Currently out of action competition riders..

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humblepie

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Am a currently out of action competition rider and am struggling to decide how much I am actually missing competing. I have always ridden to compete rather than riding for riding's sake, though do love my horses to bits and keep them into their dotage when retired. However, am struggling to decide how much I am actually missing competing - it may just be that I am getting old and lazy and so am not missing the 4am starts and the long long journeys. I am very frustrated that we are not out competing since it means we are not getting our qualifications sorted. It will be interesting to see how I feel once I am competing again.

What do others find when they are out of action (am looking here at 6 months plus)?
 
I had been as new horse wasn't ready, needed work etc and all my pals were still out there BSJA'ing and BE'ing, I was quite frustrated to start as I was mssing out, then I felt hmmm, lie-ins - this isn't too bad but now that the wee fella is ready to go now and I have been back doing some unaffiliated and intro BSJA, I am back in the swing 100% and can't wait for our first BE on Sunday :D
 
i'm sort of resigned to it really, i miss it (okay, not the 4am starts) but i know it'll all be there when i get back to it. if i was told i could never compete again though, i would probably give up tbh... i love the horses but the point of it for me is to compete (eventually, when they and i am ready!) i haven't ridden since late Nov (well, apart from 1 sneaky 10 mins in walk, to check something out) but hey ho, at least i know i'll get back to it eventually.
 
I am only interested in horses to compete. With nothing to compete at the moment I have lost all interest. I do nothing horsey now - instead I am back into running, shopping and a good social life! In fact the only thing horsey I do is look on here and occassionally get dragged into the odd RC thing. I have not sat on a horse for 3 weeks.
 
I spent 2 years not competing and as long as you don't go to a show to watch you are OK. I made myself feel better by looking at my bank balance:rolleyes:

I am currently out of action with a broken mangled arm. I haven't missed my horse at all and have only seen her once since the begining of april.
 
I haven't competed for years, but I started helping a friend with some coaching a few months back, I am afraid I am getting the bug again. Hence the search for an event saddle!!!!
 
Self imposed out of action CR here - need to save some cash this year so Aldon last year was my last show until 2011 season starts :( I was gutted to start with cos I was sooo excited about this season after the progress we made in 2009, so like others have said, I totally lost interest in riding and got thoroughly fed up. However over the winter it was quite nice not stressing out because it was wet/frozen/blowing a gale as I could just tuck my mare up in the stable and go home, rather than psyche myself up to ride.

I'm getting back into the swing of things now the weather is (hopefully!!) more reliable and where in the past I used to find having entries in somewhere provided my motivation, now I'm actually enjoying having the time to fix some issues that I've been covering up because there was always a dressage test to learn or some SJ practice to do, or some canterwork needed or... or... or... Hoping that it will be a productive time as I'm overall more relaxed and oddly focussed on the little details.
 
I went from competing every weekend (Eventing in the summer, BSJA through the winter) to not competing at all overnight!! I have not competed in about 5 years and I do miss it, I used to love going to the shows but I have to say I ride to enjoy my horses and competing them was just a bonus, no matter how much success I had that would never change. I was told that I will never be able to compete like I used to (have a badly damaged knee that gets incredibly painful after more than a few jumps) and once I got used to that fact I dont mind too much. Since not being able to compete I have successful brought on a horse from an almost unhandled yearling, to now as a perfectly mannered 4 year old who has just started her ridden life and I did everything from teaching her to walk in hand to breaking her :D I hope to do a bit of BSJA with her in the future, as much as i can cope with (wont know how much that is til i try it!!) but if I dont, I still have the pleasure of enjoying riding my two wonderful horses and that is the most important thing :)
 
I'm out of action as having sold my trusty Land Rover, managed to buy a dud which got passed on quickly and can't find anything local in my price range :( so not been out since 24th March...

However, have been schooling intensively at home, in particular SJ which has needed a lot of work and have made huge strides of progress, quite possibly because we haven't been going out anywhere. But have now reached the point where we need to get out and consolidate our progress.

I get a lot out of riding at home, and seeing my horses progress, probably because I've always had green horses/those with issues. But if I had a push button one then I would get bored very quickly if I couldn't get out and compete for a bit of variety. Used to exercise a friends team chase horse (ex 3* ride of Mark Todd's) who was a complete dream to ride but if I rode him daily and couldn't go out anywhere then I'd get bored as he was already perfect!
 
I fingers crossed everyone should get the go ahead to ride again tomorrow after 9 weeks, then Ive got to get her fit again, I was planning on a full eventing season and BS but I cant jump and can only do dressage, without riding and competing I feel lost, so much so Im off to help at keysoe all weekend!!!
 
