Anyone feel like giving up?

[J&S]

Why not give yourself a break and, if it is financially viable, get a pro to bring your pony on a bit so when spring comes you have a better schooled pony to ride. You could always still do a bit of in hand work.

I am 75 and would be physically quite capable of riding but as I now have to be a full time carer for my partner I am lacking in time and energy. I have retired my old mare and have a friend come and take the companion pony out. I do still do some on line competitions with the alternative Equine Club as it just keeps me involved enough and is good for both the ponies. Never too old to learn more tricks!

 

[Skib]

I gave up this year after a lifetime of horses and being a professional rider/trainer/breeder for almost 50 years. I love it! Don’t miss it one bit and have left behind most of the aches and pains that were a large part of the decision to quit.

I am the opposite as I didnt start riding till I was 61. It was a luxury, not a job. And rising trot proved wonderful therapy for my bad back.
I was also from the start a winter rider. I got depressed in winter and so I looked around for something I could do in winter and in the UK that I would really enjoy.
I had enough money and never had the chore of looking after my own horse.

I think it is good for me too. One of the big risks for old people is falling. OH tripped and fell in the garden this week. He was unhurt. But riding improves ones balance and strengthens ones ankles.

If you have managed the care and also riding on your own, I can understand why you are stopping. Older people who ride can probably continue only because like me they have kind people on the yard to help them or to ride with them. But the positive gains from my riding seem to me clear.

 

[scats]

I think it is good for me too. One of the big risks for old people is falling. OH tripped and fell in the garden this week. He was unhurt. But riding improves ones balance and strengthens ones ankles.

.

And occasionally breaks them ?

 

[Cortez]

I am the opposite as I didnt start riding till I was 61. It was a luxury, not a job. And rising trot proved wonderful therapy for my bad back.
I was also from the start a winter rider. I got depressed in winter and so I looked around for something I could do in winter and in the UK that I would really enjoy.
I had enough money and never had the chore of looking after my own horse.

I think it is good for me too. One of the big risks for old people is falling. OH tripped and fell in the garden this week. He was unhurt. But riding improves ones balance and strengthens ones ankles.

If you have managed the care and also riding on your own, I can understand why you are stopping. Older people who ride can probably continue only because like me they have kind people on the yard to help them or to ride with them. But the positive gains from my riding seem to me clear.

Riding and looking after horses was my job, one that I have enjoyed immensely...until I didn't, and the physical toll has been great. I have achieved everything I ever wanted to with horses, and more, but now at 63 and with incipient arthritis and massive wear and tear on joints I am very happy to move on and away from active participation in the horse world. It is really the physical damage that is making the decision for me, so a contrast with the advantages you are finding. I still teach and judge a bit, but I will be stopping this soon as I feel I am not engaged enough to be really relevant and up to scratch with everything happening in the competition world.

 

[Sealine]

I’ve semi retired my horse and this is the first winter I’ve not had the pressure of riding to keep him hunting fit. I now plan my riding around the weather and hack with friends 3 or 4 times a week. I only go to the farm once a day in the morning as someone else brings in and feeds in the afternoon. Not having to rush back to bring in at this time of year when the days are so short is great.

 

[Skib]

Dont know if it counts as involvement, but I hope you will stay on this H&H Forum Cortez, as I need to learn from people like you.

 

[NooNoo59]

Thank you all for your advice glad to know I am not on my own! My instructor is marvelous so explained the situation and this morning we lunged him so he had some exercise and I got on and just walked round and we had a chat, I felt better for it as I knew I would. This is all I am aiming for for the next few weeks, keep him ticking over, hack out when I can and potter round the school a couple of times a week. I dont want to stop but sometimes life is too much. Not long now and the days start to get longer and I have a hot holiday in February! So heres to a few weeks of early nights and hot baths and coping as best I can.

 

[Annagain]

Great news that you're feeling better about it. Do you have someone to ride with? I find making arrangements to ride with someone else really helps as I can't back out.

 

[Prancerpoos]

I am 64 now. I gave it all up about 3 years ago when I suddenly thought “What is the point?” I seem to have spent an awful lot of my life looking after horses and, for the last couple of years, riding the companion pony out on fairly boring hacks (‘big’ horse no longer rideable) whilst having to go up the yard twice every day minimum to look after my 2 and take care of my land and barns etc. Owning horses really ties you down if you look after them yourself and, as with many things, I think it is easy just to get used to that being how it is and never questioning it or considering making a big change.

Do I miss it? No, not one bit. I doubt I will ever ride again as, although physically very healthy, I am no longer convinced that what we do with / how we treat horses can really be justified from their POV.

That aside, I love coming on the forum to see what’s going on in horse land.

 

[tristar]

The day I give up is the day they carry me off in a box. My arthritis has been hurting but I am so grateful to have an amazing horse. I just plonk myself on and away we go ?

YAY!

