Editorial: Run! No... Gallop! Hobby horsing is the sport for students

I close my eyes and lock in. My hooves hit the ground running, stick in hand, polyester horse head in eye view. I see my next jump and I speed up. I make it, just nicking my stick on the edge of the pole. I give my horse a rub between the ears, “good boy, good boy,” I say.  

I finish my jumping round feeling accomplished, proud, and... rich.  

Students can’t afford to be real horse riders, though it’s an expensive fantasy they could live out. Hobby horsing is the perfect student sport. You are able to enjoy the pretentiousness of equestrian, without the bankruptcy.  

Massey University has its very own horse grazing facility, with an arena, right next to the Palmerston North campus. But it costs $680 for a paddock each semester. Coming out to $45 a week, this is actually a pretty normal amount for horse grazing — but it's still something most students couldn’t cop. Especially on top of paying thousands of dollars to buy a horse, feed it and get equipment.  

I asked the grazing facility if hobby horsers would be welcome to use the arena. Anna Palmer, one of the equestrian assistants, says that for special events they usually charge per horse. So, I guess it would be per hobby horse...  

“I’m sure we could come up with a deal,” Anna tells me.  

For animals, I can imagine seeing a polyester version of your head on a broomstick would be quite frightening. With around 60 horses on the farm, Anna says we need to be conscious of them.  

“We need to be mindful of our horse's safety ... the horses need to be happy.”  

Spots on the grazing facility can be quite competitive, with the waitlist once as long as 40 people. But currently, only four students are awaiting space for horse grazing. So, there could be room for hobby horsers to join the list.  

When asked how she feels about hobby horsers, Anna says, “Everyone has things that they love.”  

“It can be a segway into the equestrian community.”  

A hobby horse from The Warehouse is just $16. Much less than a trained horse with real bones, muscles, and hair. Like Anna says, this could be your gateway into the world of equestrian.  

Start now as a student. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to afford a real horse when you graduate.