Blooming motivation......

[Lintel]

I'm lucky enough to keep the boys at home, they both are very content but since we moved nearly 4 years ago I have lost pretty much all motivation to ride, every now and then it reappears and then disappears again.

When we were at livery I would ride nearly every day, I was much fitter and so was the Hipo and I want it to be that way again but just cannot be bothered! I have plenty of time just now when I'm not in work... there's is little else to do given the current situation!

.. how do you all keep motivated to ride, especially those at home?!
And any tips? Or 2021 goals?

Or can anyone sympathise and reiterate the Hipo couldn't care less if he is ridden or not?

 

[Gloi]

Are you in the UK? If you are I think a lot of people are unmotivated in this weather. give him and yourself some time off till March and then get going with the thought of the spring in front of you. Failing that top barn on facebook have a ten week riding challenge going on.

 

[Lintel]

Are you in the UK? If you are I think a lot of people are unmotivated in this weather. give him and yourself some time off till March and then get going with the thought of the spring in front of you. Failing that top barn on facebook have a ten week riding challenge going on.

Yes... Scotland? As much as I love the country. The weather good lord ... I feel like I'm living in a slush puppy drink!

 

[PapaverFollis]

I have no help but I can sympathise. I had some twinkling of motivation before Christmas but then the ice happened and I'm just flat. Horses are happy being horses. But do think we'd all be a lot happier if we were fit and working so hoping to find some motivation somewhere at some point.

 

[Winters100]

I don't think Hipo minds not being ridden, in fact mine would probably gladly change places with him, owner close by to give care 24/7 but asking nothing from him - he is probably very happy with the situation!

You say however that you would like both of you to be fitter, I know that I always feel better when I am fit, so I assume that the horses do too. Personally in your situation I would pick a start date, that way you can enjoy your time off riding without guilt and you will probably be feeling enthusiastic by the time your start date comes along. you could also use the time to get yourself fit in other ways. I know that gyms are closed, but running, cycling etc is easily done from home, or if you really cannot face the weather maybe you can buy an exercise bike and some weights. You actually don't need much to keep relatively fit, but I agree that motivation is the hard part. When I had a quarantine last year I found that getting up early and putting aside 90 minutes for exercise at the same time every day really helped. I was confined to our property, but I found a lot of things that I could do, for example filling a backpack with bottles of water and running in the garden to pick up and move various objects - doesn't sound like a lot but it really gives you a good workout. I also gave myself a reward after of coffee with milk (I gain weight easily so do not usually allow myself milk in drinks).

Enjoy your time off riding, and I really hope that by the time you get back to ot you are feeling fit and strong, ready to make Hipo the same!

 

[PapaverFollis]

Lintel, do you want to pick a date to start and be motivation buddies? ? I'm in Scotland too so we will probably be under the snow and ice for roughly the same amount of time.

 

[TPO]

Feel your pain! In scotland with horses at (parent's) home. Theres currently no school, fields are either frozen or flooded and no daylight either end of the working day to even plod up and down the track so no riding all winter really.

Having said that even in spring, summer and autumn I havent had much in the way of motivation!

I have been contemplating a move back to livery but have "the fear". Hopefully having a school put in here this spring after new drainage has been laid in the fields. In theory that should make things 100x better.

However, especially with lockdown, kinda missing the daily interaction of seeing people. I dont particularly want to stay in the area close to my parents but moving to where I would like to stay means livery. I know I'm not looking back with rose tinted glasses but wondering if I'm too hopeful about a new yard!

So sorry I cant help but I feel your pain!!

 

[Trouper]

This seems to be quite common with folk who keep horses at home after being on livery. I think the companionship is definitely a motivator but who wants to go back to livery "dramas".
Do you have enough space to offer to a like-minded livery who you could choose with care (!).

 

[tda]

#hack1000miles got me going in 2019, did barely anything last year and will start again soon ?(hopefully )

 

[poiuytrewq]

This seems to be quite common with folk who keep horses at home after being on livery. I think the companionship is definitely a motivator but who wants to go back to livery "dramas".
Do you have enough space to offer to a like-minded livery who you could choose with care (!).

This is me!
I don’t actually like being alone all the time.
It’s routine for me, when I’m in the riding everyday at 3pm or whatever it might be I’m fine, I also started lessons at the end of last year which gave me motivation because although I don’t have a school it gave me something to work on and try to improve rather than slopping round the roads in the rain for no reason!
Then Christmas came, icy roads stopped me for a week after, lockdown stopped my lessons and I’ve just lost it a little again.

 

[blitznbobs]

Not helpful but I moved mine back to a livery yard for this exact reason

 

[poiuytrewq]

Not helpful but I moved mine back to a livery yard for this exact reason

I’m seriously considering it.

 

[Lintel]

Lintel, do you want to pick a date to start and be motivation buddies? ? I'm in Scotland too so we will probably be under the snow and ice for roughly the same amount of time.