 

[Ali27]

I’ve just turned 50? Haha, still in denial? A couple of weeks ago, I had 4 days (during the week) where I just couldn’t be bothered to ride. I have no arena at my field/ stables but can use arena at neighbours for a small charge. I also have no electricity/ lights so everything in morning/ evening is done with a headtorch. I mentioned it to my instructor but she gave me a kick up the backside so I’m back schooling in next door’s arena once a week, a lesson and then hacking/ jump clinics at weekend. So I’m managing 4 times a week and at a push will drop down to 3 times if necessary. As well as my ridden mare, I’ve got a 2 1/2 year old but leaving ground work for next couple of months until weather is better and evenings are lighter. Apart from picking out hooves/ reinforcing good manners leading/ in stable etc, everything else can wait until Spring? I’m hoping I can keep my motivation to ride throughout the Winter ?

 

[FantaPlease]

Going through this myself at the min. I am 40 my pony is 23 in April - retired pretty much just hop on and go if we feel. I get winter blues every year, but Summer 2022 I wanted to throw the towel in all year and still do now. My mare is having a rough time of it, 3 legged lame, reoccurring stubborn abcesses, cushings, artherutis, wants to be out but medical grounds keep stopping it, everything's icey, she's miserable, I'm miserable, I am out of work until my dbs comes in so prob looking Jan now, and even then it's 5 12hour shifts which a big chunk of will go on her care as ill be working/sleeping/trying to enjoy my child and husband, I've developed night driving anxiety, struggling financially. My get up and go got up and went. The way I feel is we've had a good run, made so many memories, blood sweat and tears, we can look back and smile. These next 2 weeks will be crucial if she bounces back from the latest abcess on we go - if it starts getting complicated we call it a day and allow her to go with some dignity quality over quantity for both of us.... chin up. X

 

[FlyingCircus]

I'm defo over it at this point. I have a 15yr old who is retired due to arthritis and a 7 Yr old who in the last year has:

Been scoped
Sent for full lameness investigation (nothing found)
Went for schooling, got sand colic
Colic surgery
Rehab
Thought she had infected hock joint from being an idiot out hacking and scrambling a bridge instead of walking through the puddle next to it...
Sore eyes
Puffy legs
Now an abscess that has been rumbling since October

Endless vets visits, farrier visits, bills...every time she is in she goes through £100+ of bedding a week.

Can't cope with it. Totally had enough. Not ridden properly in over a year as only managed to get back to walk, trot, canter before she went off again. Endless crap for absolutely no reward.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I'm 10 months given up. Still do not miss it in the slightest, have needed the money saved to help with cost of living.

Bar one ride on holiday I still have absolutely no desire to even sit on a horse. Think that part of my life is completely over.

 

[honetpot]

When I was young and I had no turnout week, I had to hack out five days a week, sometimes it was magical, and sometimes when the wind was driving in my face and my pockets were full of water it was miserable. I had the summer off and just had the odd hack, but I could go for miles
I then had the children,and winter turnout, and we stopped riding after October half term, unless we kept a pony hunting for the Christmas holiday, and restarted in about the middle of March. Two weeks and usually everyone was back in the swing of things.
I have come to conclusion you do not have to do most things really. I no longer ride, and that was giving up forty years of riding, I think I have done everything I was capable of doing, and the hacking here is on busy roads. They still give me joy, but it was never just about riding for me.

 

[Birker2020]

I'm 52 and desperate to ride, lost my horse of 17 years last year, bought a new horse some 4 months after, given up after 18 months and countless issues and he will never be rideable, too broken by far. Was going to have a horse on loan but two days after owner agreeing it was pts with colic. I feel like someone is trying to tell me something. I've not ridden for over 2 years now apart from literally 15 'sits' on Lari before he threw me off and I threw in the towel.

So my plan for next year is to lose at least 2 stone before Lari goes to the bloodbank in April and start looking in earnest around May/June. And If he can't go to the bloodbank then to h*ll with it, I'll put him into retirement and get another and get into debt like everyone else.

 

[marmalade76]

Yep, I've gone through phases of this ever since I had children, always enjoy looking after my horses but sometimes I just CBA to ride. Having something to aim for, something to get fit for like a fun ride always helps to get me in gear but sometimes I do consider giving up riding and just having my pony as a pet.

 

[Tarragon]

I don't want to give up, but I have definitely changed what I do. With field kept ponies, I only need to ride if I want to ride. Takes all the pressure off

 

[Ratface]

I'm 77. Old Horse is >30. He's semi-retired. I live with a chronic viral illness (M E) from which I am unlikely to recover. Old Horse is on a wonderful specialist yard and superbly looked after. In the Spring, I will pick up however much riding I can, whilst not wiping myself out. If that proves unworkable, I'll do in hand hacking, even if it's only round the fields. I've been riding since I was two years old. I've no intention of giving up without a fight!