Do you ever think your horse is too good for you?

[Sunny08]

Quite recently at my yard someone said to me would I consider selling my horse as she was showing potential (she jumped a fence out of a field!!! that was all!!) and by my own admission I will only ever ride at riding club level and low level dressage/ SJ. This all came about cause her brother has suddenly hit high in the eventing circuit and her sire has become popular all of a sudden. She is only rising 4, not even broken yet and i found it a ridiculous comment as at the end of the day she doesn't care what she does as long as she is well loved and looked after. Just depressed me a bit if that was what other people were thinking!

 

[madhector]

Horses dont have ambitions, so I wouldnt worry

Just enjoy her and have fun

 

[trundle]

My horse is MUCH too good for me, she could be doing a lot more with a more competent rider aboard, but since her main ambition is to stand in her stable and eat, I am not that worried.

 

[MooMoo]

Just ignore them! ditto - enjoy your horse. And competition isnt the be all and end all. If you're happy doing what you do with her then thats whats important.
Your horse isnt going to be thinking "oh my god i could be at olympia by now!"

 

[charlyan]

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My horse is MUCH too good for me, she could be doing a lot more with a more competent rider aboard, but since her main ambition is to stand in her stable and eat, I am not that worried.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto!
I will never ride as well as the girl who used to ride my horse for his previous owners and he really knows his stuff but I don't think he worries too much so long as he has loads of food and bum scratches! He's a people person and would far rather spend our time together just having fun than worrying about getting it right for the next show/ competition (don't do them!). He has been beautifully schooled and knows his job inside out but I think he finds ambling out the road for a hack or grazing in hand is much more up his street. He's a chilled and happy camper and i never get the feeling that I'm letting him down by not riding him round and round in endless circles, etc in a school! He's been there done that

 

[Sunny08]

Thanks - my girl is a bit like that. She adores being loved and is a favourite on the yard demanding strokes off anyone who enters or leaves!! Was just a bit peeved at the comment as this woman just assumed that was what i would do!!

 

[Puppy]

LOL! Yes and no.

Two of Star's siblings are going round Burghley this weekend

If she hadn't have been my schoolmistress all those years ago I'm quite sure she could have continued a v successful eventing career that she had already started on when I bought her - *however*, I base most of my management around keeping her happy, (out 24/7, quiet yard without strangers/fencing to accommodate her cribbing etc) and I like to think that he is pretty happy too

When she came to me she'd been treated like a competition machine and I don't think it suited her....

With Believe - well, I *know* people of the same mentality as the ones you mention would think she is "too good for me"; she does indeed have more ability then I shall ever have

But her last owners chose to sell her to me, despite what others were offering, because they felt she should be given time to mature, taken slowly, and appreciated for the sweetie she is, not just a jumping machine.

As it is, yes, she *could* be doing more, and*could* be seen as wasted with me - but I don't doubt she is happy - in fact, everyone says they don't know a more happy-go-lucky horse

And we have years of fun ahead of us

 

[charlyan]

I can sympathise fully- I have been told in the past that if all I want to do is hack then my horse is most definitely not the horse for me. It upset me at the time but the lovely people I bought him from have been very supportive and they didn't care if he was competed or not- their only concern was that he went to a home for life where he would be cared for and loved, and he's got that.

What you do with your horse is entirely up to you- don't let others try and influence you- be true to your mare and yourself

As far as demanding attention- Min walks up to people and turns his bum to them to have it scratched while he pulls ridiculous faces! Its embarassing!

 

[Chestnuttymare]

enjoy your horses, never mind what others say. if you are both happy then what's the problem. do you think they sit and ponder over what 3 day event they could be competing at, doubt it lol.

 

[hadfos]

ALWAYS...but guess what,have had my lad since he was 6mnth old he now 13....we never done any serious competition,just started doing minor comps now novice showjumping)

,i love my lad to bits.....the yard we on we are doing more than he ever done.....woz.lol,broken at the mo

I know my lad would excel dressage etc....but he is mine and we have an awesome relationship...just as friends

he looks after me \and i look after himn

my lad could have gone alot further....but he hasnt because he is mine

 

[tikino]

as long as you look after her love her and she does what you want her to do she is all that you need and she will will be happy. horses can't say i could be doing something better if i had someone better on my back. so don't isten to what other people say she is your horse and she will do what you want her to do xxx

 

[Angela_Jackson]

same as trundle
I think that vertually every day, but only because he is my specail little boy.
He has loads of potential, but I really dont think he cares!

 

[moneypit1]

Well Fly boy is definately more talented in what he does to what I do....BUT, his attitude stinks and he is so opinionated that no one else would have him so we are quits really! x

 

[AmyMay]

I know that my horse is too good for me.

I also know that he would have much more fun with a more ambitious and confident jockey on board.

But someone would have to have very deep pockets to buy him - so I guess were stuck with each other.....

Although someone did make quite a generous offer for him at the weekend

 

[Firewell]

Yes I think that all the time too, I think wow if your like this with me what would you be like with someone decent! But she knows me, trusts me and goes well for me so I dont think about it anymore! She doesnt care after all!
I also think that if someone used up her potential and took her eventing properly I think that she probably wouldnt last as long as she will with me doing low level stuff hopefully she'll go on competing for much longer!!

 

[Janah]

My boy knows he's too good for me. LOL

 

[frazzled]

yep , we have a fantastically bred show pony who happens to hate showing but loves mounted games and bombing around jumps. No one seems to have told him he was bred to look pretty. but at shows people keep asking us why don't we show him and we are wasting his potential. He is however one happy relaxed pony who has loads of fun.