does anyone else find it hard to give up competition aspirations?

H

hackedoff

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 August 2009
Messages
408
Visit site
having previously posted about instructors no show for a lesson last week, I had a really serious think about what I and pony are doing for the future.

Pony is a very fit and healthy 20 year old and is ridden 5 days per week for between 1/2 to 3+hours . Much of this is hacking over hard terrain up the Pennine Bridleway.

I had planned to do shorter long distance rides (!) of up to 20 miles but have had problems with transport as I dont have my own and local transporter let me down for the first ride so I lost my entry fees.

I then thought oh well I will try dressage (again) but to be honest we have struggled for about 7 years to :
a. get a good outline
b. canter !
c.impulsion
d. my position
e. remembering the blinking test!

My thoughts were, I bought pony for a relaxing hobby and I love my hacking, I love long distance but have not got the money to get my own transport. dressage and showing ridden stresses the hell out of me to the point of feeling physically sick at competitions.

I think I am better being a happy hacker and if the money situation changes then doing long distance with Pony (or next horse if he is retired). So why oh why do I feel a failure and that I am letting the side down by not competing? is it me?
 
hackedoff said:
So why oh why do I feel a failure and that I am letting the side down by not competing? is it me?
Click to expand...

My guess is it's that thing called "peer pressure". If the majority of your horsey friends/other people on your yard compete regularly, you almost begin to feel obliged to keep up with the Joneses. And yes, it's easy for me to say to you "don't bow down to peer pressure - do what you really want/really feel is right instead". Thing is, we all know how hard it is to say these things, but actually doing it - and not bowing down to peer pressure - is never as easy as it seems.

But I am going to say it anyway:

You are NOT a failure.

You are NOT letting the side down by not competing.

DO go ahead and do what you want, do what you feel right/comfortable doing, and NOT what you think others think you should be doing.

Good luck.
 
I get frustrated too.
I bought my horse 7 years ago with the intention of doing some show jumping and eventing but between problems with transport, my horse being injured, and a limited budget for competing we just never seem to be able to progress. I also feel I've wasted my horse's potential, although I know he is a very happy boy and doesn't care.
I enjoy hacking and I also like schooling and jumping but I get frustrated at my lack of opportunity to get out competing.

In your situation I think it depends whether you are a happy hacker who feels they ought to compete, or whether its something you really want to do. I often feel sick when I go jumping, but the buzz I get when I actually do it makes it worthwhile. However, if you just feel stressed and get no fun out of it then why bother to do it at all. In that case I would enjoy your hacking and hope you get more opportunities to do long distance soon.
 
Your certainly not letting the side down. You enjoy what you do and you and the pony are happy.
I had a fantastic showjumping pony when i was younger and a trailer.....but would the little monkey go in that trailer and travel....would he hell!!! we tried for years to get him too....you could load him, tie him up, shut the ramps, as soon as you moved he would literally smash the trailer to pieces. We didnt have access to a lorry.
So we did the odd competition that was hacking distance and that was that. we too used to hack pretty much 7 days a week and weekend we would go for miles and miles and enjoyed every minute!
I now have a pony that hates hacking alone, but im hoping to do odd competitions as i am now on a yard where the YO will take us to local shows etc. One day hopefully to get a trailer of my own.
What ever you do its more about being happy. If you dont enjoy competing....dont! If you enjoy long distance riding, go for it! Enjoy every second with your ponio.
 
Your all doing better than me...I have a beautiful shiny new 3.5 tonne lorry that was intended to take me and my lovely boy out competing but he got injured and had to be PTS 3 weeks ago:-(

I say just have fun at whatever your doing, be it hacking, SJing etc.. if you don't enjoy it don't do it (unless its detrimental to your animals health!).

You may find you actually like competing the nerves may just be disguising the excitement:-) But if you really hate it just don't bother your horse won't know what he's missing out on, as long as he's fed, watered & loved they tend to be very happy!

Before I had my lorry I used to club together with people on the yard and hire a big lorry & driver for the day it was about £20 each so quite reasonable & a fun day out supporting each other!
 
kinglouis said:
Your all doing better than me...I have a beautiful shiny new 3.5 tonne lorry that was intended to take me and my lovely boy out competing but he got injured and had to be PTS 3 weeks ago:-(
Click to expand...

So sorry about your horse. This certainly puts things into perspective!
 
thanks guys King Louis I am so sorry about your horse it makes my whinging rather petty. The yard I am on now has sort of competative riders, but I used to be based in Birmingham where all there was to do was compete as hacking was pretty dodgy. Got BHS Rider mag today and lovely photo of welshie doing dressage which set me of again!
 
There is nothing wrong with hacking. I'll say that again - there is nothing wrong with hacking!
I have 3 lovely girls and no intention of competing any of them. I have spent a life time hacking, schooling and having a very nice time thank you. I love watching and helping other people compete but have never had any desire to do so myself.
I think the various horse magazines make people feel they ought to be doing something competitive. The term 'happy hacker' is often used in a slightly condescending tone and the implication seems to be that hacking is for riders who aren't up to much. Can you tell it annoys me more than a bit?? Rant is now officially over - sorry!
OP, just you enjoy yourself doing whatever suits you and your horse.
 
Last edited:
I will echo another post, its def called peer pressure and you dont have to bow down to it at all. If you want to 'just hack' then you do it. Your horse wont complain at all. I've been through this - I've done dressage, showing, some jumping and horsey has done Pony Club with my daughter. I'm lucky to have transport and the means to compete, but hell, what is nicer than a lovely chilled out hack after work, or a fast canter with mates across a stubble field, or a brisk trot on a frosty morning? Its cheaper too, no entry fees, less lessons, no posh gear needed, less diesel costs, etc. You can keep competing (Mini TX events, and thats enough competitive experience for me now)- horses dont care, and my 17 year old boy loves his life. You enjoy it, you dont have to compete to feel fulfilled as a horse owner.

To the post regarding the loss of her horse. I am so, so sorry, my heart goes out to you. It really puts all this into perspective hearing things like that.
 
hackedoff said:
That seems a good enough reason to me to keep doing what you are doing!

Trying to change a 20 yr old pony is quite hard, he will be set in his ways now and for all the reasons you listed I would say why put yourself through all that to do something that doesn't make you particularly happy, when what you are doing (not just any hacking but serious hacking :)) gives you both so much fun.
Click to expand...
 
I may be a simpleton, in fact there are many who would say there is no 'may' about it :D, but I do not know why people think they 'have to compete'.

See, told you, me a simpleton :D

I bought an expensive DWB (well, expensive to me for an unproven dingbat lol), but she has issues, and I now have issues, so who knows if we'll ever get to do what I bought her for :) (BSJA). Thing is though, it doesn't matter. I love her. I love hacking. I just love being around her, and riding her, so it doesn't really matter what we do together - she doesn't know what she was meant to be doing, and even if for some reason I only ever get to watch her walk around her field, it will be enough :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top