Anyone just can’t be bothered to ride...

Was at the stables last night giving my boy a groom and tidy up. I was in no rush, it wasn’t peeing down or blowing a gale and I was thinking ‘what should I do with him’ then I had the novel idea - ride!!! Actually laughed out loud at my thought process ? think it’s the first time in weeks I felt enthusiastic about it and he was such a good lad ?? Just did 20 mins in the school then went for a walk in the sunset - came back smiling. Spring and my optimism are just round the corner - it’s been a looooong winter but as others above have said you never know when it will be your last ride - just get on and enjoy ?
 
My horse had chronic health problems and last year I rode him three times, this year not at all and he was PTS last week. I was lucky to have found a potential loan pony before Tinner died, I will have to plan my riding to get back into a routine - I’m undergoing physio for dodgy hips so everything hurts but I think little and often will be the key. No facilities here so has to be hacking!
 
I refuse to drive mine in awful weather. I don't want to make us both miserable. I will drive in light rain so long as its not too cold, and in the cold so long as its dry. I like my pony to be happy in her work, so I do what I can to keep her engaged and interested.

We were both a bit fed up last week so this week we have just messed about. I've let the kids drive with me and just charged about the school doing doughnut. The kids find it wildly exciting which makes Bobbie think its wildly exciting. I'll do some proper schooling today!
 
I'm making myself plan things around the weather. I don't beat myself up if I don't ride but I do find if I do ride (even if it doesn't go to plan) I feel much happier.

I tend to ride around 7am before work (I do all my jobs first and then ride). Sometimes I wake up and want to cry as I'm so tired but once I get going I'm fine.
 
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Horse was an angel last night, so I was keen to get going this evening. Even the rain didn’t put me off, then it all went wrong. (Dogs barking on the yard that sounded like the hound of the Baskervilled.)
 
exracehorse said:
I haven’t ridden for most of February. Weather has been foul. Two storms. Strong winds. Persistent rain. Bridleways too muddy. Rain was running down the roads yesterday off the fields. Have had one with an abscess. One foot sore after pulling a shoe in the field The ponies are covered in mud I’m mucking out twice a day. I work so it’s hard with four. My back gave up on Friday. I’m trying to not get too down about it all. But, it’s been a hard winter. I’ve lost my riding mojo too.
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same with me...weather just awful. Have written off a few weeks as can’t be bothered but I know that things will improve
 
I know it's the time of year people often think about giving up, but this is a first for me.
Had a real run of bad luck, had 2 horses pts in the last 18 months (one was old, but it was a horrible end), the other was only 11 ?
The replacement for the ridden horse has now been off for 5 months (ulcers kissing spine 'navicular' & still think we have more to 'find')
Just dont want to be doing it anymore, but cant bring myself to pts yet as she appears happy in herself. I have another horse to ride, but it really brings me no joy, I'm riding a couple of times a week as I feel I should, but I'm just not enjoying it. Waiting to see if some good weather brings a change of heart.
Feel like a spoilt brat being so upset & its causing a real rift with my husband ?.
 
For Heaven's sake everyone - stop guilt-tripping yourselves. It's been the foulest winter for anything equestrian but it will end. Just go with that for now. You all deserve medals for just slogging on looking after your horses as best you can. As for riding - foals aren't born yelling "Yippee - someone will take me out riding every day"!! - they just want to be happy horses.
However, just like the winter, the ability to ride and look after horses will one day end (am perilously close to that now:oops::oops:) so just tell yourselves that occasionally when the Black Dog strikes and you need to drive yourselves out the door.
 
w1bbler said:
I know it's the time of year people often think about giving up, but this is a first for me.
Had a real run of bad luck, had 2 horses pts in the last 18 months (one was old, but it was a horrible end), the other was only 11 ?
The replacement for the ridden horse has now been off for 5 months (ulcers kissing spine 'navicular' & still think we have more to 'find')
Just dont want to be doing it anymore, but cant bring myself to pts yet as she appears happy in herself. I have another horse to ride, but it really brings me no joy, I'm riding a couple of times a week as I feel I should, but I'm just not enjoying it. Waiting to see if some good weather brings a change of heart.
Feel like a spoilt brat being so upset & its causing a real rift with my husband ?.
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Can you find a nice big hilly field and turn her away for a while?
 
