Anyone else feel guilty about not riding much at the moment?

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So I have to ride either before or after work, so either 6am or 7.30pm. At the moment the weather is just so grim that I am riding maybe only twice during the week and both days at the weekends.
I just feel so guilty about it. I guess I could force myself to ride in whatever weather but my days are so long anyway that I just can't seem to!
Is anyone else feeling like this?!
 
I did feel guilty but found it impossible due to sludgy mud and rain - i have no stables or facilities or hardstanding!
Cob is on box rest at a livery yard for 3 weeks and turned the baby away till spring, managed to find him a nice 10acre field!
 
I think riding 3 or 4 times a week in winter when you work full time is pretty good going so I don't know why you feel guilty! I'd only feel guilty if the horse was not getting any turnout or any other kind of exercise so needed ridden exercise to stay healthy and sane.
 
Oh that makes me feel better :) he goes on the walker and/or out every day so is still getting some exercise. The stables are 30 mins from my house and the station I commute from so the whole process of riding takes a while if you know what I mean!
 
Oh how I wish we had an indoor! We have clubbed together and hired one twice since new year, but it's a bit of a military manuveure to get 4 horses and riders there in one lorry...the girls did a jump clinic two weeks ago in a thunderstorm!
 
I'm happy to bite the bullet and stay off my mare until the ground is safer; I'm concerned she will slip and injure herself and would feel selfish if I did anything other than pottering around on the roads at the moment. She's getting good at going through big flood puddles, so I'm happy I'm continuing her education :D
 
I am actually riding more now than I was but I do have an indoor school so that helps. I will have ridden 5 times this week but like you I usually school 2 days in week and hack both days at weekend.
 
Yes!! More than anything I just feel frustrated. I want to ride daily, but mud fever, weather, and a flooded school means lots of days off! I have regular lessons, and am competitive, so it's frustrating that I'm not able to practise and train as much as I would like/need. T doesn't seem to mind though, so atleast she's happy, which is the main thing :)
 
Yes it's frustration too with me I think! I want to do my first ode of the season in April but just feel like I'm lacking consistency at the moment. Luckily our first one planned is only 70cm so should be ok but really want to be doing more to prepare. Want to go jumping this weekend but the winds will prob mean I won't. Not driving the lorry in high winds!
 
Guilty? Not in the slightest! As long as the horse is getting sufficient exercise then he/she/it couldn't care less whether you ride or not. I'll amend that: he/she/it is DELIGHTED not to have to hump you around.
 
I don't feel guilty in the slightest! The horses are living in the outdoor school with ad lib hay, and couldn't care less that they haven't been sat on in weeks!
 
I did feel guilty a month or so ago but then realised that neither of us enjoy working in the dark on muddy, slippery ground and that, as we don't have anywhere else to ride, we won't bother apart from the occasional weekend hack. It's only for another month or so before we have more light and, with luck, drier fields so have decided not to be hard on myself!
As soon as we can, we'll start our summer fittening programme but until then we're both slobbing about in the mud.
 
I'm lucky to ride once a week atm. Been so busy with uni that it's been flying trips to the yard. On my days off I have no motivation whatsoever, and then when I finally do decide to ride the heavens open! I'm not normally a fair weather rider but teamed with no motivation it's easy to put it off.

Bring on spring, drier days and lighter nights!
 
Well I'd echo what others have said about riding four times a week! That's pretty much my level of riding when my motivation is sky high in good weather. I'm not riding at all at the moment but boys are turned out 24/7 so no guilt.
 
You are doing well Op! I keep mine at home and not working atm, and am lucky to get them out 4 times a week, (but I do have 2).

Tbh I have 0 motivation to ride, but as they are in so much more, require the excercsie. I have pretty much given up hunting since being caught out in the hail storm from a couple of weeks ago, and with the ground so wet, think this is an early end to the season for me.

Riding and leading is my friend atm - at least it keeps them ticking over and both sane!
 
No, not at all. I keep horses for enjoyment and I do not enjoy riding in foul weather.
Our horses have t/o every day, we don't have a school and the fields are certainly not fit to ride in atm. I am looking forward to riding in the better weather though.
 
I've accepted that it's just not going to happen. There's only an outdoor school without floodlights, so I'm restricted to riding at the weekends, when of course, I have other things to do that can't always be done during the week.

I used to feel guilty about not riding enough, but this winter have finally accepted that it's just not going to happen, and that there's absolutely no point worrying over it! Horse has daily turnout for around 16 hours a day, and is as happy as larry (whoever larry is! :) ).
 
I think you are doing really well to get out that often at the moment.

I don't feel guilty that I haven't ridden for a couple of weeks now, as mine are out weather permitting, so they get freedom/exercise etc, but I do feel frustrated.

Hopefully Spring is on its way soon, with more day light and less rain and gales!
 
I havent managed to sit on my lad for 3 weeks, its so depressing! i have been working overtime so doing 8am-6.30pm at the moment, i only just have time to get 3 mucked out etc in the morning! Also have had 2 busy hectic weekends which is when i usually get to ride!! i have no arena and fields are to wet, i am straight out onot a main road which is bad in summer but terrible in winter when visibility is bad and road is wet, even in full hiviz it doesnt feel safe so hacking is a tad worrying! hoping to box up head to woods and get on board for an hour this sunday (wind depending) as im working saturday!

I have just resinged myself to the fact this is how it is and i will start getting him fit once the weather dries up a bit! He is only 4 and isnt bothered if he is ridden or not lol :)
 
[deleted user] said:
So I have to ride either before or after work, so either 6am or 7.30pm. At the moment the weather is just so grim that I am riding maybe only twice during the week and both days at the weekends.
I just feel so guilty about it. I guess I could force myself to ride in whatever weather but my days are so long anyway that I just can't seem to!
Is anyone else feeling like this?!
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Riding 4 times is my aim and Ive managed it this week and feel very good about the achievement so if you do this regularly you are doing really well. Mine is out everyday for 12 hours and I aim to ride or lunge twice in the week in the floodlit school and go out and long hacks at the weekend (2.5 hours ish) if I can. Been totaly drowned a few times and had to get through a river with burst banks on a number of occasions so its not exacltly fun so those not getting out as much I totally understand the sentiment!
 
Pearlsasinger said:
No, not at all. I keep horses for enjoyment and I do not enjoy riding in foul weather.
Our horses have t/o every day, we don't have a school and the fields are certainly not fit to ride in atm. I am looking forward to riding in the better weather though.
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Me too. Mine are also happy to stay in on days when the weather is at its worst. I would love it to dry out a bit now.
 
[deleted user] said:
So I have to ride either before or after work, so either 6am or 7.30pm. At the moment the weather is just so grim that I am riding maybe only twice during the week and both days at the weekends.
I just feel so guilty about it. I guess I could force myself to ride in whatever weather but my days are so long anyway that I just can't seem to!
Is anyone else feeling like this?!
Click to expand...

Yes I always feel guilty about not riding. I think life is too short, you could get run over by a bus tomorrow or lose your horse, or it end up lame and unable to be ridden for a long while. So I try to enjoy my horse and ride as much as I can. TBH I quite like riding in the rain. I find it refreshing and no one else really likes to so I often have the school to myself.

I have heard people who claim to be 'desperate to ride' their horses put it off, again and again and again, make up excuses for not riding and always claim they will do it 'tommorrow'. But I know only too well that tommorrow never comes, so best ride whilst you can!

Sometimes though I feel totally drained at the end of a day, mentally drained as my job is very emotionally draining (work in Child Protection) and I really don't have the energy to ride. But I always berate myself for not doing so!
 
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