I want a horse sooo badly but I don't but I don't ask my mum and dad. I am looking for a job to save up for a horse but I have been working with horses for 3 years so I know practically everything about them :L

I think if they wanted a horse that bad they would be doing the same as me and doing more than just saving their christmas and birthday money, sure that might help but that only happens once a year :/

I think if I kept reading them everywhere then I would go insane but I don't :/ It does annoy me when I see people complaining about it and their not doing anything about it, sitting complaining and crying about something isn't gonna change anything so they need to do something about it ..

I was probably the same way and my parents could no way afford anything but lessons lessons lesson. But when you're a kid you just have no concept at all of what things cost and how your parents have to pay bills and buy food. Now that I'm in my 50's I wonder how they even paid for all those lessons; minimum wage was only about $2.20 and riding lessons in the late 60's was about $3.50 an hour.

You just have to realize they need to vent to some horse people and don't understand. Ignore the queston and go on to one where you can help somebody.

Exactly! They do not know the full extent of owning a horse. And most teenage girls who only want a horse to impress others will not be concerned about things like picking up hooves, cleaning stables and paddocks, and other minor things that true horse owners do everyday. I was little when I got a horse, but my mum was a horsewoman herself, so I lucky to be taught the daily chores of horse owning since I was four. Some younger ones need to realise it is not just about them getting a "pretty pony", but it is about the welfare of the horse, and if that isn't put first than there is no point in owning one.

And I am sure you have never done that when you were a little girl, maybe dream, be stupid, want a pony so damn bad you would have sold every toy you had? There a some little girls who can't even afford riding lessons, let alone a pony. They don't know that 20 dollars won't cover it. Stop being so selfish. You might have a pony, I have 20 eventing horses. But see if i could, i would buy every girl out there with a dream, a pony and give them everything they deserve. Get your head out your **** and think how they feel.

Of course they don't understand, they're children, what do they know of finance? They don't know how to deal with money, how to prioritise, or even where money comes from - it's just there. Parents go to work, therefore we have money ... and that's fine up to a point because parents shouldn't be burdening their children with their financial worries but the parents should be giving their children a financial education, and most don't.

A lot of parents could improve their children by doing two things. Ensuring they are financially educated, and teach them the full outcome of and reason for the word NO.

the ones who think the whole world will just come to them for christmas drive me insane, the ones who think their parents will just get them anything just because 'they want one'.

yeah, my family is pretty rich, and we could afford lots of horses if my parents bought me them for the sake of it, but they dont. If i want something, i still have to work for it like anyone else would, i have a horse, but that was the result of paying for the actual horse myself(so over £1000), having to get up at 6am to go to my yard in the school holidays, and i would help out and lead the horses for beginners and do all yard jobs until 9pm, i did that every day of the holidays. Not because i had to, but because i wanted to gain experiance and show my parents that i was serious about it and that i was willing to give up all my time and money, even if i knew i wouldnt have to. It proved to them how dedicated i was and that it was not easy, but thats real life for ya. Life isnt easy and the world doesnt come to you.

Sponsor a horse. It's way cheaper.

There are institutions that allow you to do that. You pay a small fee, and your kids can go there and help with the horses (feed them, brush them, ride them, etc). They create a bond with those animals, and you have no responsibility whatsoever.