Did you have a break and get back into horses?

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Always-Riding

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I'm having a minor mental crisis... I want my old life back!!

I 'gave up' horses 6 months ago to go work in the big smoke... And when I mean the big smoke, I mean living and working in Central London (rarely leaving zone 1). I do love it; the life, the buzz. But I so miss having horses.

At the end of the day, I was funding my old lifestyle badly and not earning enough and when a rare job opportunity came along,I had to take it. I'm now on a career path, on twice the amount I was on 6 months ago and with a life ahead of me.

Except, it's not enough. I want to be back in the country with my friends, having horses and competing. Adult life sucks (I'm 23)!!

I would share, but I haven't brought my car with me so unless someone, somewhere has a horse which isn't hard to get to on public transport from London, it's a no go. Anyone?!

Anyway, my point for posting is this: has anyone on here had a break from horses and come back to it later? If you have, was it bad getting back riding etc? Please tell me your stories!
 
I'm not back there yet after selling my horse when I had my daughter 16 months ago. We have just found out we are expecting again and also getting married in just under 2 years. Once everything settles again I plan on going to an RS to get back in the saddle and then take it from there. I want to almost go back to the start with it all and try and iron out all my bad habits that I've accrued over the years! Probably never going to happen but it's worth a shot! I do wistfully scroll through FB and watch my friends successfully compete or post videos of fast and furious hacks but I know that I have to be realistic about my life and that it isn't just me anymore!
 
Yes I did. I had 8 years not owning a horse and about 3 not riding when pregnant and with small child. I rode my friends mare for a year before getting Lottie 2 years ago.

You could try to find a share, it might exist. However in the mean time what about schoolmaster lessons? Or weekend intensive riding on a holiday or camp type situation.

I had a few schoolmaster lessons before riding properly again and if in the same situation again I would def arrange a weekend trip to dovecote or somewhere similar for dressage schoolmaster lessons.

I do have to say I couldn't live in central London though. I had a placement there was student for 4 weeks and that was enough. If you're enjoying it make the most of it!!!
 
I had break for a few years after my horse of a lifetime passed because I just couldn't bare to look at another horse, for years after getting back into it I could not imagine life without them but now I have 4 (actually down from 6 at one point) and all but one are "quirky" in various ways so they would be difficult to rehome and TBH i feel trapped, I wish I had part loaned instead of buying, although they are a fab bunch really and they do a great job keeping my little girl entertained
 
I have had several breaks, years where I didn't touch a horse and I avoided them, and anything to do with them, like the plague.
I temped for an exclusive nanny agency in London and absolutely adore London, then I travelled while I worked (nannying which led to being a PA for a motor racing team) and I had a huge amount of fun, I also manage to discard one husband and some years later acquire another in non-horse eras ;)

I always came back to them, either through work, or because we had somewhere to keep them. I gave them up to emigrate, and promptly bought a farm and filled it with horses ( had a boarding facility - 40 horses - dumb, idea) on another continent :(
Now I have changed breeds and riding style again, and finally really enjoy my two mares now that I don't work with horses, and work from home most of the time.

Now we are considering (no, counting down to ) moving continent yet again and I am working myself up to giving them up - again - only it is harder this time because I don't actually want to :(
No doubt once we find our feet a horse will find it's way into my back yard again.

When I go back to them it is as if I have never been away, each time I re-start I have fallen quite by accident into a different sphere, first it was arab racing and breeding, then it was the livery yard, Paints and breeding, now it is gaited horses.

Do what makes you happy, life is too short not to :)
 
Enfys said:
I have had several breaks, years where I didn't touch a horse and I avoided them, and anything to do with them, like the plague.
I temped for an exclusive nanny agency in London and absolutely adore London, then I travelled while I worked (nannying which led to being a PA for a motor racing team) and I had a huge amount of fun, I also manage to discard one husband and some years later acquire another in non-horse eras ;)

I always came back to them, either through work, or because we had somewhere to keep them. I gave them up to emigrate, and promptly bought a farm and filled it with horses ( had a boarding facility - 40 horses - dumb, idea) on another continent :(
Now I have changed breeds and riding style again, and finally really enjoy my two mares now that I don't work with horses, and work from home most of the time.

Now we are considering (no, counting down to ) moving continent yet again and I am working myself up to giving them up - again - only it is harder this time because I don't actually want to :(
No doubt once we find our feet a horse will find it's way into my back yard again.

When I go back to them it is as if I have never been away, each time I re-start I have fallen quite by accident into a different sphere, first it was arab racing and breeding, then it was the livery yard, Paints and breeding, now it is gaited horses.

