I want to buy a horse

[Kali]

48. we've seen a few abandoned horses/ponies here

it is real easy to get in over your head with a large animal. as mentioned elsewhere, horses are really cheap right now, but feed and maintenance is skyrocketing. so lose a job or the kids are bored with the toy animal and people think they can just let old Beauty "go free" on the "open range". Well, old Beauty has about as much chance as the load of puppies or kittens some other idiot drops off at the end of a dirt road thinking farmer John or Rancher Kali is going to save them and keep them. Not much of a chance if the coyotes get there first or a car runs over them. Might as well be responsible and shoot them yourself. because the alternative is actually worse.

So I tend to be a bit of a downer when I read posts like yours. I sure understand the feeling - I would do just about anything to keep a horse too, but it is an expensive habit for sure!