Drowning or still motivated?

[LEC]

I think my motivation has been washed away.
Anyone still have any left? I am sending all my horses away in January for 6-8 weeks and kind of wish it was now!

 

[humblepie]

I don't really mind the wet, but hate windy weather. Fortunately horse's field doesn't get particularly muddy and he isn't a roll in the mud horse so that makes things much more pleasant.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Im good, i don’t particularly like the dark mornings and early dark nights but my routine doesn’t change anyways ?

 

[Bernster]

I’m not great with wet weather. Don’t mind cold and have to ride in the dark due to working hours so that’s less of an issue. I do tend to write off December riding wise as I end up having most weekends booked up (not a bad thing to happen ofc). Finn is enjoying field time as he’s recovering from melanoma treatment anyway so he’s had his shoes off and being roughed off a bit. Never given him a break from shoes so I’m interested to see how he manages (he’s on a decent diet and it’s either grass tarmac and an old school surface that he’s out on, plus he’s out 24/7 so it seems like a decent environment for no shoes).

 

[maya2008]

Still got plenty but rather fed up of riding feeling like I am a drowned rat!

 

[j1ffy]

Mine are on livery, which helps as I'm not dealing with all the elements every day! The mud and dark is doing my head in as Chilli is out at night (year-round) and I prefer that as he has 16 hours a day out, maintains his fitness and doesn't get fresh but it means that I have to turn out by torchlight when I've ridden. So far in the past week I've managed to lose a boot and a torch in mud...thankfully I did retrieve both but with a bit of blue language and daydreaming of summer..!

I definitely ride less in this weather but he maintains his fitness well and as a 5yo it does him no harm. Our 'nice' arena gets more booked up in winter though and the small arena was awful last night - it's not been waterlogged before but it was very squelchy in places and Chilli wasn't at all happy, so I aborted.

My Musto waterproof coat has been well-tested and I'm thinking I need some better waterproof breeches!

 

[RachelFerd]

Not too bad here. I'm a 5-day livery, so don't need to battle the weather all week. Horses are stabled in an indoor barn, so doing chores in the evenings is totally out of the rain and wind... and our tiny indoor is now back in action with new lighting - so I can lunge and do a bit of groundwork if I really can't face riding outdoors. I bought a new full length riding coat, so managed to hack out in heavy rain the other morning without drowning. And the biggest positive of all here is that we're on a light soil which doesn't get deep mud - just a cm of surface squelch at most. Realise I'm very lucky on a lot of those counts!! Plenty of indoor training and comps booked over the coming weekends so that we can carry on no matter what it throws at us.

Will probably not be quite so happy when I bring the older one back into work next month as he will be fresh and unpleasant to hack....

 

[Widgeon]

Anyone still have any left?

Very limited. Horse is out 24/7 (assisted DIY) and on bute while I get his insulin under control before he can have steroids for his hock arthritis....(nothing is EVER simple is it?!) it's peeing it down, he's covered in mud and I'm ill and have lost all motivation to do anything with him! He's quite happy though going slightly feral out with his mates - which is a relief as I though restricting grass would result in the the grumps, but it's not yet, thank goodness.

 

[rara007]

Rocky is off until early December as I turned him away after the championships. He’s soggy and keeps pulling shoes but happy. My turbo cob is the perfect pick up put down solution…! Todays forecast is dry so we’ll probably do something today, about 2 hours before dark when I feel guilty. But I won’t regret it..!

 

[MuddyMonster]

I'm still motivated and booked a few things in over winter - lessons arena hires and a social ride so far. I take part in a winter league so that's helping.

I was worried as this is my first winter of pure DIY in a veeeeery long time I'd be struggling by now but actually so far so good. I hope I can still say that in January ?

 

[Peglo]

I have completely lost the will to ride. I’ve not done anything with mine for weeks, although was planning on giving Tali time off anyway.
I have a small paddock at the back of the stables I could use to do stuff in but the grass is really long and might need it come the other side of winter or would chop it down.
It’s been constant wind and rain and more wind up here and although I miss riding a bit I have zero interest in the dark and this weather.
I have pondered about going into the riding school and doing some inhand pole work but seems so much hassle. But Tali would probably like a change of scene. Eugh! Sorry crappy uninteresting rant. I need to get Christmas out of the way

 

[ihatework]

For me reasonably motivated (the bar is low ? ). The good thing about a 3yo is they don’t need riding every day. If it’s manky she just doesn’t get ridden …. For her welfare obviously ?

 

[countryal]

I'm unmotivated in winter, and struggle with time when working full time, so mine have a winter holiday until February. Have tried to keep going in the past, but the pressure of have to ride, muck out and fit everything else in made it less enjoyable.

 

[Alibear]

Doing OK so far, but mine are on full livery, and we have an indoor school. But going straight from work and changing in the freezing cold takes some determination. Plus I'm getting home later as she's so muddy I have to do a pre and post-work groom, allow a cooling off time before rugging and wash velcro on boots, so they stay on the next day.
I really need to crack the lope this winter so I have a goal to work on too. But the indoor is churned up and won't get sorted unless I do it myself so I can see some time with a rake in my future!

 

[clinkerbuilt]

As a lurking non-owner I just want to chip in and say I'm missing the weekend threads (even though I cannot contribute, as I merely do a couple of lessons and on a variety of different horses).

