Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

I've read some of the "occupations" e-mails and got to thinking.  My horse 
isn't so much a luxury as she is a cost effective mental health investment.  
I have a couple of minor mental health issues, including depression.  I WAS 
paying a psychiatrist $150 for HALF an hour of therapy every other week.  
That came to $300 a month for one hour of  'help.'  I definitely wasn't 
feeling $150 better at the end of those sessions.

I figured the cost of owning and riding 'Bucket' (don't laugh- she eats a 
bucket of oats, poops a bucket of poop, and one day she'll kick the 
bucket....it fits.) For one year, including board, vet bills, transport and 
riding in 5 or 6 events a year, I came up with a figure of roughly $300 a 
month. I live in an agricultural county in the Finger Lakes, central NY, so 
board is reasonable.

Any way.... if I ride three or four days a week, for three hours each time, 
times four weeks a month, my cost is $25-$33 an hour for excellent mental 
health benefits.  I ALWAYS feel better when I spend time with 'The Bucket,' 
as my husband calls her.  If I include spending a weekend with her for a 
ride......those hours cost about $10 each.

My J-O-B is teacher.  I'm currently subbing, which means flexible hours AND 
flexible pay.  I need to work five days a month to keep my mare.  The rest 
goes into household bills and the college fund for our 14 year old son.  My 
teacher husband retires in two years, which means retirement pay ...... read 
LESS.  We don't go on vacation, except to visit family.  Bucket is my 
vacation.

Can anybody relate?

Julie  ......and Bucket, the anti-depressant horse.

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