Amazing how different I feel now from a couple of days of better weather showing a hint of spring coming :) Actually planning rides again rather than dreading going out in the storms.
 
w1bbler said:
I know it's the time of year people often think about giving up, but this is a first for me.
Had a real run of bad luck, had 2 horses pts in the last 18 months (one was old, but it was a horrible end), the other was only 11 ?
The replacement for the ridden horse has now been off for 5 months (ulcers kissing spine 'navicular' & still think we have more to 'find')
Just dont want to be doing it anymore, but cant bring myself to pts yet as she appears happy in herself. I have another horse to ride, but it really brings me no joy, I'm riding a couple of times a week as I feel I should, but I'm just not enjoying it. Waiting to see if some good weather brings a change of heart.
Feel like a spoilt brat being so upset & its causing a real rift with my husband ?.
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I'm really sorry you have had such bad luck, but really that IS all it is. Hopefully you will have a change of heart once spring comes along. Your ridden horse sounds like she may have 3 conditions that are all linked so don't make it bigger than it is in your head although I am more than aware that they are all bad conditions, best of luck with it all.
 
I trying really hard to ride when I can but pony is scaring me at times. She's a ticking time bomb! On yesterday's hack I had to get off again as I couldn't hold her. She was even running off in hand so husband had to lead her. It's just no fun and quite honestly I'm fed up to the back teeth. I used to dressage with her and we were dipping out toes in at medium, but now, confidence is absolutely zero and I can't see me ever competing again. Permission to cry please?
 
This winter is my third with cobbus, and it's by far the hardest. He is hating the treacley-mud & lack of grass, as am I. I am changing his day off as the weather forecast comes in. So today he is off or being lunged in a break in the weather - my instructor and I agreed we wouldn't get anything useful done in horizontal rain.

I am hacking as much as I can manage, it's just about keeping both of us sane rather than going round and round in the school. Admittedly it's a fantastic, huge school that never floods, so I am really grateful for it, but getting out to the woods is more fun.

It's still amazing to have him - seeing him every morning absolutely brightens my day and I am just holding on till better weather. And looking for a waterproof dressage saddle cover...
 
I couldn't be bothered yesterday as I was in between night shifts, freezing cold and it was raining. I just about managed to ignite myself to muck out. I've had a good sleep now and just paid for shoes, it's still Pissing with rain and freezing but I'm riding dammit! Why do I have all these waterproof exercise sheets etc otherwise
 
It’s been tricky! I posted earlier up the thread saying I have an indoor so am incredibly lucky but the ground has been so wet it’s not been great for hacking and or turnout only being half the day and sometimes only around 4/5 hours so I’ve been working him most days. With that comes a fit horse ? so hacking at the weekend was lively, as was jumps/poles last night!

Previous winters, as he was 4/5 I have left him unfit and just hacked at weekends and he stayed very sane. So I am questioning my sanity somewhat in his 6yo year but then again, have enjoyed it, he’s just found his feet a bit and I think this year will be interesting ? ? ‘Kevin’s’ anyone?!
 
sherry90 said:
It’s been tricky! I posted earlier up the thread saying I have an indoor so am incredibly lucky but the ground has been so wet it’s not been great for hacking and or turnout only being half the day and sometimes only around 4/5 hours so I’ve been working him most days. With that comes a fit horse ? so hacking at the weekend was lively, as was jumps/poles last night!

Previous winters, as he was 4/5 I have left him unfit and just hacked at weekends and he stayed very sane. So I am questioning my sanity somewhat in his 6yo year but then again, have enjoyed it, he’s just found his feet a bit and I think this year will be interesting ? ? ‘Kevin’s’ anyone?!
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I would shriek like a girl if I had an indoor school right now ? what a beautiful thing
 
I reckon I'd be squealing like a pig if I had an outdoor at the moment. I don't even mind a flooded outdoor if the surface itself isn't too deep :p
 
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