This recession scares and depresses me, all the people who are losing their jobs and their houses, as their companies start to cut costs because of a real or perceived threat to the life of the company itself. The same has been reflected throughout the horse world with ordinary, old, injured, young or useless horses being sold, loaned or given away as a response to changing priorites and the real or perceived threat of a reduced income. However, I am starting to feel some optimism because just as people tend not to move house during a recession but to concentrate on doing up the house they have got, some horse owners are now determined to improve the horses they have got. I've got one of my busiest weeks ahead...
David and I have certainly had the money conversation. My horses are relatively low maintenance but my Forest ponies still get their feet done regularly, their annual boosters and a worming programme. It eats into and almost decimates the profit from my business. We have made a joint decision to ring fence the horses that we have got; they are going nowhere and they'll get everything they need. However I won't be able to feed the extra 11 Forest ponies that I fed throughout last winter and only Nelly's best friend Brandy will get special privileges. Of course, Mussels is still with me at cost but he keeps Chancer company so that I don't have to give the fatties feed all winter through. If David loses his job, however, the whole picture changes.....fingers crossed that they will always need to keep aircraft in the sky.