 

[dorsetladette]

I've lost all motivation since B past away. But I'm having a bit of time out of doing anything special with the babies. It's no fun sliding around in the mud trying make an excitable yearling colt to walk nicely, so we're just not doing it. They are out being babies and growing. I think its good for us all to be honest.

I'm meant to be riding a friends horse but I'm really not feeling the love. So i think I'm just going to spend a bit of time reading a few confidence improving books and listening to podcasts (is that the right word) and see where we are in the new year.

 

[Nicnac]

Demotivated due to work levels and loss of father, but horse in full work thanks to paid pro rider and daughter who rides and competes him. Need to get my backside in gear and get back on tomorrow as have a dressage qualifier in two weeks

Also need to buy a new jacket as emptied competition gear out of lorry for Badminton (yep it's been months since I competed) and put stuff in a spare stable where Mr and Mrs Ratty have brought their ratlets up on competition jackets and other stuff

 

[Auslander]

This is how I feel most of the time...

 

[millitiger]

I'm feeling VERY grateful I decided to put my boy on holiday early, so he had shoes pulled 2 weeks ago in perfect timing!

I have also bought a Stierna coat which was a real investment but really does keep you dry, even in monsoon rain.

Planning to get up and running again ahead of Christmas and hope the motivation is back then too!

 

[southerncomfort]

I'm feeling quite smug after a 2 hour hack in the bitter wind this morning. Took a while for my toes to thaw out though. I'm even still schooling once a week which is unheard of for me from November onwards.

My motivation is that my six year old is bursting with energy at the moment and it's easier to keep him ticking over than brave a rocket fuelled hack after a break.

He will get a complete holiday in January though as the weather here usually makes riding impossible.

 

[Ratface]

Well done. I hope that you have a righteous glow all day!

 

[teapot]

Feeling beyond demotivated at finding out the prices of lessons next year

 

[SEL]

It's really hard when everything has turned to muddy slop

I hacked the microcob this morning but giving baby cob time off while he sprouts new teeth isn't hard when the weather is grim and I'm chasing daylight

 

[Vodkagirly]

No motivation for competing at the moment, enjoying training though. Missing pleasure rides. Looking forwards to the shortest day then hopefully it will cheer up

 

[Sheep]

I’m finding things very tough at the moment. My boy is 8 months post tendon injury, nearly 6 months post op and the rehab is relentless. 1 hour a day walking (in hand), it’s hard going with full time work etc. I don’t begrudge him it, but we are both seriously fed up. It’s hard knowing we are doing this but without any certainty that we will have a good outcome (it’s 50-50, or thereabouts).
We have recently switched to long reining though and it has been a godsend, wish I’d done it sooner.
I love him dearly but this is very hard work ? but I know it’s best for him and he has been an excellent patient. It’s just hard going to the yard every day and not doing any of the “fun” stuff. Have barely sat on a horse the whole time he’s been out, actually.
Ok, rant over ?

 

[Pippity]

I don't mind the rain and I can deal with the mud but it's the darkness that gets me down. Next week, I'll be starting the post-hock injection rehab, which means hacking, but I can't do that in the dark. (We have a stretch of around 100m of roadwork to get to the off-road hacking, but it's a bit hairy in daytime, never mind in the dark.) So I either have to pay someone to do it, or take time off work to do it.

Horse is being turned away for January and February while I'm off gallivanting the world, which will do us both good. I'm fully expecting her to need her hocks doing again when I bring her back into work, but I want her to be comfortable while she's turned away.

 

[Fieldlife]

I don't mind the rain and I can deal with the mud but it's the darkness that gets me down. Next week, I'll be starting the post-hock injection rehab, which means hacking, but I can't do that in the dark. (We have a stretch of around 100m of roadwork to get to the off-road hacking, but it's a bit hairy in daytime, never mind in the dark.) So I either have to pay someone to do it, or take time off work to do it.

Horse is being turned away for January and February while I'm off gallivanting the world, which will do us both good. I'm fully expecting her to need her hocks doing again when I bring her back into work, but I want her to be comfortable while she's turned away.

I find if you light up like a Christmas tree, cars are a lot more respectful in the dark. I think they dont know what you are / what shape you are and are a lot more cautious. You might find your 100m stretch easier in the dark.

 

[Fieldlife]

I find the lack of daylight very draining. As is the rain. But I am trying to book lessons, box out a bit and keep hacking and schooling. I am very lucky to be able to hack before work all year round.

 

[RachelFerd]

I don't mind the rain and I can deal with the mud but it's the darkness that gets me down. Next week, I'll be starting the post-hock injection rehab, which means hacking, but I can't do that in the dark. (We have a stretch of around 100m of roadwork to get to the off-road hacking, but it's a bit hairy in daytime, never mind in the dark.) So I either have to pay someone to do it, or take time off work to do it.

Horse is being turned away for January and February while I'm off gallivanting the world, which will do us both good. I'm fully expecting her to need her hocks doing again when I bring her back into work, but I want her to be comfortable while she's turned away.

Full sympathy - that 100m stretch is absolutely awful. I won't even ride on it at all.

 

[nikkimariet]

I’ve had flu twice in one month so a few very quiet weeks for me

Got some more jumping fun planned though and I have actually booked a dressage lesson too