Anyone had a break from horses then returned?

When my first horse (a super little Arab stallion) died, I was devastated and spent 13 horseless years in mourning for him. I couldn't even bring myself to ride, let alone even think of getting another horse - it would have felt like a betrayal.

I finally came out of mourning in 2006, and bought Tobago (another lovely Arab stallion). I am very happy with him, but still very conscious of the fact that horses can die and break your heart.
 
I rode during my teens but only had a handful of "proper" lessons. Mostly learnt to ride on my friend's horse who I helped to look after. I really got the bug and was desperate for my own horse! But my parents couldn't afford one.

I went off to uni and stopped riding. I've been wanting to get back into it for a year or so and my lovely boyfriend bought me some vouchers for a local riding school for xmas. So after a 10 year break, started riding again but this time learning properly!
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Been having 1-2 lessons a week since Jan and completely and utterly hooked again! But I'm with you all when you say confidence isn't what it used to be!!!
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Yes I had a 30 year break, long list of reasons really, family break up, moving around constantly. Then when I did get back into it 5 years ago I couldn't have picked a worse horse for me, thankfully he is now a companion to another horse in Norfolk and I have a beautiful mare that is helping me with my confidence, well we are helping eachother on the long road.

WillowsShade x
 
i had a break for 18 years after my old mare died and i was so upset. Life, going out, work, house, babies were the reasons why i had such a long break. Then i had a ride on a friend's loan horse, realised what i was missing and the rest is history. Had ponies for the kids and now a horse for me in the last 6 years. nowhere near as brave as i used to be - don't bounce as well nowadays!!
 
I rode as a teenager and was training to take my BHS AI.
Got my stages and then found out I was pregnant with my first child.
Then just when I was considering going back to train to teach again we decided that we didn't want an only child and so we had our second son.
After that life was too busy and money to tight for me to go back to train.
I rode on and off when I got the chance.
Even broke in 4 New Forest ponies with my sister and brought them on for a few months.
Then that came to an end and no more opportunities were within my reach.
I got all the way to 44 yrs of age and appart from the few months with NF ponies hadn't really ridden since I was 20.

Even when I thought that I may never have the opportunity to ride regularly ever again, I never said that I "used to ride" I always said that I hadn't ridden for a long time.
always missed it.

Now we have moved to Canada and have bought 30 acres.
I bought two young shetland mares to get back into working around horses. they are great and I will be training them for riding and may have a go at training them to drive.
I have now bought a 5 yr old 14.1hh paint mare.
she is trained western but I want to train her english.

I have now had an enforced gap from riding as we have been buried in snow and ice since December and it will be around for a few more weeks yet.

However I have reaslised that I am not as confident as I was in my younger days. Which really annoys me.
I have two liveries at my yard and one of them severely undermines my confidence.
She is only two and asserting her personality and her owners encourage this by being afraid of her and showing it.

so I have to pretend to be more brave than I am but she disturbs my peace.

So I am really glad to be back involved with horses and can't wait to get riding again.
But it will take time to get my confidence levels to where they shoud be.
I hope.
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