Do what makes you happy, life is too short not to :)
Click to expand...

wow what an exiting life you've had! That is a book I would love to read!
 
rowan666 said:
wow what an exiting life you've had!
Click to expand...

Do you know, people often say that, I don't see it like that myself, just a series of events that sort of happen .
I just wing it through life, kind of a hakuna matata kind of person, something always comes along :)
 
Yes I had a huge break. I sold my pony and went to London for uni.. I went from a country horsey life to mad, intense London life. I stop competing after selling and then stopped riding altogether. I didn't go near a horse for years as I missed mine and then ended up diving into the whole London life/scene thing, which was amazing.. I decided to concentrate on career after uni, moved abroad and then moved back to London for my masters degree (art).. again concentrated on career full time and now i'm 31, have earned a lot of money from all the work I have done, career is blooming and so because of that I am in a position to move back to the country and have that horsey life again that my heart yearns for. Because of those years I sacrificed for career I can easily afford to buy a horse, pay for livery, living expenses etc etc.. So I guess rewards do come.. and patience will pay off! Of course every one is different but it worked out well for me and I've never been so happy as I am now - i enjoyed London but can't wait to leave and it feels great buying a horse whilst my career is firmly in place. In answer to your question about what it was like getting back into it, when I first booked a lesson I was so excited and just knew I would slip back into it just like riding a bike.. Did not happen! In my mind, and emotionally, it all felt like yesterday but my body didn't agree haha. I bounced around and felt totally disheartened - i couldn't believe it! Then I just got so upset about having left it for so long, and the regret came flooding in.. But as the initial disappointment started to disappear I booked loads of lessons and just dived into it, very regularly. Sooner than I imagined everything just started to click into place and I also went to the gym, ran and did yoga - basically got my fitness and flexibility back. At one point everything just clicked into place and now horses are my life and I'm riding with joy again, looking to buy a horse and getting back those beautiful days of the past.. So don't worry, enjoy London (it's got so much to give!), save money, build your career, and remember you can still have lessons even if very rarely. But if you don't go for lessons and do decide to have a proper break like me then all I can say is you will get it back! It goes sooooo quickly. And London has a time limit, it gets to a point you just don't want the London life any more.. But horses on the other hand - well you get a whole lifetime for that! Enjoy and relax ;)
 
Enfys said:
Do you know, people often say that, I don't see it like that myself, just a series of events that sort of happen .
I just wing it through life, kind of a hakuna matata kind of person, something always comes along :)
Click to expand...

Seriously you should consider putting pen to paper, I would definatly but that book!
 
I had a long break of 30 years. Sold my mare when I was 18 having left home and was at college. After that life took over house marriage, kids and work.Had lessons at various points inbetween. Got to the point in my life when I thought having a horse was a possibility. Got Zac shortly after. It was like having the missing piece put back. Wouldn't be without him now.
 
I had a break of about 10 years. Sold my youngster and gave all my horsey stuff away. If I'm honest with myself now, it was because I couldn't get over losing my old boy a couple of years prior. I kept riding occasionally during the 10 year period took on a share after a few years and slowly realised just how much I missed having a horse of my own.

My sister and I bought our little Esme just over a year ago. It works well as we share the cost and the responsibility. Great as I have two small children and sis works full time. I can't imagine life without Esme now, and I can't believe I had such a long break. I think I needed it though to really get over losing my old boy, Esme is the first one since him who I've truly opened my heart to. She's priceless.
 
I did exactly what you are doing and it worked out really well. Moved to London at 18 to go to university, gave up horses, established a high-earning career, bought a flat in London, made some serious money, then moved back to the country, bought a smallholding with no mortgage, worked freelance and got back in to horses BIG time, qualifying for HOYS for the first time in my early 40s, now living in a beautiful farm that I could only have dreamed of if I'd not made some money in London, only working when I choose to, have horses at home, hunt, compete, show, etc.

In the meantime, while I was in London, I did go riding very occasionally. Hyde Park, Epsom Downs, and Lea Valley. I really recommend Lea Valley riding stables in Hackney if you need a horse fix. Their horses are generally of a higher standard than I've found at other riding schools and you can hack out on Hackney Marshes. They also have a well-run livery yard there and many of the owners welcome sharers. I took on a 2-day share of a lovely little horse, made friends, we used to load up and go to Epping Forest together. Not exactly the country life, but certainly enough to keep me going, and as much as I could manage alongside my job. Before I eventually moved out of London I bought a pony and kept him for six months at Lea Valley while I was house hunting and selling up. I have a great nostalgia for those days; it was huge fun.
 
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