I'm starting to notice a pattern. It's the uncomprehending expression on people's faces when we tell them we're trying to buy a home with enough room for a horse. A horse property. A couple people have even responded, "But there are so many nice riding stables."And then my husband has to explain that I'm different. I want my horse at home.
It really is different here. Most horse owners board, and board happily, contentedly, without any crazy dream of owning their own land.
It can be better understood when I looked around and realized that people here don't have the American Dream. Home ownership. Many Germans live their lives renting. Even with dual incomes. I cannot comprehend this! I know successful businessmen who will rent their entire lives by choice.
Out of all the people I know who have horses here, acquaintances included, I know of only two who keep horses at home. One is a veterinarian/tack store owner, and one is my barn owner. Both of them usually board their horses at big stables in wintertime, probably to spare their pastures. Both of them rent various other fields in their neighborhoods, because they need more room. This walking through your neighborhood to go fetch your horse is not for me. I want my horse to be HOME.
Germany has a huge array of riding stables for nearly every horse person. When I realized this week how cheap hay is here, I think those riding stables are making lots of money. They charge typical east-coast (NY) prices for board.
Due to this, there is another phenomenon that surprised me. Almost no horse has only one person. All the horses here are leased to at least one other person. Horsekeeping is expensive. Horses themselves are ridiculously expensive. I leased a horse last year and feel bad because after I quit that, I was not sure the owner could afford her horse. There are internet sites to hook you up with owners of horses you'd like to lease, or vice versa. Get this, there is special liability insurance for people who lease horses. I had to sign up for it when I leased.
My dream came with me. I hope it becomes reality soon. Friday is lawyer/notar day.
.JPG)
9 comments:
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
I've always wanted my horses in my own back yard too. We started looking 2 years ago but so far haven't found that "just right" place.
I'm really hoping we find it while Cessa has a few years left.
It is so much cheaper to keep a horse at home than to board. Of course, it's also a lot more work. My problem is I don't have the energy to ride and play after doing all of the care. I ended up with the best of both worlds. I'm boarding a friend's house just 3 miles away for just the cost of feed. The benefits of boarding at the cost of home care. It's a great situation for me.
I suppose there probably isn't as much land in Germany as we've got in the states, so that may be one reason most people board. Not the backyard horse kinda place. I've said it before, but I'll say it again, hearing about the different horse culture there really intrigues me!
Wow! Amazing the differences in cultures, eh?
I hope you find what you are looking for! And soon! :)
Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be checking in on your blog from time to time now :)
My fingers are crossed for you, too! I'm hoping to find a new place myself, soon....okay, so my fingers just might be permanently crossed!
-Aarene
I'm US based (San Francisco) and definitely dream to keep my horse on my own property one day. Good luck!
today my man was on the phone with three different banks, sorting out loan packages. they all want our business. may the best bank win, hehehe.
we had dinner with his family tonight, but in the middle of it we ran off to feed the horses and run to the winning bank to get their offer on bank letterhead.
after feeding the horses, i jumped into the passenger seat and woke up my man who had fallen asleep waiting for me. he said, "where's the bank slip?" and i said, "oops, under my muddy shoes on the floor. just kidding." it's good to look at that number on paper, a promise from the bank.
time is passing so slowly. friday's the big get-together of buyers (us) sellers (both the house and the field), agent, and lawyer. i've never seen this go down before, it should be interesting.
i can sense that my man is very driven to this property; he's determined to get it. i'm not saying a thing (besides fantasizing about mud-free solutions and fencing types). he has to love it, and he really seems to.
jackie, you're right. germany is not an individual horse property kind of place. there is not enough land. every square meter of land is used and reused for something, and horses are grouped in large numbers in riding stables. thankfully, there are a million riding stables, cuz riding is a mainstream activity here.
speaking of land-use, the first time my husband saw yakima (washington state) he said, "what is all this land for?" and i said, "oh, nothing." "what do you mean nothing? you mean, nothing? it's just sitting here?" "well, yah, look at it, it just goes on forever like this." it was his first week in america, and yakima left a big impression on him. americans have so much space they don't even use all of it.
latigo liz, i've enjoyed your posts, but i have to be honest, it makes me a little too homesick sometimes to visit your blog.
cdncowgirl - i know what you mean, baasha is 23. if we don't find a place soon, i'll never be able to keep my promise to him to bring him home someday and care for him every day.
aarene - you have to find a place too! then we can discuss mud control techniques. we have the same rain here as seattle.
kathleen - when you find your own place, if it's in cali, you probably won't suffer from the mud problems we all have!
Lytha-
I am so happy for you!!! About that horses/home ownership thing in Germany...we had an exchange student my junior year in high school who was from what used to be East Berlin.
She was amazed that we all had our own homes, and our own horses too. I remember the first time she told me about leasing and sharing her horse with four other people...then it was my turn to be shocked...lol!!!
Anywho...we still keep in touch, and her family (husband and two kids) live with her grandparents on their old family farm. No horses there though! She still leases one at the local stable. :)
Lytha I've left you a little something on my blog :)
Good luck tomorrow with the banks.
I can see that your man loves you very much in his eagerness to get the house and land for your horse. Does he ride too?
Fingers crossed!!
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