This sounds like a great idea PF... but a start date oh god... ? 2024?

#hack1000miles got me going in 2019, did barely anything last year and will start again soon ?(hopefully )

That's an idea!! Something that I think realistically could be achieved and I would want to achieve!

 

[Nudibranch]

All I can say is they don't care if they're not ridden! I hurt my back before Christmas so today was the first ride out on my 5yo for a few weeks. We had to ride on the roads as the fields are just ridiculous. All fine until a freezing wind started up and then I had 600kg of idiot chucking herself about all the way home. Her flapping exercise rug was just making things worse and she eyeballed her way along the lane sideways, taking off at regular intervals. Tedious.

I was originally planning to break her to drive over the winter but it's just so cold and wet I can't be bothered. Knowing so many fun rides and shows are already cancelled just reduces my motivation even more. I've had horses at home most of my life and this is the first time I've ever wished I had access to an arena.

Roll on Spring.

 

[PapaverFollis]

This sounds like a great idea PF... but a start date oh god... ? 2024?

? Perfect.

 

[Lintel]

? Perfect.

I've had a look into the #hack1000miles!
I think I'm going to set my aim on that this year.

If I start the March 1st that leaves 44 weeks at roughly 22 miles a week. I reckons that is doable ??

Anyone fancy joining me?

 

[PapaverFollis]

I will join you in an aim to get back in the saddle for March 1st.. then see how we go. I'm not sure 1000 miles would be doable for me and my horses at their current unfitness and fatness levels without starting earlier. Although maybe I could do 1000 miles and they could do 500 each. ?

Mine have had so much time off I'm going to have to start building up by hand walking first. So I'll go for a handwalking February. Get myself a bit fitter too!

Grrrrr motivation grrr

*waves pom poms*

 

[Lintel]

I will join you in an aim to get back in the saddle for March 1st.. then see how we go. I'm not sure 1000 miles would be doable for me and my horses at their current unfitness and fatness levels without starting earlier. Although maybe I could do 1000 miles and they could do 500 each. ?

Mine have had so much time off I'm going to have to start building up by hand walking first. So I'll go for a handwalking February. Get myself a bit fitter too!

Grrrrr motivation grrr

*waves pom poms*

Woooooo we'll smash it! 500 miles is still good for each of them ??

 

[Fortanedancer]

I'm lucky enough to keep the boys at home, they both are very content but since we moved nearly 4 years ago I have lost pretty much all motivation to ride, every now and then it reappears and then disappears again.

When we were at livery I would ride nearly every day, I was much fitter and so was the Hipo and I want it to be that way again but just cannot be bothered! I have plenty of time just now when I'm not in work... there's is little else to do given the current situation!

.. how do you all keep motivated to ride, especially those at home?!
And any tips? Or 2021 goals?

Or can anyone sympathise and reiterate the Hipo couldn't care less if he is ridden or not?

I can relate! I was really lonely, lacking motivation and sometimes confidence and one day I just decided that every time I met another rider out riding on a hack that instead of the usual “morning” I would engage in a conversation asking them where they were from, their names etc and within a few weeks I built up such lovely friendships with people in exactly the same position! People with Horses kept at home and hacking alone mostly! Then I created a group on Whatsapp and introduced everyone to each other and we are all such good friends now. Every other day there will be a message seeing if someone wants to ride out. It really keeps me going now, I’ve met some more people through the people I befriended.

 

[tda]

We Also have a WhatsApp group, just four of us, but it's always good to know if someone will appear on the way ? about half a mile between each of us .
I plan on adding more local riders toox

There is also a #hack1000miles fb page that is great for motivation, and seeing other people feeling the Same!

 

[Ceriann]

I was considering writing a similar post. Riding has been hit and miss since early December and I’ve lost motivation. I’ve allowed work to become all consuming and my energy is gone to do anything other than care with the horses. It hasn’t been helped that my previous go to of schooling has been off the cards on the advice of the back vet. I need a motivation boost, especially as back vet came out 10 days ago and said he was happy for us to crack on! This is massive good news and consistent with Reds much improved stride and pace put hacking. I think he’s worked a miracle. I’ve decided that at weekend I’m going to jot down a plan to spend time with her 5 days a week. Has to be some sort of activity - I’ve been doing in hand training (only thing I’ve really kept up) so will include that. I’ve never had a winter we’re I’ve felt like this and it feels worse as I work at home and horses at home.

 

[scats]

The weather definitely isn’t helping. I feel like I get a couple of days riding in and then we have torrential rain and flooding and it all goes out the window again. Winter is hard and I think it tests even the most motivated riders.
I’m on a very small yard, but I’m the only rider so I understand what people mean about finding it difficult to stay self motivated to ride. I sometimes find a quick look on social media reignites my fire when I see what others have been up to riding wise.
I do wish we had had another rider or two on the yard though. Sometimes I miss being able to chat about ridden issues with someone over a coffee.