Hi to all in Adelaide,

This may be of particular interest to you:

http://www.duckling.com.au

Kind Regards,
Sonja

Hi JPD,

I have no knowledge of the situation in your area but, as a rule, horses are an expensive hobby (mine are now semi-retired and on free lease to RDA). Most owners are aware that they must part with $$$ to indulge their hobby.

Riding for the disabled (RDA) I believe operates on a national level – but I may be mistaken. They actually came recruiting to the agistment property where my horses were retired. If horses are forgotten/abandoned or simply retired the RDA are usually looking for good natured animals for their association but require a free lease in return for providing all care the animal requires.

It is true that people often forget or abandon their horses and leave them in what they see as equine old age retirement homes. I believe that this is more likely to occur with the sort of agistment property that my horses were on (approx. 300 acres fertile and free range property) than the sort of property you are proposing.

Like all other business/real estate ventures you need to know your local market. I’d say target a particular sector of the local equine community and tailor your business to suit their needs/wants. You mentioned dressage, for example, is that popular in your area? Perhaps a top quality dressage arena would attract people amd $$$.

Providing and encouraging opportunities such as the coast (beach?) for riding will also help preserve the quality of your land. Resting and irrigating paddocks is also a great idea (actually a necessity) in my opinion. Even more so as it seems you have a coastal (ie sandy) location.

When I was at uni the place I kept my horses had small lock-up sheds for feed, tack, etc. This was a big bonus for me as some of the other horse owners had a tendancy to help themselves to these things and as a uni student I had nowhere else to store them. This may or may not apply to your situation.

I assume that your partner has knowledge of or access to council policies. Complying with these will clearly make life much easier. This seems obvious and is common to any development.

As far as the insurance, I was wondering about people riding/handling their own (or a friend’s) horses on your property.

Kind Regards,
Sonja

PS Horse manure sells if marketed well. Although not big $$$ it gets rid of it for a small return.

I’ve owned horses for over 20 years and I’ve got to say that I am interested in your plan. It could be a disaster or it could work very well. I haven’t considered the costs involved but I can see two possible scenarieos.

If you are intending to put 20 (not to mention 30!) horses free range on 14 acres of the best land in Australia you will end up with nothing but a horrid, fly-blown dust-bowl plus 14 acres of fence to fence manure. I would estimate that, regardless of the quality of the land, this would occur within a matter of months.

As you say that your partner is a horse-wise person I assume that this is not your plan.

Perhaps a stable/grazing combo idea would work. You would be able to give the horses limited access to grazing and self exercise but supplement with primarily stable accomodation and hand feeding. If managed well this would not destroy/pollute your land. Add facilities such as an (indoor?) arena, washbays, etc and you may have a winner.

There are lots of variables involved. Do you have a specific plan as to how you are going to manage the property/business? I also wonder how the 8 acre property with 40 horses (that your friend refers to) is managed and the land is coping.

Kind Regards,
Sonja

PS. Exactly what does the insurance you mentioned cover?

PPS. Just read your latest post. If the numbers add up and you are confident of your ability to manage the land and the business then I’d have to ask “why not do it?” Is there a particular reason that you hesitate?

…carrying on like a frog in a sock.

It took me a while to get this one but once I actually visualised what a frog in a sock would do it was surprisingly similar to the pointless jumping up and down/ranting and raving (achieving nothing) that was being refered to at the time.

Kind Regards,
Sonja

You could also try having a look around at http://www.nlm.nih.gov

Kind Regards,
Sonja

We’ve been wrestling with the buy or sell question with an IP in a town between Bega and Merimbula for a few months now. We also bought it in the late 90’s. Personally, IMHO, the market is at least flat. Recently we recieved an unsolicited offer on our property and that sealed the deal. SELL!!!

Kind Regards,
Sonja

PS Having said that I don’t think owning anything on the coast is a bad thing.

I’d very much like to be part of this group but as we only have one car and hubby will be working every weekend for the forseeable future I’ll have to hold out for a weeknight meeting if that is possible for others. Hoping to change the weekend work situation too but not holding my breath.

I’d love to hear how it all goes!

Kind Regards,
Sonja

My personal belief is that I am responsible for my own actions. I hope that I don’t use other people’s behaviour, appropriate or otherwise, to justify my actions. I also believe that all people deserve to be treated with respect – regardless of their mistakes, flaws or differences in opinion. At the same time, I’ll say again, we should all be held responsible for our actions.

I think it is a pretty sad state of affairs when Steve has to start a thread such as this. Personally I like Rob and appreciate his input. That was not always the case. Back in April (Hi Rob:) don’t take this the wrong way) when he was having a rather vitriolic exchange with another forumite I also consider a friend (Hi Jo) I was quite scared of him. But both of them have shown enough character to get past it. Just BTW (although I have had little or no personal contact) I also have great respect for the other forumites who have been involved in more recent differences with Rob.

I guess, perhaps, I am being more than a little idealistic here but I would like to get past the rather ugly personal conflict that has crept into the public forum. I have been around long enough and read enough posts to say that it seems out of character for the more established forumites. As for the newbies who start off by deliberatly and agressively antagonising others… well I’ll hold off on forming an opinion because I just don’t know where you are comming from.

Sorry to get on my soap-box here but truth is I’m just sick of it. I think PI.com is great and so are the peole here. I guess I’ll just leave it at that.

Kind Regards,
Sonja

Thanks for this little gem. Rather timely for me also. Problem is that as soon as I put the glass down there is about another dozen or so screaming to be picked up!

Guess I’ll just have to drink more water…?

Cheers,
Sonja

For hubby and I marriage is about the promise that we made before God and to each other.

The feeling of belonging in a lifelong partnership is bliss. That comes with knowing my husband is as committed to our relationship as I am. That’s not to say that marriage is always bliss but each of us knows that the other is in it for the long haul. I’m not just talking about staying together for the sake of it but working to help our marriage grow. Our individual futures and the future of our relationship are so much better off thanks to those vows!

Cheers,
Sonja