I know the feeling LEC. I have a horse to compete so when I couldn't afford to keep my horse and to carry on doing what I wanted to do I made the decision to sell him.
So currently I am doing nothing horsey - although it does mean I have a social life, have bought myself some new clothes and am considering getting a hair cut!!!
I haven't sat on a horse for about a month :(
 
Well I never competed every weekend simply because there aren't as many shows as in the UK, so for me 6 months without competing is perfectly normal.

I will not be able to compete until approx. June (am sorting out my Guest Licence to compete in Germany, which takes quite a bit of time, and once I have it 3 weeks must pass before I can compete as in Germany entries deadlines are 3 weeks ahead of the show (!), so realistically I won't be able to do anything until mid-June (and that would be the first show of 2010!).

However I don't mind competing very rarely IF it means I can compete. And yes I do ride to compete. As Kerilli said, it would be a different matter altogether if I was told I can never compete again - then I'm afraid I would lose all interest :(
 
I too have not ridden since Nov, except a few 15 min walks (and occ canter -cant trot yet) on my semi retired pony in the last few weeks, after knee surgery. I have to say I have become very unmotivated to get going, especially as my BE hope this season has had to be retired at age 7! :mad: I do start to wander whether it is worth all the expense, heart ache and hard work. I am only hanging on in the hope my home bred youngster may get us going again, but if after breaking, I find he is not for me, I shall call it a day. I ride to compete, as without the incentive of a competition I completely loose the enthusiasm and drive to ride. :(
 
I am fed up & resigned at the same time.

The last time I competed was BD in Sept 2009. Ever since, Adrian has been off with the as-yet undiagnosed go-slows. I was going nuts not riding, so bought an ex-racer, who lamed himself straight away. When he was sound, we tried boxing him to a lesson & he went absolutely mad before we even got the ramp up, so had to unload. And now he's lame again.

When Catembi was alive, & before all this trouble with Adrian, I was competing BS or BD most w'ends all year round. Now that seems like a distant dream. Sometimes I wonder if I'm ever going to compete again.

So...I'll be out & about either when the racer is sound & has decided to hack or load, or when Adrian perks up. Not holding my breath. I feel as if I'm destined to be tripped up whatever I do. I have tried so hard to get myself back out there, & something always goes wrong. Not feeling very cheerful atm.
 
Have not competed since November last year due to op on horse. Have put on half a stone! Can start horse again in July - at least in walk. Have missed competing; groomed for other people. People have been so kind in offering rides on their horses but just want to ride mine. Spent as much time with horse tho' coping with box rest, walking in hand and now poo picking the field. Still at least horse is alive and getting better.
 
know what you mean cobwithattitude, although mines only been on box rest for 11 weeks!!

I've not competed properly since last year as my horse went lame after the dressage of his first ODE of season (although he did it the next day in field, sj and xc were ment to be next day, but it snowed!) So January was written off with big freeze, feb onwards off with tendon, now just bringing him back with controlled exercise and we are trotting under saddle, but its been a slow old boring job, after such a **** hard work winter!

He's only just being turned out in a tiny paddock and realised the last time was in the snow!!

I am really really really really really missing it all, my worst point was fence judging at our hunt hunter trial, watching all my friends enjoying themselves...it was such a good day, i missed my horse the most then, could have cried! Everyone visiting made up for it whilst they were walking the course!

I'm very grateful its nothing more serious, but i'm missing having lessons, competing everything really!

The only good point is that we have nearly completed allll of our jobs, that have been on the jobs list for years, including re-opening our top field, building xc jumps, clearing the barns out.....anything apart from clean the house and ironing ;-p

Hopefully not long now..........
 
This post is making me feel better - there are so many of us! I have barely ridden for 12 months now after breaking my leg and then just as I was recovering my horse needing colic surgery. After 5 years of dealing with injuries and foot/colic problems I have decided to retire him as it is just too much hard work getting him right only to find he is out of action again in no time.

I have toyed with the idea of jacking in riding altogether, however I am finding that my weekends are tres boring without horses and that I am rather alarmingly working late and struggling to switch of from work without my hobby. I have been running a lot but it is just not the same so I am on the look out for another horse and am giving it another go!
 
Glad I'm not the only one out of action! I cant afford to B.E this year the fees are just ridiculous-Was competeting nearly every wkend 2/3yrs ago Bsja/B.e...probably why I'm skint now! So I thought I'd have a go at point to pointing this season instead-entry fees are only £20-no start fees...! Was having a great time untill I fell off and broke my ankle 3wks ago and was then persuaded to put my horse in training so he could have a few more runs..think I should of saved the ££ and just of stuck him out in the field for the summer!
 
My comp season hasnt even got started this year. So Im fed up itching to go to some comps. When Ive been to shows on foot get really tearful. I want to have a go. Not sure when I will be back competing. Im looking for another horse as my lovely horse is looking like she'll only be a hack. I only went to 1 comp with her since Ive had her just over a year.
 
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